Posted by stew - Sun, Feb 22, 2009

Gazette & Courier - Monday, September 13, 1875
Shelburne Falls

Shelburne Falls - The 46th anniversary of the Franklin County Baptist Association was held on Wed. and Thurs. of last week. This association is not as large as its name would indicate - only about half of the Baptist churches of the county are in this body. The other churches of the county are connected with the Millers River Association, whose anniversary is to be held in Turners Falls this week.

This division of the Baptist churches of this county into two associations is found to work rather against the interests of the churches. Steps have been taken to unite these two bodies...As it is the Franklin Association is composed of only 11 churches, and of these only 7 churches support a settled ministry...

A feature of special interest was the presence of the venerable and beautiful old man, Father David Pease of Ashfield, now in his 93rd year. Although blind and quite lame, his mind is as clear, and his heart as warm as ever. His life has almost covered the century of our nation's history. The old man was quite elegant in describing the struggles of the Baptist denomination under the old tyranny of the standing order...
 

Subjects: Ashfield (MA), Clubs, Eye, Handicapped, History, Montague (MA), Names, Old Age, Religion, Rivers / Lakes / Oceans, Shelburne and Shelburne Falls (MA), Turners Falls (MA)