The Portland daily press., 1901-02-09
STONE MEETING HOUSE.
Seventy-fif Anniver-
sary Of Dedication.
An Historical Sketch by Fritz II.
Jordan.
Address by Hon, Joseph
w. Symonds.
The Story of the Construction
of This Famous Church.

The celebration OF the 10th anniversary
OF the dedication of the stone meeting g
house Of the First Parish occurred last
evening AS was to be expected the at
tendance was large and numhersn
many OF the descendants of those men and
women who were present three-quar-
ters Of century ago when the building
was dedicated. For ali of this space
many families In Portland have retained
the same pews and last night the
representatives of these old families were
prszent in the very pews where their
ancestors sat during the dedioatory e1er-
cises of this building.
After an organ voluntary an anthem
was suug by the tine choir and then fol-
Iowe1 responsive rea ding by the congre
cation,
| Rev. John Carroll Perkins, the seventh
pastor OF this church since it was organ
ICED, Then read the lesson from the Scrip
lures, after which he offered a most elo-
quent and appropriate prayer. This was
followed by the singing Of the dedication
anthem, written by Charles Voloini, the
organift In 1896, when the church was
dedicated.
MIR. Fritz IL. Jordan, member OF the
parish committee, then dellvare1 the
following historical address:
| 1t has been thought fitting that l as q
member OF the present parish commlttse
should relate some OF the practical details
q the construction OK this meetin0 house
which was erected during the tenure OF
Office OF predecessors OF the present board
seventy-lve years ago.
Portland was then prosperous and
thriving town Of about ten thousand In
hsbitants and was the capital of the
Sia.e. Originally settled In 1893, IL had
been destroyed by the Indians in 1870 and
again in 1870 and had been bombardsd
and partially burned by Mnwatt in l776
It had suffered by the embargo OF 1901.
Its privateers had been quite successful
! in the war OF 1919, but at the cost Of the
lives Of many OF the young men or ite
best families. The period from 1914 TO
1925 was, however. one OF great prosperl-
ty. Population increased nearly tifty
per cent, shipping from 26, Cu0 to 49,0JO
tons and In the year 1925 over 500 tons OF
chipping was constructed in this district,
Ibe tirst Parish was originally TEL
ritoriAi parish ana was supported by
taxes upon the property of all who dwelt
within the borders of tine ancient town OF
Falmouth, which comprised the present
Portland, and towns OF Falmouth and
Cape Elizapeth. From It the parishes of
Cape Elizabeth, Stroudwater and New
Casco had been set { II at different times
aud since 11SS 1t had been supported by
taxes upon It's peWs.
It had had a settled miuister since l7sf
and had worshipped on this spot since
l740. The wooden meeting house erected
in that year ana removed to make room
for this houss had had oheokered oarser,
Piercsd and shattered by the enemy In
1915, 1t had been enlarged, repaired and
reUaired again. In 1924 IL was roun1 to
be In very bad condition and at
special parish meeting held on August
20fh of that year a COMMITTEES was ap-
pointed to examine 1t and report upon
the cost OF permanent repairs. II is tom-
mlttee made thorough examination and
reported at length and In detail on the
2Sth or the same month as to the oondi-
tion OF the house and estimated the cost
of thorough repairs at $3.50. Ihe MEM
bers Of the parish had, however. shared
In the general prosperity and 1t was felt