THE UNION, MANCHESTER, N. H. July 28, 1909

OBSERVED ANNIVERSARY

Old North Church at Canaan

   CANAAN STREET, July 26. —The old North Congregational church celebrated the eighty-second year of its existence today with a service to which a crowd of fully 200 interested friends of this beautiful old edifice, gathered from far and near, to attend, this being the only “old home” week observance in town. The services were intensely interesting and the sermon was delivered by the Rev. C. W. Taylor of the Methodist church.

   The singing by the large chorus choir was a feature which was much enjoyed.

   The ushers were G. H. Goodhue and J. E. Lincoln and the collection was the largest church collection ever taken here and reached the sum of $30.05, which will be used for necessary repairs and furnishings.

   Flowers decorated the table, chancel and organ.

   The handsomely carved pulpit, reached by a high flight of stairs, the old-time pews, with their tiny doors, opening outward, the singers’ gallery, perched high up in the rear of the church, with the old-fashioned seraphine and its square pew for colored servants, are left as they were when the church was built over four-score years ago.

   A few years ago the church was thoroughly repaired, beautifully tinted steel walls and ceilings taking the place of broken plaster. The work of repairing was made possible through the efforts of G. H. Goodhue and Mrs. Sarah (Gould) Blodgett, whose father, the Rev. Mr. Gould, occupied the pulpit from 1853 to 1864; who are among the enthusiastic supporters of their society, very few members of which are left.

   The exterior of the church is finely preserved, the cupola which rises seventy-five feet in the air, commands a superb view of the surrounding country, while facing the church is the old cemetery, where nearly the entire population of the Street, at the time the church was built, lie in waiting for the final call.

   At the last meeting of the society, the following officers were elected: Clerk, G. H. Goodhue; treasurer, Sarah G. Blodgett; directors, Sarah G. Blodgett, Ellen M. Currier and John Currier.