Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-22

| mess, and eXhort others to faithful
| ness. Mt alone church members but
| others were Interested in what was
said and done. The singing was
| appropriate for the occasion. Not
| Withstanding thts communication Is
bee oming rather lengthy, | will give
you the names ot the singers "f more
! than sixty years ago. Win great diS-
| thickness | recall the personal appear
| ancc of those veteran singers as they
| stood before the congregation. The
| first leader whom | knew there was
| Samuel q. Ecanc with his violin. Ills
| three oldest sisters. Caroline Lydia
ana Mary, were III that first choir, with
Eleanor Brown. Hannah kimEall
1 Brown. Julia Ann Brown, Dorothy
Leighton and Eliza beth Pearl.
think when Mr.. Bean sang he confined
! himself to bass. and his assnciatcs on
that part were Joseph Leighton, Jr.
Neal Bean, BENZ. +. Brown. and be-
lievc Thomas Leighton. md. and War
ncr Leighton, john Brown. Jr.. ana my
| father were the tenor singers. The
| music Of Or. Lowell Mason Was get
ting pretty we'll introduced at that
| time. ana his tunes with some Of Tic
| standard tunes of older authors, We're
| used 10y these singers. Mr.. Bean was
| succeeded in the leadership of the choir
| by Mr.. Ebcn NJ. Brown. Both of these
| men gave instruction in Vocal Music
! and under their direction the science
was much advanced. Singing schools
| were Of frequent occurrence. and there
| was no difficulty in keeping the Choirs
| we'll filled. There was great prosperity
in the church. and on April 20, 1870. its
| membership had increased to -. Thus
| in little more than two years from its
| organization with only Il few members
at the beginning. it lad become
| strong church. Matters proceeded har-
moniously until about 1914. when thcr.
| was Il proposition to for a FIecwill
| Baptist church. The original church
| having occupied the ground for ..
years, objected to the formation of an
other church. as it would necessarily
interfere with the established preach
| ing arrangements.
1t was finally agreed to refer the
Whole matter to Rev. Walter II. Sar-
gent If the BAPTIST church. Rev. Joseph
| Edgcomb of the FrecWill Baptist
| church. and Rev. Benjamin r. Reed of
| the Christian church. These preach
ers met. and voted. Mcssrs. Sargent
| and t.dgcomb in the affirmative. and
| Mr.. Reed opposed. The result was the
fnrma lion Of another church with "A few
| members. most of whom were from the
| Olde, church. Divisions arose. preach
ing was irregular, ard in a few years
| both churches became dissolved, and
| the members were scattered ''as sheep
| having no shepherd"
/ regret my inability to furnish more
names of the early school teachers
| Among the most successful ones We're
Thomas Blake from Pennington. two
Wing brothers from Fayctte. Isaac
| Whittier from North Vienna, VIM. NJ.
| InGham of Mt. Vernon. Rev. BENZ. =.
Reed of Ecadficld. Hon. Moses r.
Leighton, Mt. Vernon. Josiah S. Scrib-
ner of Rome. There were other strong
teachers whose names | cannot quite
recall. One was from ChcStervillc or
FayCttc. who was conceded to be the
finest reader whom we had in our even
ing reading school at the village. This
| school was in session one evening in
each week, and was regularly attended
by all the teachers in town who were
able to be present. They alternately
| occupied the teachers desk. The large
scholars from all tn" schools were free
Nv admitted Considerable attention
was given to the construction IF words.
ard no one suggested throwing away
the Dictionaries 10 save time and
trouble In this connection we may
remember that this happened before
| Mr. "karnojy" had arrayed himself in
opposition to Noah Webster, whose
conclusions. in the main. are bound to
stand until the end of time. | have
written at great length. and have made
more references than 7 designed.
Irlst that you will not regard it as on
| tircly eEotistical if ! close with Il short
reference t" my personal experience in
that Rean school. | was in charge
during the winter of 1S5i-,5. with AZ
scholars in all. There was not a
single had one in the lot, and there
wore many who were remarkably good
I cxcrted myself to do the very best
possible for Them, and deeply regretted
that | was not able to accomplish more
I was often highly gratiticd with the
Instantaneous and cheerful response
with which my requests we're met
The conduct of the scholars whom
found there was greatly To the credit ot
the conscientious parents, who had Sc
carefully watched over them. and IN
Stillcd into their youthful minds Such
exalted ideas of propricty and justice
| left them with the profoundest feel
, ings of respect and good wishes f"i
their prosperity and success. And now
after the expiration of half century
what is the report" 1t seems I" me
that it has been one of the most I'M
portant and evcntful periods since the
foundations of the earth were laid
> What changes have taken place in Mt
Vernon. even in the II and half years
that / have been away from there
More than 100 have passed on to th'
great beyond to which each one of u:
is rapidly approaching. Each on" VIII
theforc very long. be summoned to give
account Of his stewardship. Eacf
: has the responsibility of deciding wha
the record shall be. 1t is Of the mos
stupcndous Importance that we make
, no mist axes.
Wien the Judge shall arise and shu
to the door. no man may open.
>,,s l,f,