Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-08-09

'eoe oiu Fufitan churches We're
the teachings and ideals that made
men and women of staunch Chris
liah character. In these churches
was the material for manhood and
womanhood that was to give moral
.one 10 the new community whence
they were TO migrate, into what was
/ then known as the wilds of Maine.
" at least one of the pastors of
tflese people, who babe them God
speed as they went forth into a land
| ana future that had in store for
! them both veal and woe. We have a
| prlef history. Rev. Joseph Bean of
Wrentham was the spiritual advisor
! OF at least four of the charter mem
bers of this church. For "a years he
was minister of the Gospel and it
| was truthfully recorded of him that
| lie was no less faithful than indus
trlouS. In his sacred office he gave
| himself wholly to his work, and new
! er suffered any of his personal or
domestic concerns to divert him from
! a punctual discharge of his minis
! teflal dutles-he carried his people
| upon his heart. Due to the influence
| II such life and others like him
| whose example and teaching were
lar reaching. the men and women
who served their church ties vera
| emlnently fitted for the stem duties
which a new and unbroken country
demanded. They all possessed a rich
| inheritance of character and intel
| lect winch formed the background of
| their spiritual ventures in a strange
| land. The first to receive their dis
| mission and certificate of standing into
| the new church were Elias and Mary
Taylor. who on January %, 1851. were
| ofhclally and affectionately dismissed
| from fellowship in the Congrega-
tlonal church in Lyndeborough in the
! Province of New Hampshire "Who
| having behaved themselves inoffen-
slVeiy' We're on the Account Recon-
mended into communion in all spe-
| clal ordinances with any churches of
| our Lord walking in the faith ac-
cordlns TO the Gospel wherever they
may have opportunity in the travels
now before Them These two Wor-
| thles from the distant province of
| New Hampshire were among the pro
motors of the church in Winthrop Is
years before its organization. John
Chandler had come in 1857 and jon
altman Whiting in 1862; these were
p1ouS men and members of Con-
SfeSd uonal churches before migrat-
ing 10 Maine. Such men and there
were others, including Sauier Bishop
who was the second to settle in
what was known as Pond Town
were interested in spiritual things 5
well as home making and state build
ing. In their cravings for religious
Fellowship they must have frequcntly
come together for religious purposes
After the town WAS Incorporated in
III one of the regular provisions in
the town meeting was for the sup
i r. AS at-1,-
in the year of incorporat COM
mlttee consisting of John Chandler,
Timothy Foster and Jonathan Whit
ING was appointed to provide for
preaching for eight Sabbaths during
the coming summer, and were au-
thorlZed to spend 90 pounds for all
necessary expenses. In October 1715
the town committee on preaching
was authorized to hire young gen
tieman of good moral character
NlnthropS first historian says that
there were special reasons for such
instructions. for the Province of
Maine was the City of Refuge" IL
which ministers of ImSound morals
generally fed The above named
committee engaged Thurston Whit
Ing, having been instructed by the
town so to do. In case we can get
him.. He was the son of Jonathan
W Whiting and student at Harvard
until the breaking out of the Revolu-
tlonary war, when the classes were
broken up and the Students scat
tered. The committee was also in
Structed TO hire him for one day each
month during the winter with a view
of settling him. The town failed to
settle MN, but for his services pa i6
eight pounds, ten shillines and eight
!, in
Two pounds and eight shllines for
his board. Among the names Of the
early preachers who ministered to the
church we find the names of Mr..
Taylor and jeremiah Shaw. The lat
Ter doubtless had spent considera-
BILE time with the people here as the
records show that Mr. Jonathan
Whiting had been paid two pounds
and for keeping his horse II shillines.
All great achievements are the prod !
ucts of the past To-Day is the full
hllment of yesterdays hopes and the
attainment of ideals which had their
birth long before. Plymouth Colony
had its beginning in the little church
at Scrooby England nourished in Hol- !
land and on the good ship Mayf1ower |
While in this latter a compact for |
law and order ami good government
was entered into, the church and ,
school having a prominent place in it. |
In this beginning the christian home !
became one of its great ideals. Re /,
ligion and Education were to be the !
pillar OF the New state. AS a result |
of this wise beginning we have today !
40 colleges e Congregational affilia |
tions scattered throughout what was !
then an undiscovered trackleSs will |
derness peopled with a savage race. |
With the love of freedom and De- I,
mocracy strong in their hearts we !
see the genesis of Nation born. The !
date of the Anniversary. September |
4 is the same year of the birth of our |
nation when the spirit Of Liberty was |
rising high, when the farmers of !
Lexington, Concord and other nearby !
towns had struck the first blow in a |,
cause that brought forth the great |
American Republic. Into this new !
colony, what is now known as Win |
throp, came many adventures who |
were laWless and Sabbath breaking,
and immortality became a menace to !
the quiet life Of the community. |
The settlers realized that something |
must be done if they were to pre-
serve their homes and the virtues OF !
their children. 1t was the church !
alone that could make the future safe !
and create citizenship that would
have its foundation in faith and
sacrifice for the higher things OF
life. With the new social ana