The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-06-28

! lage, and as the result or the reviva
"a united with the Congregations
Church. In 1874 the Church mum
bered II members. In 1916, the Fe
male Benevolent Society Of Nortf
! Scituate forwarded to the state treas
ury SIS. Meetings which had beer
conducted by Mr.. Grosvenor for two
years in Chepachet, In 1916 eliminated
! in the organization Of Church in tha
village and In the erection OF the ex
| cellent house OF worship which was
| dedicated March IL and 12 1916
! Sixty-two were added during the pas
| torate OF this excellent pastor. whom
| the Council that dismissed him pro
nounced "a devoted, judicious and la
boriOus minister OF Christ" | was in
terested to note what fingered in his
mind longest concerning his Scituate
ministry. In the letter written 4C
years afterwards, he mentions two
things: "An item of interest | must
mention before closing. 1t is the
union prayer meeting of four weeks
continuance at the Baptist Church
Meetings were held morning, after
noon and evening. There was not a
regular preaching service through ii
all except on the Sabbath. The SPIRIT
of the Lord was manifestly present
and the results were apparently
great" II must not forget the funeral
Of my second wife, who was so well
and deservedly beloved, nor that she
was the first to be laid in that Gene
terry near the Church, now so filled
with graves, and among them that of
Mary Foster, the beautiful and lovely
child Of my present wife"
Since the organization Of the Church
there have been 16 pastorates. as fol.
lows:
/. Benjamin Russell Allen, years;
January. 1884, to December, 1897.
9 Charles Payson Grosvenor, 9
years; June, 1898, to September, 1S47.
3. BENJAMIN J. Relyea, 2R years;
Nov. 6, 1S47, to April, 1850.
I. James Hall, 21a years; Septem-
Der, 1850, to -, 1858.
). Charles c. Beaman, years;
February, 1853, to April l. 1857.
6. Thomas Williams, months;
January. 1858, to June, 1858
I. Loren b. Marsh, 31a years; Oct
/, 1858. to April, 1862.
y. j. M. II. Dow, 6 months; Oct /.
1862, to April l, 1863.
9. William A. Forbes, 2h years;
Sept Is, 1853, to 1867.
10. j. A. wilkins, / year; 1861 to
April 1868.
II. Thomas L. Ellis, years;
April 1868, to Juhe l, 1871.
u. John II. Mellish. 8 years; June
/, 1871. to June 6, 1880
10. Frank II. Palmer, 2 years;
August, 1880, to Oct. /, 1882.
"A. John Marsland, 3 years; Oct. 1,
1882, to Dec. /, 1885.
10. Joseph NJ. Hobbs, months;
June 6. 1886, to Oct 2, 1886.
16. John Melish, years; Jan. 80,
1887. to Feb. 20, 1892.
The eight pastorates during the next
twenty years were So of quiet plod-
ding work. The Smithville Seminary
GS37-1S59) came and went, with its
fine classes of strong young life. For
the last year it was under Congrega-
tional leadership. Lapham Institute
was established GS63-1S79), and in all
900 students were in the halls of
those fine buildings. The manufactur-
ing population was ever changing.
The young men from the farms were
moving away to the city or going to
the war. Travel was diverted to the
steam car routes. The expenditure on
the part of the State Missionary So
ciety Of from 5000 to $500 a year
could not secure permanency in the
pastorates. The longest of the eight
was scarcely four years.
Up TO 1859, at the 25th anniversary,
the Church had had 12S members, of
which 80 had been dismissed. II had
died. and but Is were resident. There
were 20 in the Sunday School. A re-
vival attended the labors of Rev.
l.. Ellis, the last of the eight,
and II were received, making the
number 81.
In 1870, two-thirds of the pews had
been acquired by the Church. June 4,
1871. Rev. John II. Mellish enterea
upon his long pastorate Of nine years.
October 81, 1872, after repairs lastins
three months, the church was re-
Blodgett of the Pawtucket
Congregational Church. Text. Psalm
SAL, How amiable are Thy taber-
nacles, O Lord Of Hosts" The salary
had become $780, there were 100 in
the Sunday School In 1873 the seats
were voted free. In 1874 the state
society contributed s400 towards ths
salary. July 2, 1876. II were received,
the membership 63. In March,
1880. the Central and Beneficent
Churches OF Providence each contrib.
uted $l00. In May. eight united with
the Church, two of these by INNER
sion. June 6 Mr.. Mellish's ministry
closed In September, 1880, Rev.
Frank IL. Palmer was ordained as pas
tor. For is months Hughesdale was
coupled with the North Scituate
Church Though this pastorate was
but two years long. 1t was full of great
promise and interest. In December,
1850. the Free Baptist Church united
with the Congregational Church for
In June, 1881 the creed OF
the Church was greatly shortened.
December II, 1881, chapel on the
main street of the village, with a
seating CaDacity of los, was dedicated