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

Society was organized in the caster
ly part Of the town. A Methodist
class was carried on under the
ministerial care of Rev. Philip
Wager. In 1892 a Calvinistic Baptist
Society was organized. In 1919 the
period that we have been treating,
the Cniversalists began having
stated ministration." A year earlier
a society of about 40 was formed,
denominated the Union Society of
Winthrop, Readfield and Wayne.
This was a period when Gods peo-
pie loved their church and endured
hardships that they might worship
in the sanctuary. One who as "a boy
had been brought up in Winthrop
and who had sat under the ministra
ton of Father Thurston, writes
more than 80 years ago the memoirs
of those earlier times. Through
the deep snow of winter the mud of
spring and autumn, and under the
burning sun of summer, old men and
youths plodded their way to the I'M
attractive house of worship on
yonder hill, in which was no fire
except what was carried in the foot
stove by mothers and maidcns, and
there we listened to the Gospel
message by one so venerable that |
thought him an old man in prime of
life In the afternoon there was a
Union Meeting of all neigh boring
Sunday Schools at the Town Hall
The Hall was packed to the brim
The music was excellent and the adj
dresses of a high order. Rev. Mr.
Lane of East Winthrop Baptist )
:. gave very interesting history of
his :. =, Mr.. Levi French present
ed a wonderful account of the
growth and progress of the Method
list :. :. | regret that. in our new
town history, recently published, no
: mention is made of this evidence of
fellowship between the denominations
when so much is said about early
contention. Through the leadership
of the Spirit we have found i'll these
days the JOY Of fellowship with
Others of different faith and we well
come most heartily today the
churches of other denominations
who are with us. Perhaps we 90 not
always agree in everything. They
do not ask us to do so. Neither do
We ask them to agree with us but we
do rejoice that there are so many
ways in which We can serve our
great Leader and saviour Ours is
"A forward look With a solid front
oil ttuOiIilIid llbuS dit pl'SSiltP O1A-
ward through the fellowship of ser
vice to a better day, to a new world
wherein righteousness prevails and
our Lord and Saviour rules supreme.
The Revelation in the closing book
of the New Testament tells us of
new Heaven and u new Earth
The Scientist has already brought to
our minds wonderfully new
Heaven, its secrets are being dis
covered more and more. but the
New World which all lovers Of our
Lord and our fellownen are now
creating is even more WONDERFUL
Disease, pain. superstition, lgnor-
ance, and sin are being overcome
and we who are still eating of the
Tree OF knowledge are fulfilling the
purposes of God in restoring this
Old Earth to Edens beauty and
Holiness. No Worthier task, no
worthier service can better call for
our efforts. To pursue such an ideal
is well worth the suffering and fail
ure of the past and the present
In this age of science and changes
we too often forget the service of
those who have gone before US, the
Fathers and Mothers who have
made possible the present.
In reviewing the past we might
profitably choose some one or sew
eral from the many worthless and
tell of their work. Theirs were eX
amples of character and sacrifice
and service. Standing out con-
spiCuouSly among them is the name
of Jonathan Whiting HON | have
mentioned before. He was one of
the pioneer settlers and one of the
first to conceive the necessity of a
church. For many years his name
was prominent in town and church.
TO him the town is indebted for his
wise counsels and patriotic deNo-
ton in its every activity. Some OF
his descendants are still residents OF
this town who, having inherited
worthy legacy OF character and
patriotism are numbered among the
best citizens of the town. More
than a generation ago a Memorial
Service was held at the Town Meet
ing at which the late John NJ.
Ben jamn paid glowing tribute TO
Mr.. Writings service as a citizen.
Such a service with such a tribute
should have an honored place in the
records of our Town History. There
are other worthy citizens that |
cannot mention today but they were
prominent in the history of our
church and without them the church
would surely have died.
More than a dozen years ago in
1912 we We're guests of the Friend $
Society at their Tooth anniversary,
Rev. Mr.. Wood was pastor at the
time. y most inspiring centennial
address was given by the now
venerable Warren Hawkes.. The
ministers of the town with their
churches were invited to take
part and did so. 1t was your
pastors privilege to print on the
Parsonage Press their little book for
the service at this time.
In November 1928 our church was
invited TO share with the Baptist
Church at East Winthrop in the
Centennial observance of the organ
iZation OF their church.
In 1925 our Methodist brethren
observed their Tooth Anniversary of
the building of their meeting house
and our people We're cordially in
Vited to take part with them. Your
pastor also had part on the pro-
gram. To-day We welcome all
protestant Churches of our town to
Share with US in the l30th Annivcr-
Sary of the first church in it, Today
there are four protestant churches
engaged in the uplifting work of the
community in making men and wo-
men better citizens with clearer
ideals of Gods possibilities for. them
and an increasing sense of the great
truth that we may become con-
sciously Sons of God. In addition
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