Petersham High School - Hilltop Yearbook (Petersham, MA)

Page 31 text:

,,' , ., . , . , - - i 1 ,, f , .- f,f' its T -7 5 - l f' '---s - 1 . - '1' 55 z- - X-ff ' W ' h we tnsdawsl fe as? ec some The first preaching in Petersham probably occurred in lhwy 1736, but no one minister had been selected until 173 . just 200 years ages On the Sth of September, in the same year, it was voted to settle an orthodox minister in this place. Mr. Aaron'Whitney, a Harvard graduate, was chosen to fill the vacancy., Here he stayed under hardships and politie cal differences, until his death in 1779. The uneventful pastorate of the Second Minister, Rev. Solomon Reed, continued for a full score of years--from 1780 to 1800. The ministry of Rev. Festus Foster covered the stormy period preceding and following the war of l8l2. Sometime during the year of 1819, the church called Rev. Luther Willson, thus definitely aligning itself with the liberal wing of the Congregational fellowship in the contro- versy then waging. The Installation was held on June 25. The churches in Athol, Phillipston, Barre, Templeton, Deer- field and New Salem, sent delegates to participate in the council, and take part in the service. All but the church in Phillipston are now Unitarian. Rev. George R. Noyes, D. D., succeeded Mr. Willson, and remained with the church for six years. The name under which the church membership was first gathered in 1738, HThe Church of Christ in Petersham,W was , later changed during the ministry of Revi Lyman Clark to WThe First Church of Petersham.W Mr. Clark believed in a religion of works as well as of faith. Many of the attracw tive shade trees which now nrace the common and other parts of Petersham were set out under-his personal direction. On September Sl, 1908, the Meeting House in which the Eaople had worshipped since 1842 was destroyed by fire. The ilding to replace it, following very closely the lines of the old, was first used in March, 1910, and was dedicated on Shasta, 1910, by Rev. W. W. Fenn of Harvard University. The old-mahogany pulpit was saved from the flames, and is still in use. Gapt. and Mrs. John Mudge were, for many

Page 33 text:

Q 1: ,. -5 V. af 5.41. vpvf- , yarig SM am almurahfaffaifls , .gn Q Tmitarviam me First cam:-an in mmxfnhmv . does not-require subsoripazd te an .oreed. 'Tha n!6J?!Qtls- sion of Faith ado tea on 1808-ia.st Il reta ned f p , 1 or it! h1lh f torie l value and assoeiatinnsf , ' This renevation of the interior is-pert of the pmuparmv tion for the celebration of the Tun-hu dredth anniversary df the gatheringof the First Parish f Q PA we .A in et-rsnam. VAceerding ta present plans, phis event will b6,f6GDEHiZ6d during has 300651 week of Ju1y.'AThe committee is working on details with thm'A - idea of a simp1e,series of events that may serve to bring 1 back to Petersham many whose ties to our town and church life are strong and deep. N. Marsh ' Q f . vin- I l ' iufffj, ',,,..--- , : Q2. i,1- I.: X I 1-ff' 'I ' 7 ..,. L .- fxfxx ,' jQyq,Q Q 1322 'xQ, I f -, .. N , , I ,,- 3 , ,:5.'. 1.-: N if W fl? f-X A A W ff -fff ' Lf' 11:4-.J A L A . ' ,, ,. W ff -P 6 P' ' ' J if I K X11 firgvll . l? Y ,--.-f 4' -.. A Nl V -lrtykfp' 'rx .V,,,.:,.- -- F W' pg lf, ' , lv Rx vxgxQxY1Q4f,2W' ,,. M A Q P' fl .A Y. N- I .I H., .'.:.f.'. .. '.:,' ...j ,. - ff ,ff 1 31 .-ig,-f L s-' 7 ' ,, a : Eifiigai w aV1Eg31 I A ' 42- .2 Ai 2 NL, Jfmwf fiL:mxEi5EiSiSQ3lEf?f-N,W- K W-,-'f' W' ' , If - ' ! f'-,X 11 ' sf . , .2 A. gmac. . . Swai v 1 ' - AN, A, t I, .r 0,1 1 .M ., Y fn -v , f -1 ,'4 ' . , 4 X ,. .Q-A-An . ,4