USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > West Simsbury > Historical sketch of the Congregational church and parish of Canton Center, Conn., formerly West Simsbury. Organized 1750 > Part 1
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Gc 974.602 C169a 1851361
M. L.
PETNOLOS HISTORICAL CENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01148 6633
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historicalsketch00alvo 0
7476 HISTORICAL SKETCH
-- OF THE -
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND PARISH
-OF-
CANTON CENTER, CONN.
FORMERLY WEST SIMSBURY.
Organized 1750.
THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY CHICAGO
COMPILED BY
Rev. FREDERICK ALVORD
-- AND-
Miss IDA R. GRIDLEY.
.
HARTFORD, CONN .: PRESS OF THE CASE, LOCKWOOD & BRAINARD CO. 1886.
1851361
Resolved, That we hereby tender to Newton Case, Esq., of Hartford, our sincere thanks for his generous offer to assume the expense of publishing the history of our church.
BY VOTE OF THE CHURCH.
Resolved, That we hereby express our heartfelt thanks to Rev. Frederick Alvord and Miss Ida R. Gridley, for their labors in preparing for publica- tion a history of the Congregational Church of Canton Center.
BY VOTE OF THE CHURCH.
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INDEX.
Rev. Mr. Burt's Historical Sermon, -
5
Statement of Pastorates,
. 23
Biographical Sketch of Rev. Evander Morrison,
28
Rev. Gideon Mills, -
29
Rev. Seth Sage,
31
Rev. Jeremiah Hallock,
32
Rev. Jairus Burt, -
40
Rev. Warren C. Fiske,
52
Rev. Charles N. Lyman,
53 57
Sunday school,
60
Deacons,
-
61
Ministers,
Lawyers, -
.
72 76
Business men, -
79
Young ladies, -
90
Soldiers,
90
Closing statement,
-
92
Poem,
.
94
Rev. David B. Hubbard,
64
Physicians, -
EL :.
PREFATORY NOTE.
The historical sermon of Rev. Jairus Burt, preached in 1851, gives the only connected history of the Congregational Church in Canton Center, up to that time. As thirty-five years have since elapsed, it seemed desirable for convenience of reference to bring the history down to the present time ; this consideration, added to the fact that Mr. Burt's valuable sermon existing only in manuscript, was in imminent danger of perishing, has been the motive in the preparation of this pamphlet.
The compilers have studied the utmost brevity, giving only leading facts, in order the more easily to bring it within the reach of all the living, both resident in the town, and widely scattered throughout the country, who are interested in the history of this ancient church.
STEWARDSHIP.
A SERMON PREACHED BY
Rev. JAIRUS BURT,
IN CANTON . CENTER, CONN., DECEMBER 21, 1851 ; THE TWENTY- FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS SETTLEMENT.
Text, Luke xii, 42: " Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season ?"
A STEWARD is one to whom is committed the manage- ment of the affairs of another. One who is employed to conduct the domestic affairs of a family, especially those which relate to the provisions of a house, the meat and drink, is called the steward of the home. So in the text the steward is represented as the ruler of the house, to give them their meat in due season. And he is the faithful and wise steward, who manages in his office to have everything serviceable, and adapted to meet the recurring wants of the household. In Scripture, and in theological science, the ministers of Christ, whose office it is to dispense the provisions of the gospel to dying men, to preach its doctrines, to inculcate its duties, to administer its ordinances is the steward of God in things spiritual to Ilis great household of mankind. So we find Paul saying to the Corinthians, "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God." And averring, " Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful." It results from the nature of stewardship, that he who is put into it is to regard the will and instruction of his Lord as his law in the dispensation com-
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mitted to him ; and of course, that he can never wisely or safely substitute for these the wishes or the will of those whom he is employed to serve. And this principle goes with all the force of its application to the office and work of the Christian ministry. And the test of wisdom and fidelity in this sacred stewardship lies in the question of conformity or non-conformity to the revealed will and instructions of God. So it is a very small thing to be judged of man's judg- ment, in the comparison, when He that judgeth us in the Lord. So Paul did say, in his address to the Thessalonians, " Our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile ; but as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak ; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our heart." So he exhorts Timothy, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Such is the office of the Christian ministry, the stewardship of God in the dispensation of the gospel. But the office of the Christian minister, as that of a steward, has of necessity a relation of interest and of responsibility to those who are respected in the service of the office. If the steward is to furnish for the household of his Lord, meat in due season, it is certainly to be understood that the household, in its members, is to be present and ready in due season, also, to partake of the provisions. Of what use to have the pro- vision in readiness, if there be not a readiness to partake of it ? So the counterpart of the minister of Christ, ready with his message to his fellowmen, is the presence of the people to hear and receive his message. The steward is to prepare the meat, the people are to eat it, and relish it, and grow thereby, provided it be taken from the storehouse of the Great Master, and duly served according to His will. The greatness of the sacred stewardship is seen that it is under IIim who is the Maker and Lord of all, that it has respect to the wants of a famishing and perishing world, that it brings life and immor- tality to light, and that, in its results, an innumerable com- pany that no man can number, redeemed from among men,
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and clothed in white, shall be kings and priests to God for- ever and ever.
Though in the lapsing of time, by a necessary law, one class of stewards of the mysteries of God passes away after another, the stewardship remains to be filled by others ; and is to be permanent until the closing up of the dispensation of mercy. The fathers die and the prophets do not live forever. So it has been in all the periods since the first intimation of a coming Redeemer in the hints and symbolical representations of the patriarchal days ; and so it will be till the end cometh when Christ shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father, and the Son also Himself be subject to Him that putteth all things under Him, that God may be all in all. This is true in its general application, and it is true in applica- tion to particular places and parishes where the gospel is dis- pensed. It is true in the history of this church and parish. No one steward of God has been allowed here to stand and dispense from the first to his fellowmen the promises of gospel grace and mercy. They could not continue by reason of death, yet the great and gracious Lord has continued the stewardship here. As one passed away another received it. Thus it has been continued from its first establishment till we find ourselves standing where we do to-day, by the sepulchers of our fathers, in the house of our God, with the gospel privileges untaken away.
Here we stand to review the past, to mark the present, to anticipate the future. And how befitting it is that from the past and present we gather up useful lessons for the future.
Twenty-five years ago yesterday, the twentieth day of December, 1826, I was ordained to the work of the ministry in this place, and put into the gospel stewardship for the dis- pensation of the provisions of life to my fellowmen in gen- eral, and especially to the church and people of this com- munity. One quarter of a century from that date has passed away ; which, within a fraction, covers one-fourth of the entire history of this church and parish. Standing on this point and throwing my eye back over this period, my first impres- sion is that of change. But the period has been marked off
-
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by such slow and regular strokes of time, that the real change is not at first apparent, only in confused view. We must travel back over the years. examine the records, and jot down the incidents and events that make up their history to get anything like a just comprehension of the changes that have taken place and the things that have been affected in the time.
To prepare the way for this I have thought it would be appropriate, and not unacceptable to the people, in the first place, to go back to the beginning, and sketch the history of this church and parish from that point. In doing this I shall avail myself of the helps of records and other writings that are within my reach, premising that in a discourse of this nature minutia of detail will not be expected, as it would not accord to the time and the design of the present exereise.
What is now the town of Canton, as is well known, was originally a constituent part of the town of Simsbury, and its early history, both civil and ecclesiastical, is of course identified with the history of that town.
The settlement here was commenced, according to the best information I have, in the year 1737. And within a very few years after this date from twenty to thirty families had removed to this section of the town from the other portion, or what is now Simsbury. So that the beginning of the settlement here dates back only one hundred and fourteen years. Four years after this, in 1741, or about that time, the settlers here began to hold religious meetings on the Sabbath, separate from the old parish, in private houses. It is a deeply interesting fact in the history of emigration, especially in the days of our fathers, that religious institutions and privileges were so earnestly cared for; that like the patriarchs of old, where they pitched their tents, there they built their altars and called on the name of the Lord.
Two preachers, Rev. Adonijah Bidwell and Rev. Timothy Pitkin, were employed to labor with the people, each a short time, from the year 1747 to 1749, or 1750. Of the labors of these men little is known, but the fact of their employment is here stated. The place was constituted a distinet parish by act of Assembly at the May session, 1750, by the name of
:
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West Simsbury, and a town by the name of Canton in 1806. The church, though I find no record of the precise date, was organized, as is supposed, about the same time.
The first ordained minister, settled as pastor of the church, was Rev. Evander Morrison, installed July 11, 1750, and dis- missed for some cause eleven months thereafter. So that the period of his ministry here was only about eleven months as pastor of the church. He was from Scotland and had been ordained as an evangelist in his native country.
The second pastor of the church was Rev. Gideon Mills. He had been previously settled in the old parish. According to the records of the society there was a vote passed Decem-". ber 31, 1759, to settle or re-install Mr. Mills. But it does not appear that his installment took place till the year 1761. Under date of January 6, 1761, I find a vote to the following effect ; that the installment of Mr. Mills shall be on the third Wednesday of February next. So that in the absence of subsequent records to the contrary, the conclusion is, that his installation here was on that day. His successor here was Rev. Seth Sage, ordained according to a vote of the society fixing the time for that service, the second Wednesday of July, 1774, and dismissed four years after, 1778. The fourth pastor of this church was Rev. Jeremiah Hallock. He was ordained October 26, 1785, and continued the faithful and indefatigable shepherd of the flock till his death, June 23, 1826, a period of forty years and eight months. Previous to the settlement of Mr. Hallock, in the year 1783, Mr. Edmund Mills, afterwards settled in Sutton, Mass., was em- ployed to labor among the people in the things of the Gospel. He commenced his labors in June and continued abont four months. I follow here the record made by Mr. Hallock. The labors of Mr. Mills were attended by the signal manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the conviction and conversion of sinners to God, and in quickening the members of the church to in- creased spiritual life and activity. As many as seventy or eighty were reckoned among the converts to God during the time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord. The
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quickening influence of this revival of religion was apparent for nearly two years. So far as is known this was the first season of God's spiritual manifestation in a revival of religion in this place. The effect of this season of mercy on this church in its spiritual elevation and advancement, and in its progressive sentiment with respect to the true nature and character of a Christian church, is known by its fruits. Up to the date of this revival the church had practiced what was called the Half- Way. ( The Half-Way covenant was a scheme adopted as early as 1657 to 1662, by the Congregational churches of New England to extend the privilege of church membership and infant baptism beyond the pale of actual communicants at the Lord's table. Unregenerate persons acknowledged the covenant and had their children baptized.) But after this awakening began it was unanimously voted out by the church. After the dismission of Mr. Sage, the church was in a very broken condition ; so that no correct history or record of its doings could be found, not even a catalogue of the names of its members. But after this season of revival, Zion's interest wore a different aspect, and it became neces- sary to reorganize, or form themselves anew as a Christian body. This was done February 26, 1785, by the adoption of a covenant, confessions of faith, and articles of agreement. The confessions of faith and covenant are very similar to those now used by Congregational churches in Connecticut generally. In the articles of agreement the church adopted as Scriptural the following principles :
1. The Scriptures the only rule of faith and practice.
2. The Lord Jesus Christ the only Head of the Christian Church.
3. The right of every particular church to hear and deter- mine all matters of discipline that respect its own members ; and that no council has right to determine for them or do anything binding without their consent.
4. The propriety of counsel and advice in cases of difficulty.
5. That a visible Christian church consists of visible Christians.
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6. That the infants of members of the church are proper subjects of baptism : i. e., the infants of such members as are in complete or full communion.
7. That it cannot be right for any church to bind them- selves by any set of articles of human composition, so that they may not add to them or take from them, whenever they see sufficient grounds from Scripture.
The Christians of that day, we see, were deeply imbued with the congregational principle. "The word of God only," was the constitutional law.
Mr. Hallock, the fourth pastor of the church, we have said was ordained October 26, 1785, thirty-five years after the organization of the church, and two years after the revival under the labors of Rev. Edmund Mills. During the first thirteen years of Mr. Hallock's ministry, as he himself records, spiritual things gradually declined, till the church was re- duced to a very low and gloomy state. At the beginning of 1788, the number of members in the church was ninety. From September 2, 1788, to 1795, seventeen were added. From July 5, 1795, to July 2, 1797, seven were added. The years 1798 and 1799 were years of God's great mercy to this people, as well as to very many other churches in New England. It has been called, not unfitly, " the memorable revival of 1798." Between seventy and eighty made a public profession of religion, who were considered the fruit of this revival. From March 3, 1799, to May 5, 1805, ninety were added to the church. This was the second season of revival in the church. The year 1805 was another season of God's great mercy, and about thirty were added to the church as the fruit of this harvest; making the third period of God's great grace. The fourth season of refreshing from the Holy Spirit was in 1812 and 1813, which added twenty-eight to the church. Another in 1816, adding to the church seventy-one, and another in 1821, which added to the church fifty-six. Six in all previous to my coming among you, with the same mission of peace and salvation through the grace of the gospel. The number of members in the church in 1785, the year of Mr. Hallock's ordination, and those who joined
..
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afterward down to his death in 1826, is four hundred and fifty-six. Deducting eighty for the number in the church at the date of his settlement, there will be left three hundred and seventy-six, as the number added to the church during the period of Mr. Hallock's ministry of forty and two-third years, a fraction over a yearly average of fifteen.
The first forty-five years, from 1737 to 1782, may be con- sidered as the period of settlement and organization. The first house for public worship was built in 1763.
To show the interest and action in this enterprise, we recur to a vote of the society passed October 25, 1762: " Voted, by said inhabitants of the parish, that it is necessary to proceed to build a meeting-house for public worship." Present at the ยท meeting, thirty-eight : all in the affirmative. Seventeen voters not present. How long this first meeting-house was in pro- cess of erection and completion we know not. This only the records show. November. 1763, voted to color the meeting- house; and in June, 1764, voted that the committee lay a tight floor in the meeting-house, and get a cushion for the desk.
In that house the people were accustomed to worship till the erection of the present church edifice in 1814, which was dedicated to the worship of the one living and true God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Jannary 3, 1813. That the good people of that day were an order-loving people is clear, from the fact that they were careful in making provis- ions for the " seating " of the meeting-house, and in designat- ing individuals by vote " to tune the psalm." (May 8, 1769, voted that Esquire Amasa Mills tune the psalmn.)
From 1782 to 1826, covering the entire period of Mr. Hal- lock's ministry, we may contemplate as the period of growth and development. It was signalized, as we have seen, by a repetition of those seasons of religious revival, which have contributed so richly to the increase and diffusion of a spirit- ual religion, and to the growth of active piety, both in prin- ciple and in practice. During this period commenced that awakening of interest in the work of modern missions, which has enstamped on the first half of the nineteenth century the
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glory of a missionary age. This, too, is the period in which sprung up the institution of Sabbath-schools; and along which have increased the improvements and the moral and religious influence of these lights in the churches. The Sab- bath-school in this place was instituted April 30, 1819, by a vote of the church, constituting themselves a Sabbath-School Society, and inviting the ecclesiastical society to join with them. (Mr. Hallock was chosen stated moderator, William Stowe clerk, and Lancel Foote superintendent.)
In sketching the history of this church and parish, it may not be out of place to notice the fact, that in 1783 a number of persons in the south part of the parish seceded from the Congregational society, and formed a church under the name of Separatists. Two years after. in 1785, a schism took place among the Separatists, which resulted in the secession of about one-half of the congregation, who embraced the tenets of the Baptist denomination, and were the beginning of the present Baptist church in that section of the town. In the north part of the parish. also, a honse for religious worship was erected some sixty-five or seventy years ago by an inde- pendent association, or society; but the society was never recognized as a legally constituted body ; and although they had preaching for a time, they did not succeed. The house, gone to decay, was a few years ago taken down. (See History of Simsbury, Granby, and Canton, by Noah A. Phelps, 1845.)
We have now taken a bird's-eye view of this church and parish from their beginning to the year 1826, the year in which dates the close of Mr. Hallock's labors, and the begin- ning of his successor's. My first coming to this place by in- vitation of your society's committee was on Saturday, Sep- tember 16, 1826, three months after you had laid in the grave the remains of my loved and venerated predecessor. The sod which covered all of him that was mortal was still fresh above liim, the last message from heaven through his lips had scarcely died from the ear, and the supposition that the sun of your prosperity might have set with the setting of that light, was to be subjected to the test of a practical experiment. It was in these circumstances, in the providence of God, I
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came among you, "unknowing and unknown," and com- menced my labors the following day, September 17, 1826; and was ordained December 20, 1826. (See Autobiographical Sketch of Jairus Burt.)
At this point commenced our relation as pastor and church, as minister and people. And the subsequent events in our history are to be contemplated under this relation ; all bearing on our present and future well-being. On the one part, the gospel was to be preached, on the other, to be heard; on both that gospel was to be the reliance of all our Christian hope and anticipations.
From that day to this we have had regular worship in this house on the Sabbath, and with few exceptions, the word of life has been dispensed by the living minister. (It is worthy of note and of due expression of gratitude to God, that what- ever may have been the diversity of view, or difference of feeling, at any time. respecting ways and means, among those who have led our worship in the songs of Zion, there has been no rupture in all the time of our services, such as to deprive us of the services of the choir.) Stated and occasional lec- tures have been attended; the missionary and Sabbath-school concerts; the weekly prayer-meetings of the church, with occasional meetings for prayer and the preaching of the word in the several districts of the parish, have been held through all the years of our connection, and have been the means of accomplishing, measurably, the object contemplated. The fruits of these labors, and the results of these privileges, we are permitted now to see only through a glass darkly. Yet, we anticipate their future exhibition in clearness and fullness in that "great day for which all other days were made."
The number of members in this church at the date of my ordination, as nearly as can be ascertained, was two hundred. The first year of my labors among you, the year 1827, was one of the great power of God. Early in that year there were distinct tokens of the coming spiritual visitations of God; which were soon followed by those manifestations of interest, of concern, of personal inquiry, of deep distress of mind in view of sin and the wrath of God, and of escape to
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the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, and subsequent peace and hope and joy, which impressed on all that God was here of a truth. The crowded meeting, the anxious countenance, the earnest prayer, the smile of hope, the listening stillness while the messages of God were delivered to the people, bore an undoubting testimony to the presence and power of God. During that year one hundred and fifteen were added to the church, all but five on profession of their faith in Christ.
Of this number eighty-eight were received at one time, Sep- tember 2, 1827. There was another season of religious inter- est, less general in 1831 ; some droppings of saving mercy in 1834, and again in 1837: so also in 1841, 1847, and 1850.
The whole number added to the church since my ordination is three hundred and eleven, of whom two hundred and thirty-eight were received on profession of their faith, and seventy-three on the recommendation of sister churches. Hence the whole number in the church at the commencement of my ministry here and those added since is five hundred and eleven. Of this number ninety are marked as dead, i. e., died while members of this church. Of those who died after their removal from us we have not the means of know- iug, though we are sure the number is not small. Of the whole number removed one hundred and ninety-five are marked as having been removed by recommendation to the fellowship and privileges of other churches. Of these one hundred and ninety-five removed by letter, one hundred and twenty-seven were of those who had become members since the date of my ordination. Nine have been excluded from the church in the processes of Christian discipline according to the law of Christ's house.
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