Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-10
FAIRFIELD.

The re-opening of the Methodist
church at this place Sunday with ap-
propriate special services, after being
closed for repairs since early in jan
uary, marks an epoch in the history of
the edifice and of the Methodist de-
nomination here.
The repairs and improvements con-
sist ,of new carpeting, eight memorial
windows. fresh paint and frescoing and
many minor details which makes one
of the most beautiful places of worship
in this vicinity.
The memorial windows are in mem
DRY of the following people: e. F. Files,
Paulina r. Kerger, w. l. Ames and
wife, Clara A. Ames, Angie Kendall
Carter, Mary A. Owen. A. Shepard
Brown and wife, Helen A. Brown,
David Hudson and wife, Electa K.
Hudson.
The window in memory of E. F. Files
was given by the widow, Flora Files,
and son Ralph; Henry l.. Flood by the
widow, Mrs. Mary Flood; William A.
Hatch in memory of their son; Paulina
r. Kreger by Mr.. and Mrs. w. r. Kfe-
ger in memory of their daughter; Mary
A. Owen. with money left the society.
Angie Kendall Carter by herself. A.
Shepard Brown and Helen A. Brown
by the son, Emerson Brown; David
Hudson and Electa X. Hudson by their
daughter, Mrs A. S. II. Russell.
This is the oldest church edifice and
the first one to be erected in this vii
lage. 1t was built in 1910 on the lot do
mated for that purpose by John and
Samuel Kendall. Although built and
dedicated under Methodist auspices.
all the people of the community were
interested in the enterprise and it was
first KNOWN as the Union meeting
house,
The dedication sermon was preached
by Rev. b. F. Tufts, then stationed at
Bangor. From the first its pulpit was
occupied mainly by ministers of the
Methodist faith, although the Unlver-
saiists who owned a portion of the
pcws in the house occasionally en-
ployed a minister of their own deno1n-
ination to preach About 20 years pre-
vious to the erection of this church
Methodism had been introduced into
the town and what was known as the
Fairfield circuit established, embracing
the neighborhoods now known as the
Center, Nye's Corner and Larone
| The first sermon preached by a
Methodist in this village, then known
as Kendalls Mills, was by Ezekiel
Robinson, then laboring on the Fair
| field circuit 1t was in 1927 in a school
| house on or near the site of the pres
ent North Grammar building, just
north of the church, Miss Louisa En-
cry, whose parents lived at the village,
had experienced religion while teaching
| tie district school on the Ridge, where
| Elder Robinson had class and occa-
| sionally preached. She was baptlsed
| in the river here and at that time was
| the only professor in the place. In 1881
! Rev Joshua Nye, a local preacher l1V-
| ing in another part of the town, was
invited by j. Philbrick, Esq, Univer-
salist, to come to this place and preach
| or the sabbath. He accepted the invi-
tation and preached with such earnest
ness that the people urged him to
/ preach regularly every fourth Sunday
i This he did for three years. In THE
| spring of 1892, Rev. 0. Beals, the pre-
siding elder, held quarterly meeting
in the barn just erected by Eben Davis
P. Burgess, preacher ON the Fairfield
circuit, and Joshua Nye assisted in the
services. In October of the same year
J. Whiting, then on the circuit, held
}, protracted meetings in the schoolhouse
!. assisted by several other ministers o.
the denomination. These meetings re
suited iii the conversion of number O
persons OF, influence in the community
, In February, 1893, Rev. J. Nye settled
|, In the village. From this time until :
few years before his death. which oc
Cured in 1856, he preached almost ev
cry Sunday and devoted much of hi
, time during tbs week taken from hi
. secular occupation to promote tn
|, spiritual welfare of the people. A elias
was formed the same year, Of whicl