History of the Christian Church, :Franklin, Merrimack County, New Hampshire

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Submitted by: rickman@worldpath.net
Date: October 29, 2000
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COVENANT AND Form of Reception of the CHRISTIAN CHURCH, of Franklin N. H.
WITH PRINCIPLES, RULES AND CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF MEMBERS TO JUNE 1898.

Printed by Order of the Church.
FRANKLIN FALLS, N. H. MERRIMACK JOURNAL JOB PRINT. 1898.


Historical Sketch

The Christian Church of Franklin, N. H., was organized January 21, 1838,
with twenty-one members. Preliminary meetings to consider the expediency of
organizing, and to arrange for the same, were held at the houses of Jonathon
Sanborn and Jeremiah Thorn. A committee, consisting of John L. Sanborn,
Eliphaz Ager and Benjamin Osgood, was appointed to draw up a covenant,
which was adopted and signed by the charter members. The church records
state that "in the school-house in Franklin," "the church was organized and
acknowledged by Elders Benjamin Calley and Richard Davis in a public
manner, after which we commemorated the sufferings and death of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, by partaking of the supper."

Rev. Benjamin Calley and others supplied the pulpit from January, 1838, to
April, 1839, the commencement of the clerical year; Rev. Joseph Elliott was
pastor from May, 1839, to April, 1843, and Rev. Elijah Shaw for the two 
years following. In 1845, Rev. Julius C. Blodgett supplied six months and
Rev. Edmund Chadwick, who was ordained in the church December 11, 1845,
six months. Rev. John W. Tilton was pastor for the next two years. Rev.
O. J. Wait took the pastorate in 1848, and retained it for eight and one-
half years, until October, 1856. Rev. Albert H. Martin succeeded him,
remaining four and one-half years, until April, 1861. During the following
year there was no settled pastor, but preaching was supplied by different
clergymen of various denominations. A call was extended to Rev. H. C.
Dugan, in April, 1862, who remained three years. For the year 1865, the
pulpit was mostly supplied by Rev. N. J. Squires. Rev. R. B. Eldridge,
Jr., was pastor for two years following. In May, 1868, Rev. O. J. Wait
began his second pastorate, continuing the relation for fourteen and one-
half years, until September, 1882, making twenty-three years in all. The
ensuing six months were supplied by Revs. John Fifield and H. M. Eaton. 
Rev. T. G. Moses was pastor from April, 1883, to September, 1893. Rev.
L. W. Phillips succeeded him in December, 1893, and continues in this
capacity at the present time.

The deacons of the church have been Eliphaz Ager, Jeremiah Thorn, James
Garland, Charles Garland, George C. Ward, James F. Sanborn, Daniel Osgood,
S. G. Pike, Joseph Webster, Washington H. Clark, Elmer French, Charles C.
Rowe.

The clerks have been John L. Sanborn, Joseph Smith, Charles Garland, Daniel
Osgood, who served in this capacity twenty-four years, Jeremiah Thorn, Asa
W. Mason, John H. Rowell, Clara E. Rowell.

In these sixty years, since its organization, there have been recorded, in
the roll of the church, 580 names. Of this number, 222 have gone to their
reward, while still retaining their connection with this church; 175 have
been dismissed, most of them to do active service in other churches; while
183 names remain on the record as the number of present members.

Among this number, besides the pastors of the church, there have been eight
ministers, seven of whom, baptized and received into the fellowship of this
church, have gone out to preach "the unsearchable riches of Christ"--; these
are Revs. S. S. Kimball, O. J. Hancock, H. Lizzie Haley, W. B. Flanders,
George M. Morrison, Roger E. Thompson, Fred D. Webster.

Prayer-meetings, a Sunday-school and various auxiliary societies have
greatly aided in the work of the church.

A meeting to consider the building of a church edifice was called a week
before the formal organization of the church, and, as a result, the building
was dedicated November 7, 1838. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev.
Elijah Shaw, from Isaiah 56, 6 and 7.

By means of a legacy, left by Mrs. Susan W. Noyes, a parsonage was purchased
in 1864. Extensive repairs and improvements have been made upon both of
these buildings, from time to time, as their needs demanded.


This pamphlet was published by the Christian Church of Franklin, N. H.
in 1898.
It is available at the New Hampshire Historical Society.
Call # 285.8778b F831cm