Lucius R. Paige, History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1630-1877, with a genealogical register

[335] suddenly and unceremoniously withdrawn by the School Committee.¹ The friends of the school thereupon hired a lot of the city, near the school-house, and erected ‘a neat and commodious chapel,—at a cost, including furnishing, of $1,411.81,’² which was dedicated Oct. 31, 1852, and was called ‘Our Sabbath Home.’ Religious meetings were held in the chapel on Thursday evenings, through the winter. In May, 1853, regular sabbath services were established, and Rev. Alexander M. Averill, a graduate of the Newton Theological Institution, soon became the ‘stated preacher.’ A meeting-house was erected in 1854, on the northwesterly side of Coggswell Avenue, near North Avenue, which was dedicated Feb. 15, 1855. The Sabbath-school chapel was soon afterwards removed, and connected with the new meeting-house; ten years later the house was greatly enlarged and beautified, and was reopened on the nineteenth anniversary of the school. The church was organized in March, 1854, and was publicly recognized on the 6th of the following April. Rev. Mr. Averill continued to hold the office of pastor until October, 1859. Rev. Joseph A. Goodhue, D. C. 1848, was elected to the pastorate in July, 1862, which he resigned in July, 1864, and was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Colver Wightman, B. U. 1852, who was elected in February, 1866, and resigned in March, 1868. The present pastor is Rev. William S. Apsey, Madison Univ. 1861, who commenced his pastoral duties here in October, 1868.

This church has no officers bearing the name of deacons; but the duties ordinarily performed by such officers are assigned to a ‘standing committee,’ consisting of four members, elected annually. ‘Upon this committee brethren Henry R. Glover and Chester W. Kingsley have regularly served since the organization of the church; different members have completed the number.’³

North Avenue Congregational.—In September, 1857, a religious society was organized in North Cambridge, under the name of the ‘Holmes Congregational Society,’ which name was changed, about ten years afterwards, to ‘North Avenue Congregational Society.’ Its first place of worship was an edifice of moderate size, called ‘Holmes Chapel,’ which was