History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

The next pastor was Rev. S. W. Frceland, who
remained in service about three years.
Tfie Channing Church, at Newton Corner, had
its origin in meetings hekl by a few persons of the
Unitarian faith in Union flail. Tiie society was
formed September 3, 1851, and the Sabbath-school
was organized in April, 1852, the late Dr. Henry
Bigelow being superintendent. Tlie Rev. Convers
Francis, professor in the Divinity School at Cam-
bridge, supplied the society with preaching. Jan-
uary 3, 1853, Rev. Joseph C. Smitli, Calvin
Bailey, and Samuel G. Simpkins were appointed to
prepare a form expressive of their common faith
and fellowship. The first pastor of tlie society was
the Rev. Joseph C. Smith, who preached the last
sermon in Union Hall, and the dedication sermon
of the new house of worship erected for tlie society,
in February,. 1856. The church was organized in
February, 1853. Mr. Smith supplied the pulpit
four years, and then, on account of failing liealtli,
he left, and sailed for the Sandwicli Islands,
wiiere he died in December, 1857. His remains
were brought to this country, and rest in the
Newton Cemetery. Tiie second pastor was Rev.
Edward J. Young, wlio was ordained June 18,
1857, and resigned Marcli 15, 1869, to become
professor in the Divinity School of Harvard University.
May 30, 1860, the church edifice was
struck by lightning, but the fluid passed into tlie i
ground, doing but little damage to the building.
Rev. Eli Fay, the third pastor, was installed |
May 4, 1870, and resigned March, 1873. He !
was followed by Rev. George W. Hosmer, D. D., '
formerly president of Antioch College, Ohio, who
commenced his service November 14, 1873, being '
at that time within two weeks of threescore years |
and ten. In 1867 the house of worship was eu- I
larged by being sawed into two parts ; and the back
part was removed southwardly towards the Hue
of the railroad and the vacant space refilled.
Bajdisf Church, Newton Corner. — Public wor-
ship was first held by several members of Baptist
churches residing in Newton Corner, in the village
hall, in the spring of 1859. The church was organ- I
ized June 7, 1860, with twenty-one members. The
church edifice was built on the corner of Washing-
ton and Hovey streets, in 1864. Five Indian skel-
etons and several ancient copper coins were turned i
up by the laborers in digging the cellar for the
building. The remains were found in different
parts of the ground, about two feet below the sur-
face. This spot was probably once the seat of an
NEWTON. 243
Indian settlement, and here they buried their dead.
The jaw of one, which was in perfect preservation,
with the full number of teeth, and double all
round, was placed in the box which was sealed and
deposited under the corner-stone. The coins, it is
said, are believed to have been made during the
reign of George I., bearing the date of 17:20 or
1729. There were also two or three arrow-heads.
The communion service was given to the church
in April, 1865, by Messrs. Quincy and Harwood.
The pastors have commenced service as follows:
Rev. G. Robbins, June 30, 1800 ;
Jeremiah Chap-
lin, April 20, 1862 ; John Tucker, Jr., Octo-
ber 31, 1S65; Thomas S. Samson, May 1, 1873.
The church edifice was dedicated in the autumn
of 1864. In April, 1874, ten years later, the
following statistics were recorded : Received up
to date, by baptism, seventy-eight ; by letter, one
hundred and fifty-seven; by experience, five; to-
tal, two hundred and forty. Members, April 14,
1874, one hundred and forty-six. The largest
number admitted in any one year hitherto (1874)
was twenty-nine.
Grace Church. — The first services of the Epis-
copal Church in this part of Newton were held in
the old Union Hall, ilay 30, 1855. The parish
was organized in the parlor of Stephen Perry, Esq.,
father of the present Rev. William S. Perry, Bishop
of Iowa. Mr. Perry's house stood on the east side
of the street leading to Watertown Bridge. An
Episcopal parish was organized September 25,
1855. Rev. T. T. Fales, for many years rector of
the Episcopal Church in Waltham, was invited to
become the first rector, but declined. The call was
then extended to Rev. John Singleton Copley
Greene, soil of the late Gardiner Greene, Esc|., of
Boston, who accepted the charge. He commenced
his service in January, 1856, gave liberally towards
the erection of the chapel, and built the school-house
and rectory at his own expense. The corner-stone
of the chapel, at the corner of Washington and
Hovey streets, opposite the Baptist Church edi-
fice, was laid May 28, 1858, and the church, de-
signed to accommodate about two hundred and
twenty-five hearers, cost not far from S 4,000. Mr.
Greene resigned his office in 1864, after a service
of nearly nine years. The second rector was Rev.
P. H. Steenstra, who held office from November,
1864, till July 1, 1869, and was followed by Rev.
Henry Mayer. The fourth rector was Rev Jo-
seph S. Jenckes, from July, 1872, to September,
1874 : and the fifth, Rev. George W. Shinn, from