ministry. But within two years afterwards, while preaching in Pittston, he died in an apoplectic fit. His character was fair, though his piety was doubted. No one will deny that abstinence from evil and philosophical morality are doctrines of negative goodness, well worthy to be taught from any pulpit. They are the pure snows which clothe nature in the whitest robes. Still, positive holiness and divine grace are the light and warmth indispensable to give life and produce fruits in the heart. Ministers sometimes, but too late, find their preaching but as the frost of winter. Mr. Moore's height was of a middle size, of a square frame, darkish complexion, and good features: a lover of good food, of which he partook freely. He left one who died at New Providence.

son,

REV. JACOB BAILEY.

REV. JACOB BAILEY, Harvard College, 1755, was a local Episcopal curate or rector, the first of that order at the present Dresden. That place was originally the plantation of Frankfort. After a fort was established in 1754, near the easterly bank of the Kennebec, opposite the head of Swan Island, perhaps three leagues below Gardiner village, the place was selected as a good site for the court house in Pownalborough, that town and the county of Lincoln being both incorporated in 1760. The Kennebec Proprietors, still further to promote their own interest and to accommodate such worshipers as attended Court, soon afterwards erected a church mostly at their own expense. Being themselves Episcopalians, they also

employed Mr. Bailey about the year 1770, to officiate as minister of the new establishment, and also endowed it with one hundred acres of land which were ultimately vested in trustees for the same purpose. But there were not many of the sect in that place, and Mr. Bailey in a few years found it was no soil nor atmosphere for Episcopacy. As the storm of the Revolution thickened and, lowering, threatened to burst upon him, with other loyalists, he retired to Annapolis-royal in Nova Scotia. He never returned; but was there in April, 1795, whence, from his pen, was published in the fourth volume of Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, a paper " on the antiquities of America." It is written in a good style and evinces considerable thought and research. In of one its paragraphs he says: "The Indians had formerly a method of conveying knowledge by hieroglyphics. I am assured form good authority that the Mickmacks of this peninsula had the same method (upon the rind of bark) of expressing their sentiments. There is in this town a gentleman of learning, curious in his reseaches, who has not only surrounded, but traveled through the interior length of this province. He informs me that he has seen those characters both upon bark and paper, and that some of the Romish missionaries perfectly understand them."

Mr. Bailey is supposed to be the son of Rev. Abner Bailey, of Salem, New Hampshire. Where the son was employed after his graduation, before 1770, is not known. He was the last on the catalogue of his class, consisting of twenty-four, when students were " placed

or arranged “according to the rank of their parents;" though his classmates were Pres. John Adams, Gov. John Wentworth, Rev. Dr. Sam. Lock, President Harvard College, Judges William Brown, and David Sewall, Hon. Tristram Dalton, and Dr. Moses Hemmenway. Evidently, the talents of Mr. Bailey were more solid than flowing, and his piety more philosophical, than spiritual. As a minister, therefore, he could not so much excel.

REV. THOMAS LANCASTER.

REV. THOMAS LANCASTER, Harvard College, 1764, was ordained in November, 1775, the third settled minister in the first parish of Scarborough. He was the successor of the excellent Mr. Pierce. He was one of the patriarchal ministers so much beloved and revered in his time, for he was the engaged pastor and teacher of this church and people the protracted period of half a century. After the death of Rev. Mr. Pierce and before the settlement of Mr. Lancaster, the professors and parishioners with one consent renounced Presbyterianism, and again became Congregationalists. Few ministers have shown themselves more faithful to their vocation and more intent on doing good than the pious Mr. Lancaster. He sowed precious seed, and in return had the taste of a rich and pleasant harvest.

REV. WILLIAM FESSENDEN.

REV. WILLIAM FESSENDEN, Harvard College, 1768, was ordained October 11, 1775, the first settled minister of Fryeburg. This township was granted to

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Gen. Frye in 1762, a settlement was soon commenced, a church of eleven members was formed, August 21st, before Mr. Fessenden was settled, and the town incorporated, January 11th, 1777, under very favorable auspices. For the people were blessed with a young minister of talents, piety, and education, zealous to do good, emulous to excel. He was the son of William Fessenden, Cambridge, Massachusetts, and a younger brother of Rev. Thomas Fessenden, Walpole, New Hampshire. The Congregational meeting-house is at the village in the southerly part of the town, "decently finished." A parish fund originating early, amounted during Mr. Fessenden's life to more than two thousand dollars. But though he preached the gospel with fidelity and considerable success, seeing the members of the church multiplied and the borders of Zion enlarged, he found himself the minister of a peculiar people. Unable to satisfy them he relinquished his salary in 1803, like the good shepherd that careth more for the flock than the fleece, and preached afterwards at times at other places. His pastoral labor and relation were continued till both were closed by his death, May 6, 1805, he being in the fifty-eighth year of his age, and thirtieth of his ministry. He left a family, Samuel Fessenden, Dartmouth College 1806, a counselor at law, Portland, senator and majorgeneral, being his son.

REV. JOHN THOMSON.

REV. JOHN THOMSON, Harvard College, 1765, was ordained October 26, 1768, the first settled minister of

Standish. He was the son of Rev. William Thomson, of Scarborough, and a classmate with Rev. Samuel Willard, president of Harvard University.

This was originally a tract granted in 1750, settled in 1760, a plantation called "Pierson-town, and Hobbstown," and incorporated, November 30, 1785, into a town by its present name of Standish.

Mr. Thomson was ordained in Rev. Mr. Smith's meeting-house in Portland. At that time there was a church organized of seven male members, and there were in the town of Standish about thirty families. To the year 1776, he received his support principally from the proprietors of the township; but after that year they withheld it, believing the inhabitants were numerous and able enough to maintain their minister themselves. Mr. Thomson on this occasion acted, in imitation of his Lord, the part of true, disinterested benevolence, for he continued to preach there five years without compensation. In 1781, however, he suspended his ministrations in Standish, and sought other fields of labor, and in May, 1783, he was dismissed at his own request, and in the same month he was installed the fourth settled minister of South Berwick, the successor of Rev. Jacob Foster.

The prospects of Mr. Thomson in pecuniary affairs were now bright and promising, for the parish owned a tolerable parsonage and other property to the amount of two thousand dollars, to which must be added General Lord's donation of fifteen hundred dollars to the funds of the society. But the church was small, no general revival of relig