About - Historial Sketch - The First Congregational Church

“For more than two centuries after the settlement of Massachusetts, there was, so far as is known, no place of stated public worship within the present limits of Chelsea. As late as 1830 the territory was in possession of a few proprietors, and they, with their families, worshiped in some of the neighboring towns. But in 1830, a little village was begun near the ferry, and soon gathered a considerable population. The Baptists organized a church in 1830, and their example was followed by the Unitarians and Universalists in 1838, the Methodists in 1839, and by the Episcopalians in 1841, when the population had increased to 1,700.

As early as June, the Congregationalists began a weekly prayer and conference meeting, help in private homes, and in the spring of 1841 a small congregation was gathered at Slade’s Hall for regular Sabbath services, and a Sabbath School was organized. Mr. Thomas Laurie and Mr. Isaac P. Langworthy, then theological students, were successively engaged for regular supply of the pulpit.

The Winnisimmet Church, (name changed to First in October, 1874) consisting of 41 members, was organized Sept. 20, 1841, and Nov. 10, the same year, Mr. Langworthy was ordained as its pastor. From this date the church and congregation increased rapidly, and by the fourteenth of the same month what was called the Broadway Chapel was occupied for public worship; and in March, 1843, the chapel not accommodating all who desired to worship therein, a church edifice was commenced, and dedicated July 12, 1843. This served reasonably until 1846, when it became necessary to add side-galleries. The church and congregation grew with increasing population, and in the winter of 1850 and 1851 the church recognized the necessity of a division of its numbers, and to this end colonized, leaving one hundred and ten of its members to be formed into a new church, called the Broadway (now Central) Church, in connection with the original religious society. While a new church was being built and before the dedication of the Chestnut street edifice, March 31, 1852, public worship was held in Low’s Hall till December 14, 1851, and afterwards in the large vestry of the unfinished edifice.

In October, 1854, seven members were dismissed to an ecclesiastical council which convened at Dixon, Ill., and with others were organized into a Congregational Church; November 28, 1856, twenty members were dismissed to a similar council, and organized to meet the needs of the people. The three churches thus naturally established have worked harmoniously together with hearty co-operation, each having not only its own neighborhood and the city, but also, through special representatives abroad, the world as its field.

The First and Third, although prosperous churches, began to realize some years ago, that a change was coming over their conditions and surroundings; and while the changes were not the same in the two churches, there was a growing sentiment in both that the needs of each might be met by a union of forces.

The Third Church, after 28 years of independent life, had grown from a vigorous infancy into increasing usefulness as the years rolled on; but notwithstanding its prosperity and the fact that its end of the city was filling with a church-going population, at the expense of the down town churches, the church was forced to realize its inability to keep pace with the growth and needs of the community. This inability was most apparent in the limited accommodations for a large and growing Bible school.

The First Church, on the other hand, had for many years seen its membership and ability depleted by removals and its field constantly narrowed by the inflow around it of a non-protestant population from whom it was evident that no response to appeals would be likely ever to come. It being thus apparent that the end was probably but a few years distant, the First Church was in an attitude and disposition to listen attentively to a suggestion which came from the Third Church, at first informally, about the year 1900, and again formally in 1904, that the two churches, formerly one, be reunited. As soon as the churches came fully to realize these changing conditions, “combination” seemed to be the wisest way to meet them.

After due deliberation in joint committees and individual church meetings, the two churches voted to unite, and by securing a special act of the Legislature the “First Congregational Church of Chelsea, Mass.,” and “The Third Congregational” were merged into one cooperation with the name: “The First Congregational Church in Chelsea,” dating from May 8, 1905.

An ecclesiastical council, called by the united church, reviewed the proceedings of union, approved the resignation of Rev. Arthur P. Pratt, (who had resigned as pastor of Third Church, in order to facilitate the union of the churches), recognized the united church, and extended to it the fellowship of the conference of churches. At a public evening service, former pastors of both churches had parts on the program.

At the close of the summer vacations of 1905, the two congregations came together for worship in the church building on Reynolds Avenue, the down town meeting-place having been sold.

Since the union the membership has harmoniously concentrated its thought and prayers upon the work so auspiciously begun, by the combination of forces, at the same time seeking the leadership of a pastor to shepherd this increasing flock. On April 5, 1906, the church extended a call to Rev. Charles Nicholas Thorp, of Oswego, N.Y., to become its pastor and teacher, which he accepted, commencing his work the first of May. On June 7th, he was installed by council, and immediately following, June 12th, preparations for church building had so far advanced as to make it possible to break ground for the erection of a new and more commodious house of worship on County Road.”