The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-06-15
Rev. Mr.. Clements His
tory of the Church.
Hon. Mark H. Dunnell's Letter
A Successful Celebration.

BaAtba OCatckf 0AOsf UNIV - NO
Baptist church located in this village has
rounded out century of its existence,
and today that event was flttingly COM
memorated. The church has been relig-
ious center not only for tho village OF
Buxton Center but for the country rou nd
about Some OF the leading Baptist
iivines of Maine have labored here az pas
tors and among its members have been
many men and women who have left
their quiet village homes to take promi-
nent places In the life Of far distant cities
The church edifice stands in the center
of the village, white building by which
grow several large trees. To-day the
vicinity of the church has presented an
animated appearance. Teams came by
the score bringing families to attend the
days exercises. The audience room Of
the church has been Gro wded at all the
services, and OF noon the ladies of the
village invited those present to the spao-
ious vestry in the basement, where good
old fashioned New England dinner was
served. There were several hundred of
the diners, and there was an abundance
fer all corners. The church was appro-
priately decorated for the occasion.
The services began at Q. 80 this forenoon,
when the Rev. A. N. Dairy of Sanfor
conducted devotional services. After this
the history of the venerable church was
related In An interesting address delivered
by the pastor, the Rev. William Glenn
ents. Mr.. Clements traced the origin
and growth of the church and made APP
propriate references to the men who ha We
labored there In the Christian ministry.
from the address is printed below, but no
abstract can do justice either to the sub
jeot or to the manner Of the delivery Of
the address and the language in which IL
was expressed.
THE HISTORY EoF THE CHURCH.
1t was in October. 1898, that number
of the citizens of the town entered into
the following agreemsn e:
We, the undersigned subscribers, In
habitan tn of the town of Buxton in the
county of York, having realized the
sollem importance OF the greet privileges
of the preached gospel its sdoctrines and
the administration of Its ordinances In
Its primitive purity to our selves and our
postcriry and mankind Gin general Rand
believing IL Is q duty incumbent upon us
to take come lawful and reasonable
method to support and promote the same,
and when we shall do this 1t is our candid
opinion that In attending to the greater
things Of our everlasting conc srnmept as
q means to bring about the end q due and
striot conformity to the disnplin and doc
trim the denomination of Christians called
Baptist are necessary and most sacredly
to be regarded.
That the fret step to be attended to in
this our religious comp act Is to agreehnd
we do Eherein most sollumnly agree TO
form ourselves into q religious society by
the denomination OF Baptist
2dly. We do likewise agree to conform
ourselves to all these rules and regula-
lions that is necessarily observed therein
for the well ordering and disaplin of said
society.
3dly we do agree to use our best In
deavours to provide and support q public
teacher and suitable accommodations ac-
cording to our several abilities.
IDLY that when respectable number to
this agreement are procured we will
make application to this town to be set
off from the Congregational society under
such regulations and upon such condf-
tions as the Towns in this Common
"
The original of isscompact with it's
queer spelling is still In existenca AS a
result Of 1t, we find that at q town meat
ing held In May Of the following year
article twelve was ''to ses If the town
will set on from the Congregational So
oiety the subscribers with others who
have or who may hereafter by written
agreement associate themselves for the
purpose of Baptist society under such
regulations as the orthodox Baptist So
cieties are established
And in accordance with this article OF
the warrant the town on May 9, 1899,
voted that Benjamin Bradbury, Joseph
Hobson, Nathan Eden g. others who
have by written agreement aud such
others as may hereafter associate with
them for the purpose of forming them
selves into religious Baptist society in
this town-that they with their estates be
set OF from the Congregational society
in said town provided that the said
society shall constantly provide them
selves at their own expense with a regu-