Bristol County, Massachusetts - Chapter 10, 1883 (part 2 of 2)

Jan. 28, 1831, a committee, consisting of Messrs. B. Rodman, T. Riddell, and W. C. Nye, reported in favor of building a chapel for mariners. In May following a house and lot on what is now known as

Bethel Street was purchased of Mary Rotch for fourteen hundred dollars. At the first annual meeting of the society, held June 7, 1831, it was resolved that the form of worship should be perfectly unsectarian, and that all denominations should have the privilege of supplying the pulpit.

Services were first conducted in the old Town Hall every Sunday morning, each of the clergymen in the place officiating in turn. The first meeting was held Sunday, July 31, 1831. About this time the house which had been purchased was moved to the south part of the lot, and a chapel, forty-five by forty feet, was built by Mr. Shaw from Bristol, R. I., under the direction of a committee consisting of Messrs. Samuel Rodman, Jr., T. Riddell, and W. W. Swain.

The first chaplain was the Rev. Enoch Mudge, who commenced his labors April 27, 1832. May 4th the society was incorporated by act of the General Court. Rev. Mr. Mudge resigned in July, 1844, and was succeeded by Rev. Moses How, who remained fifteen years. The present efficient chaplain, Rev. James D. Butler, was his successor. Mr. Butler entered upon his duties as chaplain and agent April 15, 1859, and remained until 1863, when he resigned and became pastor of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, Pawtucket, R. I., and was subsequently pastor at New London. In 1870 he returned to New Bedford, where he has since resided. Mr. Butler has now served the New Bedford Port Society seventeen years, and his service has not only been a long one but an honorable one. A writer, in speaking of him, says, " As a laborer he ranks high in his denomination. His piety is of no ordinary cast, and he is diligent and persevering in all his duties."

In March, 1866, the Bethel was partially destroyed by fire. The burnt portion was immediately rebuilt, and the whole edifice thoroughly repaired. July 26, 1867, the church was reopened with appropriate exercises. A sermon was preached on the occasion by Rev. L. B. Bates.

who built the first church edifice on Allan Street in 1820, at a cost of eight hundred dollars. In 184!) the house was sold, and the TJniversalist Church corner Fifth and School Streets was purchased. This was occupied until the completion of their present church edifice in 1870, when the name of the church was changed to St. Lawrence, it having previously been called St. Mary. St. Mary's Church is now used for children's mass and Sunday-school. The present pastor is the Rev. Hugh J. Smyth, assisted by Rev. Owen Kiernem.

Howland Chapel. - This chapel was erected in 1870 by Matthew Howland as a place of worship for the operatives and others in the vicinity of the Wamsutta Mills, who were destitute of a house of worship. In the summer of that year Mr. Howland purchased a lot of land on the east side of Purchase Street, and immediately commenced the erection of the chapel, which is thirty-six feet by fifty-five feet in size.

It was completed and furnished at an expense of little over seven thousand dollars, all of which sum was paid by Mr. Howland. The chapel was dedicated Jan. 13, 1871, and on the following Sabbath a school was opened under the superintendence of Henry T. Wood, of this city, and in the evening religious services were held for the benefit of all who inclined to come, it being distinctly understood there was no tax to be levied or contribution called for or sectarianism to be exercised. It was remarked in one of the newspapers at the time that " the chapel was completely filled with people, who showed a marked interest in the exercises of the evening." In a short address on the occasion, Mr. Howland said that the erection of the chapel had not been from any selfish motive, but to furnish a comfortable and agreeable room for those who felt destitute of a place of worship in this part of the city to come and listen to the preaching of the gospel and be taught the simple truths of the Bible.

Since the organization of the school, twelve years ago, it has been kept up without omission, most of the time under the faithful and efficient superintendence of H. T. Wood, who resigned about a year since, and was succeeded by Robert B.Taber.. The average attendance of the school has ranged from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and fifty.

The expenses connected with the chapel since its erection, such as warming, lighting, salary of sexton, fuel, etc., have been paid by Mr. Howland. Many of the small expenses connected with the school have been paid by little contributions from the children. The school has also quite a good library.

The Second Advent Church. - The first meetings of this sect in New Bedford were held in 1840, by William Miller, of New York, and among its early supporters here were Francis Whitton, Ellery Records, Henry V. Davis, William B. King, William Gifford, Stephen D. Jordan, Dr. Baker, Asa Coombs, Curtis Gammons, Pardon Potter, James Baxter, Hattil Kelley, Jeremiah Tripp, John F. Vinal, and John Gammons.

The first settled pastor was Elder Joseph Turner. The church is located on Kempton Street, near County. E. E. Church, Phineas White, deacons; Phineas White, Benjamin Irish, William B. Hambly, Ezra Wing, William B. King, George W. Maker, E. E. Church, Frederick Stanton, James G. Harding, church and finance committee: James G. Harding, clerk and treasurer.

There is also a Union Church located at Allen's Corner, Plainville; Olivet Chapel, on Acushnet Avenue, corner of Blackmer; Rockdale Union Free Chapel Association, organized March 19,1873; and Missionary Chapel. South Water Street, corner of Leonard.

The Pacific Church. - This church was organized Oct. 8, 1844, with the following persons; Perry G Macomber and wife, Samuel Bennett and wife, Ebenezer Rider, John W. Tripp and wife, George Perry and wife, John S. Holmes, Mrs. Susan Perry, Laban Thatcher, Sarah Allen, Hannah Chase, Fanny Thomas, Sarah Slocum, Sarah Cobb, Rebecca Albert, Thankful Hawes, Almira Ellis, Abby Copeland, Susan Vincent, and Betsey Holmes.

October 13th, Rev. Sylvester Holmes and wife, Jonathan Wheeler and wife, Seth C. Nichols, Eliphalet Daggett, Esther Sowle, and others were received into the church.

Sabbath afternoon, November 3d, the following persons were admitted to membership by letter: I. H. Bartlett, Joseph Seabury and wife, Deborah C. Bartlett, and Miss Abby Jane Clapp. November 4th, Perry G. Macomber and Jonathan Wheeler were chosen deacons.

The pastors were as follows: Revs. Sylvester Holmes, Mr. Colburn, Timothy Stowe, Bernard Paine, T. C. Jerome, I. L. Harris, and Rev. C. J. K. Jones.

The church disbanded April 17, 1878, the membership of nearly one hundred going to North Congregational Church and Unitarian Church, almost entirely to the former.

Third Christian Church. - This church was organized in 1826. It was known as the African Christian until 1840, when the name was changed to Third Christian. The house of worship was on Middle Street, and was dedicated June 24, 1830 ; sermon by Elder William Quinn. Shortly after the society was admitted to the Christian connection. The names of those constituting the church were John Christopher, Joseph Antone, N. Anderson, Moses Sheperd, Samuel Wilson, Charles R. Cook, Samuel Richards, Ruth Johnson, Dinah Farmer, Rebecca Bailey, Sally Antone, Margaret Sheperd, Catharine Dixon, Jane Fute, Avis Williams, Charlotte Cook, and Abby Christopher.

The following were the pastors : Rev. Messrs. Washington Christian, Jacob Perry, Isaac Smith, Luke Waldron, Haves, Anthony, Henson, Francis, Sunrise, Beman, and J. B. Smith.

To meet the expenses of repairs the property was mortgaged to the Five Cents Savings-Bank, which foreclosed the mortgage in 1859, and the church became extinct. During the latter part of its existence it was known as the Free-Will Baptist Church.

Cannon ville Union Church was organized through the efforts of Messrs. Edward S. Cannon, Charles Cannon, W. H. Sturtevant, Ellis Bartlett, Isaac Bolles, and George W. Hathaway. A house of worship was built by William Wilcox, costing one thousand dollars, of which sum seven hundred and fifty dollars was raised by Messrs. Cannon. It was dedicated Dec. 9, 1841, sermon by Rev. G. F. Pool. In the spring of 1842 a church was formed, having a membership of forty-two.

The first settled pastor was Rev. Edward H. Hatfield, whose ministry began in 1849. He continued only six months ; supplies were then procured until the next session of Conference, when Rev. Charles Noble was sent to the church. After a year's service he gave up the keys to Mr. Cannon, and Conference relinquished the station. Mr. Cannon then employed Rev. W. H. Sturtevant, paying him his salary out of his own pocket. In April, 1852, Rev. Mr. Tripp, a Baptist clergyman, took charge, and remained until the February following. Mr. Edward S. Cannon was the mainspring of this church.

The Centre Church was organized Feb. 12, 1845. The following were some of the original members : James H. Collins, William H. Stowell, Isaac Bly, David Ilsley, Prentiss W. Cobb, Benjamin G. Wilson, Robert Luscomb, William Bly, Ruth Bly, Deborah Simmons, and Eliza Tubbs.

It was at first attempted to form a church of the Christian denomination, but the clergymen invited to do this declining, invitations were extended to Rev. Messrs. Ephraim Peabody, Davis, and E. B. Hall, of Providence, by whom the society was organized. Rev. Charles Morgridge was the first pastor ; he preached until March, 1845. The next was Rev. Jonathan Brown, of Naples, N. Y., who officiated about three years without much success. The church then voted not to employ any but Unitarian ministers. In October, 1848, Rev. Moses G. Thomas was installed. His pastorship continued until 1854, when the financial affairs of the church became so full of embarrassment that it was voted to disband.

The Mount Pleasant Church owed its origin to Noah Tripp and some twenty-two others from the Pleasant Street Church. The house was built in 1852. In the commencement it was proposed to make it free to all denominations, but it was afterwards deemed necessary to organize as a Methodist Church, which was done April 19, 1854. The first pastor was Rev. E. W. Dunbar. He was followed by Rev. Messrs. Gavitt, Hinks, Worthing, and Hamlen, who preached a year each. The house was then sold to the Baptists, who held services but a short time.