Pictures on the Wall: An Old Home Day Message

The following message was delivered at the Dana Meeting House for New Hampton’s Old Home Day Service on August 11th, 2024, by Tom Smith, founder of the Dana Meeting House Association:

Many of you are probably wondering why I am standing in this pulpit. I am not a preacher, or a student of the Bible. However, the seven men I will be speaking about were. They accepted the call from God to teach the Gospel to our forefathers.

Most speakers begin with an old story, so here goes:

One day a young man decided to take his small boat for a little voyage in the ocean. Unfortunately, he fell asleep while floating in the calm sea. He was awoken by a sudden squall and realized that he had floated far out to sea. He then found that his motor had run out of gas, and his oars had been washed overboard. Knowing that he was in trouble, he turned to God asking him to come rescue him.

A few minutes later, a large cargo ship passed by and offered to help him. His reply was “No,” that God will come and save him, so they sailed on.

Shortly after that, a Coast Guard helicopter hovered overhead and called out that they would lower a rope down to rescue him. Once again, his answer was the same and turned them away saying that God would come rescue him.

After hours of waiting, he cried out to God, “Why haven’t you come to save me?” God answered that He had sent people to save him, but he had turned them away.

Like many of us he ignored the signs that God has sent to us. From First Corinthians Chapter 12 we read: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same spirit gives them. There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served. There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to everyone for their service. The spirit’s presence is shown in some way to each one, for the good of all.”

This passage goes on to mention a number of gifts such as wisdom, knowledge, healing, prophecy and others. I wonder, have we recognized or used the gifts or talents given to us?

We are told that everything happens for a reason, and that God has a purpose for all of us. Most people have a God-given talent, like a teacher, preacher, athlete, a vocalist, musician, and so on. It’s quite obvious I am none of the above or even worthy to stand here, but I am here to point out some people that chose to use the talent God gave them to teach the Gospel here at the Dana Meeting House.

Another verse from First Corinthians reads, “Each one should go on living according to the Lord’s gift to him and as he was when God called him,” (1 Cor. 7:17).

Our choices can make a difference, and like the young sailor we should take notice and act accordingly. We all receive signs every day. Do we act on them or ignore them? If there is a stop sign, do you stop or just slow up and drive through?

A few weeks ago, an old song popped into my head, “Picture on the Wall,” an old country song by the Carter Family. I hadn’t heard that song for years and hardly remembered the words.

Then I began to think about the pictures here in the Meeting House and decided to write a short story about them and why they are here. That is about the same time I learned they were having an issue finding a speaker for today, Was I being given a sign? I don’t know. What I do know is you have ended up with “Plan C” – me!

First, let us review some history of the Dana Meeting House, and imagine the signs that were given to our forefathers, and the faith in God they had to build this church.

In January of 1800, 64 faithful neighbors met and organized the First Freewill Baptist Church of New Hampton. This meeting was held at the home of Capt. Peter Hanaford, located on Magoon Road. We now know it as Sunnyside, or the Huckins Farm. Among those there were some of the oldest and best-known families in the town of New Hampton.

Many of those names are on the pews we are sitting in today. And many here today are descendants of those faithful followers.

We read in a verse from Matthew Chapter 12, which is talking about God’s Chosen Servant: “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.” (Matthew 12:18)

A few of the early spiritual leaders here were:
Dr. Simeon Dana, Rev. Josiah Magoon, and Rev. Thomas Perkins.

Dr. Simeon Dana came to New Hampton as a recent graduate of Dartmouth College, to set up a medical practice, and was soon converted and ordained by the Freewill Baptists. He resided one mile north of this church, in the home where some here today were raised. It is said that he placed a lamp every evening in his front hall window to guide those who needed his help whether it be medical or spiritual. He preached his last sermon from this pulpit 10 days before his death in 1853. Today this church and the road it’s on is named in honor of Dr. Dana.

Josiah Magoon arrived in New Hampton in 1793. He was a soldier and served during the United States Revolution at Fort Ticonderoga. He purchased the farm we know as Quietside at the end of Magoon Road. You may remember it as where the Ralph Huckins family lived. Rev. Magoon was not only a leader and preacher here, but was active into his eighties, speaking at churches throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

This brings us to the pictures on the wall.

Thomas Perkins moved to New Hampton in 1796 at the age of 13 with his
parents. He joined this church in 1800 and was ordained in1816. He held the longest record of service to this church at 59 years. He was a farmer, stonemason, and a well-respected legislator. The Perkins home was located on Lower Oxbow Road where we now know as the Breezy Ridge Farm, and most recently the home of Ken & Pat Torsey.

But what about these other pictures? How do they fit into our history?

The village church was one of many that the Freewill Baptists organized in this region. In 1871, this church and what is now the New Hampton Community Church, merged together. Eventually this church was closed, and the building was left neglected. Which brings us to the Gordon family.

Dr. Adoniram J. Gordon was a New Hampton native, world-renowned minister, the pastor of the Clarenton Street Baptist Church in Boston, and founder of Gordon College. He also wrote a number of hymns, one of which we sang today.

In 1888, Dr. Gordon returned to New Hampton and visited this old Church, and finding it in disrepair, he called on Deacons Edwin Huckins, Kendrick Smith, William Dearborn, and other families in the neighborhood to make plans to restore the building. During that summer Dr. Gordon held several all-day services to raise funds to restore this building. Without his intervention, this building might not be here today.

Rev. Arthur Hale Gordon was Dr. A.J. Gordon’s son. He was also a well-known pastor in the Boston, Philadelphia, and Atlanta areas. He spoke here on many occasions and carried on his father’s passion.

Rev. John Manning Gordon was the grandson of Dr. Gordon. He also was a well-known theologian. It is my understanding that he, as his father and grandfather had done before him, returned summers to the New Hampton family homestead for rest, and to refresh his mind and body. He also preached from this pulpit.

Rev. Gordon Poteat was the grandson of Dr. Gordon. He was a minister and missionary to China and preached here on many occasions. His daughter was Anne Rose who returned to New Hampton with her husband, the Rev. Rabon Rose. He also preached here at the Meeting House. Some of us also enjoyed his stories while he cut our hair at his barber shop on Main Street.

There is one other picture frame. This one has a list of the 171 people and businesses that contributed funds to restore this building in 1888. None of these donors are still around, but many of their descendants are here today.

After Dr. Gordon’s passing, his family continued their interest in this church and held services here in the summer. Other Gordon family members held Bible studies and Sunday School into the 1930’s and 40’s. And in the year 2011, at the 175th birthday celebration held here for Dr. Gordon, his Great Great Grandson, Dr. Stephen Davis, read one of Dr. Gordon’s sermons from 1895.

While reviewing this meeting house’s past history, there were others who could be recognized. To name a few: Deacon James Huckins, Deacon Nathaniel and Abraham Drake, and Rev. Samuel Thompson.

It is important for us to remember the dedication that these, and others, had in presenting the Gospel to our forefathers, and how they responded to the signs given to them by God.

I believe this is the fifth year that the Dana Meeting House Association has conducted the annual New Hampton Old Home Day Sunday Service.

Their Mission Statement reads: To bring together community, to preserve, promote, and maintain the historic Dana Meeting House in the spirit in which it was founded, honoring the generations that conceived it and gathered within its walls. All members shall come together in unison and harmony, promoting fellowship whilst leaving any denominational differences behind.

We may have different interpretations of what this means. But we must not forget the part that tells us to maintain it in the spirit in which it was founded. And remember it as a house of worship.

I sometimes think of the words carved in the wall, in the pew by the south door, written by Samuel P. Smith:

Oft have I sat within these walls,
“and heard the gospel sound,
The people were united then,
Religion did abound.”

These pictures on the wall have been displayed to remind us of the dedication of those who were here before us. They are there to preserve the history of this wonderful place.

I know how fortunate I am to have been raised here, to attend church here during my childhood years, and be taught Christian principles, and I am blessed to be living here today.

Will we recognize the signs sent to us; how will we respond to them? Hopefully we will make the right choices.

What a blessing God has given us to be in this historic house of worship today.