The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-08
FREEPORpS NEW CHURCH.
Interesting Dedicatory Exercises Yes
terday.

The Society Over One Hundred Years Old
Sketch of Its DISQUALIFICATION
Sermon by Dr.. Jenkins.
The handsome new church of the First
Congregational society of Freeport, full
description of which was published in We'd
nesday's PRESS, was dedicated yesterday,
with impressive exercises in the presence of
very large audience. Although the day
was very cold one In Freeport, it was
bright and joyous too, and no one was de-
TERED by the weather from attending the
dedication. Teams by the score, laden with
people, wrapped to the eyes, in coats and
shawls drew up in front of the portico.
When the services began there were on
the platform, the pastor, Rev. Edwin c.
Brown. Rev. E. II. Cousens of Portland and
Rev. George Merriam of the Freeport
BAPTIST church. The latter invoked the
Divine blessing after the singing of the
Doxology.
Scripture reading by the pastor was fol-
lowed by prayers by Rev. e. M. Cousens.
THE HISTORICAL SKETCH.
The pastor, Rev. E. G. Brown. next read
brief historical sketch of the society and
it's churches. and gave the report of the
building committee. On the 18th of Febru-
airy, 1889, Freeport was made a distinct
parish by order of the Massachusetts
authorities. and December 21st OF the same
year, the First Congregational church was
organized. A part of the original members
came from the churc h at North Yarmouth,
SO this century-year old society may be
called the daughter of the North Y armouth
society.
The first pastor, Rev. Alfred Johnson,
was installed December @ist, 1889. and
served about sixteen years. The second
pastor, Samuel VeaZie, served from ls06 10
1909. In the latter year while i'll in bed, on
a winter night the house caught fire and he
was removed, but did not survive the ex-
posure The records kept during his
ministry were destroyed in that fire.
During the pastorate of Rev. Enos Morrill,,
from 1916 to 1880, the original meeting
house, said to Lave been built in 1874, and
located in Yarmouth street. ear the OLD
burying ground. WAS torn down with the IN
tention of building on the same spot, bur
in May, 1878, a new house was raised. nearer
the centre of the village, on the foundation
of the chdrch that was burned last April.
When just finished it was destroyed by ire,
and though much discouraged, the parish
began again to build and in September of
the same year the frame of second house
was raised. On February 25th, 1873, the new
building was finished. Prominent liz carry
ing forward the work were the Porter
families, who were the most influential in
Maine in introducing steam naviga ton in
to the state.
In 1888, when Cephas H. Kent was pastor,
resolution was adopted that no person
should be admitted to membership in the
church tho sold Intoxicating liquors. or
used them except as medicine. At that
time this was very radical movement.
When Rev. Samuel Veazie was installed.
twenty-seven years before. wines and
liquors flowed freely.
When Ebenezer G.. Parsons was pastor.
from 1887 to 1861, the membership reached
at one time the number of 295. the largest
In the history of the church.
In 1867, the church was closed for eight
months for extensive repairs. 1t was almost
rebuilt, and when finished :here were
dedicatory exercises. at which President
Harris and Prof. Packard of Bowdoin took
part. That was twenty-eight years previous
to the present dedication Of the new
church.
Last April the old church was burned by
the confagration that destroyed business
block near by. During the summer the
parish worshipped in the Town hall. The
site of the present church was purchased of
E. r. Mallet, Jr., for $1,000, by the building
committee, consisting of W. A. Davis, chair
man, J. P. Merrill. E. b. Grant,J. E. Davis
and E. G. Brown. The contract was given
to Jere Philbrook & Son of Portland. and
the church cost S6797. exclusive of coiored
windows. pews and hardware. Work was
started on the building last August, and the
first service was held in it last Sunday.
The main rooms seat three hundred In the
pews and the yestry one hundred and fifty.
making capacity of four hundred and fifty
in the two rooms. The vestry is on the side
and can be thrown into the main room,
making one large auditorium.
The late Mrs. C. A. kohler of San Fran
cisco, donated three side windows, as
memorials of her mot her and sisters at an
expense of S225. and she also gave cash
subsc ription of $50. The first window is a
memorial to Rev. P. B. Wing. the beloved
pastor from 10 to 'S6.
The Christian Endeavor society raised a
special fund and paid for window with
the society's monogram and motto upon 1t.
Windows were also given by Messls. W.
A. Davis and f. S. Soule in memory OF
their mothers. Rev. C. A. Bartol, ID. d., OF
Boston, who attended the church as boy,
sent 500. Mrs E. E. Harrington of Cleye'
land. Ohio, gave Sl0U, William d. Soule OF
Portland, $50, S. Fales. S25. BENJAMIN
| Webster, $25, Sumner Osgood of Roxbury
Coz and friends in Bath S27.
The Ingraham Clock company of Bristol
Conn, presented clock for the vestry
The ladies' circle raised about $500 and pur.
chased the pulpit, carpet. etc.
After the reading OF the historical sketch
Rev. Arthur Smith OF the South Freeport
church, extended in graceful and dutiful
manner the calculations of the daughters"
for his church is an offshoot from the Free
port church.
Rev. George Merriam and Rev. G. Ii.
Waite. CT the local Baptist and Uniyersalist
churches, extended very cordial and
neighborly congratulations, and both ex-
messed the hope and belief that this good
example of the Congre gationalists might be
followed by the other societies.
Rev. l., j. Thomas of Auburn. spoke
20 ,onoratu1ation in behalf of the