History of the First Universalist Church in Somerville, Mass. Illustrated; a souvenir of the fiftieth anniversary celebrated February 15-21, 1904

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[22] Two sites were named, located on the two corners of Cross street and Runey place. The original ___location had its advocates, but a suggestion to re-locate there was voted down several times. The parish, by a vote of twenty to fourteen, decided upon the Stevens lot, so called, one of the two before mentioned, and a committee was empowered to procure a bond for a deed. The situation was strained, the feeling was intense. The advocates of the new ___location considered the change of vital consequence to the parish. The railroad was becoming more and more an objection. On the other hand, the parish was poor; the new ___location, if purchased, meant a material addition to the cost of the new structure. The original lot, by the terms of its deed, could not be sold by the parish, but if abandoned, reverted to Mr. Tufts or his heirs; and after a protracted struggle, the old ___location was finally agreed upon, and this present building erected in due course of time, an additional strip of land adjoining the original lot being purchased of Nathan Tufts, the better to accommodate the needs of the parish. For a number of years a row of horse-sheds stood on part of the land now covered by Social Hall. This decision caused some of the advocates of the new ___location to withdraw from the parish.

Charles Williams, who had been clerk of the parish since 1854, declined a re-election at the annual meeting in March, 1871. His death occurred June 30, 1871.

The parish could hardly be said to prosper during the years from 1870 to 1873. The interest was noticeably less,—quite a number had given up their sittings, and a desire to make a change in the pastorate was more and more apparent. Mr. Russ was aware of the feeling, and at the annual meeting in March, 1873, he sent in his resignation. There were more withdrawals from the parish when Mr. Russ left us,—so many, indeed, that it was feared that the parish might be seriously crippled, but the very fact of the marked dropping off only seemed to