by the Rev. Moses Ballou, Rev. Mr. Jewell, Rev. Mr. Lake, and also by Rev. Mr. Gage, formerly of Manchester. Various interesting addresses were made at the meetings by a number of delegates.

For a considerable length of time, meetings were held at the Village school-house once a fortnight by Universalist preachers, who belonged in Portsmouth, Exeter and vicinity; but it was finally deemed impracticable to organize a Universalist society in the town.

THE SPIRITUALISTS.

The doctrine that the spirits of the departed often hold communion with mortals who exist in the present age of the world, was introduced into Candia about the year 1855. A few persons, who were denominated spiritual mediums, visited some of the families in the town at that time and gave sittings or seances, as they were called. In the course of a few months, a considerable number of the people were converted to the idea that they received genuine messages from their relatives and friends, whose bodies had long been resting in the grave.

Spiritual physicians, who knew nothing about the science of medicine, in their normal condition, but professed to be guided and instructed by skillful practitioners, who had departed to the celestial regions, had some practice in town.

Among the converts to the new doctrine, were Leonard Dearborn and wife, Thomas Bean and wife, True French and wife, Mrs. Alamanza Roberts, Charles H. French, a Mr. Colby, who lived on the old Captain Libbee place, Luther Flint and family, Plumer W. Sanborn, Leonard F. Dearborn and wife and Henry Dearborn. Meetings were held at private residences for several years, at which addresses, which were supposed to have been dictated by immortals, were delivered by professional mediums.

Leonard Dearborn, sr., and family removed to Lowell some time after they had become interested in spiritualism. After residing there a few years, Mr. Dearborn died, and his remains were brought to Candia for burial in the old cemetery. His funeral took place at the Methodist Church,

and Mr. N. H. Greenleaf, a distinguished Spiritualist orator, made an able address.

When Mr. Luther Flint died, his funeral was attended by a noted inspirational speaker.

All of those persons, whose names are here mentioned, professed to have derived much comfort and consolation from the additional evidence they had received, in proof of the immortality of the soul, and that the state of those who have passed on to the celestial spheres is one of infinite progression.

THE ADVENTISTS.

Many years ago, a preacher by the name of William Miller preached the doctrine that the world would soon be destroyed and that Christ would make his second appearance to mortals. By closely studying the prophecies of the Bible, he regarded it as certain that the great event would take place in 1843. But nothing unusual happened that year. Miller and his followers acknowledged they had made a mistake in their calculations; but they were sure that the great event was very near, and might be expected at any moment.

A considerable number of the preachers of this doctrine have visited Candia at various times during the past forty years. Meetings have been held at the school-house on the North road and elsewhere, and converts to this system of theology have been secured.

THE SOUTH ROAD FREE-WILL BAPTIST SOCIETY.

About the year 1846, a Baptist minister named Winslow, came to town and preached at the school-house on the South Road. He awakened a strong religious interest among the people of that section of the town and the north part of Auburn, and it was at length deemed expedient to build a meeting house to meet the demand for better accommodations. With the assistance of some of the disaffected Congregationalists, who lived in that quarter of the town, and others, a small meeting house was erected. Rev. J. B

Davis, a Free-Will Baptist minister, of Manchester, preached the dedication sermon. Public worship was sustained for a considerable time, and various ministers officiated, among whom was Rev. Thomas O. Reynolds, who was a native of the town. At length, the enterprise began to languish for the want of proper support. The audiences became smaller and smaller, and finally the building was sold, taken down and hauled to Auburn, and rebuilt on a spot near the railroad station.

THE CATHOLICS.

More than thirty years ago, a few families, who were Catholics, came to the town. Some of them settled on small farms, and others lived in hired tenements. A number of other families came at various periods, until now there are about thirty adults who are connected with the Catholic Church. For their accommodation, a Catholic priest, of Manchester, visits them at stated periods for the purpose of giving them instruction. Religious services, according to Catholic forms, are conducted at some of the dwelling houses of the faithful.

CHAPTER XXIII.

MISCELLANEOUS.

FREE MASONRY.

The institution of Free Masonry is said to have originated in the time of King Solomon, at the building of the Temple of Jerusalem. It was introduced into the American colonies previous to the War of the Revolution. Washington, and many of the distinguished American citizens, were Masons. Lodges were established in most of the states of the Union, and the institution flourished up to the year 1826. A short time previous to that date, one William Morgan, who had been a member of a lodge in Batavia, N. Y., is said to have published a book in which all the secrets of Masonry were exposed. It has been understood that the members of the Masonic fraternity charged that the statements contained in the book were mostly false and malicious. A few months after the book appeared, it is said that Morgan very mysteriously disappeared, and was never heard of afterwards. The story of the publication of Morgan's book and his sudden disappearence was soon known all over the country, and it was charged that he was assasinated by a band of Masons in retaliation for exposing the secrets of the order. When it became known that Morgan had dropped out of sight there was intense excitement all over the land, which was followed by a feeling of bitter hostility to the institution of Masonry. A political party, called the Anti-Masonic party, was organized, and newspapers were established for the avowed purpose of overthrowing the institution. In some of the states the Anti-Masons were in the majority. In many instances, the Masons and Anti-Masons, who lived together as neighbors, chreished a feeling of bitter hatred towards each other.

The Masons in many parts of the country, who felt that

they had been deeply wronged, deemed it best to close their lodge rooms until the storm of passion and prejudice had passed away. All the lodge rooms in New Hampshire were substantially closed, and all work was suspended for a period of about fifteen years. When a better feeling on the part of the public was manifested, the lodge rooms were re-opened, and in the course of a few years new lodges were established in all parts of the country. During the last thirty years, the order has prospered to a very remarkable degree.

MASONRY IN CANDIA.

In November, 1826, the very year when Morgan is said to have been murdered, the people of Candia were afforded the first opportunity to witness the ceremonies connected with a Masonic funeral. Abel Follansbee, a native of Candia, died at Newmarket and his remains were brought to this town for burial in the old cemetery. Mr. Follansbee was a member of a Masonic lodge, and his funeral took place under the direction of the lodge to which he belonged. The lodge marched in procession from the Corner to the Congregational Church, where public services took place. Rev. Mr. Wheeler made an address, after which the customary masonic burial service took place. The body was then escorted to the cemetery, where other exercises took place, and now, after the lapse of sixty-five years, a few Candia people can distinctly remember the portly frame of Thomas Jenness, of Deerfield, the chaplain of the lodge, as he bore the great Bible in front of him upon a little platform, which hung from his shoulders, and the response "So mote it be" from the brethren, which at intervals followed the words of the Worshipful Master and Chaplain during the ceremonies at the grave.

Previous to 1866, there was a considerable number f Masons in Candia who were members of lodges in Manchester or other places in the neighborhood. Among them were Rufus Patten, Nehemiah Colby, Plumer W. Sanborn, Rev. James Adams, John H. Nutting, A. Frank Patten. On June 16, 1866, a charter was obtained from the