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By
Harry Stott
Resting
'neath the protecting branches of giant maples and just a short
distance from the main highway of Cornish, there stands in this quaint
old town of Limerick, the Free Baptist Church, a fitting monument to
the energy and foresight of its devout leaders.
Boasting
stain-glassed windows of finely executed design, reminiscent of the
famous Borune-Jones masterpieces of Christ Chapel, Birmingham, England,
a pipe-organ that would do justice to any metropolitan church, together
with all modern conveniences necessary to the proper administration of
an up-to-date house of worship, such are the splendid advantages of the
above named edifice.
Historical
The
historic outline of this beautiful house of God is one of splendid
achievement and heroic self-sacrifice. Organized in 1822 with 30
members, it continued as such until 1835 when a re-organization took
place, in the interim the meetings being held at the various homes of
the communicants.
In
1837, the first church was built, and then rebuilt about 1864. In 1895
the parsonage was bought and a vestry was added to the church in 1905.
From this period on up to 1927, the society moved along normally, when
it was decided to enlarge and modernize. Putting their "shoulder to the
wheel," they were able to see their dream realized at the splendid
dedication exercises held on Sunday, Dec. 9, 1928, at which the Rev.
William H. Jones of the Immanuel Baptist Church of Portland preached
the dedicatory sermon and Miss Susan E. Coffin of Portland presided at
the organ, presenting a musical program of high excellence and entirely
suited to the occasion.
On
the evening of the same day, the Rev. C. E. Whittemore of Waterville
preached the sermon and Harry Stott of Sanford presided at the organ.
The Rev. Austin I. Davis, then pastor of the church, assisted at both
services.
The
entire cost of remodeling and rebuilding was somewhere in the
neighborhood of $40,000.
What
a day of rejoicing: what a day of supreme exaltation was this to the
parishioners of the church, as before them, revealed in perfect detail,
stood this monument, this house of God, dedicated to the everlasting
uplift of all that was great and good in their community and to the
carrying on of the mighty works of Him, the Saviour of the World, and
of all mankind!
...
church are suggestive of old Colonial, a type extremely popular at the
present time. The portico is supported by four large columns severely
plain in their simple beauty, and greatly enhanced by the delicate
outline of a beautiful porte-cochere at the entrance to the auditorium.
Once
in the spacious room, you are struck by the perfect blending of pulpit,
organ and furnishings, by the general color scheme of cream and white.
To the rear of the pulpit is the Baptistry and as its fine carved doors
are thrown open, there is revealed to the eye a magnificent stained
glass window which has as its integral design and thought Christ as the
Good Shepherd of the world.
To
the rear of the Baptistry is a large room given over to the work of the
ever-growing Sunday school, and just to the left and leading into the
basement will be found a perfectly fitted kitchen and a dining hall
capable of taking care of 150 people at one sitting and in which their
far-famed harvest suppers are served.
The
Organ
In
the order of divine worship, nothing is more conducive to spiritual
uplift than the tones of a beautiful organ in the hands of a capable
performer.
The
Free Baptist Church of Limerick can boast of a fine two manual Estey
organ, with 12 finely balanced speaking stops, a score or more of
splendidly adjusted couplers, with swell and sforzando pedals coupled
to the swell and great manuals, and a concave and radiating pedal
keyboard of 32 keys, together with a physical background and some 600
pipes, combining into an instrument that would be a credit to any
metropolitan church. The capable organist is Mrs. Mildred Johnston, who
combines musical ability with rare tact in choir training, and with the
quartet which furnishes music for the services, splendid results are
thereby obtained in this line of work.
The
Pastor
 The Rev. Lewis A. Jones, present pastor
of the church, is a young man of high ideals and Christian devotion;
born in Lampeter, Cardiganshire, Wales; his early boyhood was one of
labor and hardship. At the age of 13, he was working in the coal mines
of his native district. After seven years of hard labor, he felt the
call to preach the Word of God, so thereby took himself to the
Episcopal College of St. David at Lampeter. He took a leading part in
all the activities of the school. Being especially proficient in music,
he was chosen to take up the baton as director of the college choir,
winning considerable fame and success along this line. He was also
proficient in athletics, being a leader in the game of cricket and
football, the national sports of that country.
After
graduating, he supplied churches in Wales until May 10, 1926, when he
arrived in this Country, coming to Fort Fairfield, where he preached
his first sermon in the Baptist church on the morning of May 23, 1926,
in the absence of the regular pastor, the Rev. C. E. Suter. He then
supplied a group known as the Hodgdon-Cary-Amity combination of
churches in south Aroostook, which field he served for two years in a
highly successful manner, going to Harrington and thence on to his
present pastorate in Limerick.
Highly
conscious of the duties lying before him, Mr. Jones, a great lover of
children, is devoting a great deal of time to the work of young people,
and in Mrs. Jones he has a very splendid assistant.
In
retrospection, may the work of this church come within the thought and
lines of the poet, as he says:
"In
yonder spires gleaming white,
A
beacon light there is.
It
points to me; it points to you,
It
says, come thou, be His." |
Free Baptist Church
of
Limerick
