The Republican journal., 1918-06-27
BRIEF HISTORY
OF the First Parish Church Building, Bel
fast. Tooth Anniversary, June IS, 1918.
BY A. E. WILSON, MINISTER

BY A. E. WILSON, MINISTER
If we could have looked in one hundred
years ago today, where we are now gath
cred, we should probably have seen this
building in all its gaunt strong frame
work inside, the outside just boarded in
with boards the width of which would
make several of our boards today. We
would have obtained a tolerably fair idea
of the exterior about as it is now. Look
ing out around the building to the rear
and to the south, we should have seen
pasture and woods. We could have walk
ed from Main street, as far as Spring
street on the new Church street in front
of the building, that being as far as
Church street went.
For it was on the 18th of June, 1918, that
the raising of this structure began and
lasted two days. A number of men used
to that work came from the surrounding
country, under the direction of Samuel
French, master builder. 1t is a fact of
interest that the present chairman of our
parish committee, at that early day, had
two grandfathers connected with the
church and parish, one in the force of
workmen, the other assuming member
ship in the parish, lasting till his death
and continued by his descendants. AL
though it was a church they were raising,
the usual custom of those days was fol-
lowed and something stronger than spring
water or coffee was used as beverage,
accounts differing whether it was one or
two barrels Of punch consumed.
On the End of February of that year
the parish had voted to build church,
and this Miller lot was decided upon, and
contract let for 1000. The building was
-,
The plan was for building 65 feet long
by so in width, with Ga pews, 81 of which
had already been pledged to be taken at
500 pew. Later these were auctioned
off for choice and considerable premium
was obtained, which must have started
the church without debt. The galleries
were as now except that they were sup
ported by massive pillars. Part of the
seats in the gallery were always to be
free according to the terms by which the
parish got the lot on which they built.
The bell was from the celebrated Paul
Revere foundry and was hung the fol-
lowing spring and still does duty The
pews were the old fashioned boxed in
affairs with door and hinged seat at one
end. A semi circular pulpit, with stairs
ascending on high, was at the front end,
originally on a level with the galleries,
but several times cut down to bring the
preacher more on the level of his audi
ence. At first no way for heating was
provided, but later the hand stoves and
foot warmers gave place to two real
stoves set up in the rear with long fun
nels extending the whole length of the
church, and these in turn were supplant-
ed by furnaces In 1868 these first peWS
were torn out and the pillars removed
and the present pews were put in, A lit
tie later the recess back of the pulpit was
added to the church and the present pull
pit and furniture made their appearance.
Dr. Bixby adds the interesting comment
that an expert was secured to plan this
arrangement but the building committee
was not satisfied with his plan, so DR..
Blxby himself planned what we now see
here, pillars, alcove and high windows
and it has proved very satisfactory.
Many now regret these more modern
seats and pulpit, but at the time the
changes seemed imperative. Would that
the cry today was for more seats as it
was in '68
This building must have meant good
deal to this vicinity at the time it was
built. Belfast was SO or SO years old and
had two church buildings, one on the east
side and one on the west, but both were I'M
pretentious buildings with no steepIe o.
IN fact churchly air, and by this time
were dilapidated and unteuantable Botf
had been built in 1892. AS was well sale
by Mr.. Williamson at the 75th anniver.
sary of the parish, "For the first time wa.
building seen here which worthily ex
pressed the peoples sense of Importance
to themselves and to their children o
maintaining the public administration o
religious ordinances
There had been two settled ministers il
this town before this time, under the frs
being formed the Congregational church
and during the paStorate of the second
came the formation of the Methodist, tn
Baptist and this First Parish organization
1t was the Massachusetts, statute of 1871
which granted the right to religious bodie
to organize and control their own affa air
and exempted their members from taxa
ton to municipal parishes, that cause
these new societies to organize althoug
both the Methodists and the Baptists wei
dormant for a while. The Rev. Alfre
johnson, the towns second minister, re
signed from the First Parish in 1918 an
this church too became inactive. Tn
War of 1912 and succeeding years ma
have had a disastrous effect upon thes
societies, and the icy summer of .18l
didn't help matters any. The Fir
Parish heard the Rev. Asa Piper for tt
months in 1915, and in 1916 heard tn