The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-05-28
A NEW VESTRY
And the Trouble It Gave Gorham
COugregationalists.
A LIVELY CONTROVERSY AND
SOME RESERVATIONS.

The Question as to Which Side of the
Church the vestry Should stand the
Cause of Much Dissension-A Careful
Canvass and an Animated Election.
The quiet and elm EMPOWERED village of
Gorham is just now deeply agitated and
the cause of the trouble is the question
whether the elaborate stone vestry which
the Congregationalist church hopes to
erect shall be built on the one side or the
other of the wooden house of worship.
The Congregational church is old and
wealthy, and in the person of the Rev.
George W. Reynolds it has wideawake
and energetic pastor. In the rear of the
church is small brick building built
many years ago as vestry OF chapel.
Some months ago a movement was set on
foot to remodel or replace this vestry, but
opposition being developed to this plan on
the ground that the old structure should
be preserved; the Rev. Mr.. Reynolds and
some of his people went to work to raise
money to build bran new vestry. They
were dilligent in their efforts and col
lected pledges for $4,000. 1t was to be no
ordinary building, but. so it is said, the
plan was to have it of stone and when
the money had been raised committee
an architect to design this notable
addition to the attractions of Gorham.
Hon. Frederick Robe was among those
prominently interested in the movement.
He had subscribed $500 to the fund and
in response his grateful neighbors and
building in his honor.
The Congregational church stands on
street corner and on the opposite side of
the street which runs by the side of the
church is large lot of vacant land,
known as the parish lot and owned by
the church. 1t was here that it was at
first proposed to erect the vestry but when
the money was secured trouble arose over
the question of location. The parish lot
was almost sacred ground to some of the
Gorham people. There from time imme-
mortal horses had been tethered while
their owners listened to the eloquence
from the pulpit in the church across the
way. Over the parish lot a foot path had
been worn by the feet of many prominent
Gorham people who thus shortened the
route to the center of the village In
front of the lot stands the monument to
the founders of the town. By some Cor
ham people the parish lot was held dear
from old associations and they objected to
covering it even with $4,000 stone
chapel. And then came another objection
to placing building there, an objection
of a different sort. On the farther side of
the parish lot is the house of Mr.. Simon
Mcclellan. Some time after it was known
that the new vestry was to be built be-
side Mr.. McLellan's establishment, that
gentleman built a long wooden building
behind his house and on the side line of
the parish lot. Mr.. Mcclellan has since
been quoted as saying that he might find
it necessary to build another structure
similar to the first and parallel with the
rear line of the parish lot AS Mr.. Nc
Lellan erected his building without any
apparent intention of making them
monuments of architectural skill and
adornment it was felt by some that they
would not contribu tie to the effect of the
beautiful vestry if it should rise beside
Mr.. McLellan's property All these things
combined to create division of sentiment
among the subscribers to the vestry fund.
Now, on the other side of the church is
another lot on which is house. This
house and lot could be bought for $1,000
and it was estimated that the house would
bring $500, reducing the cost to the
church to $500. So when the objection to
using the parish lot made itse felt,
a movement was started looking to
the purchase of this lot on the other side
of the church edifce But the advocates
of the parish lot insisted that it was with
the understanding that that lot was to be
used for the vestry that they had made
their subscriptions. The division of
opinion was so marked that the matter
became the subject of much earnest dis
cussion until finally it was agreed that
the question should be left to vote of the
subscribers at a meeting held about
month ago. Great preparations were
made for this meeting and about 300 SUBJ
scribers attended. The proceedings, it is
said, may be truthfully described as ami
mated. The canvass which preceded the
meeting had been a close one and among
the many things which were matters of
gossip in connection with the matter was
the statement that people had been urged
to subscribe small amounts merely to
give them the right to vote. 1t was also
said that Governor ROBBIE took the ground
that his subscription was not binding I'M
less the vestry was built upon the parish
lot. The vote resulted in favor of this
site by a large majority.
The troubles of the church were not
settled by the vote, however, for shortly
after the meeting three of the deacons,
including Mr.. Joseph Ridlon, who had
held the position for many years rendered
their designations Then Mr.. Stephen
who was the clerk of the parish