They fixed up the church between Mr. Boggs
and Mr. Mitchell's time, in 1847 it was, I remem-
84
ber, but I was too young to have much to do with
that, though I recall just how the old church
looked. I will draw you these sketches to show
what difference the five changes I've seen have
made. But you'll have to excuse the drawing,
as I don't claim to be an artist.
Mr. Mitchell wasn't married when he first
came, but we built the manse not long after he
took a bride, Miss Mary Wiestling, of Middle-
town. I tell you I'll never forget that building —
it meant too hard work for me. (Miss Lizzie's
connection with the manse during its building
and in after years can be found elsewhere. )
By the time Mr. Downey came, the church be-
gan to have a very hard time of it. Our numbers
were dwindling. During Mr. Mitchell's time
whole families had gone, some to the West, others
died out, and often it looked as if old Paxton
would die too.
If it hadn't been for Dr. West I believe we would
have died. For six years during that depressing
and perilous time he preached every Sabbath as a
supply, though he preached two other sermons
to his own people in Westminster, coming out
here in the afternoon. He was a very busy man,
but he was never too busy to visit among our
people and comfort the sick. He was the father
of our Woman's Missionary Society, started
thirty-five years ago, in 1878. A number of the
young people came into the church under his
pastorate, so you see that good man had much
to encourage him. Mrs. West once told me "it
85
was such a comfort and inspiration to him to
come out here and look into these strong Presby-
terian faces."
After Mr. West, by reason of increasing duties
in town, could no longer fill our pulpit there
were about three years when we had supplies
just as we could get them. There was never an
evening service, and once the church was closed
for three months during the winter.
Looking back that decade and more seems a
dangerous time. But then the Boyds came ! No
one will ever know what they have meant to us
but those of us who went through those years of
discouragement. It was wonderful, the influence
of them. You can't count it in money. It came
to me, and I was convinced of it, and told Mrs.
Boyd of my deep impression, that the Lord sent
them to build up this church.
Mr. Samuel Fleming, who had the manse in
summer for seven years, was also a great help to
us. He was superintendent of the Sunday
School, and gave us many good ideas about carry-
ing on our work.
Meanwhile, a Mr. William Logan was em-
ployed by the Presbytery to stir up weak
churches, so, by and by, the congregation lined up
and we called a preacher, Albert Barnes Wil-
liamson. In his time we had some exciting
events. The church was fixed over, much as it is
to-day; we had lights for the first time, we had
our grand Sesqui-Centennial Celebration and —
the fire.
86
There had been no preaching at Derry since
Mr. MitchelPs time; the old church was almost
defunct. Then Mrs. Coleman and Mrs. Bailey,
a great-granddaughter of Parson Elder, stirred
themselves and built a new church and Mr. Wil-
liamson preached there in the evening.
Page 31
Presented as published in 1913. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
They fixed up the church between Mr. Boggs and Mr. Mitchell's time, in 1847 it was, I remem-
ber, but I was too young to have much to do with that, though I recall just how the old church looked. I will draw you these sketches to show what difference the five changes I've seen have made. But you'll have to excuse the drawing, as I don't claim to be an artist.
Mr. Mitchell wasn't married when he first came, but we built the manse not long after he took a bride, Miss Mary Wiestling, of Middletown. I tell you I'll never forget that building — it meant too hard work for me. (Miss Lizzie's connection with the manse during its building and in after years can be found elsewhere. )
By the time Mr. Downey came, the church began to have a very hard time of it. Our numbers were dwindling. During Mr. Mitchell's time whole families had gone, some to the West, others died out, and often it looked as if old Paxton would die too.
If it hadn't been for Dr. West I believe we would have died. For six years during that depressing and perilous time he preached every Sabbath as a supply, though he preached two other sermons to his own people in Westminster, coming out here in the afternoon. He was a very busy man, but he was never too busy to visit among our people and comfort the sick. He was the father of our Woman's Missionary Society, started thirty-five years ago, in 1878. A number of the young people came into the church under his pastorate, so you see that good man had much to encourage him. Mrs. West once told me "it
was such a comfort and inspiration to him to come out here and look into these strong Presbyterian faces."
After Mr. West, by reason of increasing duties in town, could no longer fill our pulpit there were about three years when we had supplies just as we could get them. There was never an evening service, and once the church was closed for three months during the winter.
Looking back that decade and more seems a dangerous time. But then the Boyds came ! No one will ever know what they have meant to us but those of us who went through those years of discouragement. It was wonderful, the influence of them. You can't count it in money. It came to me, and I was convinced of it, and told Mrs. Boyd of my deep impression, that the Lord sent them to build up this church.
Mr. Samuel Fleming, who had the manse in summer for seven years, was also a great help to us. He was superintendent of the Sunday School, and gave us many good ideas about carrying on our work.
Meanwhile, a Mr. William Logan was employed by the Presbytery to stir up weak churches, so, by and by, the congregation lined up and we called a preacher, Albert Barnes Williamson. In his time we had some exciting events. The church was fixed over, much as it is to-day; we had lights for the first time, we had our grand Sesqui-Centennial Celebration and — the fire.
There had been no preaching at Derry since Mr. MitchelPs time; the old church was almost defunct. Then Mrs. Coleman and Mrs. Bailey, a great-granddaughter of Parson Elder, stirred themselves and built a new church and Mr. Williamson preached there in the evening.