Deacon McCurdy was noted for his strictness in keeping the Sabbath. No food could be cooked in the house on that day, and no work done at the barn except milking and feeding the stock. He once, however, mistook the day of the week, and took a grist to mill on Sunday, while his wife began the Saturday's baking. On arriving at the mill, he, of course, found it closed, and on going to the miller's house, he learned his mistake. He was so shocked that he would not leave his grist, but carried it back home. The Baptist Church was organized in Mountalona in 1828. The first meeting house was built by Aaron Elliot, and Isaac Westcott was the first pastor. In the Spring of 1847 meetings were held at the Center; Rev. John W. Poland (since famous as the maker of "White Pine Compound") preached during that season. The next year a church was built. The pastors were Revs. H. D. Hodges (who, with Rev. John Putnam, compiled a grammar), Samuel Cook, Horace Eaton, Jesse M. Coburn, Washington Coburn, John Peacock (as a supply), Stephen Pillsbury, Timothy B. Eastman, Elias Whittemore, Samuel Woodbury, Adoniram J. Hopkins, Dr. Lucien Hayden, J. J. Peck, Charles Willand, and the present incumbent, S. H. Buffam. This list may not be exactly correct. At intervals no services have been held. Nathaniel Wheeler, John O. Merrill and John Paige were deacons for many years. In 1899 the house was painted and otherwise improved. The old house at Mountalona was used at times by the Baptists. Methodist services were also held there. It was burned about seventeen years ago. A Universalist society was formed in 1830 by Nathan Gutterson, Joshua F. Hoyt, Silas Burnham, Alexander Gilchrist and others and services were held in the old Congregational Church. Rev. Nathan R. Wright preached here for four years and lived in a house near the late John C. Ray's which was burned about 30 years ago. It was afterwards known as the Hope house from Samuel B. Hope, one of the owners. Mr. Wright was the father of Hon. Carroll D. Wright who was born in 1840. The family removed from town when he was three years of age.