The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-12-06
ALL SOULS CHURCH.
"nce of 3Oth Anniversary Yesterday
pec'ai Sermon by the Pastor, Rev. f.
7. Nelson,

'''ai sermon by the Pastor, Rev. f.
I. Nelson.
osVerday was observed blythe members
=. "a 4 souls Universaiist church of Nor
80 oorner in commemoration of the
'o'A anniversary of its dedication to the
worship of God.
ny regular church services were held
III opening and prior to the sermon the
onoif composed of Mrs. G. b. Halves,
soprano, Miss Fila Harding, alto; Mr.
oharles Briggs, tenor; John Shaw, bass,
WIN Miss Gertrude Buxton as organist,
rendered the hymn written by Mrs. E. B.
Durham of MorrilIs corner, written at
the time of the dedication of the church,
Inc nrst stanza of the hymn is as follows:
rather, God! in ancient days,
wandering In uncertain ways,
Inc poor weary, Israelite
II MS wild and gloomy flight,
nonged to clasp Thy tender hand,
Easing through the desert land
trusting If he held 1t fast,
IL would lead him home at last.
The pastor, Rev. f. It. Nelson, then
announced his text from Psalm 100, and
inc Sun verse, ENTER into His gates with
thanksgiving and into His courts with
praise
Inc sermon was delivered with marked
eHeot and was in brief as follows: L was
recently reminded that 1t is now thirty
years since first this house was solemnly
dedicated IN tha aFG avNd 10
service OF humanity; and in view of that
TACT have considered it well to make
some commemoration of it today, not
with elaborate special services but with
backward glance in the works I shall
speak today, and perhaps forward look
before we leave the theme. In order to
appreciate the value of what We now
hold, we should consider what means
were employed to obtain 1t, what sacrifices
were made, what difficulties overcome,
what the cost has been in various ways.
Az our frst annual banquet last spring,
condensed history of the progress of
Unlversalism in this place was read,
covering period of about 68 years. There
are many who have receivedgeither in this
place or the places where worship was held
before, their instruction in those
doctrines in theology and principles in
morality and the value of good works
which has stood by them in their walk In
the world; some here on the old home.
steads and others away in far distant
cities and towns on land and sea.
We may not be far from making a good
inference If we say that it was out of the
desire of such men as DIR. Weston, Rev.
Mr.. Ames and DR.. MoCollcster, to have
religious services for the students of West
brook seminary, that the movement came
at last to build this edifice. Services
were held in the old chapel and In the
seminary building during a. period of ten
years from 1855 to 1866 In 1866 tangible
beginning was made by the organization
of the Ladies' Cirole, under the leadership
of Mrs. r. B. Dunham, with the object
in view to erect church building. Good
progress was made and on May 10th of
the following year a corporation was
formed under q warrant issued by W. b.
Goodrich, for the purpose of building a
oAA0AS h. UOfh Was OOAuui0ACSO NOON alCor
that, SO that by December 5, 1867, all was
in readiness for the dedication. The total
amount raised from various sources, from
the sale of the old building the Church
on the rock, from the generous contri-
buttons of the Ladies' Circle, the trustees
of the seminary, and from individuals,
was about $4,000. Governer Washburn
on the day of dedioationlsaid that 'swhat-
ever else the progress of that enterprise
had done or might do the building of this
church was somthing of which they would
never be ashamed The services of dedi-
cation included an invocation by Rev.
DIR. j. G. Snow of Auburn, scripture
reading by Rev. Mr.. frank OF Turner,
dedicntory prayer by DR.. McCallister and
sermon by DR.. E. Q. Bolles, then pastor
at Congress square church.
On Decemher 9th, 1867, the present
society was organized under the original
name used In 1929. 1.-THE First Universe
list Society of Westbrook. In 1874 it be-
came the First Universalist Society of
Deering when the town was Incorporated.
1t was voted in 1883 to call the church by
its present name "All Souls Church,
One cannot help noting the fact that
the constant dropping of Uniyersalist and
Unitarian ideas has in places worn away