The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-12-17
THE LINcoLNvILLE CHURCH.

One of the Oldest 'smeetinp houses', ir
the State is that is located in the town OF
Llncolnville. 1t was built bv the late
Capt. Joshua Lamb, public spirited
citizen of the town, in the year 1921. II
IS estimated that the building at its
erection cost not less than $4,000.
when a stranger goes to Lincolnville
Center one of the first objects shown him
Is the Old Baptist church. Every citizen
points to it with pride, as it is one of the
lew old churches in Maine that remains
mat remains the same to-day as when it
was built.
when the church was completed Mr..
Lamb sold to all the people in the town
such pews as he could, giving deeds for
the same; but with the greatest number
unsold and no finances at hand to aid him,
he was seriously embarrassed in his bust
ness as result of his public spirit.
The interior of the church has the best
of finish. The seats are all of fine pine,
two feet wide and free from knots.
There is a great amount of carving in
the old structure, which is all by hand
and quite beautiful. Cut from the for
ests in the vicinity of Lincolnville, most
of the lumber was of the best and clear
ed the nearby land of the little settle
ment.
| A peculiar feature which was prevalent
in those old churches is the fact that
the seats face to the rear of the church,
so that all people entering can be seen
by those of the congregation who are
already seated. This is believed to have
been an incentive to early arriving.
The gallery extends on all four sides
and that in the rear is occupied by the
| al hot
lower than the others, forming the pulpit,
eight feet above the audience on the
main floor. In the gallery there are
located some family boxes on similar
lines as in the Southern churches. These
boxes are six feet long and three feet
wide, with board settles running around
the sides. Small kneeling stools were
placed in the center of the boxes and
doors were provided to each box.
The membership of the old church was
never very large, but the membership OF
the Sunday school once registered over
1000 members, notwithstanding that the
settlement was country one.
Captain Lamb had two brothers who
Were Free Baptist clergymen, the Kew.
Geo. Lamb of Brunswick and the Rev.
John Lamb of Lincolnville, while another
brother, BENJAMIN Lamb, became dea-
con of the church. While the two broth
ers often preached in the old church, they
never become settled pastors OF this
church
Probably the first pastor, who served
several years, was Elder Mckenney, VINO
resided where the village cemetery is
now located. For many years Elder
Rines, a blind preacher, was pastor, ac-
curately reciting his scripture and hymns
from memory This was also taVorite
pulpit for supply by the Hon: Ebenezer
Knowlton, NJ. c., the Rev. Jason Mar
riner, son of Deacon Joseph Mariner,
who was the trustee of Bates College at
that time and a worthy member OF the
| church.
In its prosperous days the church was
an important factory in the welfare OF
the community, as the long line of car
riages on it's lawn and sturdy yeomen on
their way to worship testified. Quarter
ly meetings and special occasions have
taxed to the utmost the capacity and
the hospitality Of the old church. IN
recent years the church has rung with
| the eloquence of many political orator,
it being used for rallies by all parties.
| Debates between the champions OF the
two parties have also been held here.
John W. Lamb, grandson of Capt;
Lamb, was born on the old homestead
overlooking TIE church and village. He
graduated from Colby College In the
class of '55 with high honors, being the
first native college graduate of the town
of Lincolnville. He was classmate OF
the Hon. Reuben Foster, at one time
speaker of the Maine House and presl-
dent of the Senate, and of the late Gov
ernor Dingley.
After many years the pews became
free, and now the church is used Tor
worship by all denominations, as the build
er originally intended it should be.
The literary exercises at the centen-
NAL celebration of Lincolnvile on June
10, 1902, were held in this building. =
| Boston Globe.