Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-09-13
NEW METHODIST CHURCH.
Corner stone Laid Last Week With
Appropriate Ceremony.

IA IA
society. of Ellsworth, last week, with the
having of the corner stone OF the new
ahyrch ON Hancock street. With dignified
CEREMONY and thanksgiving the stone was
aid in place, and the first services were
he,d on the new church grounds,
The LAYING of the corner stone means
,,ore than an assurance OF new home It
d concrete evidence Of the heroic and
effective work of the pastor and people TO
obtain new church.
On February q Of last year, an inter
.s,jng ceremony took place at the old
Methodist church, when the last Of the
bcuds and notes against the old church
we're burned and for the first time in
many years the society congratulated it.
self on being free from debt. Less than
seek later, on February Is, 1904, there was
another FIRE at the church of less inter-
esting character. The society found itself
without home.
The insurance and money received from
the sale OF the old church property fur
uished nucleus for a building fund. A
site WIS selected on Hancock street, and
pastor and people took up the task of
How well they succeeded is shown by
the fact that the church is now building,
and early in the winter the society ex-
rects to enter 1t, with little or no debt
against it. Too much praise cannot be
given the pastor, Few. j. P. Simonton, for
a. H. t,t- s.t,. ~
essary none.
The laying of the corner stone took
place last Wednesday, at an hour which
made detailed account OF 1t in the
AMERICAN impossible.
The services were conducted by Rev, j.
P. simonton, the pastor, assisted by Revs.
J. NJ. Adams and s. w. Sutton OF Els
worth, and Rev. s. l.. Hanscom, OF the
Methodist church at Bar Harpor. The or
der OF exercises was as follows:
Hymn. ..-...Male Quartette
Prayer. .-........-.-..........M Stmonton
Responsive reading led oy .........Mr Adams
Scripture reading, ................ Mr. Sutton
AGdresses.........,M Mr. Hsnscom and Mr. sutton
List OF contents of corner stone receptacle
read by SIR simonson
Historical statement read by b soule
Hymn. Male Qaartettc
Laying Of stone........4.... ......Mr SimoBton
............,...........Mr Adams
boGOlOgy. ................,-........ Assefnolase
Snedietion. ....Mr Haascom
The contents OF the box in the stone in
ciude a copy OF the church discipline;
conference minutes for 1906; copies of
Aons Herald and THE ELLSWORTH
| AMERICAN; historical statement; official
/ roll of members OF church and auxiliary
| societies.
The historical statement, prepared by j.
7. Knowlton, follows:
STATEMENT
| Regarding the Methodist Episcopal
church OF Ellsworth, made this 4th day of
September, a. d., 1905, the day on which
the corner stone of the new church is laid.
The pastor Rev. John Pascal Simontou.
The trustees Benjamin II. Sowie, pres
dent John Il. Knowlton, secretary; Sam
uel l.. Lord, treasurer; Robert Alexzr der,
William T. Moor, Sumner Fifield, Wood
barry Mccartney, Frank F. Simonton,
Byron II. Mayo.
The building committee Benjamin T.
Sowle, Frank +. Simonton, William T.
Moor
The contractor-winfield 8. Smallidge.
The Old Church.
Situated on lot OF land about e-half
way up the steepcst part OF Bridge Hill,
so-allcd, in Ellsworth, on the southern
been used for more than half century as
he Methodist church of Ellsworth.
In this old house during all these years,
sorshipers had assembled each week with
loyal hearts and mingled emotions to listen
70 the words OF faith and hope and love
which fell from the lips of their loved
ministers, many Of whom have passed now
% that land from whose boune no trav
Ger ever returns, and who with great
ssrnestness and faith endeavored to point
me way to Heaven, and with modest,
lhristian living strove to lead the way;
while hymns and prayers and benedic-
lions, the influence OF which can never De
tssimated by the human mind, had
eoothed the troubled spirit and rested
pom bowed heads and contrite heart 5.
around its sacred altar had knelt scores
nd hundreds of penitent ones who there
earned the blessed lessons of love and
ood cheer and true living first taught by
hs Divine Master ON the shores of Galilee.
p THIS same altar had many marriage
" Deen taken, TO love, honor and pro-
sc' the dear ones whose happiness was,
tst after, the earnest endeavor of each;
nue. Qua through its doors, after the last
90 funeral rites had been performed, had
gen borne all that remained of many of
hs loved and lost.
More than once he'd the conference of
ae east Maine churches gathered within
walls, and at each of such times the
'sst lntellects, the unialtering trust, to-
liner with the earnest tender love for
snering humanity, all united in one
,eal effort for the advancement of Gods
lngdom upon earth.
Burning Of the Old Church.
on the evening of February %, 1904,
Myer meeting of unusual interest had
IN held, and at its close, several fingered
lsIen TO the cheering, social words OF
loved pastor, Rev. John p. Simonton.
~ night had been unusually cold and
" nIe IN the old worn stove and furnace
been necessary for the comfort of
ose assembled.
only short time after the pastor and
sorshipers had reached their homes,
nfe alarm sounded, and 1t soon became
o"h that the Methodist church was on
The IRE companies responded
IMPLY, but notwithstanding the united