History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

One hundred and fifty members were set apart
from the First Congregational Church. An act
of incorporation established The Proprietors of
the Second Congregational Meeting-House^ and
the stock was $100 per share. The house was
built in the summer and autumn of 1830, dedicated
July 10, 1831, and hired until 1856; when
the society took the name of Appleton-Street Con-
gregational Society. The house was purchased in
1869.
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Eliot ConRrcgational CliurcU.
October 4, 1831, Rev. William Twining was
installed pastor. He resigned the position on
account of failing health, and was dismissed by a
council May 25, 1835. July 6, 1837, Rev. UzziaJi
C. Burnap was installed as pastor, and continued
until February 6, 1853. He died August 12,
1851. December 30, 1852, Rev. George Darhiig
was installed. He resigned December 6, 1854.
October 2, 1855, Rev. John P. Cleaveland, D. D.,
was installed. He was dismissed .Jaimary 15,
1862; became chaplain of the 26th Massachusetts
Regiment, and went to Ship Island. He returned
May 2, 1863. December 17, 1862, Rev. J. E.
Rankin, D. D., was installed, and continued until
October 29, 1864. October 3, 1866, the Rev.
LOWELL. 109
Addison P. Foster was installed as pastor ; but re-
signed October 17, 1868, on account of ill health.
July 20, 1870, Rev. J. M. Greene, the present
pastor, was installed.
The new church, on the corner of Summer and
Favor streets, called the Eliot Church, was fin-
ished and occupied January 1, 1874, at a cost of
$79,249.68. The present debt is $15,000.
The Freewill Baptist Church was organized in
1833, and the proprietors were incorporated in
1836. The church building on Merrimack Street,
at the head of Central Street, was erected in 1837,
at a cost of .$20,000. Tiie money was obtained
by Elder Nathaniel Thurston from the mill girls as
subscription, or as loans. He not only undertook
the building of the church, but also that of a large
establishment in Centralville, afterwards used as a
water-cure. In conseriueuce of the misapplication
of the funds, or of incapacity in the management
of the finances of the church, it came to grief.
The building was afterwards converted into a museum
and theatre by Noah F. Gates, who, in 1845,
purchased Moses Kimball's museum, which had
started in 1840 in Wy man's Exchange, and moved
it across the street into the Freewill Baptist Church.
It was the cpiestion of licensing this theatre that
agitated the community at that time. The license
was eventually obtained, and the excitement sub-
sided.
Fire ravaged this building three different times.
The tall spire was taken down November, 1846.
The building seemed fated to disaster. It is now
reconstructed and occupied for stores, offices, etc.
The post-office, Bailii Courier office, and horse-
railroad office are located in it.
The above is a history of a church building.
The history of the church, now called the First
Free-svill Baptist, is as follows : —
May 19, 1833, the first public services were held
in Classic Hall by Rev. Nathaniel Thurston of
Dover, N. H. The Hamilton Chapel, on Middle-
sex Street, was afterwards engaged, and the society
organized August 15, 1833; the Rev. Nathaniel
Thurston was elected pastor, but did not enter
upon his duties until April, 1834. During the
interim Rev. Benjamin S. Mansur and J. L. Sin-
clair officiated. March 30, 1836, an act of incor-
poration was obtained for the erection of a church
edifice. The notes of the corporation were issued
to obtain the money. The church was dedicated
November 15, 1837, and vacated July 31, 1846,
during the pastorate of Rev. Silas Curtis. Rev. Na-