About the year 1830 the society employed Alvah Crocker as teacher of its annual singing school. This grew to be an essential institution of the church, which contributed for more than thirty years to exert great influence on the social and esthetic side of the church's life.

The introduction of musical instruction in public schools has superseded the denominational singing school, with the result of a professional quartette replacing the choir of voluntary singers.

The delightful memories of the old singing school have a tinge of sadness, yet we believe we can discern in the change the evolution of truer ideas of worship whereby the quartette of educated singers may be the nucleus around which the worshiping congregation may more intelligently unite in praise service.

The following names indicate the character and influence which the C. C. church and society held in the community fifty years ago, all of whom were actively identified in its interest:

Goldsmith F. Bailey, Amasa Norcross, Alvah Crocker, Rodney Wallace, all of whom have served in the United States Congress; Drs. Alfred Hitchcock, James R. Wellman, Levi Pillsbury, Alfred Miller; Gen. Moses Wood, William H. Vose, Stephen Shepley, Ephraim Whitman and Lowell Miles, of Whitman & Miles Manufacturing Co., Sylvester C. Wright, founder of Fitchburg Machine Co. In mercantile pursuits Charles Ide, Jacob H. Fairbanks, Ezra B. Rockwood, Charles Sawtell, John Upton, William E. Wallace, William O. Brown, Abel Simonds, Thomas Palmer, Col. Edwin Upton, Alfred Wetherbee, Elijah M. Dickinson, David Boutelle, Abel F. Adams, Henry F. Kenney, who by his remarkable executive ability a few years later elicited the commendation of President Lincoln for successfully and promptly moving the immense Union armies into Washington during the Civil War. These, with as many more which might be named, have made the Calvinistic church and society a tower of strength which we delight to honor.

REMINISCENCES RELATING TO THE SECOND

MEETING-HOUSE IN FITCHBURG.

Read at a meeting of the Society, January 20, 1902.

WRITTEN BY E. FOSTER BAILEY.

The subject assigned to me is, "Reminiscences Pertaining to Fitchburg's Second Meeting-House," the building which now stands on the corner of Main and Circle streets; and which was formerly located just in front of the present Unitarian church. It is to the pre-existing state of that old building before its transformation from sacred to secular uses that this paper is devoted.

My first acquaintance with it dates back to the year 1826, when I was six years old. On a certain bright, sunny day in the early part of March of that year, immediately succeeding a moderate snow storm, might be seen, threading its way towards Fitchburg, up and down the long, steep hills over the old Westminster road, (then the shortest and best traveled way between Fitchburg and Westminster,) a horse and sleigh, with a woman, two little boys and a youthful driver. One of these boys-the elder-was myself; the other was my brother, and the woman was my mother; while the driver was the late Samuel M. Dole. That morning's ride took us over what was then called Cowdin's hill, nearly a mile long; then by Asa Sawyer's to Factory hill-a descent so steep that it was the dread of all women and of some men; then over the old road to Daniels hill-a hill nearly as precipitous as the former and some longer; then by Thomas Eaton's, the father of the late Daniel S. Eaton; down the long hill to Jonas Marshall's; thence down West street into the village.

This was my first look at Fitchburg. We had come— our little family of three-as adventurous emigrants from a little hamlet in New Hampshire to this thriving town, to make it our home, and to make here a livelihood out of the possibilities of the future. We were landed by our driver at the residence of Mr. Benjamin Snow, whose house then occupied the spot where now stands the residence of Mrs. C. J. Billings. This house, then owned and occupied by Mr. Snow, has since been removed, and now stands in Newton place, and to this day I never look upon it without being stirred with a tender regard for the venerable structure which so kindly sheltered me upon my first advent into Fitchburg. Our household goods arriving in a day or two, we were soon located in a small house directly west of and adjoining the house now occupied by Mrs. Sylvester Litchfield, then owned by Dr. Abel Fox. This small house, our first home in Fitchburg, long since disappeared to make room for its successor.

The old meeting-house, (afterwards the town hall,) the subject of our narrative, stood but a few rods from our new home, and became a permanent factor in our eastern landscape view. Our juvenile mind was more captivated with the magnitude of the structure than with its architectural lines of beauty. It was a large, nearly square building, very plain, with front entrance on the south side; with no steeple and no ornamentation of any kindbeing rather barn-like in general appearance, save for the two porch projections, one on the east and one on the west ends, which served for entrances and stairways. It stood somewhat askew to the street and surrounding buildings, giving a unique awkwardness to the general aspect. This was the result of a vote of the town to have the house face exactly south, instead of directly down the street, as originally designed. This vote was engineered through town meeting by the disgruntled party which had fought persistently for ten years for its location farther westward. It was their "last kick" and the final ending of the ten years' meeting-house controversy. It was said that so interesting were the proceedings of those town meetings that people from surrounding towns came in crowds to see the show. In 1827 a great improvement

was made in the building by the construction of a tower and belfry to receive a bell, the donation of Mr. Jonas Marshall. This was a timely and useful gift, and being used for both parish and town purposes was highly appreciated by the whole people. I have a dim recollection of seeing the men standing on a staging and pulling a short rope, sending the wave sounds pealing over the hills and along the valleys of Fitchburg, announcing to the people that a new institution had come to town. An institution, indeed, it was, convenient and useful, for it informed the people of every case of death, specifying the sex and age, and when the funeral was in process. It informed the farmers every Sunday morning at nine o'clock when they should make preparations for their Sabbath day's journey, when to arrive at the meeting house and when to take seats in the pews. It designated the proper time for dinner and when to go to bed. It also sounded the fire alarm and aroused the inhabitants from their midnight slumbers, when the fire fiend was abroad,-calling forth both men and women with bucket and pail in hand to form their lines to the river for the passing of water to quench the devouring element. The donation of such a gift was indeed a benefaction.

Mr. Marshall, the author of this benefaction, came to town when eleven years old, and by industry and shrewd purchases of land became the richest man in town, except, perhaps, the rich merchant of the Old City, Joseph Fox, Esquire. He not only knew how to acquire property, but also, what is as important in the race for riches, he knew how to keep it. I never heard of his losing by any investments he ever made except his venture in Maine lands during the famous eastern land speculation, sometime in the thirties, and in which he had plenty of company. While economical, he was also regardful of the necessities of the worthy poor. The Rev. Mr. Lincoln lived in his family in the first years of his settlement in town. Mr. Marshall was a firm adherent to the Unitarian faith, and a zealous advocate of its doctrines. Although a Unitarian, he was possessed of some of the stalwart elements of the Puritan character. The square and plummet were the

instruments by which he tested himself and others in the conduct of business. The strict fulfillment of agreements, the prompt payment of debts, and a careful regard for the legal prerogatives and limitations of property rights were his creed. The rules, the performance of which he exacted from others, he was scrupulously careful to practice himself. When a young man he had occasion to borrow a few hundred dollars of some one in the west part of the town, by the name, I believe, of Hilton. The interest on the note given he paid, for a series of years, exactly on the day it became due, although sometimes he had to travel miles on foot to do it. He abhorred usury, and later, when he himself became a loaner of money, his rate of interest was six per cent.,-no more and no less; and under no circumstances or temptations could he be induced to deviate from the rule. I remember very well the astonishment he manifested upon hearing that a good Baptist friend was taking seven per cent. interest. He was a constant attendant of church services, and when in advanced age he had become so deaf that he could hardly catch a word of the sermon, he still, with the same punctiliousness, continued his attendance-all for example's sake. Independent in dress, as in other things, and regardless of changing customs and the dictates of fashion, he persisted in wearing knee breeches long after the fashion had passed away, and wore his hair in a cue to the end of his life.

The ground on which the meeting-house stood was used by the public as a training field for the military and for gatherings on holidays, and was the constant resort of children of all ages for their various plays and sports. During the spring and summer months when the schools were in session, the flying feet of juvenile exuberance afforded a slim chance for the grass to grow. Our main playground was the upper part of the common, it being near the school house, which was on the corner of Mechanic street; and besides, the old church building afforded us conveniences for some of our plays, such as "gool," "I spy," and "hail-over." There were in vogue many games of ball, such as "long ball," "square ball," "drive