THE TOWN'S CHURCH AND ITS DIVORCE. 



71 



one going into the old meeting-house and the other into 

 its new rival. 



The old pastor and certain prominent citizens, meeting 

 upon the street, ignored each other. For many years the 

 town had in it feelings of bitterness and of sadness over 

 the breach, but the second parish grew until its building 

 was twice enlarged. From that year, 1825, the town 

 never again undertook to be responsible for the public 

 worship of its citizens. By common consent the manage- 

 ment of the first parish was left to that parish instead of 



Photo, Harriet A. Nickerson. 

 CO.NGRF.GATIONAI. CHURCH. BUILT 1824. 



being done by the town. The town's ownership of the 

 building seemed to melt away into the hands of its pew 

 owners, who became incorporated as an ecclesiastical so- 

 ciety as the State law provided. Several other parishes 

 have been organized in the town since then, including the 

 Beechwood Congregational, the Roman Catholic, and the 

 Episcopal churches, which will be spoken of in a later 

 chapter. 



