USA > Connecticut > A complete history of Connecticut, civil and ecclesiastical, from the emigration of its first planters, from England, in the year 1630, to the year 1764; and to the close of the Indian wars > Part 20
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This letter appears to have been written in meekness, and with a faithful and laborious attention to the subject. It did not, however, appear to have any good effect on those enthusiastic and wandering people, whom it was de- signed to convince and reclaim.
The Rev. James Davenport, who had been the unhappy
# Letter from the associated ministers of the county of Windham, De- cember 11th, 1744, printed at Boston, containing 52 pages, quarto. The whole association appeared to be together, consisting of sixteen ministers, who all set their names to it.
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Mr. Dav- enport confesses his errors.
Book II. instrument of broaching and encouraging some of those errors, was, by the gentle and laborious endeavours of the 1744. Rev. Mr. Williams and Mr. Wheelock, brought to a deep, humiliating and penitent sense of his errors, and the false spirit under which he had acted ; and about this time made a most public and ample confession and retraction, which was published, and spread through New-England, and oth- er parts of the country : But he could not convince and reclaim those in whose delusion he had been instrumental. They pretended he had now lost his zeal, fallen from his good spirit, become cold and dead, and was influenced by others : Hence they would receive no conviction of their errors.
Mr. Whitefield arrived, in the fall of this year, at Bos- ton, and preached in most of the pulpits there, and in the vicinity ; and as it was expected that he would, the next summer, make a tour through Connecticut, the general as- sociation, when they met, in June, 1745, to prevent his preaching in this colony, and prejudice the people against him, passed the following resolve :
" That whereas there has of late years been many er- Resolution against freld. rors in doctrine and disorders in practice, prevailing in the churches in this land, which seem to have a threaten- Mr. White- ing aspect upon the churches : and whereas Mr. George Whitefield has been the promoter, or at least the faulty occasion, of many of these errors and disorders ; this asso- ciation think it needful for them to declare, that if the said Mr. Whitefield should make his progress through this go- vernment, it would by no means be advisable for any of our ministers to admit him into their pulpits, or for any of our people to attend his administrations."
This was, probably, an injurious and false representa- tion of Mr. Whitefield, showing the hatred of the old lights to him and his experimental and powerful preaching, a majority of whom, it seems, were at this general associa- tion. Nothing could have been more opposed to the feel- ings and wishes of those ministers who had been most in- strumental in the religious revival which had been in the country, and to the experimental and zealous people who loved the sincere milk of the word. Doctor Coleman, Doc- tor Sewall, and the principal ministers of the gospel in Boston and its vicinity, had welcomed him into their pul- pits, and at their desire he had administered the sacra- ment in several of their churches. It will be but do- ing justice to Mr. Whitefield's character, to insert the tes- timony of fifteen ministers, met at Taunton, in Massachu- setts, March 5th, 1745, as a contrast to this invidious reso, .
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lution of the general association. It is in these words, Book II. viz: "Saturday, November 24th, 1744. The Reverend Mr. Whitefield was so far revived, as to be able to set out from 1745. Portsmouth to Boston, whither he came, in a very feeble Testimo- state, the Monday evening after : since which, he has ny con- been able to preach in several of our largest houses of pub- Mr. cerning lic worship, particularly the Rev. Dr. Coleman's, Dr. White-f Sewall's, Mr. Webb's, and Mr. Gee's, to crowded assem- field., blies of people, and with great and growing acceptance. At Dr. Coleman's desire, with the consent of the church, on the Lord's day after his arrival, he administered to them the holy communion. And last Lord's day hc preached for Mr. Cheever, of Chelsea, and administered the holy supper there. The next day he preached for the Rev. Mr. Emerson, of Malden. Yesterday he set out to preach at some towns to the northward; purposes to re- turn hither the next Wednesday evening, and after a few days, to comply with the earnest invitations of several ministers, to go and preach in their congregations in the southern parts of the province. He comes with the same extraordinary spirit of meekness, sweetness, and universal benevolence as before. In opposition to the spirit of sep- aration and bigotry, he is still for holding communion with all protestant churches. In opposition to enthusiasm, he preaches a close adherance to the scriptures, the necessi- ty of trying all impressions by them, and of rejecting what- soever is not agreeable to them, as delusions. In opposi- tion to Antinomianism, he preaches up all kinds of rela- tive duties, though to be performed in the strength of Christ ; and in short, the doctrines of the church of Eng- land, and the first fathers of this country. As before, he first applies himself to the understandings of his hearers, and then to the affections : and the more he preaches, the more he convinces people of their mistakes about him, and increases their satisfaction."*
As Mr. Whitefield's strength increased, and his health grew better, he began to move further southward. After he had preached eastward, as far as Casco bay, and North- Yarmouth, he went through Connecticut, Plymouth and Rhode-Island, preaching twice a day, and generally to thousands. He was favourably received at New-York, and preached in the southern states in his way to Georgia, as he had done when he was before in America ..
Notwithstanding all the pains taken by the pastors of the churches, in private and public, to convince the peo-
* Prince's Christian History, vol. ii. No. 94 ; and the life of Whitefield, page 110.
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Book II. ple who were separating from the churches and congrega- tions in the castern parts of the colony, of their errors, the 1745. separations continued, increased and grew more fixed and alarming. The separates formed themselves into distinct churches, and proceeded to choose and ordain ministers over them. The separates in Mansfield, and others be- longing to other churches, about the 9th of October, 1745, Oct. 1715. embodied themselves, solemnly covenanting together as a distinct church, without any dismission or recomienda- tion from the churches to which they belonged, and seve- ral of them were under censure, for errors, and scanda- lous, disorderly walking. About the middle of January, the next year, they met with a view to the ordination of 1746. Deacon Thomas Marsh, for their teaching elder, and oth- er church officers. A number of neighbouring ministers, apprised of their meeting, met with a view to obtain an opportunity of discoursing with them, and, if possible, to dissuade them from their purpose ; but the separates treat- ed them, in a tumultuous manner, with unchristian and op- probious language, and revilings. They read among them, a solemn remonstrance and protestation against their pro- ceeding.t They nevertheless met again in February, ordained John Hovey for their teaching elder, by prayer and the imposition of the hands of Thomas Denison, John Austin, and Matthew Smith, laymen, but appointed to that service by the church .* In July, they ordained Thomas Marsh to be teaching elder in the same church, by the imposition of the hands of John Hovey, Matthew Smith, and Thomas Denison. In September following, they or- dained Solomon Paine, at Canterbury, to be the teaching elder of what they called the church there, by the imposi- tion of the hands of John Hovey, Matthew Smith, Jededi- ah Hyde, Thomas Stevens, and one Warren. The next day Thomas Stevens was ordained, in like manner, teach- ing elder of a separate church at Plainfield.
The conso- ciation mect at Scotland, Jan. 17th, 1747.
The pastors of the churches in the county of Windham, deeply affected with these proceedings, convened their churches, in consociation, in Scotland, on the 13th of Jan- uary, 1747, to take into consideration, and give advice re- lative to the lamented divisions and errors which had aris- en in the county ; and to hear the information which a committee, appointed by the association, had to give con- cerning them. Having received sufficient evidence of the
+ Doings of the association of Windham county, January, 1747.
* The reason why John Hovey was chosen and ordained, instead of Deacon Thomas Marsh, I suppose was this, that Marsh was arrested and committed to prison on the day appointed for his ordination, for separating and preaching,
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principles and proceedings of the brethren who had sepa- Book II. rated themselves from the churches, they sent notifications to Mr. Elisha and to Mr. Solomon Paine, deacon Marsh, and Mr. Thomas Stephens, giving them an account of the information which they had received, and desiring them to appear before the pastors and churches from which they had separated, or before a committee of the consocia- tion, and to offer what they had to say in their own vindi- cation. The consociation then recommended it to the se- veral churches in the county to keep a day of solemn fast- ing and prayer, between that time and the second Tues- day in February next, to seek the Divine direction in that day of division and error, and to supplicate the pouring out of God's holy spirit upon the people. They then ad- journed to the second Tuesday in February.
On the 11th of February, the council met according to the adjournment. After the council had been opened with prayer, the facts, evidence, confessions of faith, and cove- nants of the separate churches, and the whole matter res- Remarks pecting them were fully considered, and such remarks made, council; of the on those things which were wrong, as the council judged necessary and expedient. They particularly remarked on their confession of faith ; that though in general it was orthodox, yet it was very deficient, in respect to the de- scription of the offices, work, and mediation of Christ ; the nature of saving faith, the institutions and ordinances of the gospel, and the instituted worship of God in church assemblies : That in every instance, in which they had deviated from the confessions of faith professed from the beginning by the churches of Christ in this land, they had marred the sense, or perverted the scripture doctrine of faith, or at least rendered them ambiguous : so that under pretence of greater purity and reformation, they had open- ed a door, and paved the way, to Moravian, Antinomian, Anabaptistical, and Quakerish errors : and that. under a pretence of congregational discipline, they had set up as ab- solute an independency as ever was heard of in the church.
They also remarked on these as great errors, "That there are two meanings in the bible, a doctrinal and spiri- tual ; that a spiritual meaning lies hid under all passages of scripture, which no man can come to the knowledge of, but by the special revelation or opening of the spirit of GOD : That saving faith, is a firm or sure persuasion that CHRIST died for me ; and that I should have life and salva- tion by him; and that assurance is the essence of faith : That the ministers and churches in this land are Popish, and antichristian." They remarked on the affecting proof
Z
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Book II. they had, of the errors and ignorance of the persons, who were the teachers of the separate churches ; their need to 1747. be taught what were the first principles of the oracles of GOD ; and their utter unfitness to expound the scriptures, and act as officers and teachers in the church,
Resolves of the Council.
The consociation, after having made their remarks, came to the following resolutions, in which they were unanimous. " That the churches in this county, do steadfastly adhere to the confession of faith, drawn up by the assembly of di- vines at Westminster, and the same which has been pro- fessed and owned by our fathers, in the Cambridge and Saybrook platforms, owning the great doctrines of the scriptures, summarily contained in them : That there is not any just ground of separation, from churches wherein the true faith and doctrine of the gospel is professed and maintained, the pure word of Gop preached, and the sa- craments duly administered, according to the appointment of CHRIST in the holy scriptures : That the separate peo- ple here treated of; have not taken measures in a scriptur- al and gospel way, and according to Christ's appointment, to convince these churches of departing from the true faith or doctrine of the gospel, and ordinances of Christ, and the preaching of the pure word of GOD in them, or of the cor- rupt administration of sacraments, before their separation : That their separation has been carried on in an uucharita- ble, unchristian manner, without any due regard to the peace and cdification of the church, and the rules of the gospel : That they have manifestly departed from the true faith, or doctrine, delivered in the gospel, and the ordinan- ces of CHRIST, as delivered in his word : That their sepa- rations and practices thereon, are antichristian, divisive. rending the visible body of CHRIST, and casting off the au- thority which he has instituted in his church for edification, and abundantly warned against and forbidden in the gos- pel : That these churches ought to look upon those bodies of professing christians, continuing in these errors and practices, as scandalous and disorderly walkers, and ac- cordingly to withdraw communion from them ; not hereby precluding particular churches, but judging it their duty, to use such farther gospel measures, as are suitable to con- vince and reclaim particular persons among them, as they see their particular cases shall require."
As it had been reported, that some of the ministers of that county had held and promoted some of the errors mentioned and condemned in this result, particularly the certainty of one christian's knowledge of another, and the preaching of unauthorised, illiterate persons ; and that they
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have taught and held that outcries, and bodily agitations, Book II. were evidences of the presence and influence of the spirit of God, the council declared, " That they had enquired 1747. into those things, and found that not one minister in the county held them ; and that they had abundantly declared it, in the printed letter of the associated pastors, to the sev-" cral societies in the county."*
There was this year, a separate church Tormed in the Church first society in Preston, and Mr. Paul Park was ordained formed, their pastor in the separate manner. The enthusiasm of March 17. Mr. Park the separate ministers at this time ran so high, and they ordained, had such ideas of the special and immediate influence of July 15th, the divine spirit, that in the solemn charge which was giv- en him, as I have been credibly informed, it was enjoined upon nim, by no means to study or premeditate what he should say in public ; but to speak as the spirit should give him utterance.
About the same time, a separation took place in Lyme, and Voluntown, and not long after in Windsor, Enfield, and Suffield.
While these things were transacted in the castern and northern parts of the colony, a violent opposition was made in the county of New-Haven, to the new lights, and to the religious revival which had been in the country. They appeared to hesitate at no means to suppress the zealous new light ministers. In the year 1741, when the grand council was about to sit at Guilford, the association drew up several resolutions to be laid before that council ; among which was the following: "That for a minister to enter into another minister's parish, and preach, or admin- ister the seals of the covenant, without the consent of, or in opposition to the settled minister of the parish, is disor- derly : notwithstanding, if a considerable number of the people in the parish, are desirous to hear another minister preach, provided the same be orthodox, and sound in the faith, and not notoriously faulty in censuring other per- sons, or guilty of any other scandal, we think it ordinari- ly advisable for the minister of the parish to gratify them, by giving his consent, upon their suitable application to him for it, unless neighboring ministers should advise him to the contrary." Mr. Humphreys, of Derby, had preach- ed to a baptist society, and on that account was soon after deprived of a seat in the association. The Rev. Mr. Tim- othy Allen, of West-Haven, who was an able and zealous
* The result of the consociation of Windham county, printed at Boston, 1747. This contains the evidence given in concerning the separates, thei! Confession of faith, covenant, &c.
1.96
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CHAP. VIII.
Mr. Allen
Book II. Calvinistic preacher, was not pleasing to them, and for some little imprudences, the consociation dismissed him from his ministry. The principal article alledged against him, was, that he had said, " that the reading of the scrip- tures, without the concurring influence and operation of the spirit of God, will no more convert a sinner, than reading an old almanack." Though it was truc, that no external means would convert a sinner, yet Mr. Allen lamented the man- ner of expression, and offered his confession to the associ- dismissed. ation for it : but the council dismissed him, and it is said with this ill natured triumph : that they had blown out one new light, and that they would blow them all out. Mr. Allen was a man of genius and talents, and an able defend- er of the doctrines of the gospel, as appeared by some of his publications ; he was also a man of strict morals, and a powerful and fervent preacher. Though his light was not suffered to shine in the county of New-Haven, yet it shone in other churches until he was between eighty and ninety years of age .*
Mr. Lee ordained, Nov. 23d, 1744.
In 1744, a church was formed in Salisbury, on the prin- ciples of the Cambridge platform, and the town and church made choice of Mr. Jonathan Lee for their pastor; and, among other gentlemen, made choice of the Rev. Mr. Humphreys, of Derby, and the Rev. Mr. Leavenworth, of Waterbury, and the Rev. Mr. Todd, of Northbury, to as- sist in his ordination. He had received a liberal education at Yale College, and studied divinity under the care of Mr. Williams, of Lebanon ; was of a good moral charac- ter, and a zealous preacher of the Calvinistic doctrines. 'The association suspended these gentlemen from all asso- ciational communion, for assisting in the ordination of Mr. Lee, because he and the church had adopted the Cam- bridge platform, and were not on the constitutional esta- blishment of the colony.
Proceed- ings a- gainst Mr. Robbins.
They had now expelled from the association all the zeal- ous Calvinistic preachers, or enthusiasts, as they esteem- ed them, except Mr. Robbins, of Branford, a young gen- tleman who had been ordained about eight or ten years. Him they had bcen disciplining and persecuting for some time. 'Their proceedings against him were as follows : There sprang up a number of baptists, in the first society in Wallingford, about the year 1734 or 1735. They had built them a meeting-house, and two ministers had been ordained over them. By the advice of Governor Talcott, the society had not required any taxes from them for a
* In the year 1800, he continued to be pastor in Chesterfield, in Massa- Chusetts, in the 86th year of his age.
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number of years. In the general awakening, they were Book II. roused to a concern for the great interests of their souls, and their pastor, who then was Mr. John Merriman, in be- half of himself and people, had desired some of the stand ing ministers to preach for them ; observing, that as to the internals of religion, they could heartily join with them, though not in the mode. Some of the standing ministers had accepted their invitations, and preached to them. In December, 1741, Mr. Merriman, in behalf of himself and people, wrote a letter to Mr. Robbins, desiring him to come and give them a sermon or two. Mr. Merriman observed
in his letter, that Mr. Bellamy had lately preached to them, to good satisfaction, and with success, as to several of the people. Mr. Robbins accepted the invitation, and appoint- ed the time when he would be with them. After this, Mr. Robbins was presented with a paper, signed by forty-two persons, of Mr. Whittelsey's congregation, desiring that he would not preach to the baptists in Wallingford. The messengers who conveyed him this letter, also presented him with a line from the Rev. Mr. Stiles, of North-Haven, and Mr. Hemingway, of East-Haven, advising him not to preach in the baptist meeting-house, in Wallingford. Mr. Robbins could see no reason why these gentlemen should desire that he should not preach to the baptists. It ap- peared to him rather unkind, and contrary to a christian spirit, to prevent their having preaching, when they thirst- ed for the word of life, and there was a more than com- mon prospect of doing good. He had given his word, and appointed the day, and though he had some hesitation with respect to it at first, after he had received the letter from Wallingford, he determined to go and preach according to his engagement.
At an adjourned consociation at New-Haven, February 9th, 1742, a complaint was exhibited against him, by one of the delegates in consociation, for preaching to the bap- tists at Wallingford, Mr. Robbins could not at that time, nor ever afterwards, obtain a copy of it, though he frequent- ly desired it : but it was, so far as Mr. Robbins could re- collect, nearly in these words :
"I, the subscriber, do signify, by way of complaint to against this reverend consociation, that on the 6th day of Jan- uary last past, the Rev. Philemon Robbins did enter into the first society in Wallingford, and preach in a disorderly manner, in contempt of the authority of this consociation. without the consent of the Rev. Mr. Whittelsey, pastor of said society, contrary to the act of the Guilford council, contrary to the act of this consociation, and contrary to
1742.
Complaint
Mr. Rob- bins.
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Book II. the desire of two neighboring ministers, and a great num- ber of church members in Wallingford."
1744.
(Signed)
THEOPHILUS YALE.
Until this time, Mr. Robbins had never heard of any uneasiness among his own people, nor complaint or fault found with him for preaching to the baptists. Neither the complainant nor any other person mentioned it to him in private as a fault. The complaint was exhibited in viola- tion of the express command of Christ, in the eighteenth of Matthew ; and without giving him even a copy of the com- plaint, or any citation to appear before the consociation, or allowing him time to prepare for his defence, called him to answer, contrary to all regular proceedings, either in civil or ecclesiastical affairs. Mr. Robbins pleaded to this effect, That with respect to the resolutions of the Guil- ford council, he knew nothing of them, at the time of his preaching at Wallingford ; that they had never, as yet, been adopted by this consociation, nor so much as read in it : That as to the resolution of this consociation, it was pass- ed only for the consideration of the Guilford council, and had answered its design ; and there was at the time of his preaching, in fact, no law against it ; and, that where there was no law, there could be no transgression. Be- sides, he had not entered into Mr. Whittelsey's parish, but had preached to a people entirely different from his, in the view of governor Talcott, before his death, and of the the town, who treated them as such, as they gathered no taxes from them, any more than from the inhabitants of any other town or society. He observed further, that the legislature owned them as a lawful society, by sending them proclamations for fasts and thanksgivings. With respect to his preaching, contrary to the advice of two neighbouring ministers, and a great number of church members, he observed, that he knew of no rule in the word of God, or the Saybrook platform, which obliged him to comply with their desire in his preaching, nor could he see any reason in such desire, He observed that there was nothing in the complaint accusing him of the violation of any of the divine commands, or of doing any thing con- trary to the word of God.
Mr. Rob- bins' an- swer to the com- plaint.
Resolves of
relative to Mr. Rob- bins.
The consociation, nevertheless, resolved, "That the the council Rev. Mr. Robbins' so preaching was disorderly : That Mr. Robbins should not sit as a member of this council for his disorderly preaching." Mr. Robbins, upon the read- ing of the resolutions of the council, returned home, ex- pecting no more complaints or trouble on the account of his preaching to the baptists. But, very unexpectedly to
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