Part 9 Reconstruction and Growth at Home
The Civil War had had a major effect on the nation. The South had seen devastation to its political, economic and social structures. It would take many years before any form of normality would be felt in the South and only after the period of reconstruction came to an end. Many Northerners took advantage of southern conditions and feathered their own pockets in the name of reconstruction and restoration. It was sad that brother fought brother during the war, but even more so when many northern brothers made it even more difficult for their southern brothers for the next 15 to 20 years. The bitterness of that era would survive and may even be found in some southern communities today. Even in the North where only a small amount of fighting would have taken place it would take nearly a generation of people to restore a positive direction in the growth of the nation. War gears all aspects of life in that direction and when peace is restored those various elements of life and purpose for growth have to be rethought and retooled.
The Methodist Churches nationwide likewise suffered. The feelings of war and its aftermath would have an effect on local churches, the Ferry Village Methodist Episcopal Church was no exception. While the shipyards continued to produce vessels, the call for wooden ships was greatly diminished, and therefore the number of workers called for was also less. Yet the little community of Cape Ferry continued to bustle and a number of enterprises in time were started in or near the village. Stores of all kinds grew up around the “corner”. Drugstores, grocery stores, marine suppliers, a hardware store among other businesses meant that the corner of High and Sawyer was a busy place.
The Ferry Village Methodist Episcopal Church providently located since 1853, one block from “the corner” while suffering a down turn in membership during the war was now a busy location but with the burden of a debt to overcome. Likewise the parishioners felt the need to add on to their holdings at this location. The first major renovations were begun during the war, but now would be finished in the early 1870’s. As part of the change in the buildings it was felt necessary to build a vestry or parish hall. At the same time now that the demands on the pastor were growing it was felt that a parsonage needed to be provided. Ingenious as the membership was a two-story structure was built to the rear of the church on School Street. The ingeniousness was that the first floor of this building served as the Vestry or Parish Hall until the late 1880’s while the second floor became the residence of the pastor.
Reverend Benjamin Freeman who had served a one-year appointment at Ferry Village in 1863 was reappointed in 1871 and would serve as pastor until 1874. He and his family would have been the first pastor to live in the new parsonage. Remember, however, that his family would have been the first to share their home with all manner of church and non-church groups that used the parish hall for meetings. Eventually a separate parsonage was built or purchased to the rear of this parish hall/parsonage combination and would continue to serve as the home for all pastors until 1908 when it was sold and moved elsewhere in the village. Pastors between 1908 and 1914 would live with families of the church in the interim.
During the 1870’s an Organ was purchased and new carpets and a wood/coal burning stove was acquired to heat the sanctuary. Honoring the Centennial of the United States in 1876 a “Centennial Bell” was purchased and was mounted in 1883-84 in the newly constructed Bell Tower. The new tower stood high above the old steeple as the tower had been extended from the old relatively flat-top steeple that had existed since 1853. The new tower could be seen easily from the Portland waterfront on a good day.
When True P. Adams served as pastor from 1885 to 1888 the membership had grown substantially to 88 with 48 probationers while at the same time the Sunday school was providing religious training for 270 young people.
It was just after the appointment of Pastor Adams was completed that the Board of Stewards and Elders in September, 1888 voted to name the Ferry Village Methodist Episcopal Church, Peoples Church. It remained an ME church until 1939. In the latter year the church as well as the denomination dropped the reference to Episcopal and locally this church would be referred to as Peoples Methodist Church with the approval of the Maine Conference. It is believed that this church was the first of 6 other churches in Maine that would be and are referred to as Peoples.
The notes of the Board of Leaders and Stewards provide a number of interesting tidbits of information that tell the story of their time. In some instances it can amuse us and yet cause us a pause for thought on how so little actually changes in the issues facing the local church.
On May 27, 1874 it was reported the Board of Stewards and Leaders that the church was suffering from a deficit on an arrearage of $125.00. In order to meet the deficit which effected the Pastor’s salary the “wealthier” members of the church, some prominent citizens would be asked to make up the deficiency through their own donations. No names of these citizens were mentioned, but it does appear that the need was met and the pastor was paid. On January 13, 1875 the Board of Stewards and Leaders still facing that same kind of dilemma proposed and “asked the women” to carry out a donation supper for the purpose of raising the latest portion of the pastor’s wage. It was Brother Steven Hubbard who was given the responsibility of giving public notice to the Ladies Aid to tend to this matter. They were asked to prepare the meal and to attend to the supper tables. Charles H. Tilton and J.L. Willey were appointed to sell tickets. The minister and his wife were both invited to the supper free of charge. The price for the supper was listed as $.25 for adults and $.15 for children. My how times have changed yet weren’t the Board members generous in feeding the pastor and his wife?
On June 26, 1875 the Board took a vote to allow Congregational singing in church services. Prior to this time in order to sing you had to belong to the Choir.
Later that year on September 18, the Board of Stewards and Leaders voted to take up a collection every Sunday. Maybe because they gave the parishioners the opportunity to sing in church they should pay for the privilege. It appears that the “subscriptions for membership” or membership dues had been the primary revenue source prior to this vote. “Reliable” members of the congregation were chosen as collectors of subscriptions prior to this time with priority for subscriptions in arrears. Those who had served in that capacity before appear to have become the first parishioners to serve as “collectors” in the capacity of ushering during church services as well.
In the book, Methodism in Maine , written by Charles Allen in 1886, the author indicated that those members who achieved the status of membership on the Board of Stewards and Leaders served in that capacity until death. As one can see all manner of rules and operations were determined by the 7 to 12 men that were members of this body at this time.
The Civil War had had a major effect on the nation. The South had seen devastation to its political, economic and social structures. It would take many years before any form of normality would be felt in the South and only after the period of reconstruction came to an end. Many Northerners took advantage of southern conditions and feathered their own pockets in the name of reconstruction and restoration. It was sad that brother fought brother during the war, but even more so when many northern brothers made it even more difficult for their southern brothers for the next 15 to 20 years. The bitterness of that era would survive and may even be found in some southern communities today. Even in the North where only a small amount of fighting would have taken place it would take nearly a generation of people to restore a positive direction in the growth of the nation. War gears all aspects of life in that direction and when peace is restored those various elements of life and purpose for growth have to be rethought and retooled.
The Methodist Churches nationwide likewise suffered. The feelings of war and its aftermath would have an effect on local churches, the Ferry Village Methodist Episcopal Church was no exception. While the shipyards continued to produce vessels, the call for wooden ships was greatly diminished, and therefore the number of workers called for was also less. Yet the little community of Cape Ferry continued to bustle and a number of enterprises in time were started in or near the village. Stores of all kinds grew up around the “corner”. Drugstores, grocery stores, marine suppliers, a hardware store among other businesses meant that the corner of High and Sawyer was a busy place.
The Ferry Village Methodist Episcopal Church providently located since 1853, one block from “the corner” while suffering a down turn in membership during the war was now a busy location but with the burden of a debt to overcome. Likewise the parishioners felt the need to add on to their holdings at this location. The first major renovations were begun during the war, but now would be finished in the early 1870’s. As part of the change in the buildings it was felt necessary to build a vestry or parish hall. At the same time now that the demands on the pastor were growing it was felt that a parsonage needed to be provided. Ingenious as the membership was a two-story structure was built to the rear of the church on School Street. The ingeniousness was that the first floor of this building served as the Vestry or Parish Hall until the late 1880’s while the second floor became the residence of the pastor.
Reverend Benjamin Freeman who had served a one-year appointment at Ferry Village in 1863 was reappointed in 1871 and would serve as pastor until 1874. He and his family would have been the first pastor to live in the new parsonage. Remember, however, that his family would have been the first to share their home with all manner of church and non-church groups that used the parish hall for meetings. Eventually a separate parsonage was built or purchased to the rear of this parish hall/parsonage combination and would continue to serve as the home for all pastors until 1908 when it was sold and moved elsewhere in the village. Pastors between 1908 and 1914 would live with families of the church in the interim.
During the 1870’s an Organ was purchased and new carpets and a wood/coal burning stove was acquired to heat the sanctuary. Honoring the Centennial of the United States in 1876 a “Centennial Bell” was purchased and was mounted in 1883-84 in the newly constructed Bell Tower. The new tower stood high above the old steeple as the tower had been extended from the old relatively flat-top steeple that had existed since 1853. The new tower could be seen easily from the Portland waterfront on a good day.
When True P. Adams served as pastor from 1885 to 1888 the membership had grown substantially to 88 with 48 probationers while at the same time the Sunday school was providing religious training for 270 young people.
It was just after the appointment of Pastor Adams was completed that the Board of Stewards and Elders in September, 1888 voted to name the Ferry Village Methodist Episcopal Church, Peoples Church. It remained an ME church until 1939. In the latter year the church as well as the denomination dropped the reference to Episcopal and locally this church would be referred to as Peoples Methodist Church with the approval of the Maine Conference. It is believed that this church was the first of 6 other churches in Maine that would be and are referred to as Peoples.
The notes of the Board of Leaders and Stewards provide a number of interesting tidbits of information that tell the story of their time. In some instances it can amuse us and yet cause us a pause for thought on how so little actually changes in the issues facing the local church.
On May 27, 1874 it was reported the Board of Stewards and Leaders that the church was suffering from a deficit on an arrearage of $125.00. In order to meet the deficit which effected the Pastor’s salary the “wealthier” members of the church, some prominent citizens would be asked to make up the deficiency through their own donations. No names of these citizens were mentioned, but it does appear that the need was met and the pastor was paid. On January 13, 1875 the Board of Stewards and Leaders still facing that same kind of dilemma proposed and “asked the women” to carry out a donation supper for the purpose of raising the latest portion of the pastor’s wage. It was Brother Steven Hubbard who was given the responsibility of giving public notice to the Ladies Aid to tend to this matter. They were asked to prepare the meal and to attend to the supper tables. Charles H. Tilton and J.L. Willey were appointed to sell tickets. The minister and his wife were both invited to the supper free of charge. The price for the supper was listed as $.25 for adults and $.15 for children. My how times have changed yet weren’t the Board members generous in feeding the pastor and his wife?
On June 26, 1875 the Board took a vote to allow Congregational singing in church services. Prior to this time in order to sing you had to belong to the Choir.
Later that year on September 18, the Board of Stewards and Leaders voted to take up a collection every Sunday. Maybe because they gave the parishioners the opportunity to sing in church they should pay for the privilege. It appears that the “subscriptions for membership” or membership dues had been the primary revenue source prior to this vote. “Reliable” members of the congregation were chosen as collectors of subscriptions prior to this time with priority for subscriptions in arrears. Those who had served in that capacity before appear to have become the first parishioners to serve as “collectors” in the capacity of ushering during church services as well.
In the book, Methodism in Maine , written by Charles Allen in 1886, the author indicated that those members who achieved the status of membership on the Board of Stewards and Leaders served in that capacity until death. As one can see all manner of rules and operations were determined by the 7 to 12 men that were members of this body at this time.
posted by Arthur Tordoff | 11:05 AM
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