USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Southington > Ecclesiastical and other sketches of Southington, Conn > Part 16
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After leaving his charge in the State of New York, Mr. Ogden had for a while the pastorate care of a church in Marlboro', Mass. This he resigned in 1850, and retired to New Haven, where he spent the remnant of his days, preaching for his brethren, or supplying va- cant pulpits, as opportunity offered-or duty demanded. In 1853, he received an unanimous invitation to become pastor of the church in Colebrook, Ct., but he did not feel inclined to assume the spiritual over- sight of another people. At New Haven, in the bosom of his own family, and in a wide circle of friends, especially those who like him- self had retired from the public duties of life, he passed the evening of his days most happily. There in communion with the wise and good, both of ancient and modern time, he was to be found daily. His
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pen was busy in recording thought suggested both by reading and re- flection. His manuscripts, in the way of criticism and observation, on books, men, and things, are quite voluminous.
Mr. Ogden was eminently social in his nature, and he had rich en- joyment in the society of his friends. His health was uniformly good and his spirits elastic and buoyant. His last sickness was brief, con- tinuing only four and a half days. No alarming symptoms appeared until the third day, then his nervous system became prostrate, and he sank into an unconscious state. In this condition he passed away, Oct. 31, 1863, just forty-two years from the day of his ordination, aged seventy-one. As it pleased the Master to call away his servant in this manner, it is pleasant to find, that in his last letter addressed to a friend, a few days before his death, Mr. Ogden wrote as follows,-" I am more and more confident in the principles of divine revelation, and am more and more satisfied to rely upon them for time and for eternity."
Mr. Ogden published a treatise on Baptism, and also the Farewell Sermon delivered upon leaving Southington. He was married in 1824, to Sarah A. Judson, Stratford, Conn. (See Genealogical table.)
NOTE .- The following account of the revival of 1831 is from an extended paper prepared by Mr. Ogden himself:
"The revival of 1831, with which this church, with most of the churches of our denomination, was blessed, brought it into a state from which it has never fully declined. A Bible class of from sixty to a hundred members was had once a week during the greater part of the following year, in which the doctrines of the gospel were freely disenssed, and an attempt was made to feed the people with knowledge and understanding. A good impression, it is believed, was made on many minds by this exercise. There was a systematic course of preaching also pursued, with the intention of following up and deepening this impression.
"We held meetings of the church once a week for several weeks in succession, and dropped all meetings except on the Sabbath, for others. At these meetings the sub- jeet of waking up to habitual duty was laid before the church in various points of light, and the brethren were invited to express their minds upon it. The desirable- ness of a revival of religion in which sinners should be converted from the error of their ways, was brought forward for the church to consider, and the manner in which it might be had was explained. It was carefully insisted on that it is not in our power ' to get up a revival,' as the profane phrase of the enemy is; but that it belongs to us, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, to seek such a season of refreshing from God. And as God is ever ready to hear the prayers of his people when they manifest their sincerity by corresponding conduct, it was shown that we might have reason to expect a blessing. The conduet insisted on was a return to the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls with all humility of mind and many tears, acknowledging our inexcusable back- sliding, and entering immediately upon all manner of duty, not as a temporary expe- dient, or a mere excitement of feeling, but for life. I believe, sir, that there is no such thing as spurring ourselves up to feeling of any permanency by mere direct efforts at that object. We must lay the foundation in solid convictions of the under- standing, in rational views of duty, and in appropriate action. Accordingly it was made a great object to lead the church to a proper view of their own imperfections
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and sins, of their dependence on the spirit of God, and of their obligations as moral agents, to repent and serve the Lord in newness of life. The little observation I have been able to make of men has persuaded me that all the excitement which is necessary in a revival of religion will come of course, if Christians are fully convinced of their duty, and go on to discharge it with solemn views of their responsibility to God. If we seek for excitement as a direct object we shall fail, except to produce a mere effer- veseence, which by the laws of the mind must necessarily subside in a short time. We are directed in the Bible not to seek for hope, or peace, or joy, or raptures, but to seek the Lord. And this is done by doing his holy will. On this principle the church were urged to wake up out of sleep, and address themselves to the duty of letting their light shine before men, and converting sinners from the error of their ways. This was shown to be the only way to counteraet iniquity in the community-infinitely better than controversy. To my great joy I found that the Lord had prepared the church under my care for these efforts, and was working mightily in their hearts.
"There was nothing peculiar in these services. The plain doctrines of the cross of Christ were preached, and urged home upon sinners as things which practically con- cerned them. No new measures, so called, were adopted, and nothing to which any man, of whatever school he might be, could object. It was considered as essential that the church should possess a right spirit, and should labor mneh by prayer and other Christian example in behalf of sinners. And this, I believe, is always insisted on. To regulate this matter aright the pastor often dropped into their prayer meet- ings, held during the intermission of publie worship, to give a word of advice, eaution, or exhortation.
"As the pastor could not do all the labor which was necessary, and it was not ex- pedient to attempt the assembling of all the people every evening in one place, the brethren of the church have been in the habit of holding meetings in the different school-houses, two or three in an evening. The irregularity of lay preaching, as some have denominated it, was avoided by a perfect subordination to the pastor in those meetings, and a universal feeling that they were all condueted under his superintend- enee and direction. In this way we brought all the moral power of the church into requisition, without any danger of reaction and bad results at a future time.
"If there ever was a revival conducted throughout with a solemn sense of duty to God and dependence on him on the part of the church, without any more animal excitement than is unavoidable, this is one. It has been a first principle in all our proceedings to bring the influence of those two great doctrines to bear upon our minds -dependence, and ability or obligation. On the one hand we have remembered that we have the powers of moral agents-able to do our duty; and on the other, that those powers will not be used, either by us or by impenitent sinners, without the influ- ence of the spirit of God. It has been universally felt with us, therefore, that the glory of the work is entirely God's-to us belongs the humble honor only of being instruments in his blessed hands.
" The number of those who have turned to the Lord it is impossible to state with precision. Probably there are not less than two hundred and fifty at the present time who hope that they have done so. Of these sixty-eight have united with the church, and sixty now stand propounded. The converts have been of all ages-from twelve years old to seventy-five, and of various grades of moral character-from those who, like the young man in the Scriptures, lacked one thing only, to those who openly set at naught the obligations of the gospel, and lived in total negleet of the duties of morality. Some whose opinions on religious subjeets were verging to latitudinarian- ism, and some to seeptieism, and some to fatalism, have been brought under the saving influence of the gospel. All, with one accord, ascribe their deliverance from the reign- ing power of sin to the free rich grace of God, which he gave them in Christ Jesus 19
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before the world began, and not to any merits of their own, heartily confessing that by nature they are children of wrath, even as others. The younger ones among them, who are all the baptized offspring of believers, are considered as under the care of the church, but not yet received as communicants.
"As to the general character of this revival there is nothing to distinguish it from other seasons of a similar nature. I had the happiness to be present at New Haven in 1820, in one of the revivals in which the Rev. Mr. Nettleton acted, and was at that time considerably acquainted with others under the same instrumentality. I think that this revival is precisely like those, except that it has been of longer continuance, and, of course, with less excitement. There has been-more than I have ever seen before-the permanence of Christian principle. I have frequently heard the word machinery applied to revivals, and exceptions have been taken to the fact indicated by it. During the revival of which I am giving an account I can not but speak of the remarkable absence of every thing that might, with any show of propriety, be de- nominated machinery. Nothing but truth, solemnly and soberly proclaimed, together with the usual appendages of protracted meetings, viz: a request to stay and receive further instructions, &c., has been had. There have been no anxious seats, no com- ing to the altar to be prayed for, no bills handed into the pulpit for prayers in behalf of impenitent individuals; nothing, in short, which any one can call arts to make an impression, aside from the naked sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. I do not specify these things to condemn them indiscriminately, but only to show to all, what- ever may be their views in regard to measures, that the work which I am now describ- ing is emphatically, and by way of eminence, the work of God. So deeply has this conviction been felt here that scoffers have been actually afraid to come into our meet- ings. In one instance they warned a young man to keep away, or he would surely be caught. He came, however, with the idea that there was no danger of him, and the Lord did, indeed, open his heart that he attended to the things that were spoken, and he is now a happy convert to Christ, rejoicing in his deliverance from the bondage of sin, and his introduction to the glorious liberty of the sons of God.
"I beg leave to add that our holding meetings at some distance of time from each other was by no means an accidental circumstance. Though I would not lay down rules for others, yet I am convinced, by my own small experience, that a protracted meeting, where the same persons attend, can not be extended with profit beyond a few days, without some resting. Either the mind gets wearied so as to be incapable of reflection, or the animal feelings become so excited as to throw the solemn convic- tions of conscience into the back-ground. In the former case there is a complete physical exhaustion, and there seems to be nothing left in the system by which to feel or to act. In the latter there is such a diseased appetite generated that the wholesome food of the gospel is not relished, and there usually succeeds a dead calm, which chills the soul. In both cases, as it appears to me, the true object of preaching the gospel is lost. What religion can take root in a mind whose powers are so used up that it can not reflect ? And what sense of obligation, what conviction of sin, in one that is riding on the gales of passion ? It is not on weakened nerves or frenzied imaginations that we expect to make salutary impressions of the truth, but on men in the full pos- session of their reason, capable of looking at their relations with God, and of weigh- ing the consequences of both right and wrong. It is not in the wind, or the earth- quake, or the fire, that Jehovah appears to effect his gracious operations, but in the still small voice."
E. C. Jones
CHAPTER XI.
MINISTRY OF REV. E. C. JONES.
Pulpit supplied by Rev. C. A. Goodrich ; Candidates; Rev. E. C. Jones preaches ; Favorable impression ; Called to settle; Council; Birth and early life; Prepara- tory studies; College and Seminary course; License; Marriage; Labors in Vir- ginia ; Call to New London ; Ministry in Southington; Difficulties of the field ; Various controversies ; Success in meeting them; Sickness and death ; Extracts from Dr. Porter's Funeral Sermon.
AFTER Mr. Ogden was dismissed, less than ten months passed before his successor was called and settled. The Rev. Charles A. Goodrich, of Berlin, began to supply the pulpit as soon as it was vacated by Mr. Ogden. His preaching was so satisfactory that over- tures were made to him for settlement, but these were declined on account of his health. Among the candidates before the people, were Rev. Joel R. Arnold, of Waterbury, Rev. Charles I. Warren, of Weth- ersfield, a Rev. Mr. Coe, Rev. Charles Wiley, and Rev. David A. Frame.1 The Rev. E. C. Jones preached ? here for two Sabbaths, December 25th, 1836, and January 1st, 1837, and with so much acceptance that the question of calling him was at once agitated. He returned here and preached February 5th, and 12th. Meetings of the church and society were called for March 20th, when a formal call was made out.
The following is the action of the Church and Society at their sev- eral meetings:
" At a meeting of the Church held March 20th, 1837, by adjourn- ment,-
Voted, that we invite Mr. Elisha C. Jones to settle as pastor of the church.
Voted, that the clerk of this Church be instructed to inform the com-
1 The last became a teacher at West Bloomfield (now Montclair), N. J., and under him the author of these sketches prepared for college. His health failed early in his ministry, but those who remember him hesitate not to pronounce him one of the most eloquent of American preachers.
2 His texts on these Sabbaths were John 4 : 10 ; Exodus 2 : 3. Haggai 2: 11, 13; Matt. 3 : 12.
.
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mittee of the Society of the foregoing vote, and to unite with them in conferring with Mr. Jones upon the subject of the above vote.
R. LOWREY, Clerk."
" At a meeting of the Church held June 4, 1837.
Voted, that the Deacons of the Church be a committee to unite with a committee appointed by the Society to call an Ecclesiastical Council for the purpose of ordaining Mr. Elisha C. Jones.
Voted, to approve of the measures already taken by the Standing Committee of the Church in calling such Council.
R. LOWREY, Clerk."
At a meeting of the Society. March 25th, it was " Voted, that this Society call on the Rev. Elisha C. Jones to settle with them as their Gospel Minister.
Voted, that the Society Committee be instructed to inform the Rev. Elisha C. Jones the vote of this meeting in relation to him, and request his terms, and report to a future meeting."
At a meeting April 3d, it was " Voted, that the Society's Committee be directed to express to Mr. Elisha C. Jones the gratification with which his communication was received, containing a full, fair, candid, and definite answer to the call of the Society for him to become our Pastor, and that the committee be directed to state to him in reply that this Society cordially approves of and cheerfully comply with the propositions of Mr. E. C. Jones to return here on the 2d Sabbath of April, or as soon as convenient, and supply our pulpit for four or more weeks, as shall be agreed on after he arrives, and if. at the end of the stipulated time, the amount of good feeling toward Mr. E. C. Jones which now exists in the Society, should continue, it is believed that there will be very little difficulty in agreeing upon the pecuniary part of the contract."
At a meeting held May 1, 1837. it was " Voted, that Messrs. Stephen Walkley,1 Romeo Lowrey. Julius S. Barnes. Oliver Lewis, and Root Gridley be a committee authorized to enter into a contract with Mr. Elisha C. Jones, to pay him seven hundred and fifty dollars at such times as shall be agreed upon annually, so long as he remains our minister, and to enter into such other stipulations as shall be deemed proper between the parties, and to extend the power of the above committee should Mr. Jones accept of the proposals that the committee
1 After Mr. Jones was called, Deacon Clark said he feared the Society had made a mistake in calling him, for, perhaps as a candidate he had "put his best foot fore- most." This, Judge Lowrey communicated to Mr. Jones, and had this reply : "Tell Deacon Clark and others who fear this, that I did put my best foot foremost, and always expect to."
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should make: then said committee are to make arrangements for call- ing a Council to settle him."
The following is the official record of the council.
"At an Ecclesiastical Council, convened at the house of Mrs. P. Hart in Southington, June 27th, 1837, by letters missive from the Congre- gational Church and Society in Southington for the ordination of Elisha C. Jones, present-
Rev. Noah Porter D.D. & Brother Roderick Stanley from the church in Farmington, Rev. Joab Brace & Brother Wm. Deming from the church in Newington, Rev. Royal Robbins & Dea. Isaac Botsford from the 2nd Church in Berlin, Rev. John R. Crane & Dea. Richard Rand from the 1st Church in Middletown, Rev. Joel Hawes D.D. & Dea. Rus- sel Bruce from the Ist Church in Hartford, Rev. David L. Parmelee & Dea. Elisha C. Brewster from the Church in Bristol, Rev. Arthur Granger & Brother Wyllys Woodruff from the Church in Meriden, Rev. Henry N. Day & Brother Bennett Brunson from the Church in Waterbury, Rev. James MacDonald and Brother John Goodrich from the 3rd Church in Berlin.
Rev. Noah Porter. D.D., was chosen Moderator and Rev. James Mac- Donald Scribe. The Council was opened with prayer by the Modera- tor. The votes of the Church and Society, giving Mr. Jones a call to become their pastor were then placed before the body together with Mr. Jones' acceptance of the same. The candidate presented satisfac- tory credentials of having received license and of his regular standing as . a preacher of the gospel and the Council proceeded to examine him in relation to his knowledge of the doctrines of the Bible and his ac- quaintance with experimental godliness. The examination was en- tirely satisfactory; whereupon it was voted that we proceed to the or- dination of Mr. Elisha C. Jones to-morrow at 11 o'clock A. M.
Rev. Royal Robbins was appointed to make the introductory prayer. Rev. Dr. Hawes to preach the sermon; Rev. J. R. Crane to make the ordaining prayer; Rev. Messrs. Brace, Crane and Hawes to impose hands; Rev. J. Brace to give the charge: Rev. H. N. Day the right hand of fellowship, and Rev. D. L. Parmelee to make the concluding prayer. Voted to adjourn till half-past nine o'clock to-morrow morning. June 28th. Met according to adjournment, and spent a season in de- votion, preparatory to the public services of the sanctuary.
At 11 o'clock the ordination took place according to the above ar- rangement. Sermon from Acts 2: 47, last part.
Attest-JAMES MACDONALD, Scribe."
Mr. Jones was the son of Elijah and Thankful (Cowles) Jones, and was born at Barkhamsted, East Hartland parish, July 14, 1807.
1 Now occupied by Mrs. Mary A. Butler.
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His parents, although baptized in infancy, did not make a public pro- fession of religion until after their marriage. The mother united with the church Feb. 18, 1816, and Dec. Ist of the same year four of the children were baptized, Elisha and three of his sisters. The father did not unite with the church until Nov. 4, 1827.
The early life of Mr. Jones was that of any farmer boy in the " hill country " of Connecticut. He is described by a correspondent as " full of fun, quite a joker, and always overflowing with good spirits." He taught in the common schools of his town for several terms. His preparatory studies were pursued at Ellington, Ct., and Westfield, Mass., and he was admitted to Yale College in 1827, where he gradua- ted in 1831. "He was (says 1 President Porter) a good scholar, one of the foremost in his class, of marked ability, sound, but a little slow as a thinker, a good but not brilliant writer and speaker, having some disadvantages from his late beginning but improving to the end. His character from the first, commanded respect, a respect which was never abated."
After graduation he taught for nearly two years in New London. From May, 1833, till August, 1835, he studied theology in the semi- mary at Yale College. In August, 1834, he was elected tutor, and served a year in that office. He was licensed to preach May 26, 1835.
He was married to Miss Julia Chappell,2 of New London, Sept. 17, 1835, after which, on account of the delicate health of his wife, he went south and west, spent six months in Union Theological Seminary, Virginia, and preached in a church in the neighborhood of Cincinnati. He returned to the east early in 1836, and supplied for a time the Second Congregational Church in New London from which he received, and declined, a unanimous call.
The ministry of Mr. Jones in Southington, like that of all his pre- decessors, was distinguished for trials as well as for joys and successes. But few men could have maintained position and influence in the town as did he. Most of the questions that rose to disturb and divide the people are still fresh in their minds. His ministry cannot be under- stood unless is taken into account the fact, that his people were made up of all degrees of intelligence and shades of opinion. Seldom is there such a real diversity of character and sentiment exhibited. He had been here but a short time when the temperance discussion pro- voked a good deal of feeling. There were those of his parish who
1 Funeral Discourse.
2 She died July 4, 1842. Mr. Jones married, again, April 17, 1844, Jane Randolph Barnes, daughter of Jonathan Barnes, Esq., of Middletown. (See genealogical table.)
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manufactured and sold intoxicating drinks. A large majority were consistent temperance men. A real majority advocated total absti- nence. A few took the extreme ground of sin per se. This " few " op- posed the use of common wine at the Lord's Supper, and pressed their views with great persistency. Many now live who recall this contro- versy and the angry feelings excited. But Mr. Jones preserved him self in calmness, and faithfully applied himself to study and solve the difficulties that had come upon the church. He took council of other pastors, secured the opinions of Professors at Andover and New Haven, and then came before his people with a sermon that was so honest in spirit and masterly1 in logic as to settle the whole matter.
The Unitarian controversy arose in the town, and although orig- inating in the Baptist church the Congregational was drawn into it. At this distance of time there is apparently a want of judgment in treating this controversy, but looking at it from the position and light of that day, the good sense and tact of Mr. Jones must be con- fessed. And in this connection arose cases of discipline that exacted the highest degree of wisdom. In several instances Mr. Jones was overpowered by the standing committee of the church, and now we see that had his advice been taken different results had followed.
The Slavery agitation was perhaps the most difficult of all with which he had to contend. The writer of this by no means commits himself to the opinions and policy that were advocated by Mr. Jones, but after carefully looking over the whole ground and weighing all sides, he is constrained to pay this tribute to his predecessor. Even if we confess to error of judgment, there was in the man an integrity of heart, can- dor of spirit, desire for peace, readiness to sacrifice, and purity of pur- pose that his opposers might well copy.
In all these controversies it is " a crown of glory " that but few re- ceive to have recorded, the fact that probably no one ever questioned his sincerity, singleness of purpose, genuine piety, consecration, and magnanimity. In every trial he compelled even enemies to bow be- fore his purity of character and devotion to Christ.
Mr. Jones continued pastor of the Church until his death March 9, 1872, that occurred after an illness of eighteen days.
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