The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1914-01-29

and held in strict confidence.
torate in 1872 this was changed to half
day service. Since then Scion has
had a morning service The after
noon given to the outside appoint
ments. Since 1895 Bingham, has
with few exceptions. had resident
preacher and quarterly conference of
its own.
During the early years the minis
ter's claim was solicited from the
community by the stewards of the
church Not until 1892 was Sunday
collections introduced as means OF
meeting the ministers salary. Since
then has grown up in connection with
the collection the card and envelope
system of pledges to the ministerial
support.
In 1896 Jonah Langley, one of the
trustees of the church, gave to the
Ladies Aid of the NJ. E. church, one
hundred dollars ($l00) to refurnish
the parsonage with needed furniture.
With this they got carpets, beds and
kitchen furnishings. Added to this as
the years go by. new chimneys coal
furnace. paint and paper electric
lights and telephone has made this
comfortable home for the preachers
as they break the bread to the people
of Scion.
Scion methodism was fortunate in
having among the early settlers of
Scion many staunch defenders of the
faith At the opening of the last cen
fury the French brothers, Josiah and
Moses, settled East of Scion Village
in 1900. on what has since been
known as French Hill. They were
Jealous Methodists and influential
citizens. Moses was a local preacher
and a circuit rider of some note. He
was The father of Luther Pierce and
Joseph Patten, who became itinerant
ministers in the East Maine Conference
before the war Both went to the
South land as chaplains of Maine regi-
ments. Luther served with Army of
the Potomac in Virginia, till the end,
and returned to the work in East
Maine Conference till 1872 when he
was transferred to the Maine Confer
ence, where he labored many years
dying in 1895.
Joseph was soon commissioned
captain of the company and was
known as the minister captain and
was with Cen Butler in the gulf cam
paign He lost his life at Baton Rouge.
1t was not the Frenchs alone that
made Methodism, but the Eatons,
Merrills, Smiths, Whipples, Picrces
and Wilson's names that are house
hold words to the citizens of Scion.
From the Scion church has gone out
from time to time preachers and
preachers wives who have labored to
make the world purer and better.
Among them Myra Smith Jackman
known to the Maine Conference as
Mrs. E. T. Adams; Rev. and Mrs l..
w. Staples of the Massachusetts Con-
ference; Mrs. w. F. Berry of the Civic
League; John Ford of the Maine Con-
ference.
Presiding Elders-1845, Aaron San
derson; 1847, Ezekiel Robinson 1S4S.
George Weber; 1852, D. b. Randall;
1856, John Young; 1860, Herman
Nickerson; 1864, Aaron Sanderson;
1868, George Weber; 1871, J. Colby;
1875, Parker Jaques; 1877. Ezekiel
Martin; 1878, C. C. Mason; 1879,
Stephen Allen; 1888, Abel W Pottle
1888, George C. Andrews; 1891, J. b.
Lapham; 1897. A. S. Laid; 1899, Chas.
Parsons; 1900, Chas A. Southland;
1906. G. D. Holmes; 1912, John Frost
Preachers-1846, Herman Nicker
son; 1S47, Abel Alton; 184S, T. Hill,
1849, Joseph Gerry; 1850, VIM. H.
Foster; 1853, George Day; 1855, VIM.
Stevens; 1856, John Collins; 1850 S.
Banks; 1861, W. H. Foster; 1862, AL
yah Hatch 1864, D. Warehouse; 1868,
E. T. Adams; 1870, ]. H. Moores;
1871, H. Crockett; 1872, L. p French;
1875, Elbridge Gerry; 1876, David
Church; 1878, H. B. Warwell; 1879, G.
d. Holmes; 1882, Geo. Barber; 1883