Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-23
100 YEARS AGO.
Centennial Meeting Held, Sun
day, in Christ Church
In Honor Of First Town Meeting Held
on March q, 1903.
Interesting Addresses by Citizens on
citys Birth and Growth.

Those who attended the Centennial
meeting at Christ church, Sunday af-
ternoon. were amply repaid for their
attendance by the interesting and in
structive nature of the proceedings.
The hour was 8 o'clock and during the
entire service it was meeting wholly
enjoyable. The seating capacity of the
large church was taxed to accOmmo-
date the congregation. Justice can
not be done the speakers in a con-
de1lsed report of the several addresses,
but short abstracts are given below.
Rev. r. w. Plant. rector Of Christ
church. in the opening remarks cvited
from the time of the dedication of
Solomon's temple through the succeed
ing centuries to and through the life of
the early New England states, the close
relation and identification of the
church with matters Of public and
state. He also remarked on the con-
sideration in which God was held dur
ing that time and the relation to God
in which everything was done. He re-
called the birthday of the town, 100
years ago, and said that on this occa-
sion contrasts would not be drawn but
the following speakers would go back
and recall the early days of town life.
Mr.. Plant introduced as the first
speaker Melpin c. Wadsworth whose
subject was Lessons of the Hour"
The speaker gave an interesting retro-
spect of the life of the town as he knew
it and also gave illustrations showing
the difference of the people and GUS
toms of the times. He also cited what
the town had done for the nation in its
service during the Rebellion. His re-
marks closed with THE Things that
are seen are temporal, but the things
| that are not seen are eternal"
The subject Gardiner as My Adopted
! Town" was very ably and Interestingly
| handled by Mayor j. E. Ladd, who
gave account of his remembrance of
the. early life of the community and the
strong men of that time. He also
| touched on the moral side of that time
| and remarked that in his opinion We
had not held our own. He remarked
on the better influences which existed
at that time-influences that We're not
| to lead away but for better conditions.
He also noted the better church attend
| ance at that time especially among the
Josiah S. Maxcy followed with the
| subject Gardner as the Home of My
| Birth" and this address was filled with
| interest as he followed the life and
growth of the town from the time
Benedict Arnold landed in Pittston on
his unsuccessful expedition to Quebec
| and when Capt. Harry bearing, a cap
tain in the expedition, returned later,
and built a home on the banks of the
kennebec nearly at the place where
| the Public library now stands. Mr.
Maxcy spoke of the influence of such
men as Bishop Burgess, George Evans,
Judge Danforth and DIR. Gardiner and
in closing remarked that no matter in
to what pleasant places on visited or
how pleasant and profitable one found
his surroundings no greater pleasure
would be asked than return to the
home Of his youth.
The closing address was '"The True
Value of Progress" which was given
by Henry Richards who began at the
history of the town at the time the first
white man trod in this vicinity some
300 years ago. He spoke of the hard
ships experienced by the pioneers and
of the danger from the Indians. He
noted the time on which the first perm
Gnent settlement was made about 100
years later and in 1746 when the first
grist mill was built, and Gardiner be-
came the prominent town on the Ken
nebec. He took the town after it's in
corporation down through its slow
growth and development during the
Revolution and following years. He
remarked that the towns development
since 1903 was an epitome of the devel-
opement of all the New England states.
The industrial development of the town
was freely touched upon as was the
difference in the conditions at the time
of the pioneers and the present time.
The speaker closed with the remark
that pioneers have been entering the
town ever since it's institution.
A pleasing feature of the meeting
was the presence Of probably the oldest
man now in Gardiner who Is a native
of the town-Mr. John Godding-and
whose 80 years have been passed In this
city. Mr.. Godding was invited to
speak a few words on this OCCASION
but was not equal to the desire of the
audience. The city government at
tended the meeting in body. The
meeting will be long remembered one
from it's Importance and the great
pleasure and instruction that was af-
forded.