Brockton City

Brockton City

TJniversalist Society. - Since the settlement of Rev. Mr. Surt, in 1864, the pulpit of the Universalists of Brockton has had a varied experience, and the supply been somewhat irregular. Rev. Stephen L. Rorapaugh was pastor from May, 1864, to Dec. 16, 1806, when he resigned, though he continued preaching till March 24, 1867. The next pastor was the Rev. Isaac M. Atwood, from May, 1807, to 1872. Rev. S. S. Hcbard, April, 1872.

Several changes took place in the affairs of the society from 1872 to 1877. About that time Rev. Samuel L. Beal removed to Brockton from Provincetown, and gathered a new organization of members of the disbanded society, and preached in the old Universalist Church, which was then unoccupied, where he remained for a few months, and then removed to the Grand Army Hall, East Elm Street, where he remained for two to three years. His first great effort was to organize a Sunday-school, which he did on the 5th day of June, 1877. In 1880 this society removed to Cunningham Hall, formerly the old Universalist Church, where he continued for about three years. On the 9th of November, 1880, a new and legal organization of the society took place, under the name of New Universalist Society. The success uf the society has been largely through the efforts and labors of Rev. Mr. Beal, who had gatliercd au assembly representing nearly one hundred families, and a Sunday-school having a library of about one thousand volumes. Mr. Beal was an active and earnest man in the pulpit. He was also deeply interested in temperance and other reforms in the city, and labored vigorously with tongue and pen to check the tide of intemperance and vice, and often with telling effect. Mr. Beal did faithful service on the school committee in 1882. Rev. Mr. Beal retired from the service of this church in August, 1883.

On the 1st of September, the same year, the Rev. John P. Eastman, of Manchester, N. H., a graduate of Tufta College, was invited to supply the pulpit, and immediately began preaching, and on Thursday, the 2nth of December, in Cunningham Hall, he was ordained to the ministry and installed as pastor of the church. The hall was finely trimmed with evergreen, and over the pulpit the words, " God is our Strength." The service commenced at two o'clock p m., and was largely attended. Rev. C. R. Tenney, of Sloughton, led the praise meeting, and the sermon was preached by Rev. W. C. Biddle, of North Cambridge. The regular ordination services at seven p.m. were well attended, the hall being completely filled.

Rev. R. P. Bush, of Everett, road the Scriptures and offered prayer. After the ordination hymn a sermon was delivered by Rev. L. F. McKinney, of Manchester, N. H., which was an eloquent discourse. Rev. C. R. Tenney gave the charge to the pastor, Rev. R. T. Sawyer, of Quincy, extended the fellowship of the church, and Rev. B. F. Bowles, of Abinu'- ton, delivered the charge to the society. After tlie singing of the hymn, '- Jesus, Lover of my Soul," by the congregation, the benediction was pronounced by the newly-ordained pastor.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church. - The first services of this denomination in Brockton were in 1871, when a mission was established. Rev. Benjamin II. Gifford, of Bridgewater, Mass., commenced preaching in the vestry of the Central Methodist Church, in Brockton, and " Music Hall," afterwards in " Perkins' Hall."

Rev. Thomas G. Carver, D.D., of New York City, formerly a chaplain in the array, preached here fur a time, from Aug. 15, 1875. The estimation in which Dr. Carver was held by the people with whom he

" Wnt:ict:AS, He has in a most friendly manner made it ap- > patent to us that his action in this mutter is and will be a mu- | tual benciit to our Parish, as well as to himself, therefore

" litnitlved^ That while we accept his resignation in the spirit of love and good-will, we personally and collectively appreciate his abilities, and regret bis leaving us at this time.

" Renulued, That We tender him our siucere thanks for his ministrations during the past three years, and especially for the hearty interest and energy displayed in the personal efT(jrt so successfully made in the building of our ohapel,

'* ReHulvtdf That the clerk be instructed to convey a copy of these resolutions to Br. Carver, and cause the same to be printed in the Brockton papers."

This society has a neat chapel costing about two thousand dollars, sixty by thirty-five feet in size, on Pleasant Street, fitted up in good taste. St. Paul's Chapel was opeued for public worship Sunday, July 8, 1877. The services were conducted by Dr. Carver, who preached the dedicatory sermon from the text, 1 Samuel vii. 12. Music on that occasion was by a quartette of vocalists, consisting of Mrs. E. E. Dean, Mrs. C. F. Westou, Mr. W. D. Packard, director, and Mr. F. James; Miss Holbrook presided at the organ.

The chapel is an unpretentious little edifice of the Noroian-Gothic style of architecture, with a sharp roof, bald gables, and Gothic windows. Over the front door is a projecting entrance, surmounted by a cross. The interior is finished with open timbering to the roof; at the chancel end is a handsome stained window, bearing an emblem of the Trinity, beueath which is an elegant altar of walnut and ash. Inside the chancel-rail are two richly upholstered chairs, and a lectern, on which is a beautiful copy of the Bible, presented to tiie church. The auditorium has sittings for nearly two hundred people. The pews are cushioned, and the aisle neatly carpeted. Seats for the choir and a place for an organ are located at the southwest corner of the room and screened by a low curtain.

Permanent services have been established here, which supplies a long-felt want for those who desire the impressive services of the Episcopal Church, and in a community like Brockton will soon outgrow in numbers their present accommodations.

Friday evening, June 4, 1875, in the room furmerly occupied by the Board of Trade, under Mu»ic Hall, at the corner of East Elm and Main Streets. Rev. Charles M. Winchester, who was connected with the North End Mission of Boston, was pa.stor. The chief object of this new society was to preach the gospel to the masses, having special regard in and fur the young people who attend no stated place of worship, ;ind to lead tiiem into moral and Christian ways. It was unseclarian, the chief planks in its platform being as follows :

" Repentance toward God ; Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and a Holy Life." Its motto was, " More faith, more charity, more work." " The singing will be congregational, and the seats free."

The first meeting was well attended, and apparently by those who were interested in the new movement. The pastor preached from Acts viii. 5-8. A large number of young persona were present, who listened with the deepest attention, and ample evidence of the need of such a church was manifest. The number continued to increase under the preaching of Mr. Winchester, and Music Hall was requir(;d in a short time to accommodate the increasing numbers. On Friday, the 1st day of October, 1875, a room in Mercantile Building was dedicated to the service of the church ; connected with this church a " Literary and Musical Club," and a Children's Temperance Society, christened by the name of " Brockton Slar-of- Promise Cadets," was formed of young people under twelve years of age ; also a Woman's Temperance Working and Praying Band did good work. In addition to Mr. Winchester's labors connected with this church, he preached in the almshouse every Sabbath afternoon. This society continued till Feb. 4, 1877, when the pastor delivered his farewell discourse.

Unity Church. - On the first Sabbath in May, 1881, Rev. A. Everett Goodnough, who had been located at Bridgewater, commenced religious services in Satucket Hall, under the auspices of the " Unitarian Association" of Boston. There were about one hundred and fifty persons present at the first meeting. Regular services were held, as above stated, in Satucket Hall, and on Sunday, May 29, 18S1, and at the close of the services a meeting was held of those interested in the fortuation of a ynitarian Society, consisting of about one hundred persons. Ciiarles W. Sumner, Esq., presided, and Dr. Henry II. Filoon was chosen secretary, " the object being for the purpose of encouraging and promoting religious worship of the Unitarian faith, and to become a part of the so-called Unitarian denomination."

Appendix

to Rev. A. Everett Goodnough to become their I pastor. The members of this society organized and adopted a set of by-laws for the management of , the business affairs of the cimrch, with the following ] oflBcers: Finance Committee, Col. John J. Whipple, Benjamin 0. Caldwell, Hon. Henry H. Packard, William H. Tobey, Lucius Richmond, James H. Cooper, Dr. Henry H. Filoon.

The religious and social interests of the church were in charge of the pastoral committee, which was as follows: Charles W. Sumner, Esq., Rev. A. Everett Goodnough, Henry F. Whitmarsh, Howard T. Marshall, Lorenzo D. Hervey, John F. Cooper, Mrs. John E. Howard, Mrs. A. Everett Goodnough.

The music committee were the ibllowing: John E. Howard, Sumner A. Hayward, Elmer W. Walker, J. H. Davey, A. P. Hazard, H. A. Cleverly, and Henry S. Porter.

The following is a list of the earliest and most active members of this society : John J. Whipple, Henry H. Packard, Henry H. Filoon, James H. Cooper, William H. Tobey, Lucius Richmond, Benjamin 0. Caldwell, Henry S. Porter, George H. Gould, Warren S. Gurney, Charles C. Merritt, Herbert S. Fuller, 0. 0. Patton, William H. Wade, Oliver B. Quiuby, John F. Cooper, Henry B. Caldwell, Alfred W. Jones, Elmer W. Walker, Charles Perkins, George

The society continued to increase in numbers till there seemed to be a necessity for increasing their accommodations and becoming a legal organization. Having that object in view, a petition was presented to Charles W. Sumner, Esq., a justice of the peace, to call a meeting for that purpose, and for choosing a board of officers.

Agreeably to the call a meeting was held, Friday, Nov. 30, 1883, which was adjourned to Wednesday, Dec. 5, 1883, at which time a set of by-laws was adopted, among which were the following :

** Ai-ticU 2. The objeot of this Cburoh shall be the study and practice of pure roligioo. Although it is designed to be known as a Unitarian Christian Church, no doctrinal test shall ever be made a condition of membership."

Benjamin 0. Caldwell, Elmer W. Walker, Dr. Henry H. Filoon, Lucius Richmond, A. Cranston Thompson, and William H. Tobey, as standing committee.

At this meeting it was voted to purchase a lot of land on Pond Street, near Belmont Street, owned by Rufus P. Kingman, Esq., as a site for a church building. The lot is a desirable one, is seventy-eight by one hundred and ten feet, and the price paid two thousand dollars. Messrs. Benjamin 0. Caldwell, Lucius Richmond, and William H. Tobey were chosen to procure plans, etc., for the new church edifice.

The church, which is in process of building, will be a tasteful edifice, of wood, with a brick baseu.ent. The entire length of the building is eighty-seven feet, the main portion being sixty-six feet long, having a covered portico twenty-five feet long. It is of the cottage style of architecture, and has a tower at the southwest corner seventy-four feet high, twelve feet square, and another at the northwest corner, fiftj'-three feet in height. It has five double windows of stained glass on either side, affording the interior a pleasing and cheerful aspect.

The interior has seatings for four hundred people, with aisles three and one-half feet in width, a choirgallery and pulpit, with a study in the southeast corner ; a vestry, thirty-eight by forty feet ; a parlor, thirty-eight by tweuty-two feet ; a kitchen, nine by twelve feet ; a library, eight feet square, in short, it will be an attractive and elegant structure. There is a Sunday-school connected with this church numbering one hundred and seventy-five scholars. George H. Gould was the first superintendent, Mrs. Lucy A. Upham, assistant superintendent. Dr. Henry II. Filoon is the present incumbent ; George E. Bryant, librarian.

Brocktoa Free-Will Baptist Chnrcli was organized Feb. 5, 1884. Numbers thirty-nine communicants. Services are licld in Joslyn's Hall, on Centre Street. The present pastor is Rev. Henry T. Barnard. Mr. Barnard is the son of Tristram and Mahala F. (Russell) Barnard, born in Exeter, Me., April 1, 1841 ; graduated in the high school, Lowell, Mass., in 1859, and Bates' Th'^ological School, Lewiston. Me. ; settled in Ossipee, N. H., 1878, and in Brockton, 1884. Isaac N. Allen, Cyrus E. Lane, deacons; John Barbour, clerk and treasurer; John Barbour, superintendent of Sunday-school.

Commercial Club. - Tiiis ia a local organization of prouiiuent business men, having for its object the cultivation of pleasant personal relations between its members, and the promotion of measures for the welfare and growth of the city.

At the outset this club was named Union Club, and its number limited to twenty-five members, but as there was another of that name, it Wiis soon changed. The social element of this organization, which is a conspicuous element, is its monthly meetings at Hotel Belmout, at which speeches from invited guests having reference to and a bearing upon the mercantile interests of the city are often expected. In its general features it is not unlike many of the clubs of Boston. Its first officers at its organization, Jan. 12, 1883, were as follows: Rufus P. Kingman, president ; Ziba C. Keith, vice-president; Baalis Sanford, secretary ; Henry W. Robinson, treasurer ; Davis S. Packard, Ellis Packard, Gardner J. Kingman, executive committee ; Charles VV. Sumner, Preston B. Keith, William W. Cross, George E. Keith, and Sewall P. Howard, committee on membersliip.

Old Colony Congregational Club. - This club was formed Nov. 21, 1883, of clergymen and laymen of vtirious churches in the immediate vicinity of Brockton, for the promoting of social and effective work in the churches on a similar plan to other organizations in various sections of the State. Any person attending, or who is a member of a Congregational Church, is eligible to membership. Six monthly meetings are held each year in Brockton, one in October, and the last one in the spring. A slight fee for membership is assessed, to pay current expenses.

The court consists of one standing justice and two special justices, commissioned by the Governor of the commonwealth, as follows: Jonas R. Perkins, standing justice; Charles W. Sumner, special justice; Hosea Kingman, special justice ; David L, Cowell, clerk ; George A. Wheeler, Alira S. Porter, and Henry S. Porter, deputy sheriffs.

This court was organized on Tuesday the 1st day of July, the clerk reading the commissions of the standing and special justices and deputy sheriffs. Otis Hayward being designated as officer of tin' court. The county commissioners have provided apartments in a hall on East Elm Street, and fitted it with the usual fixtures of a court-room.

North Bridgewater Industrial Association. - This association was organized Dec. 27, 1860, with the following officers : Chandler Sprague, Esq , president; Isaac T. Packard, secretary; Lyman Clark, treasurer; Charles Gurney and David L. Cowell, vicepresidents.

The object of this a.<;sociation is the encouragement of the mechanic arts, agriculture, and horticulture. On account of the rebellion of 1861 this association has not made rapid progress, and their plans were suspended for a while. In October, 18G3, a new board of officers was chosen, as follows : John S. Eldrcdge, president; H. W. Robinson and Dr. L. W. Puffer, vice-presidents; David L. Cowell, secretary ; Chandler Sprague, Esq., treasurer; Moses Stearns, Rufus S. Noyes, Milo Manley, Isaac Kingman, C. J. F. Packard, Samuel French, Loring W. Puffer, Frederic Perkins, Ilenry W. Robinson, George A^ Packard, Caleb H. Packard, and Alexander Hichborn, trustees. Nov. 7, 1870, this association was changed to the " North Bridgewater Agricultural Society."

Brockton Agricultural Society

BROCKTON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. '* We, the uaderaigned iabubitanls of the town of Ilrockion, in the Commonwealth of Mafisochusetta, do ht^rehy a^dOcialu ourselves together for the purpose of forming a corporation, under the provisions of Section 17, of Chapter t»6, of the General Statutes of the Commonwealth above mentioned, to encourage .\griculture, the name of which Corporation shall bo 'The Brookton Agricultural Society,' to be establi^ticd in the Banl town of Brookton.

Upon application to David L. Cowell, Esq., a justice of the peace, a warrant was issued to Henry W. Robinson directing him to uottfy th above men.