Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 November 1889 — Four Old Churches. [ARTICLE]

Four Old Churches.

Lincoln county, Maine, famous for Indian relics and other antiquities, ha* three churches that were built before the Revolution, and one whose doors were opened at the very d iwa of the present century. The German Lutheran Church at Waldoboro was erected in 1771, and is still in a good state of preservation. It is a queer old wooden structure, with pews like boxes, and an elevated pulpit, and galleries around three sides. Its interior finish is quite elaborate, but unpainted, and its windows are set with odd little panes of glass, which admit a very doubtful light. Its Bible and other books are as old as the building, and the sexton, Miles W. Standish, is a lineal descendant of the Puritan Captain. Waldo* boro was settled by Germans, and us to the year 1830 services in the old church were connected in the German language. At that time, however, the congregation had become Anglicized to such, a degree that they preferred their sermons in bad English. Regular services were discontinued fifty years ago, but the society keeps up its organization, and once a year the whole countryside flocks to the quaint old church to attend the anniversary services, which prevents it from fall, ing into complete disuse. “Walpok Church” in Bristol closely resembles the Waldoboro edifice, and is still iq good condition after 117 years oi almost continuous use. Io Aina, near Wiscasset, there is a church which it supposed to be about 115 years old. and one mile from Newcastle village stand* a Catholic church, built of brick, which was completed early in the year 1800. It is plastered with lime burned from rock brought from Ireland, and, although a dingy little church, seem* likely to stand for a century yet