The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1915-02-25
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Continued from Page Five)

short period, and who, from the day
of the beginning of my ministry to the
end of his life, ceased not to mention
me daily at "the throne of heavenly
grace" How much that dear old
saint helped me in those days Of
youthful service never can compute.
! There was then only the one Baptist
church. 1t was distinctively family
church, and the congregations were
large and representative. l had in
my audience such business men as
Ex-Governor Abner Coburn and his
brother, Philander Coburn; j. r.
Farwell, J. Priest, Palmer Merrill, E.
w Marble, A. H. Wyman, Deacon H.
/ c. Emery, VIM. Parker, C. K. Turner,
R. L. Mitchell and others. OF profess
sional men were Hon. Stephen Co.
| burn, Lawyer Webb, then Clerk OF
Courts, Judge Dascomb G.. A. Wilbur,
M. D., and others. Then there were
Levi Folsom, Selectman for many
years; Levi Emery, Llewellyn Good
win, afterwards Clerk of Courts;
Charles A. Marston, Horatio Gushing.
e. p Mayo, the Editor of the Report
err; afterwards Editor J. O. Smith.
cannot recall all these men of affairs.
who then occupied the pews. There
were also many sturdy and substan-
tial farmers and their families, such
as Nahum Steward, who later moved
into the village; his brothers, Levi
and Philander; the Clevelands, Dea-
con James Calvin, resident in the
village, the Fletchers, Wymans.
Dinsmores, Crawfords, and many 9TH
ers. Then there was Charles NJ Co.
burn, graduate of Colby. whose
young and promising life went out so
sadly. Forrest Goodwin, late Repre-
sentative to the National House, was
Sunday School lad In those days,
deed | must not fail to mention
General Dyer, who. though member
of another communion, was always at
church with his excellent wife. 1 will
not mention any of the noble and tai
ented women. who were not few.
Some of these l have named are liv-
ing, but many have passed on. 1t was
during my pastorate that the meeting
house was enlarged by the addition
of vestibule, and the chapel built on
the rear. This gave us not only much
needed room in the auditorium, but
conveniences for prayer and social
meetings and for the accommodation
of the large Sunday School.
My pastorate covered nine years
and four months. There was no
marked revival, such as the church
had experienced in former years, but
there were steady accessions, and the
interest was well sustained. Very
nearly 100 persons were added to the
church, more than half of them by
baptism. The membership was above
200 when my pastorate closed.
We did considerable outside work
In the period of my ministry. FIRE.
quent meetings were held in school
houses in outlying districts on both
sides of the river. / ministered much
to the churches in Cornville. Pishon's
Ferry (baptising converts at both
those stations), also at Norridgewock
at times when they were without a
pastor.
left Skowhegan in February. 1884,
going to Everett, Mass. | have had
large and important work in the
years succeeding, but look back on
the years of my Skowhegan ministry
as among the most important of my
life.
VIM. o. AVER
Kenduskeag, Maine,
January 20, 1914.
September 81, 1884, was the begin
ming of the pastorate of Rev. C. M. G..
Harwood, and his pastorate was
marked with considerable Importance
inasmuch as it was during his stay
that there was a division of the soci-
ETY.. He remained until December
| 20, 1889. He was considered a very
talented and able speaker, but as
nearly as can be grasped the division
of the members was really caused
over feelings borne toward the pastor.
Charges were preferred against five
members for delinquencies and let
ters of dismission were given fifty
members at their request. The result
was the forming of the Bethany Bap-
list church. Mr.. HARDWOOD now lives
at Bluehill and 1t Is understood he is
not preaching.
Rev. c. A. Whitcomb was the next
minister to take up regular ministry
with the First Baptists. He received
call to these duties March %. 1890.
the pulpit having been supplied by
different ministers from the time Mr..
Harwood departed until Mr. Whit
combs installation. April 9th that
same year the church roll was re-
yised and twenty Ave names dropped,