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 24
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" And as to the fact, it is pretty remarkable, that they should judge you guilty of teaching a number of errors, enumerating ten, with some others say they, as appears by the articles of complaint and proofs on file, and there
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Book II. should be no proofs on file, but men's names ; as it seems the scribe says there are no other. So that by his, and their own account taken together, their sufficient proof is an article of complaint, with some names affixed to it."
1747. Remarks, &c.
He proceeds to remark on the great difference between the judgment which the consociation gave and that of scan- dalous contempt, which the constitution directs them to have found and denounced against Mr. Robbins, had he in fact been under their jurisdiction.
But he insists, that Mr. Robbins and his church were never under Saybrook platform ; that without some vote or act of the church adopting it, or consenting to it, they could not be under it ; but no such vote or act could be found : That Mr. Russell, in his day, and the church, were congregational, and a majority of them had always been so to that day. And if they ever had been, they were not so after passing the vote, Nov. 4th, 1745 ; and conse- quently, the consociation had no jurisdiction over them. Every pastor and church had a right to judge what consti- tution was most agreeable to the word of God, and ought to conform to it. To suppose otherwise, is to suppose that Saybrook platform, or some other human composition or establishment, is the rule, and the scripture is to be set aside. But the right of private judgment, in religion, never can be given away. "On this very principle, the unalienable right of private judgment, I take it, those wor- thies acted, who were once of the church of England com- munion, had actually consented to its discipline, and ac- tually separated therefrom, many of whom came over and planted these New-England churches. These always judged themselves injuriously treated, when stigmatized with the name of schismatics ; by some of those from whom they separated. And what wise man does not think so ? And it seems hard treatment to be branded by the council with such an epithet, without ever being heard in your vin- dication, or the church's being ever cited to appear and answer for itself, which I take to be directly contrary to the 5th article, under the head of communion of churches, among the heads of agreement, assented to by the united ministers, formerly called presbyterian and congregation- al; according to which, those who consent to take Say- brook platform, for the administration of church discipline are obliged to practice. The words are, "One church ought not to blame the proceedings of another, until it hath heard what that church, its elders or messengers, can say in vindication of themselves, from any charge of irregular or injurious proceedings." The reason holds as good
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against a council's judging in such a case, as a particular Book II. church : and you have done nothing to merit such a cen- sure, but exercise that right of private judgment, which 1747. you never did, nor can give up : And at the same time you Remarks, have voted your freedom to hold communion, not only with &c. congregational churches and church members that are in good standing, but with those that are called presbyterian, and also with those under the Saybrook platform regimen ; as desirous of maintaining a unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
" But further, if the ground of this harsh sentence lies in this, viz. your separating from an ecclesiastical consti- tution which has a civil establishment, as I know not but they intend so to be understood : To this it may be said, on the same foundation, multitudes of innocents in the christian world, as well as in our own nation, must be con- demned. I will not dwell on this-but this I might say, that the civil authority have no power to establish any hu- man composure, or form of church government, as a rule binding to christians. This I suppose has been unexcep- tionably proved in a pamphlet, entitled the essential rights of protestants. But I add, the civil authority, so far as I can find, never intended by an act of theirs, to oblige the churches in this colony to be under or to conform to that platform. What they did in this matter, may be seen in the 141st page of the colony law book. The very title of the act speaks (as I take it) the sense of the legislature, so far as the present question is concerned. It is called " an act in approbation of the agreement of the Rev. elders and messengers of all the churches in this government, made and concluded at Saybrook, 1708." And in the enacting part, they declare their great approbation of such a hap- py agreement, and do ordain that all the churches within this government, that are or shall be thus united in doc- trine, worship and discipline, be and for the future shall be owned and acknowledged established by law. Then follows a proviso : That nothing herein shall be intended or construed to hinder any society or church, that is or shall be allowed by the laws of this government, from ex- ercising worship and discipline in their own way, accord- ing to their consciences. I can see nothing in all this, that they intended to make a rule of discipline for the churches, or bind any of them to receive this platform, but the con- trary. They do not turn the articles of the platform into laws, but declare only their approbation of them. It is certain then, you have broken no law of the goverment in refusing the Saybrook platform, and preferring that of Cambridge.
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BOOK II. " I might go on to make some further. remarks, on the extraordinary proceedings of this council, but forbear, 1747. having said enough to shew, both the church and its pastor, to be innocent of the crimes they are judged guilty of."
As Mr. Robbins was conscious of his innocence, he could make no confession for the pretended faults for which he was condemned. Had he been guilty, and a righteous sentence denounced against him, he might, upon a proper confession, have been restored ; but as the case now was, he could make no confession. If the consociation would proceed, there was nothing before him but de position.
Nov. 4th.
In this crisis of affairs, a society's meeting being regu- larly convened on the 4th of November, 1747, it was vo- ted, " That the doings of the consociation against Mr. Robbins, should not be read in the meeting." It was then further voted, "That whereas the first church of Christ in Branford, was first settled on, or agreeable to the platform, drawn up and agreed upon at Cambridge, in the year 1648 ; agreeable to which, said church ruled and govern- ed in peace : And whereas, after the settlement of a plat- form of church government at Saybrook, the said church, with their minister, did, once or twice, choose their mes- senger to attend the consociation of the churches ; but did not renounce the form of government on which the said church was settled, nor vote themselves under the Say- brook platform : And whereas the said first church, which is now the church in this society, being under such circum- stances, settled the Rev. Mr. Philemon Robbins in the ministry here, who was chosen by this society and the said church, for their minister and pastor ; who has con- tinued in said office to general satisfaction : And whereas, by reason of some late difference, arising by means of some uneasy persons in this society, it was found necessary that both the church and society should more explicitly declare which rule of government they would agree to, and be gov- erned by ; therefore, the church in this society, at their meeting, November 4th, 1745, declared their renunciation of Saybrook platform aforesaid, and declared the same to
be a congregational church; and this society, at their mecting, October 21st, declared their denial to be govern- ed by, or submission to, the acts or conclusions of council, formed on the Saybrook platform, without their being call- ed by the consent of the society : And whereas, notwith- standing the church in this society is congregational, and this society agree with the church in those principles ; yet the consociation of New-Haven county, since the said 4th of November, on the complaint of one member of said
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church, assumed to themselves a pretended government Book II. and jurisdiction over this church and society ; and have, without hearing the parties or persons concerned, pretend- ed to come into conclusions respecting our reverend elder ; and, without knowing the truth from him, the church, or society, have, as we are credibly informed, passed a sen- tence, by which they endeavour to depose him, the said Mr. Robbins :- Wherefore, lest such an extraordinary step should tend to our disturbance, and create scruples in weak minds, the society do now, by this, their vote, de- clare, that we own the said Mr. Robbins to be our lawful and worthy minister; and do now renewedly declare the continuance of our choice of him to be our minister, ac- cording to the laws of this government : And further de- clare, that we will continue to support and assist him, as formerly : and that we are of opinion, that the conclusions of the consociation are not, by this society, to be acknow- ledged or regarded."
The consociation proceeded to depose Mr. Robbins. The sabbath after, he preached from 1 Cor. ix. 16. "For necessity is laid upon me ; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel." Some of the people went to meeting, with hesitation whether he would attempt to preach, or if he should, whether they should stay and hear him or not; but he made such an extraordinary prayer, as arrested all their attention, and deeply impressed their minds. They judg- ed that such a prayer had never been made; before in that house. They all tarried, to hear what he would preach to them. And here again he gained their attention, and en- tered deeply into their feelings. They imagined that his discourses were not less extraordinary than his prayer. He continued preaching, and performed all ministerial dn- ties, as he had done before, and the people attended his ministrations. The society advanced his salary, and en- couraged him by public acts of generosity.
At the session of the assembly, in May, 1748, Joseph May, 17-18, Frisbie and Nathaniel Harrison, who had been the most zealous complainants and actors against Mr. Robbins, with some others of the disaffected party, preferred a petition to the assembly, to interpose, and adopt measures for their relief. The society, upon a citation, appointed agents to appear before the assembly, to act in their behalf, as occa- sion should require. The assembly, on hearing the par- ties, appointed a council, consisting of the Rev. Messrs. Eliphalet Adams, of New-London ; Ebenezer Williams, of Pomfret ; Benjamin Lord, of Norwich ; Solomon Williams, of Lebanon; Stephen Steele, of Tolland; Ashbel Wood-
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. HISTORY OF
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Book II. bridge, of Glastenbury ; and Noah Hubbard, of Fairfield. These gentlemen were directed by the assembly, to hear 1743. all the grievances of the respective parties, and to use their endeavours to make peace in the society. The assembly advised the parties freely to communicate all the difficul- ties to the council, and recommended it to them to submit to their advice.
June 13th. " Soon after the rising of the General Assembly, the first society in Branford, in a regular meeting, accepted of the advice which had been given, and appointed gentlemen to desire the ministers appointed by the General Assembly, with their delegates, to meet in council at Branford, and the day for their meeting was appointed, but the council did not meet.
: The society again voted their earnest desire, that the council would come, and appointed men to wait on the sev- eral ministers, and urge it upon them, to attend the service to which they had been appointed. But, it seems, the council never met. They perceived, undoubtedly, insu- perable difficulties in the way. The assembly's appoint- ing a council was unconstitutional, and subversive of their own law, by which they had established the constitution, and made the determinations of the consociations a final issue, and bound all parties to sit down by it. They could easily perceive, that they could do nothing for the relief of Mr. Robbins, and the church and society, without, in some measure, setting aside the judgment of the consociation ; which would, at once, involve them in a controversy with the ministers of New-Haven county. If they could not do that, they must leave the matter as it was. There was no going back nor forward, without very great difficulties. They, therefore, judged it expedient not to meddle in the affair. The disaffected party by degrees became recon- ciled, and the society enjoyed peace.
The assembly manifested their zeal to suppress the new lights, as the zealous Calvinistic ministers and people were then called, by turning out esquire Russell and esquire Gould, and by putting into the same office one Harrison, who had been one of the complainants against Mr. Robbins.
Mr. Robbins was a most inoffensive gentleman ; mild, peaceable, and a peace-maker ; was uncommonly gifted in prayer; a sound and searching preacher, and greatly be- loved by his people. He was popular in the neighbouring towns and societies, and gradually grew into esteem among his brethren in the ministry. In the year 1755, about sev- en years after, he was invited to sit with the consociation, at the ordination of Mr. Street, at East-Haven; and no ob -.
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jections were made on the account of any thing which had Book II. passed in the times of his trouble.
1748.
The friends of Calvinism, zealous experimental preach- ing, and vital religion, greatly increased, and gentlemen who had been kept out of the assembly because they had been friends to the religious awakening, were now chosen again by the freemen. The justices who had been turned out at Branford, were again put into office, and the severe measures against the zealous ministers and people, became unpopular, and the old lights, as they had been called, rather lost credit in the colony. Many, indeed, viewed them as haters of God, opposers to his truth, and perse- cutors of his servants.
At the General Assembly, this year, upon the memorial May, of the first society in Hebron, presented by the principal 1748. men of the town, representing that the Rev. Benjamin Pomeroy, their pastor, conformed to the laws of the colo- ny, and performed the ministerial office to the great satis- faction of the people ; he was restored to the benefit of the laws. The legislature ordered that the information lodged against him should be given up, and that his salary, in future, should be paid, as though no such information had. been lodged against him. Thus after several years pun- ishment and persecution, for preaching the gospel to a multitude of people thirsting for the words of life, and that without other offence, he was restored to the common rights of men .*
At the same session of the assembly, Solomon Paine of Canterbury, and Matthew Smith of Stonington, preferred a memorial in their own names and in the name of about three hundred other's, of those who had separated from the standing ministers and churches in the colony, represent- ing that " they were the loyal subjects of king George, and most of them freemen of the colony of Connecticut : That liberty of conscience in matters of religion, was the unalienable right of every man ; that for the enjoyment of this liberty, our forefathers left their native country for a howling wilderness ; that God had, in all ages, greatly blessed those who, with zeal and integrity, had stood for the glory of God, and this liberty of conscience, in his
* Mr. soon after Dr. Pomeroy, had an opportunity of exhibiting an ex- cellent spirit towards Mr. Little, who shut him out of his pulpit, and had 'been the occasion of his so long losing his legal salary. Mr. Little, at the invitation of some of Mr. Pomeroy's people, came into Hebron and preach- ed in his parish without his leave, in direct violation of the law. Many of Mr. Pomeroy's parishioners were for lodging a complaint against him, but Mr. Pomeroy used all his influence against it, and prevented it, ren- dering good for evil.
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Book If. worship ; and especially our ancestors : That in the char- ter granted to this colony, that liberty was not abridged : 1748. and that in the act of William and Mary, liberty of con- science was granted to all their subjects, and it prohib- ited and disallowed their subjects of every denomination, to impose upon, or disturb others, &c. That this law was in force under his then present majesty king George: That in consequence, the quakers, anabaptists, and those who worshipped in the way called the church of England, had applied to the honorable assembly, and had the force of the ecclesiastical laws abated with respect to them : yet that they who worshipped God in his fear, and could not, without making shipwreck of a good conscience, worship with those denominations, were obliged to suffer fines and imprisonments, as many of them had done already, for preaching the gospel and other acts of divine service, which they had performed by the command and power of God's spirit ; and that great quantities of their temporal goods, by which they should serve God and honor the king, had - been taken from them, to support a worship, which they could not in conscience uphold. Therefore they prayed, that their honors would be the happy instruments of un- binding those burdens, and enact universal liberty, or for- bid the execution of those laws."*
The legislature, nevertheless, rejected their petition and granted them no relief. They suffered much in their per- sons and estates. When they were called upon to pay rates to the ministers, in the towns and parishes where they inhabited, they utterly refused, and in some instances their goods and chattels were taken and sold, at the post, for much less than their real value. . In other instances, they were committed to prison. This was done by mere force. They would neither go themselves nor ride ; they were held upon horses by main strength, and would cry out and scream until the blood ran out at their mouths. These measures were every way calculated to do mischief; not only to impoverish individuals, but the government, to beget ill will among neighbours, to prejudice people against the government and the ecclesiastical constitution, and to increase and confirm, rather than prevent the sepa- rations. Why these people should be treated worse than I quakers and baptists, while they were loyal subjects, de- voutly and zcalously worshipped God, in their own way, an'd, excepting their peculiarities, were many of them strict in morals, peaceable and good inhabitants, I know not.
* The memorial was subscribed by three hundred and thirty persons, belonging principally to the counties of New-London and Windham.
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. While God was building up Zion and appearing in his Book II. glory, and these things were transacting in the country, there were various writers in favour of the work : Particu- 1748. larly, the Rev. Jonathan Dickinson, president of the col- Writers in lege in New-Jersey ; the Rev. Gilbert Tennant ; and in favor of New-England, the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, of Northamp- the reli- ton, afterwards president. They not only endeavoured to$ gious re- viņal. prove the revival in the land to be the work of God, but to correct the errors attending the work. Mr. Edwards wrote the most largely upon the subject, and brought into view almost every thing necessary to be said at such a time, relative to the work itself, the errors, and impru- dences attending it, and with regard to such things as had a tendency to hinder it ; to show that all ought, by all means to promote it ; and what things ought to be done for that purpose.
In the first place, he undertook to prove, that it was a Mr. Ed- glorious work of God ; a work which nothing but the spir- wards. it and power of God could effect ; and that it evidently ap- peared so when judged of by his word only. He says, " Whatever imprudences there have been, and whatever sinful irregularities ; whatever vehemence of the passions, and heats of the imagination, transports and extacies ; and whatever errors in judgment, and indiscreet zeal ; and whatever outcries, and faintings and agitations of body ; yet it is manifest and notorious, that there has been of late a very uncommon influence upon the minds of a very great part of the inhabitants of New-England, from one end of the land to the other, that has been attended with the fol- lowing effects, viz. a great increase of a spirit of serious- ness, and sober consideration of the things of the eternal world; a disposition to hearken to any thing that is said of things of this nature, with attention and affection ; a dispo- sition to treat matters of religion with solemnity ; and as matters of great importance ; a disposition to make these things the subject of conversation ; and a great disposition to hear the word preached, and to take all opportunities in order to it; and to attend on the public worship of God and all external duties of religion, in a more solemn and decent manner ; so that there is a remarkable and general alteration in the face of New-England, in these respects : Multitudes in all parts of the land, of vain, thoughtless, re- gardless persons, are changed and become serious and considerate : There is a vast increase of concern for the salvation of the precious soul, and of that enquiry, What shall I do to be saved ? The hearts of multitudes have been greatly taken off from the things of the world, its pro.
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Book Il. fits, pleasures and honors, and there has been a great in- crease of sensibleness and tenderness of conscience. Mul- titudes in all parts, have had their consciences awakened, , and have been made sensible of the pernicious nature and consequences of sin, and what a dreadful thing it is to be under guilt and the displeasure of God, and to live without peace and reconciliation to him. They have also been awakened to a sense of the shortness and uncertainty of life, and reality of another world and future judgment, and the necessity of an interest in Christ: They are more afraid of sin, more careful and inquisitive that they may know what is contrary to the mind and will of God, that they may avoid it, and what he requires of them, that they might do it; more careful to avoid temptations, more watchful over their own hearts, earnestly desirous of be- ing informed what are the means that God has directed to, for their salvation, and more diligent in the use of means that God has appointed in his word, in order to it. Many very stupid, senseless sinners, and persons of a vain mind, have been greatly awakened. There is a strange altera- tion almost all over New-England, amongst young peo- ple : By a powerful invisible influence on their minds, they have been brought to forsake those things, in a general way, as it were at once, that they were extremely fond of, and greatly addicted to, and that they seemed to place the happiness of their lives in, and that nothing before could induce them to forsake ; as their frolicking, vain company keeping, night walking, their mirth and jollity, their im- pure language and lewd songs : In vain did ministers preach against those things before ; in vain were laws made to restrain them, and in vain was all the vigilance of magistrates and civil officers ; but now they have almost every where dropped them, as it were of themselves. And there is a great alteration among old and young as to drink- ing, tavern haunting, profane speaking, and extravagance in apparel. Many notoriously vicious persons have been reformed, and become externally quite new creatures : Some that are wealthy, and of a fashionable, gay educa- tion ; some great beaus and fine ladies, that seemed to. have their minds swallowed up with nothing but the vain shews and pleasures of the world, have been wonderfully. altered, and have relinquished these vanities, and are be- come serious, mortified and humble in their conversation. It is astonishing to see the alteration that there is in some towns, where before was but little appearance of religion, or any thing but vice and vanity : and so remote was all that was to be seen or heard among them, from any thing
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that savoured of vital piety, or serious religion, or that had Book II. any relation to it, that one would have thought, if they judged only from what appeared in them, that they had been some other species than the serious and religious, which had no concern with another world, and whose na- tures were not made capable of those things that appertain to christian experience and pious conversation : especially was it thus among young persons. And now they are trans- formed into another sort of people ; their former vain, worldly and vicious conversation and disposition seem to be forsaken, and they are, as it were, gone over to a new world. Their thoughts and their concern, affections, and inquiries, are now about the favour of GOD, an interest in CHRIST, a renewed and sanctified heart, and a spiritual blessedness and acceptance, and happiness in a future world. And through the greater part of New-England, the holy bible is in much greater esteem and use than it used to be ; the great things contained in it, are much more regarded, as things of the greatest consequence, and are much more the subjects of meditation and conversation; and other books of piety, that have long been of establish- ed reputation, as the most excellent, and the most tending to promote true godliness, have been abundantly more in use. The Lord's day is more religiously and strictly ob- served : and abundance has been lately done at making up differences, and confessing faults, one to another, and making restitution ; probably more within these two years,. than was done in thirty years before. It has been so, un- doubtedly, in many places, And surprising has been the power of that Spirit that has been poured out on the land, in many instances, to destroy old grudges, and make up long continued breaches, and to bring .those that seemed to be in a confirmed, irreconcilable alienation, to embrace each other, in a sincere and entire amity.
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