Rev. Elias Hutchins

Hutchins, Rev. Elias, was born in New Portland, Me on 5 June 1801. He was converted there in the fall of 1818, and was baptized by his uncle, Rev. Samuel Hutchins, joining with the first church. Feeling no great ecstasy in his religious life, he at one time requested that his name be erased from the church roll. After some misgivings he yielded to a call to preach, and 8 Jan 1823, he was licensed by the Farmington, Q. M. at Vienna. He preached a few times at the age of eighteen; he now began in earnest the work of proclaiming Christ. Purchasing a horse and saddle, he entered upon an itinerant ministry of two years in the Farmington and Edgecomb, Q. M's. Feb. 1, 1824, he was ordained at Wilton as an evangelist. In November, 1826, he set out on a two years' tour among the churches in Ohio and Indiana. The principal field of his labors was in Marion, Clark, and Warren Counties, O., and in Dearborn and Switzerland Counties, Ind. The churches were encouraged and a goodly member of souls saved. In the fall Of 1828 he had an extensive revival in Sandwich, N. H., which continued through the winter. The Winter Of 1829 he spent among our people in North Carolina. Many of the slaves flocked to hear him preach. In the summer of 183o he went to Ohio and Indiana, and remained there till lie returned to New England, in the autumn of 1831, to spend a year in New Hampshire and Maine. When his life -was despaired of in the winter of 1831, it seemed that God raised him up in answer. to prayer. In the fall of I832 he re- turned to 'North Carolina, accompanied by his wife, having the previous summer married Miss Lucy Ambrose, of Sandwich, NH. They were joyfully received, and he was offered a house and slave with which to make a home. The offer was declined, and he returned to the North and soon closed his itinerant labors.

                                                  HUTCHINS                       284

In October, 1833, He became pastor of the church in North Providence., R. 1. In April, 1838, he resigned this charge and assisted the Rev. Nathaniel Thurston in pastoral work at Lowell, Mass., until August. he then settled at Hampton, NH, till May , 1840, when he entered upon a five years' pastorate at New Market. In 1841 he, was elected corresponding secretary of the Foreign Mission Society, and held the office till his death. There about this time his wife died, leaving a daughter a month old. In May, 1845, he accepted a call to the Washington Street church in Dover, N. H., and for a time he edited tbe "Myrtle" and the, "Gospel Rill". Dec. 26, 1846, he married Mrs. Marilla, Marks, the Widow of Rev. David Marks. He continued his connection as pastor of this church till in March, 1858, lie was seized with a severe nervous fever, from which he never completely recovered. Each time he rallied he was prostrated with greater severity. Rest at the place of his early life accomplished little. July 15, 1859, he was present at the dedication of the Maine State Seminary, and on his return to Dover sank- rapidly, and (died Sept. 11, 1859. He died as he lived, a sweet, loving

example of Christian trust.  The heathen

and the slave found a firm friend ill him.

He represented Ohio in the Second Gen-

eral Conference, and was a member of

the committee on an itinerant ministry.

He afterwards wrote an able article in the Morning Star on, " The Necessity of an Itinerant Ministry."      He served the General Conference in 1835, and 1850 on the committee on correspondence. 

   In 1842 he was president of the Home Mission Society, and in 1848-52 of the Education Society; in 1840-41 of the Sunday-School Union.        He was a trustee eleven years and corporator twenty-four years of the Printing Establishment.

(Copy from "Free Baptist Cyclopaedia" Historical & Biographical by Rev G. A. Burgess. A. M. & Rev. J. T. Ward, A.M. Free Baptist Cyclopaedia Co. 1889, page 283-284)

David C. Young PO Box 152 Danville, Maine 04223