THE WEST PARISH HISTORY CORNER: Why in the world do you have a rooster on top of your church? Lately, I have been asked that question several times. Actually, the rooster is one of the many symbols of our faith and one of the most important ones. The story of the rooster appears in all four gospels and begins after the Lord's supper when Jesus was gathered with is disciples on the Mount of Olives. Jesus said, to them "You will all become deserters, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered." Peter said to him, "Even though all become deserters, I will not." Then Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, this very night before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times." Peter said vehemently, "Event though I must die with you I will not deny you." Later that night in the courtyard of the high priest a servant girl saw Peter and said, "You were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth." Peter denied this and went out into the forecourt and the cock crowed. Later the servant girl again accused him saying to the bystanders, "This man is one of them." But again he denied it. Later one of the bystanders again said to Peter, "Certainly you are one of them for you are a Galilean." But he began to course, and swore on an oath. "I do not know this man you are talking about." Then the cock crowed forth second time, Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him, and he broke down and wept bitterly. The rooster, usually in the form of a weather vane, is always shown crowing and reminds us to be strong when confronted with the challenge to stand up for Jesus. In 1723, our Meetinghouse was already too small and it was decided to separate two sections of the west end of the building and move them eighteen feet farther to the west. The resulting gap was then closed with new construction and the tower was added to the east end. A weathercock was ordered from England and placed on the top of the tower. A bell came later, provided in a bequest from the estate of Col. James Otis, father of James the Patriot. There is a legend that the large ball under the weather cock came from England full of communion wine (others say rum). In any event, if true, it attests to the creativity of the colonists in escaping the King's taxes! In the early 1950's, during the restoration, after the inside of the building was stripped, it was discovered that the 1723 construction was in such poor condition that it was not worth salvaging. Therefore it was removed and the west end of the building was pushed back to its 1717 location. So, what you see today is the 1717 Meetinghouse with the 1723 tower. Bob Russell, |