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Subject: [GM-L] Mullein Hill Church, Lakeville, MA: Some Hist. about the Church
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 16:57:15 EST
Hello,
This is my continuing work on the Mullein Hill Church, Lakeville, MA.
This is parts 1 & 2 of the book below. Since I am typing this chronological
order, I will type up parts 3 - 7 when I get to these deeds later.
History of Lakeville 1953-1978
Phyllis Elliott Draghetti & D. Evelyn Sylvia Norris
Pub. By the Lakeville Historical Society
Ref: 974.4 HIS pp. 54-57.
"Mullein Hill Baptist Church
Highland Road
By Clint Eastman
History of the Church 1953-1978
1. 1953, Centennial Excitement.
On June 25, 1953, excitement was high at a business meeting of the Mullein
Hill Baptist Church. The members voted to join with other churches of
Lakeville in a Union Service to be held on the shores of Assawompsett Pond in
connection with the Lakeville Centennial Observance. The group also voted
that the young people - with Ruth Egger as chairperson - would enter a float
in the July 18th parade.
The Church families worked together on these projects in a way which has been
characteristics for the past 25 years. All at Mullein Hill Church have
always cooperated among themselves, have helped their neighbors in Lakeville,
and have represented as best possible, their Lord Jesus Christ.
2. 1952 - 1958, Rev. John Burgess
John Burgess, a student at Gordon College in Boston, pastured the small group
of Believers who were predominantly neighbors from the Highland Road, County
Road, and Freetown Street area of Lakeville. The group was small, but
close-knit.
They made use of the old Mullein Hill Chapel on Highland Road to provide a
building in which they could worship God, educate their children in the
Christian Life, and evangelize their neighbors. At that time, the one-room
Chapel was approximately one hundred years old and in need of repair.
Because no basement existed under the structure, the two pot-bellied stoves
worked hard in the winter to heat the congregation. An outhouse provided the
only sanitary facilities. However, the families - in a spirit which has
prevailed through 25 years - steadily appropriated the necessary funds and
modernized the Chapel.
During the eight years that Rev. Burgess served, the members roofed the
church, painted it inside and out, installed a basement furnace, and made
many more improvements.
Spiritually, the people grew also. Everyone enjoyed rich, Christian
fellowship. The founding members, many of whom are still active today,
developed a sound base of policies and program which have been followed
through the years. Many people became Christians and membership grew.
Missionary giving increased. Baptisms occurred frequently, sometimes in Loon
Pond. Summer Vacation Bible School for children became a precedent.
During the summer of 1958, Pastor Burgess resigned. The people who loved him
and had worked closely with him accepted the resignation with reluctance."
(Parts 3-7 to typed up later)
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