First Free Methodist Church

Of Seekonk, Ma.

Origin Stories

Gertrude B. Ross  

1975

Amelia's Story

My name is Amelia Edith Lincoln Ringette and I want to tell my story of my part in the establishment of The Free Methodist Church in Seekonk, Massachusetts.

When I was a young girl of fifteen or sixteen I attended a small church in Rumford, Rhode Island called the Holiness Mission. I was not a member but I attended the services. 

The Pastor at that time was the Rev. Robertson of Attleboro, Mass. He was a fine sanctified Christian man.  

We had wonderful meetings where we praised god and had alter calls and testimonials. 

At one of these meetings I met Pastor Charles Ross who had recently moved with his family to Rumford, R.I. and was visiting the mission. 

He continued to visit the Holiness Mission and at one meeting he told Mrs. Davis and me how he had built a little brick church in Clinton, Mass. He told us that he would like to start holding prayer meetings in some of the neighbors homes. Mrs. Davis agreed to open her home for the first meeting. 

I Attended that meeting where i met, for the first time, the rev. Ross's wife, sister Gertrude Ross and their daughter Jean. Very few people attended this first meeting and brother Ross asked me to inqure if he and his family could visit my parents who lived on Arcade Ave in Seekonk Mass.

My Parents welcomed the Ross family and they were invited to our home for dinner. I remember that my mother May Belle Lincoln served a large baked stuffed Haddock. mashed potatoes, peas, and tea. My sister Mabel Frances Lincoln baked a lovely chocolate cake. The Ross family was most complimentary, saying "it was the best meal they ever had". 

After dinner we had a prayer meeting at which we were joined by Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Nunes, and Mrs. Bass. This proved to be the first prayer meeting of what was to become the First Free Methodist Church of Seekonk, Ma.

Brother Ross and his family continued to visit my home frequently and they took me to other towns prayer meetings. We visited the church in Clinton that brother Ross had started and also went to meetings in Fall River, Worcester, and other nearby towns. 

After I had known the Ross family for about six months a tent meeting was held in the back of Mrs. Davis home in Seekonk. Brother Ross was the preacher. Many neighbors visited this meeting and became interested in the service. An alter call was held and my sister Mabel Frances Lincoln and I were the first to answer the call and commit ourselves and our lives to Christ. We were followed by many others. 

I visited the Ross home often and one evening stayed with Mrs. Ross as brother Ross had to be away on business as an elder of the church. 

Sister Ross asked me if I had many relatives. I know now that she was being directed by the lord. My answer which I now know was the Lord working within me, was "yes, I have many relatives". Directed by God I took a piece of paper and listed all my relatives and there were many. When sister Ross saw my list she said "Oh my, there is enough to fill a church". We knelt down and thanked God for sending me to sister Ross and in that way helping brother Ross build another church. At that time there wasn't a Free Methodist Church in Seekonk and brother Ross had not met my relatives Yet!

Brother Ross continued to visit my home. During one of those visits he met my grandmother and she offered to hold a prayer meeting in her home. She had borne eight sons and four daughters. she said her boys needed the Lord. She said "the devil was running wild in Seekonk" and her boys were drinking moonshine.

A prayer meeting was held at her home on Chestnut Street in Seekonk. I had asked all my relatives to come and invited Re. Robertson and my Sunday School teacher Mr. Lewis Pond. and they were happy to attend.

Again the Lord was working through me, for we had a fine meeting with many people in attendance. I introduced all my relatives to pastor Ross and the Rev. Robertson. Brother Ross thanked God for the good attendance and asked Gods blessing on each. 

He preached and told that his greatest goal was to build a church in Seekonk. The Rev. Robertson said "you do not have to have a church all these people can come to our mission in Rumford. Brother Ross said that they wanted a church of their own and it would be the First Free Methodist Church of Seekonk. The strange part of that was that I did not know until then that pastor Ross was a Free Methodist. I was just a yourn a young girl at that time.

The people at the meeting were confused by this exchange as they liked both men, and didn't know what to do. Leaving the group brother and sister Ross went next door to the Smith home, another relative. Someone was ill and they said they would return. 

We discussed what we would do. One of the boys in the back room said "Lets flip a coin. Heads for Ross, tails for Robertson". A coin was flipped and heads came up. When the Ross family returned brother Ross was told "You ar our minister".

I was happy that it had turned out that way. But i felt sorry for Rev. Robertson, for he to was a good man. He graciously said we could still attend his church if we changed our minds. Thus the First Free Methodist Church of Seekonk was started by the flip of a coin. 

Many people gave money for the start of the church. My new Sunday School teacher Mrs. Mary Tarr of Providence gave, my brother Donald Lincoln gave over one thousand dollars, John T Goggin a Catholic made a contribution. 

Little wooden barrels were given out and we visited our neighbors, and friends, and filled the barrels. I sold religious calendars . I remember that I had three different calendars one protestant, one Catholic, and  one Jewish. All the money was turned in for the building of the church.

The First Free Methodist Church of Seekonk Mass was organized and built in 1925.

The Charter Members were:

Amelia Lincoln                        Edna Elderkin 

Mabel Frances Lincoln            Anna (Annie) Elderkin

Alice Lincoln                           Lester Peck

Mary Nunes                            Agnes Chaffee

R.E. Tarr                                 Mary Tarr

Gertrude Ross                        U.S.G. MacConnell

Arthur Elderkin                      Isabel MacConnell 

Leonard Elderkin                    Amelia Elderkin

Nellie Peck                             James Elderkin

My Sister Mabel Frances Lincoln was the first bride in the First Free Methodist Church. Given by her father, me as her maid of honor, and my cousin Norma Elderkin as flower girl. No invitations were sent, but everyone was invited and the church was full. The minister was Rev. Williams. Isabel Davis was the second bride.

My brother Donald was the substitute leader when the minister had to be away. My Uncle James Elderkin served as Lay leader.

My sister Alice always opened her home to visiting ministers and evangelists. For six years she gave them bed and board. My sister Evelyn was the Sunday School secretary for five years. She had a perfect attendance record for seven years and was given an award by Mary Tarr, for brining the most children to Sunday School. 

When a person has been committed to Christ at the alter it doesn't end there. That is only the beginning. We are to go out and find the lost sheep and return them to Christ.

I feel in my heart that helping to start the First Free Methodist Church of Seekonk I have done this and have followed God's direction, because I love my people.

I thank God for all his blessings. My good mother whose love and devotion helped us to be what we are today. My father was a big support to my mother. 

I also thank God for sending brother Ross to Seekonk and for the good and faithful preachers we have had in our church. 

Sister Ross and her daughter Jean Ross Kline returned to Seekonk in later years (Sept. 1971) and thanked me for introducing them to my people at my mothers home on Arcade Ave.

I have written this story because the Lord wants me to tell how this church was started. There were only four people who knew the true story. The were the Rev. Charles Ross, his wife sister Gertrude Ross, my mother May Belle Lincoln, and me Amelia Edith Lincoln Ringette.

I would like to have this story read at the anniversary of the church and published in the paper and then put on file at the Light and Life publishing House in Winnona Lake Ind.

I am proud that three fourths of the people that started this church were my relatives and that the church had its start in my home. 

The Rev. Charles Ross past away on February 24, 1926. Shortly after the Church was built. 

The Lord in sending Pastor Ross to New England saved many souls that have gone to Glory. 

Mrs. Amelia E Lincoln Ringuette 

Jesus is my witness this is the true story of

the First Free Methodist Church of Seekonk, Mass.

Thank You to the The Light and Life hour Publishing for supplying this

 writing.

***

Nellie and Annie's Story 

                                                     As Told To Doris Dow

Free Methodist Church

Seekonk - Making a church is not as easy as making moonshine.

Annie Peck Elderkin, Nellie Peck Elderkin, and Lester Peck, sisters and brother the three surviving members of Free Methodist Church can testify to that.

Annie remembers over 50 years ago when making and drinking moonshine (illegally distilled whiskey) was part of the way of life for those closest to her.

Now 76, she says, "I swore, oh how I swore". Nellie nods "yes I remember".

"I was baptized in St. Stephens church in Providence", Annie recalls."But we were poor and had no dress-up clothes so we were brought up without going to church". 

In 1924 the Rev. Charles Ross, Superintendent of the New England District of the Free Methodist Church, came to Rumford to revitalize the Providence branch of the church organized by Rev. David Stratton thirteen years prior. 

The meetings held by Rev. Ross at his Rumford home attracted area residents including Amelia Lincoln, later Amelia Ringuette, of Seekonk, who convinced her grandmother, "mother" Amelia Elderkin (Annie's mother in law) that services should be held in Seekonk.

After a tent meeting off Ledge Road in Seekonk in the fall of 1924 in which 26 people professed faith, meetings were held at mother Elderkin's home. 

"So many people came (to the religious meetings) that some stood outside, under the trees", says Annie, adding "and the neighbors could hear the singing". No one had to wear dress up clothes. 

"The Rev. Ross was a dyeing man and knew it", she says softly. But he listened to his wife's suggestion that there were enough people who sort salvation to start a church. 

"I was sick of sin", Annie observes. "We had to have dances on Saturday nights and it was awful how the young boys god drunk on moonshine". "I was hungry for the truth and I found out what it was I needed - the love of God". 

The Seekonk Free Methodist Church was organized in 1925. Annie's late husband Jim joined when she did. 

It took Annie Elderkin six months to stop swearing, she admits adding "at first I didn't understand what it meant, God's sending of his only son". 

Rev. Ross purchased land on Taunton "Pike" (now rt. 44) in 1925 for the church and drew plans for the building which was constructed through the labors of the members of the new parish, including former members of the Providence Church. 

To help provide financial support, "We saved Indian head pennies and nickel's", says Annie,  and so did other members of the New England district. 

Why Indian coins?

"We are part Indian", Annie observes with quit dignity. 

The basic church was finished in time for its first service, the funeral of Rev. Ross early in 1926. 

According to present pastor, the Rev. Lynn Wiseman, the Seekonk Free Methodist Church has historical roots dating to the mid 1800's when the Rev. B.T. Roberts and his followers broke away from the established Methodist Church primarily for two reasons.

The group objected to the holding of slaves and to the Methodist practice of renting pews. Men and Church seats should be free was the contention of the dissidents who formed the Free Methodist Church. 

Freedom of the indwelling spirit and the withdrawal from common worldly practices, beliefs still exercised in the present day church

The membership of the Seekonk Free Methodist Church has never been large, but the members have always been devoted and self sacrificing of time and whatever financial assistance they could offer.

The dedication of the pastors of the local church over the years is obvious on learning that in 1943 officials voted to raise the pastors salary from $14 to $18 a week.

Annie and Nellie Elderkin and Lester Peck not only helped found the Seekonk Free Methodist Church. Annie and Nellie taught Sunday School classes for years; Lester continues to teach after 40 years. 

Annie Elderkin says, "Its so good to be at peace with everyone. When I see an old drunken man now I think to myself he is some mothers baby. I never use to look at it that way". 

She and Nellie look at each other and express their ultimate shared belief. 

"Jesus will come again".

Says Nellie I have been saved for 50 years. Thank the Lord for the good people who came to Seekonk", including the Rev. Charles Ross.

***