Will you try to visualize with me this corner without a
church building; just a vacant lot with paths going across it from
Pleasant Ave. to Stevens Ave. and from Stevens Ave. to Brentwood St.?
For nearly a year before our church was organized, a Sunday School had
been held in Hoegg Hall. Later, Rev. Bowley Green, then Pastor of the
First Baptist Church in Portland, came out every Sunday afternoon to
preach after Sunday School was over.
The church was organized in 1902 with 43 charter members. From the
first the members had their eyes on this corner lot. They felt this was
the logical spot for a church in this community. After some difficulty
in securing a clear title, the lot was purchased. Let me quote an
interesting record from my Father’s [Judson B. Bryant, a charter
member] history which was given on the 25th Anniversary of the founding
of the church: “On Mar. 13,1902 the first pledges amounting to $530
were given for the purchase of the church lot. The title was taken in
the name of John E. Shearman as a trustee till such time as a church
could be organized and in a position to take the title. The church paid
$3000 for the lot plus $50 for the 1902 unpaid taxes.”
Dr. Albert T. Dunn, then Secretary of the Maine Baptist State
Convention, was very helpful in assisting the church to get started.
Through his influence, practically every Baptist Church in the State of
Maine contributed toward our building fund. Dr. Dunn preached nearly
every Sunday from the time the church was organized until it called
Rev. Wm. Abbott Smith to be it’s first pastor. The Central Square
Church, a memorial to Dr. Dunn, was planned, built and dedicated during
Mr. Smith’s pastorate., The building has been called “the joint product
of the sacrifices of the Central Square Church, the gifts of the State
Convention and of the friends of Albert Teele Dunn.” The State
Convention agreed to give $3000 from it’s church edifice fund when
$6000 had been raised by a united effort of the church. On Sept, 5,1905
ground was broken for a church building. The corner stone was laid Nov.
2 of that same year. The people gathered out of doors and had a service
on that part of the lot where the belfry is now located, I remember how
interested the children were in the metal box which contained the story
of the beginnings of the church. Pictures of Bowley Green, Dr. Dunn,
Mr. Smith our first pastor, and a list of charter members are some of
the documents which went into that box, which today is buried beneath
the belfry. In May 1906 the exterior of the church building and the
vestry (the room next to the auditorium which is used now for the Jr.
High Dept, of the Sunday School) were finished. All meetings were held
in the vestry until this auditorium was completed in 1907. The Baptist
State convention met at the Central Square Church when the church was
dedicated, making it a joint celebration.
Not until 1913 did we have any pews. We used settees which were put
in rows for the preaching service, then pushed around in different
corners of the auditorium for the Sunday School classes. In 1917 and
Estry Organ was purchased, one half of the cost being given by the
Carnagie Foundation. The Communion service which is used every
Communion Sunday was given by Mrs. Dunn as a memorial to Dr. Dunn,
These are but a few glimpses of the beginnings of Central Square.
Virgil McGorrill told you two Sundays ago about enlarging the church
during Dr. Peterson’s pastorate. The mortgage acquired at that time has
been reduced to approximately $7000. That’s what is our concern right
now. It is up to us to ATOMIZE the mortgage , as our pastor said in his
calendar last week.
Because the little band of consecrated Christians who started Central
Square Church were so enthusiastic, they were willing to give UNTIL IT
HURT. They sacrificed so that a church building could be erected on
this corner which would be worthy of their efforts. With God’s help
they made it possible for you and me to enjoy the privilege of
worshipping in this attractive building. They made it possible for your
children to have religious instruction in the church school and the
other young people’s groups week after week.
Now it is OUR PRIVILEGE to show our appreciation of the work of the
Central Square Church by GIVING UNTIL IT HURTS. We shall appreciate our
church all the more if we do Sacrifice for it. That is always the case,
the more one does for a cause the more interested that person becomes
IN THE CAUSE. SO LET’S ALL GIVE UNTIL IT HURTS. If we do that, the
mortgage will be raised in no time.