Massachusetts history

Massachusetts

A series of tent meetings in Fall River, conducted by David Scott and John Blair in 1887, resulted in the planting of an assembly in that town in the southern part of the state. The believers met in various homes and in a store front until they purchased a building in 1904, the Fall River Gospel Hall.

When this building was sold in 1951, the assembly decided to build a larger and more suitable chapel in South Swansea a few miles to the northwest. Bethany Gospel Chapel was designed and built by members of the assembly, with assistance of Christians from other assemblies. Seating for 150 was provided in the main auditorium. At the opening in November 1952, more than 200 were present. Though several people came over from the Fall River Gospel Hall, Bethany Gospel Chapel was a new work, started by David Ward and Harold Harper. William Horner and John Bramhall are also remembered as helping in the start-up.

Those in active leadership over the years include William Horner, Paul Shaw, Charles McCoy, Robert Spender, James Harshaw, Peter Blackwell, James Klink, Richard Clarkson, and James Donaldson. Bethany Gospel Chapel has commended workers to the Philippines, to prison ministries, and Carlos Cerqueira to work at the Portuguese assembly in Pawtucket, RI. About 200 are in the assembly at Bethany Gospel Chapel.

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The assembly known today as the Mount Auburn Gospel Hall in Watertown had its start in 1875 as the Newton Gospel Hall in nearby Newton. In the 1880s, the assembly moved to Tremont Street in Boston, and then to a location on Cliff Street, where it took the name Cliff Street Gospel Hall.

The Cliff Street Gospel Hall was very much Gospel oriented, having many campaigns, some for as many as ten weeks at a time. Many souls were saved through these efforts, which included street meetings and cottage meetings. During World War II the young people of the assembly along with some of the older Christians would go to the Boston Common and invite service men to come back to the Hall for supper and then have them stay for an informal Gospel meeting. Some would stay for the regular night preaching service. Many of these service men came to trust the Lord, and many British service men from assemblies were encouraged by this effort.

The Cliff Street assembly had conferences every Christmas, with no pre-arranged platform speaking but as many as fifteen preachers invited. During the World War II years, as many as sixty young people would be at the Lord’s Table. The seats were arranged in a square around the table, and the first two rows would be all young people. People would be in their seats fifteen minutes before the service started. These Breaking of Bread meetings were wonderful worship meetings, where a deep feeling of reverence pervaded.

The Cliff Street Gospel Hall moved to Mount Auburn Street in Watertown in 1960 and for a time was known as the Mount Auburn Gospel Center before taking its present name, Mount Auburn Gospel Hall. About 65 adults and youngsters are in the assembly today.

Two assemblies were hive-offs of the Cliff Street Gospel Hall: Countryside Bible Chapel in Lexington, and Village Bible Chapel in Framingham.

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Countryside Bible Chapel at 480 Lowell Street in Lexington came into being as a local assembly during the years of 1958 and 1959. Those who were the chief impetus for the new work in Lexington were John Pollard, Jack Fulton, Douglas Wacome, Robert Herrmann, and several other young couples who met for home Bible studies and prayer in Lexington. An assembly was formed and met for a year in the V.F.W. hall on Woburn Street while a new building was completed on 5.5 acres in the Countryside area of Lexington. The assembly at Beech Street Gospel Chapel in Cambridge sold its building and joined the new work. The main leaders at Beech Street at that time were W. Herbert Marshall, William MacDonald Sr., and Samuel Jackson. They along with John Pollard were recognized as the elders of the new assembly.

God blessed the work and a larger auditorium was added in 1968. A residence was later built next to the chapel. To help with preaching and teaching, William Anderson was asked in 1984 to join with Countryside Bible Chapel. He and his wife Virginia and family were the first occupants of the chapel residence. Following them, Stan and Rhonda Schultz, former missionaries to Zaire, served in that role; Jed and Betty Snyder serve the assembly today.

Other elders have included William Armerding, Jack Fulton, Tom Serpliss, Douglas Pollard, Eric Brosius, Bill Martin, Don Moberger, Ronald Sanderson, and Jed Snyder. About 150 are in fellowship. An active ministry continues among all ages.

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The Village Bible Chapel in Framingham came into existence in 1958, the result of the efforts of seven families. Its early meetings were held in the Old Town Hall. The assembly constructed its own chapel at 1341 Edgell Road in 1963. Several have been commended by Village Bible Chapel to the Lord’s work abroad. Average attendance at Sunday meetings is about 130.

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The Missionary Study Class meetings in the Boston area were held once a month. Six different area assemblies took turns having the responsibility for the meetings. This was a real blessing to the Lord’s people for inter-assembly fellow-ship, and the offerings for missionary workers was a real help in the furtherance of missionary activities.

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In 1907, Jonathan Dalzell and James Scott immigrants from Ireland and Scotland held open-air Gospel meetings in Worcester. They had known about assemblies in the “old country” but had not been affiliated with them. In the summer of 1908, a tract came to their attention and they wrote the author in New York state. He referred them to the Cliff Street Gospel Hall in Boston, and soon the Worcester Gospel Hall was formed.

Among the early brethren from Boston giving assistance to the fledging assembly were John Gill, Damon Fales and William Farquhar. In 1909, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Yarrington, and their son and his wife, came into fellowship, as did Mr. and Mrs. Mark Stevenson. A somewhat later group included Mr. and Mrs. Frank L. Shaw and Mrs. John Barrie, the daughter of one of the founders, James Scott.

E. A. Martin joined William H. Hunter in a tent-work evangelistic effort in 1909. Months prior to this Mr. Hunter had been giving some help as he came and went from the North Grafton Assembly, established earlier. At the close of this tent season the assembly convened at 338 Pleasant Street. Worcester Gospel Hall moved through several locations until 1946 when the Christians purchased a building at 23 Stanton Street, having 54 in fellowship at that time. When on Stanton Street in Worcester, use was made of the name Bethany Gospel Chapel. After selling that building in 1959, the Christians rented space until 1961, at which time they built the chapel at 242 Clark Street, where Bethany Gospel Chapel still is located. At that time, 65 were in the fellowship, representing seven nationalities.

In addition to those mentioned above, John Dickson, W.E. Matthews, James Waugh, Samuel McEwan, Charles Keller, William McClure and others were used of the Lord in establishing the spiritual foundation of the assembly. The assembly has commended workers to the field abroad and in the U.S. About 65 adults and children attend Bethany Gospel Chapel today.

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Good News Bible Chapel in Attleboro was established in 1935 by Arthur and Ceinwyn Stebbings, Eugene and Hilda Quarnstrom, and Walter and Florence Jacobsen. 

In the early 1930s, the Stebbings were living in Pawtucket, RI and were in fellowship at Pawtucket Gospel Hall. Mr. Stebbings had a printing business in Attleboro. Through his business, he came to know the Quarnstroms and Jacobsens, who were Attleboro residents and had become dissatisfied with their denominational affiliation. The three couples began meeting together in their homes to study the Scriptures.

In 1935 the three couples decided to begin a fellowship in Attleboro. In the first week, ten people met to Break Bread. They met in homes until they moved to a store front at 201 Pine Street in 1936. From 1938 to 1950, they rented space in the Oddfellows Building on Bank Street. From 1936 to 1950, they took the name Christian Assembly of Attleboro. From 1950 to 1954, they met in a converted garage at 32 Hazel Street, and there took the name Good News Bible Chapel. In 1954, the assembly purchased a church building at 138 South Main Street and remained there until 1976. The assembly’s present location is 235 West Street.

Among those active in leadership have been Albert and Rhea Johnson, Elmer Pierce, James Ruddell, Ken Brasier, and Alden and Fern Stebbings. The assembly has commended workers to South America and Alaska. About 300 adults and children attend Good News Bible Chapel.

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The assembly meeting today at Andover Bible Chapel began as a result of tent meetings held between 1890 and 1900 in the general area of Methuen and Lawrence. Believers came together as an assembly in early 1900 and met in various rented quarters until a building at 9 Center Street in Methuen was purchased in 1906. This became known as the Methuen Gospel Hall, and then Methuen Gospel Chapel in 1959. In 1964, the assembly moved into a newly constructed building on previously purchased land at 266 Lowell Street in nearby Andover, its current location and where it took the name Andover Bible Chapel.

The signers of the 1906 purchase agreement were John D. Dewhurst, Archibald Stewart, James Thompson, Albert Smith, Thomas Wilkinson, George E. Knight, and Joseph Taylor. Leading brothers include William C. Watson, Donald L. Banks, William Walker, William Dewhurst, and Robert A. Watters. The assembly has commended workers to the Navajo Indians in Arizona, to Faith Academy, Philippines; and to Pittsboro Christian Village administration. About 70 adults and youngsters attend the assembly today.

Sources

• Questionnaire responses and other correspondence
• Brief History of Countryside Bible Chapel, by John Pollard, 1998
• Letters of Interest, November 1953, p. 3; November 1957, p. 26