The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-16

with the contents of which he and his
friends were wont to regale them
selves during intermission.
In 17SS young man by the name of
Aaron Bancroft came to Worcester to
preach as a candidate for colleague pas
tor with Mr.. Maccarty. His pronounced
Unitarian views quickened a growing
sentiment in this community and de-
sire prevailed among a portion of the
members of the church, to settle him
in the vacant pastorate after Mr.. Mac
cartys death
But the majority were opposed and
steps were taken to form new church,
which action was productive of more
or less contention and unpleasant feel
ing.
1t was said that a majority of the in
habitants were rigid Calvinists," while
the petitioners for a division were
rank Arminians," The desired OBJ
ject was, however, effected, and a new
society formed, the first example of a.
poll parish in any inland town of the
commonwealth, and public prejudice
against it was violent"
Such was the beginning of the First
Unitarian church in Worcester. About
this time there was an attempt to in
troduce Methodist worship here, but the
itinerant departed with the comment
that the people seemed to have a small
share of religion. Forty years elapsed
before the Methodist form found a lodg-
ment in Worcester soil.
The successor of Mr.. Maccarty, the
Rev. Samuel Austin, came in 1890. He
was man of wide influence and repu-
tation in course of years, and left Wor-
cester in 1916 to become president of the
University of Vermont. He was of the
Hopkinsian school, and was strongly
Orthodoxy of TTy,,f
was springing up. His statement,
however, when charged with a belief
in infant damnation, that he "abhorred
the doctrine" relieves his memory of
that stigma. His death in 1880 was &C.
casioned by an overdose of laudanum,
administered to allay his sufferings
while under the stress Of nervous and
mental depression.
During the political excitement in
cident to the war of 1912, DIR. Austin
delivered several sermons of great fer
vor from the federalist standpoint.
which gave offense to the Madisonian
element, or the supporters of the gov
eminent policy, in his congregati ton
Many of these, in consequence, ceased
to attend his preaching. and helped to
swell the membership of the First Bap-
fist church, which was then struggling
for existence. Worldly and religious
matters become strangely mixed some
times.
| In 1916 came the Rev. Charles Angus
tus Goodrich as colleague to the Rev.
DR.. Austin, who remained nominaIly
the pastor until 1918 Mr. Goodrich
was young man of promise, and after
wards developed in q degree the liter
airy talent which distinguished his
brother, the well-known. Peter ParIey.''
But for some reason which cannot now
be clearly defined, he was not accept
able to Daniel Waldo, the magnate of
the town at that time, and his sisters
The Waldo family withdrew from the
church, and soon after formed one of
their own, for which Mr.. Waldo built
a meeting house.
In one way the period of Mr.. Good
rich's ministry may be regarded as an
unfortunate one in the ecclesiastical
history of the town, although the Cen
trail church was its direct outcome.
Much ill-feeling and personal trouble
followed in course during the young
minister's sojourn in Worcester.
One unpleasant incident was a suit at
law brought f'y Mr.. Goodrich, against
a prominent member of Mr. Waldo's
church, who indiscreetly accused him
of "embezzling" fifteen dollars from a
female religious society, and three one
dollar bills from another organization.
The jury's award to the plaintiff was
over $500 and COSTS and as the demise
of the defendant followed soon after. it
may have been fastened by chagrin at
his defeat and regret at the loss of
what was then a large sum.
The next minister of the First church
of "O1d South" the Rev. Araetius Bevil
Hull, died in office in 1926, and his re-
mains rest in Rural cemetery. His
successor, the Rev. Rodney Augustus
Miller, is in the memory of many liv-
ing today
A difference in politics and principles,
particularly in regard to temperance, as
well as certain other matters. created
sehisms. social as well as religious, and
Mr.. Miller finally retired after a pasto-
rate of seventeen years.
1t is said that his salary was reduced
from $1,000 to $500 in the determined pur-
pose to bring about this result. Much
sympathy was felt for him outside the
church, and in after years the contin-
ued run of ill-luck and mortality among
its ministers was commented on in con-
nection with his dismissal.
OF several ministers succeeding Mr..
Miller, no one remained long, death or
ill-health bringing their pastorates to
an end. Nothing occurred, however,
to greatly disturb the peace of the
church until the advent of the Rev.
WllIIam Mefedlth Parry in 1872, which
was the occasion of much after regret.
1t was generally admitted that he was
man of rare scholarship, fine talents
and even a degree of genius such as
Worcester had never known among its
local ministry; but it soon became evil
dent that the action of both church
and parish in extending a call had been
too hasty. He was not installed.
His strange sermons and sensational
topics drew immense audiences to the
"Old South until the galleries
cracked and the church carpenter
had to shore them up to prevent dis
aster. A division in the church en-
sued, and the majority not sustaining
Mr.. Parry, he withdrew with his sup
porters, and formed the Tabernacle
church, which went to pieces at his
death.
The foregoing comprise the principal
religious difficulties in Worcester. Minor
differences have occurred in other
church organizations in the place, but
these were not of sufficient moment to
concern the general public. And it
can be said that in the troubles above
narrated, there is nothing that reflects
upon the moral character of the people
or in any way affects the principles Of
the body with which they were connect
ed.