USA > Connecticut > New London County > Lebanon > A historical sermon : delivered on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the First Congregational Church, Lebanon, Conn. > Part 2
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spoken, as opening the way for disorder in the church, and the ex- istence of other sects, is based on the supposition that this new birth is not an ascertainable change, but a gradual and imperceptible one.
The ministry of Dr. Williams was exercised during a period in which much good and much evil appeared. Whitefield made his appearance, and was used by God in waking up the churches to new life and greater spirituality. Nothing left to the guidance of men, however wise and good, is free from error.
In this great and extensive revival, evils found their way. Dav- enport started upon his career of ruin kindling fires, which, if now extinet, have left the ground barren over which they passed.
New London and Windham Counties were the scenes of most disorder. Ilere the separatists gathered most societies. The posi- tion which we occupy, enables us to take a more correct view of the origin of these new societies, all of which have, under the name of "new lights " or " separatists," passed away, than could be taken by cotemporaries.
It was the half-way covenant-the practice of receiving uncon- verted men into the church, and the error which makes regener- ation, an unascertainable change. It opened the door for all the sad and long living evils which attended the great and glorious revival of that generation.
I have no evidence that Dr. Williams ever saw this, but he used his influence to bring back the wanderers, and arrest the evils of their course. Davenport acknowledged him as one of the instru- ments used by God in reclaiming him from his errors.
In 1747, this church did, by vote, withdraw from the several bodies of separatists, as disorderly walkers, as a testimony, to use
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the language of the records, " which we look upon ourselves called to give to the honor of Christ."
Whitefield, I believe, did not visit Lebanon ; but the pastor of this church was a sincere friend of the revival which followed his labors. He sent in his attestation to the reality and glory of this work of God, to the friends of the revival, who met in council at Boston in 1743. After listening to a discourse before the General Court of Connecticut, in which the preacher gave utterance to his hostility to the revival, and invoked the artillery of heaven against its promoters, Dr. Williams said, to express his disapproval of it, that he never before saw the artillery of heaven turned against it- self.
In 1742, the General Court forbade, under heavy penalties and forfeitures, any minister from preaching in any parish but his own, without an express invitation from the pastor of the parish. This church, the very next month after the passage of this act, voted unanimously as follows : " It is our express and hearty desire, that the pastor will, at any and all times, as he shall have opportunity, and as he shall judge most fit, and likely to promote the interests of religion, desire the assistance of any regular orthodox minister of the gospel, or regular licensed candidate, either belonging to this colony, or any foreign parts, to preach in this parish, or perform any service of the ministry."
"Of foreign parts," refers to Whitefield, and in the absence of the pastor, the deacons were requested to do the same. In this vote we see, I think, disapprobation of the Aet of the General Court, as infringing on religious liberty, and a warm sympathy with the work of God, then in progress in the land.
It is difficult for us to see how this sympathy with the revival men
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of that day is to be reconciled with the half-way covenant so earn- estly defended by Dr. Williams, and so long practiced by this church, or with the practice of bringing unconverted men into the church, that the seals of the covenant might be the means of their conversion. But, with the evidence before us, we cannot doubt that Dr. Williams and this church looked with a truly friendly eye upon the revival ; and if they opposed the separatist as they did, and as they should have done, it was because of the pernicious errors which these blundering and ignorant, yet conscientious men, mingled with the truth which they advocated.
In 1772, Dr. Williams preached his half-century sermon, and in the winter of 1776 closed his earthly labors, and entered, we doubt not, upon his reward. We have among us, here and there one, yet lingering on their way, who can recall his personal appearance, and we find his name cherished with warm love in the hearts of many a child and grandchild of those who knew and loved him, as a pastor.
The church and society remained destitute of a pastor for six years. Among the candidates who preached here, and who received a call to settle, were Mr. Solomon Williams, a nephew of the de- ceased, Mr. Nathan Fenn, and Mr. Walter Lyon. To Mr. Wil- liams and Mr. Fenn, they gave each a second invitation.
Related, as Mr. Williams was, to their revered pastor, it was nat- ural that many on this account should warmly advocate his settle- ment. But others had their objections, so that he at length with- drew the affirmative answer, which he at first gave to the call to settle.
Mr. Fenn, if I was to judge from the votes of the society, and from the recollections of some among us, awakened a deeper and more extensive interest than Mr. Williams. He was a different
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preacher, more earnest in manner and less ornate in style than Mr. Williams. On a division of the house, one hundred and twenty- nine voted for his settlement, nineteen against it, yet he declined the several calls. Some objected on the ground that they did not wish to be scared into heaven, and these objectors were found in the families of influence about the church.
Mr. Fenn, I infer, had no sympathy with the half-way covenant. He felt, too, that those should not be admitted into the church who did not give evidence of personal piety. This would lead the spe- cial friends of Dr. Williams to feel coolly toward him, while he doubtless saw, in a church so gathered, the materials of future dis- order and the necessity of discipline that might rend the church in pieces.
In November, 1781, the society invited Mr. Zebulon Ely to settle here in the ministry, and November, 1782, Mr. Ely was ordained over this church. Mr. Ely was a native of Lyme in this State. He continued the pastor of this church till his death in 1824. He was a man of sound mind, and of evangelical views. Of the ordi- nances of religion he had different views from Dr. Williams, and we no longer hear of the half-way covenant. Whether it was laid aside by the vote of the church after using it ninety years, or whether by common consent it fell into disuse, I am unable to say. A portion of the church was always opposed to it. Mr. Ely evi- dently regarded personal piety, repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus as essential qualifications for church membership.
Individuals, however, during the early part of his ministry, were admitted into the church, who did not at the time profess repentance and faith, but simply a desire to flee from the wrath to come ; and he received them with the full understanding, that they would not
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come to the communion at present, but when they felt qualified, to come. In this thing the church probably controlled him.
Mr. Ely remained pastor of this church forty-two years. He died November 18, 1824. The last discourse which he delivered from this desk, was from the words, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me," and fit words were these with which to close a ministry in which Christ had been held forth as the true teacher, as the Great Saviour, and as God, manifest in the flesh. I know not what more appropriate words he could have found for the text of that last sermon.
Mr. Ely, to quote from his funeral sermon, was a man of learn- ing, a good, classical scholar, and what was more estimable, he ap- peared to be a man of ardent piety. Hle had a sound mind, and was active and influential in the counsels of the church.
I find no record of any extensive revivals of religion during the long period, a century and a quarter, over which we have travelled, but yet such seasons of mercy were enjoyed by this church as is evident from the fact that during some years many more united with the church than during other years. In 1741, ninety six per- sons were received into full communion. In a sermon preached in 1741, Dr. Williams speaks of the great and glorious work which God was carrying on in this land. He speaks of meetings of great interest and of many conversions. Miss Mitty Dewey used to speak of a revival in the early part of Mr. Ely's ministry in which he was very active in attending religions meetings, sometimes preach- ing in the open air, when the house could not contain all who were interested to hear.
Near the close of the life of Mr. Ely, there was a season of much
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religious interest, during which many were converted, as they hoped, and about seventy united with the church, some of whom have in cheerful hope fallen asleep, and others are still members of this church.
At the time of his settlement, this was one of the largest and most united societies in the State. I have heard Dr. McEwen say that it was the second only to the first church in Hartford. But during Mr. Ely's ministry occurred the unhappy quarrel in regard to the meeting-house, to which I have already alluded-a quarrel which left mildew and death on the spiritual interests of many a household-which separated many a family from the house of God, and which put beyond all hope the execution of the plan of the first settlers of the town of having a meeting-house in the village. Few things affect the best interests of society so disastrously, as such a quarrel.
The old meeting-house, as it is called, was removed in 1804, and the present brick one built on the spot on which it stood, and was dedicated in 1807.
After the death of Mr. Ely in 1824, the church remained without a pastor about one year. On September 29, 1825, Mr. Edward Bull was ordained, and was dismissed in 1837.
For three years the church was again without a pastor. Febru- ary 5, 1840, your present pastor was here installed.
For a century and a half, the gospel has here been preached, and the ordinances administered. During this long period this church has been without a pastor only eleven years, and for more than a century there was but one ordination. There have been six ordina- tions in all.
The confession of faith adopted in 1700, is the one now in use,
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with a few verbal alterations. To this, its several pastors, and its many, many members have assented, as containing the essential doc- trines of the gospel. The covenant now in use, is longer than the first one used ; when or by whom it was altered I cannot learn.
In 1766, Samuel Kirkland was ordained here as a missionary to the Indians. He was the father of Dr. Kirkland, late president of Harvard college. This missionary was instrumental of the conver- sion of Shenandoah, the famous Oneida chief, whose last words were "bury me by the side of my minister and friend, that I may go up with him at the great resurrection."
From this church went forth, Alice, the wife of David Bacon, missionary to the Indians; sent out by the missionary society of this town in 1800.
Of us also was Rebecca Williams, afterwards wife of Mr. Hebard, missionary to Syria; and Charles Wetmore, now missionary and physician at the Sandwich Islands.
I have thus given a brief sketch of the history of this church and society. Compared with the history of states and kingdoms it is of little interest ; yet, how important is the bearing of the events we have reviewed, upon our character and destiny. All that is favor- able, in the circumstances of our birth, to au education and moral improvement, we owe to the efforts and sacrifices of the venerable men who have subdued the forests, and who converted these wet and cold marshes into fruitful fields.
They were men of energy, and perseverance, and firmness. What, but perseverance in duty, could have removed the original forests from these plains and hills, and covered them with plenty ? What, but firmness, could have retained them here amid the dangers and exposures and labors of a new settlement.
!
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They were men impressed with the value of education. The school-house went up alongside with the house of public worship.
In 1700, they appropriated two hundred acres of land for the purpose of maintaining a school. At the same time the Rev. Mr. Parsons gave five acres, Deacon Dewey ten, Samuel Calkins five, Daniel Mason ten, and John Calkins ten, all for the use of schools. This is the first notice of a school ; and it is a notice most honor- able to the venerable men mentioned in it, and in no succeeding year are the schools forgotten. The records of the town furnish abundant evidence of their continued interest in the subject of edu- cation.
In 1740, a grammar school was established by a vote of the town, a school which in time rose to a high reputation in the state and land, and which drew to this place the children of many of the first families in the country. When there were but thirteen states in the Union there were pupils here from nine of them.
To what else, but this early interest of our fathers in schools, can we trace the fact that Lebanon has sent more sons to college than any other country town in the state ; so that Lebanon has had a representative in college nearly all this period. To what other in- fluence than that started, when Parsons and Dewey and others gave their acres for the support of the school, is it, that so many of the sons of Lebanon have entered the different useful professions and ocenied commanding positions in society ?
Without much effort we can count three hundred and forty-five ministers of the gospel, of our order, whose parents lived in this town ; among whom I mention Jonathan Trumbull, Eliphalet Met- calf, Samuel Huntington, Eliphalet Huntington, Lynd Huntington, Eliphalet Williams, Eliphalet Lyman, Joseph Lyman, William Ly-
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man, Asa Lyman, Lathrope Rockwell, Timothy Stone and others Four have become members in other denominations.
Two natives of this town have been United States Senators ; twelve, members of Congress : five, Governors ; one, Commissary General ; one, aid to General Washington ; one, aid to General Gates; three, distinguished painters ; five, Judges of the Supreme Court; one, signer of the Declaration of Independence ; one, Speaker of the House of Representatives; one, deputy Postmaster General ; one colored man, who was awhile, member of Dart- mouth College, was a preacher in Boston, and became Prime Min- ister of St. Domingo. Twenty-eight entered the medical profes- sion, and twenty-three, at least, entered that of the law.
Again, they were men who valued and loved the institutions of the gospel. What, but a true and warm attachment to the institu- tions of religion, could have led them amid the labors of a new settlement, and when remote from any place at which they could exchange the products of the farm for money, to settle a minister, build a parsonage and a house of public worship? What, but love of religion, could have made them so ready to endure privations and hardships for the sake of truth and righteousness ? What, but religion, could inspire such care for each other, and for posterity ? They were the very men to whom it is given to lay the foundations and raise the superstructure of society. Hlad they been irresolute, or profane, or sabbath breakers, or despisers of religion, the honor would never have been given to them of laying the foundations of the prosperity, the happiness, the education, and the piety, which have ever existed in this town.
Such men, men of fixed purpose, of industry, of public spirit, and of strong attachments to the institutions of education and re-
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ligion, are the men needed to settle the great west and southwest of our country. Such men secure prosperity, while mildew and death rest upon all the efforts of the infidel and the contemners of religion, to build up society.
Such men are also needed to hand down what we have received to those who are to succeed us ; and as the successors of such men, a great responsibility rests upon us. We are the connecting link between the past and the future, and we owe it to our fathers, to our country, and to God, to transmit to coming generations the means of education, the blessings of liberty, and the truths of re- ligion which we have received.
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