Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-10-11
BELFAST
Church Observes S0th Ami
versary on Sunday - New
Pastor Also

The Universalists church Of Bel
fast, known as. the Business Mems
church, will be reopened on Sunday
October II, after being without
pastor for two years. Its opening
will come en- the S0th anniversary CT
the church and will be appropriately
observed. The new pastor. Kew.
George c. Boorn, who come here from
All Souls church of Portland. will
begin his duties at this time and the
church will be beautifully decorated
and special music prepared by the
choir. The usual morning service
will be held a.. special evening
service at which Rev. Ashley A.
Smith Of Bangor. for Is years pastor
Of the Belfast church, will come to
take part in the anniversary exer-
cises. Mr.. Smith although for some
years a nonresident of Belfast. has
never lost his interest in the city or
the church he served so -ong and
much is dus to his energy and en-
couragement for the successful re-
opening Of the church.
Rev. George c. Boorn who opens
his pastorate at this time was born
in Decature, n. y, was graduated
from the public schools Of Adams,
Mass, and the Cane Theological
school at Tufts. During his last year
in college he was acting pastor at
Mansfield, Mass, and upon gradual
ton accepted a call to Rochester, VT,
where he was ordained, Oct. q. 1910.
He has held paStorates in Ports
mouth. n. H. and Rutland. VT. and
went to Portland, Jan. 1, 1919. He
was given a call to the Belfast
church early last summer and his
resignation from the Portland church
took effect Sept. 30th. Besides the
Belfast pastorate, Mr.. Boorn will
also officiate as pastor of Universal
list church at Stockton Springs ten
miles from this city.
According to Williamson's History
Of Belfast the first Universalist ser
mon preached in Belfast was by an
itinerant minister in the year 1909
and the service was held in the home
of one Benz. Joy, later converted into
Cunningham hotel called the Sun
Tavern in High street. This stood on
the site of the house built a few
years ago by Herman II. Coombs, the
orinigal house remodeled and occu-
pied some years as residence by
Edward r. Pierce having been de-
stroyed by fire several years since.
No efforts towards forming a So
ciety were made until 1924 when one
was organized at the old academy,
which stood where the Pierce school
now stands, and the society was
called the Christian Society of Uni
versalists in Belfast. This was later
changed to The First Universal:st
church of Belfast. Rev. William A.
Drew of Pennington. later of Angus
ia, preached and officiated as pastor
from 1924 to 1926. Bigotry and in
tolerance were at first opposed to the
new doctrine and in 1895 the use Of
the town hall was refused to the So
ciety for services. Col. Daniel Lane
and ten other freeholders requested
the selectmen to call a town meeting
to decide the matter and this was
also refused. Finally the committee
appealed to Joseph Williamson, JUS
tice of the peace, who called a meet
ing PROVIDED by law. A vote was
carried to lease any portion of the
town hall to the Universalist society
or any other society for the pur-
pose of religious worship for a rea-
sonable compensation. =.
The present building was COM
pleted and dedicated in October 1899
and stands toay substantial monu-
ment to that society which came
through all opposition to become a
nn1uer in tho cam nallaifN