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History of the Baptists in Maine Was Commenced Many Years Ago, and the Maine Baptist

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History of the Baptists in Maine Was Commenced Many Years Ago, and the Maine Baptist LIBRARY ANNEX CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES ITHACA,N.Y. 14583 JOHN M. oim LIBRARY BX6248.M2B96"'"""'*''-"'™^ "|s»ory of the Baptists in , lUaine. 3 1924 010 411 878 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924010411878 HENRY S. BURRAGE, D. D. HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS n MAHE. By henry S. BURRAGE, D. D. PORTLAND, ME.: Marks Printing House, Printers. 1904. PR EFACE. The preparation of this history of the Baptists in Maine was commenced many years ago, and the Maine Baptist Missionary Convention, at its meeting in Bath, Oct. 7, 1891, expressed its approval of the undertaking ; but when the task was only about half completed other literary labor claimed the attention of the writer, and the work on that account was suspended. With the approach of the centen- nial of the Convention, it was suggested that the cen- tennial year would be a fitting one for the publication of such a work, and early in 1903 the writer returned to his task, and has now carried it forward to completion. When the work was resumed, the scope of the under- taking was widened, and it was decided to add a com- panion volume. The secretary of the Convention, Rev. A. T. Dunn, D. D., was asked to prepare an account of each minister hitherto connected with our Maine Baptist churches; and the secretary of the executive commit- tee. Rev. E. C. Whittemore, D. D., was asked to prepare an account of each Baptist church in the State from the beginning of our history. The death of Dr. Dunn occurred soon after this plan was formulated. It was then found that the time remaining for such an undertak- ing was insufficient, and the plan was reluctantly aban- doned. The preparation of the proposed work, however, is one that should be entered upon at an early day, in order that it may be brought to a successful issue. For the materials of his history the writer is indebted very largely to the Minutes of the Convention and of the various associations in the State. Much material, also, has been obtained from the files of Zion's Advocate. The only complete file of the Advocate is in the library of iv PREFACE. Colby College, and to the courtesy of Dr. Edward W. Hall, the accomplished librarian of the college, the writer is indebted for assistance always promptly rendered. He is also indebted to the library of the Maine Historical Society and to that of the Newton Theological Institution for the use of such books as could not be found in his own collec- tion of books and pamphlets pertaining to the Baptists of Maine. His indebtedness to others is acknowledged in the foot-notes. Special mention should be made of the service ren- dered by Rev. E. C. Whittemore, D. D., of Waterville, in the preparation of the illustrations which are scattered throughout the volume. Much time has been given by him to this part of the work, and the very great excellence of the illustrations will readily be acknowledged. We are confident that Dr. Whittemore's faithful, intelligent ser- vice will be greatly appreciated by all of our readers. Portraits of many who have been prominent in making Baptist history in Maine will be missed, but only a limited number could be selected, and it was decided to find a place only for those who are no longer with us. The publishing committee of the Convention decided that the frontispiece should be a portrait of the author. Since the chapter on Colby College was printed, Mrs. Eliza A. (Foss) Dexter of Worcester, Mass., has made a gift to the college of a woman's dormitory, not to cost more than $40,000, and to be known as Foss Hall. As mention of this generous gift could not otherwise be made in this volume, it is made here. The gift is one that means much to the giver and to the young women of her native State. The action of the Maine Baptist Missionary Conven- tion in assuming the financial obligation imposed by the publication of this volume is characteristic of the broad, progressive spirit animating an organization which has become so powerful an instrument in promoting our vari- ous denominational interests in the State. The Conven- tion in this way has a part in honoring the memory of the good men in all of our churches who have toiled so heroic- PREFACE. V ally in the making of this history of the Baptists in Maine. At the same time, however, it may very confidently look to this record for inspiration to larger, nobler achievement as it enters upon its second century of missionary activity. Henry S. Burrage. Portland, July 18, 1904. CONTENTS. PAGES. Chapter I. Civil and Ecclesiastical Beginnings in Maine . 1-11 Chapter II. Rev. William Screven and the Baptists at Kittery 12-27 Chapter III. The Reappearance of Baptist Views 28-46 Chapter IV. The Freewill Baptist Movement 47-61 Chapter V. Potter, Macomber, Case 62-74 Chapter VI. The New Hampshire Association 75-85 Chapter VII. Beginnings of the Bowdoinham Association. 86-106 Chapter VIII. Missionary Activity 107-132 Chapter IX. Better Days 133-148 Chapter X. Further Expansion 149-161 Chapter XI. Educational Beginnings 162-175 Chapter XII. Beginningsof Foreign Missionary Work- •. 176-187 Chapter XIII. Progress of the Churches 188-204 Chapter XIV. Waterville College 205-219 Chapter XV. The Maine Baptist Missionary Society and the Maine Baptist Convention 220-238 Chapter XVI. Maine Baptist Education Society 239-255 Chapter XVII. Zion's Advocate 256-267 Chapter XVIII. Sunday Schools 268-282 Chapter XIX. Temperance Reform 283-302 Chapter XX. Anti-Slavery Agitation 303-327 Chapter XXI. Maine Baptist Missionary Convention 328-354 Chapter XXII. Maine Baptist Education Society 355-367 Chapter XXIII. ColbyCollege 368-384 Chapter XXIV. Increasinglnterest in Foreign Missions. 385-405 Chapter XXV. The Baptists of Maine and Home Mis- sions 406-420 Chapter XXVI. The Academies. 421-440 Chapter XXVII. The Churches from the Close of the Civil War 441-465 Chapter XXVIII. A Glance Backward and Forward ...... 466-472 Appendices 473-483 ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. Rev. Isaac Case, .... 66 The Old Meeting House, Yarmouth, . 102 First Church, Bangor, 131 Rev. Benjamin Titcomb, .... 139 First Church, Sedgwick, 146 First Church, Portland, 152 BoARDMAN Willows (so called), Colby College, 184 Baptist Church, Calais, .... 195 Free St. Church, Portland, 196 James T. Champlin, D. D., LL. D., 215 Gardner Colby, .... 217 Rev. L. B. Allen, D. D., . 233 Dea. J. C. White, .... 236 Ripley, Wilson, Sargent, Worth and Robinson, 238 Baptist Church, Thomaston, . 249 Rev. C. G. Porter, . 254 Rev. Adam Wilson, D. D., 258 Prof. John B. Foster, LL. D., 265 First Baptist Church, Augusta, 314 Baptist Church, Damariscotta, 32a Rev. George Knox, 325 Rev. N. M. Wood, D. D., 329 Sargent, Bowler, Harden and Kelley. 331 Byron Greenough, . 333 Rev. Joseph Ricker, D. D., . 342 Daniel S. Ford, 351 Rev. Albert T. Dunn, D. D., 352 Memorial Hall, Colby College, 369 Chemical Building, Colby College, 381 Court St. Baptist Church, Auburn, 384 First Church, Waterville, . 391 First Church, Skowhegan, 409 James H. Hanson, LL. D., 421 Benjamin F. Sturtevant, 423 Sturtevant Hall, Hebron Academy, 424 Mrs. B. F. Sturtevant, 426 Vlll ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. Stuetevant Home, Hebeon Academy, 426 Wateevillb Classical Institute, 428 CoBUEN Classical Institute, 430 Wording Hall, Rickee Classical Institute, 432 Mes. Catheeine L. Woeding, 434 HiGGiNS Classical Institute, 439 Baptist Chuech, Houlton, 442 Rev. W. H. Shailee, D. D., 444 Gov. Abnee Cobuen, 446 Bethany Chuech, Skowhegan, 452 Baptist Chuech, New Sweden, 455 Bates St. Church, Lewiston, 456 Baptist Chuech, Rumfoed Falls, 461 Second Church, Bangoe, . 463 Baptist Chuech, Millinocket, 465 History of the Baptists in Maine. CHAPTER I. Civil and Ecclesustical Beginnings in Maine. At the opening of the seventeenth century not a single English settler was to be found at any point on the Amer- ican coast from Newfoundland to Florida. For quite a number of years, however, Englishmen had busied them- selves with western colonization schemes, which, in the end, for one reason or another, had proved fruitless. But hope had not been crushed. Others might be successful where good men had failed. Gosnold was on the coast of Maine in 1602, Pring in 1603, and Waymouth in 1605. The promoters of these voyages were unquestionably moved in their successive endeavors by reports that had come to them from the new world concerning the great fertility of the country, and also concerning the large private gains they might reasonably expect from the required financial outlay. But these promoters, we are told, had also higher ends in view. Rosier, in his "True Relation" of Way- mouth's voyage, says that the "honorable setters forth" of that expedition had in view "a public good," and they were also moved by a "true zeal of promulgating God's holy church by planting Christianity."^ In the first Letters Patent, dated April 10, 1606, granted by James I. for the plantation of Virginia, lying between the 34th and 45th degrees of north latitude, and compris- ing North and South Virginia, it is expressly stated that the desire of the Patentees was granted by the King, that * BoBier's True Relation. The' Gorges Society, 1887, p. 150. 2 2 HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN MAINE. "so noble a work may by the Providence of Almighty God hereafter tend to the glory of his Divine Majesty, in prop- agating of Christian religion to such people as live in darkness and miserable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God, and may in time bring the infidels and savages (living in those parts) to human civility and to a settled and quiet government." An ordinance, under the sign-manual of the King and the Privy Seal, explana- tory of these Letters Patent, and passed Nov.
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