Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/40

 2 8 THE GRANITE MONTHLY.

Within the hmits of the city we have now, at least, seventeen public places of worship, representing nine different denominations. But in the former years of which we write, all or nearly all the people of the town met in the same church, and listened to the same minister. How famous was then the Old North Meeting House, as the place whither the families went up to worship on the Sabbath. The Puritan method of observance was still in vogue, and "going to meeting," as it was termed, was a universal custom, and one not to be lightly esteemed or disregarded. This unity of sentiment and prac- tice, which had prevailed from the incorporation of the town, in 1725, was destined to have an end. In 181 8, we find that the initiatory steps were taken for the formation of a Baptist church in Concord. The record states that "on the 20th of May, 1818, a number of persons residing in Concord, and belonging to Baptist churches elsewhere, met at the house of Mr. Richard Swain, in said town, for the purpose of ascertaining what degree of fellowship existed among them in the faith and order of the gospel, and also to consider what were the prospects of forming a church agreeable to the principles and practice of the Apostles of our Lord. After a free and full discussion of the first object before them, the following persons gave to each other an expres- sion of their christian fellowship, viz. : James VVilley, John Hoit, Sarah Bradley, Deborah Elliot, Sally Swain, and Nancy Whitney."

On the 28th of the same month, the record also says, " an adjourned session was held at the house of Mr. Nathaniel Parker, at which meeting three sisters related their christian experience, and made a brief statement of their views of christian doctrine, after which those present expressed to them their chris- tian fellowship." The next act of that meeting was "to listen to the christian experience of Mr. Ohver Hart, and to agree to receive him to the fellowship of the church when he shall have been baptized." At this meeting, members from the church in Bow were present by invitation, to advise in reference to the constitution of a church. These brethren having examined the subject, unanimously advised this small band of christians to organize.

On the 23d of September, 18 18, a council of neighboring churches was held at the house of Rev. William Taylor, and a church constituted, number- ing fourteen members. The public services in recognition of this church were attended at the " Green House, " Rev. John B. Gibson preached the sermon, Rev. Otis Pvobinson of Salisbury gave the hand of fellowship, and Rev. Henry Veazey of Bow offered prayer. For over seven years this church did not possess a house of worship, but was accustomed to hold services on the Sabbath in the school house which stood upon the site of the high school building. In 1825, a church edifice was erected, dedicated on December 28th of that year, and opened for public worship in January, 1826. The order of exercises at the dedication was as follows : Anthem ; Prayer by Rev. Otis Robinson, of Salisbury ; Reading of select portions of scripture, by Rev. James Barnaby, of Deerfield ; Singing of Psalm one hundred and thirty-two ; Dedicatory prayer by Rev. N. W. Williams, late of Windsor, Vt. ; Sermon by Rev. Ferdinand Ellis, of Exeter, text Haggai 2:9; Prayer by Rev. Michael Carlton, of Hopkinton, and closing with an anthem.

The original cost of the house was between six and seven thousand dollars. At the time of its erection it was regarded as a handsome edifice, and credita- ble to the skill of the architect, Mr. John Leach. It stands upon land on the south side of State street, between School and Warren, given by the late Col. William A. Kent, and was originally seventy feet long and fifty feet wide, con- taining seventy-two pews on the floor and thirty in the galleries. Probably no public edifice in Concord has undergone more changes, both in its interior and exterior appearance. In 1835, it was remodelled and a number of pews

�� �