USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Southington > Ecclesiastical and other sketches of Southington, Conn > Part 38
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It is an easy matter to solve the difficulties that obstructed the growth of this body after organization in 1791. The prejudices pre-
1 Beardsley's Hist., p. 134.
2 He was born in Norwich, Apr. 20, 1787 ; studied under Rev. Dr. Bethel Judd ; ordained Deacon by Bishop Hobart in 1818, and Priest by Bishop Brownell, Nov. 4, 1825; Rector at Wallingford in 1828; died June 26, 1833.
3 See sketch of Universalist Society.
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vailing against the church of England, and the want of familiarity with the service, operated against it. But as has before been stated, the people composing the body had really no heart in the movement. They meant rather to oppose the "Standing Order," than to build up Episcopacy. Almost if not quite all were Universalists. Certainly all the leaders were. Jonathan Barnes had been the first in the town to adopt such views, and he was the most influential man in the Epis- copal parish. Dr. Mark Newell too had adopted the same opinions. His certificate of withdrawal from the Standing Order accurately represents the sentiments of most of those who at that time became Episcopalians.
In 1862 an attempt was made to reorganize the church under the name of The Church of the Redeemer. The Rev. B. F. Cooley offici- ated for a year, and he was followed by Charles Allen,2 of Trinity College, as Lay Reader, who labored zealously for a year. The enter- prise however did not succeed, and it was abandoned in 1864. Occa- sional services have since been held in the town by the Rev. Dr. Horton of Cheshire, and others.
THE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
As has been before written, the chief reason why the Episcopal church was never prosperous as an Evangelical body of christians was that the members subscribed to articles of belief to which many of them from the first in heart opposed. The founders were decided Universalists, and ever onward a large majority held similar views. When about 1828 an attempt was made to revive the church and con- duct it in harmony with the doctrines and polity of the Prayer Book, it was resisted. A struggle ensued which resulted in the withdrawal of a number from the society and the organization of a Universalist church. The proceedings of the dissentients at their first meeting are recorded as follows:
" At a meeting of part of the Episcopal society voluntarily asso- ciated at the house of Orren Pearl, Southington, Nov. 29, 1828, Asa- hel Upson was chosen Chairman; James Tyler, Clerk. Voted, that we, as a body, sign from the Episcopal society; Voted, that there be a general certificate drawn for that purpose " (as follows):
" We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that we consider our- selves no longer holden, or as belonging to the Episcopal society in the town of Southington. Signed, Asahel Upson, James Tyler, Tru- man Barnes, Edward M. Convers, Ralph Pearl, Roswell Cook, Noah Tryon, Salmon Upson, Erastus Tyler, Orren Pearl, Caleb Thorp, John E. Jones."
1 See certificate on p. 190.
2 Now Rev. Charles Allen of Geneseo, N. Y.
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At the next meeting held Dec. 18, it was voted to extend a general invitation to persons of like views in adjoining towns, and Jan. 26, 1829, it was voted to appoint a committee of ten "to draft a constitu- tion. " The committee consisted of Truman Barnes, Asahel Upson, James Tyler, of Southington; Levi Barnes, Samuel Hart, Herman Winchell, of Berlin; Samuel Ives, Russell Miles, Charles Shelton, of Cheshire; Gordon Clark, of Bristol.
The following is the constitution of the society:
" We the undersigned, citizens of the town of Southington and Cheshire, in the exercise of the rights of conscience guaranteed to the people by the Constitution of the United States, and of Connecti- cut, do hereby unite and form ourselves into a religious Congregation or Society, by the name, title, and form, agreeable to the following articles :-
Art. I. The society shall be known and called THE FIRST SOCIETY OF UNITED BRETHREN, in the towns of Southington and Cheshire, in the hope and faith of the Salvation of ALL MEN, through the mer- its and righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Art. II. The society shall hold its annual meeting on the third Monday in February, alternately at Southington and Cheshire, begin- ning at Southington; and shall organize by choosing a Moderator, and appointing a Clerk, Prudential Committee, and such other officers as may be necessary and proper.
Art. III. The society shall be governed by the principles contained in the Gospel Revelation, and especially by the precepts and maxims contained in Christ's Sermon on the Mount; and all its members shall enjoy equal rights and privileges.
Art. IV. There shall be no taxes laid on the members, but all expenses shall be defrayed by voluntary donations.
Approved, accepted and subscribed Feb. 16, 1829."
The Confession of faith is as follows:
Ist. We believe that the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, contain a revelation of the character of GOD, and of the duty, interest, and final destination of mankind.
2d. We believe there is one Gop, whose nature is love, revealed in one LORD JESUS CHRIST, by one HOLY SPIRIT of grace, who will finally restore the whole family of mankind to holiness and happiness.
3d. We believe that holiness and true happiness are inseparably connected, and that believers ought to maintain order, and practice good works; for " these things are good and profitable unto men."
Public services were held in private houses both here and in Cheshire, and occasionally in a school house. A course of lectures upon the particular tenets of the Universalists was given by Rev.
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Menzer Raynor, for which he received five dollars each. Among the preachers were Revs. John M. Spear, John Boyden, and a Mr. Andrews.
The last preaching service of which there is a record was Apr. 8, 1833. The congregations dwindled to numbers so small that it was deemed expedient to disband. At this time those powerful revivals that signalized the years 1831-5 were in progress, and these probably contributed to the falling off in the support of this body. For a few years after, there was occasional preaching by Universalists, but it seemed to make no impression on the town.
CHAPTER XX.
UNITARIAN CHURCH.
Defection in the Baptist church ; Rev. E. C. Rogers ; Unitarian organized ; Creed ; Constitution; Rev. Mr. Arnold ; Rev. Mr. Richardson ; Installation ; Congrega- tional and Baptist Churches invited ; Rev. Warren Burton ; Rev. James Richard- son ; Rev. E. G. Holland; Rev. Henry J. Hudson ; Evangelical Lutheran Church ; Rev. G. A. Schmidt; Rev. C. A. Graeber; Marion (Union) Chapel.
THE Unitarian Church of this town originated in the defection of the Rev. E. C. Rogers from the doctrinal faith of the Baptists. He had been invited to preach for the latter denomination, Sept. 15, 1839, for two Sabbaths, and on the 30th, was called to the pastoral charge.
Although at first his departure from the orthodox standards was not sufficiently marked to attract general attention, yet from the beginning some were dissatisfied with his preaching. In six months, suspicions of his theological soundness were quite prevalent, but still so late as Feb. 29, 1840, he was by vote of the church "invited to continue and preach for us as he has already done." This vote was carried by the influence of Mr. Jesse Olney, whose "liberal views " at this time began to be apparent. The friends of Mr. Rogers persisted in his substantial soundness, while others gravely doubted. The result was, that Mr. Rogers and those that upheld him withdrew and organized themselves into a Unitarian church. The movement was carried on with a good deal of spirit by those engaged in it. Services were at once begun, and resolute efforts made to win to the enterprise public sympathy.
The creed of this church embraced the New Testament as such, and the article of subscription is as follows:
" We receive this New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as the guide of our lives, and in attaching our names hereto, we signify not only that we will abide by its decisions but that we will cherish its spirit and strive together with constant and earnest endeavors for Christian perfection."
It was understood that the largest liberality of belief was to be tole. rated. Several of the original members were firm in adherence to most of the Calvinistic Doctrines, but Arians as to the Person of Christ, and Restorationists as to the final condition of the impenitent. Others
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had no definite views of doctrine whatever, and simply entered the new movement as a protest against what they felt to be unwarranted interference with personal liberty of opinion as exhibited in the disci- pline of the other churches. Mr. Olney himself was careful to state that "it was the carricature and not the substance of the doctrine" he protested against. But, as is natural in such cases, probably all the members of the new church in discussion were led to take extreme ground which in the heart they did not occupy. And none regretted more than they, that some whose " belief and practice " were both dis- creditable, allied their fortunes with the enterprise. The floating re- ligious debris1 of the town found anchorage here for a time, much to the annoyance of the authors of the movement.
But the intelligence and social standing of the founders of the church gave promise to its future.
The society was duly organized in accordance with law, of which fact the following is a copy of the record:
"Constitution of the Unitarian Society of Town of Southington :
" We the undersigned, in the exercise of the rights of conscience granted to the people by the Constitution of the United States & the Constitution of the State of Connecticut, Do hereby unite & associate ourselves as a Religious Society or Congregation & we agree to be gov- erned by the following articles which we establish & adopt for the Con- stitution of our society or association.
Article 1st. This society or association shall be called "The Unitarian Congregational Society of the Town of Southington"
Article 2nd. The society shall hold its annual meeting on the first Monday in Nov. in each year, & shall be organized by choosing a mod- erator & clerk for the year ensuing.
Article 3d. The society at their annual meeting shall appoint a pru- dential committee, of a number not exceeding five, a Treasurer & col- lector, who shall hold their offices for one year, or until others are ap- pointed who shall perform all the duties implied in their respective offices.
Article 4th. Any person wishing to become a member of this society shall sign this constitution or signify the same in writing to the Clerk as provided for by the statute laws of this state.
Article 5th. In order to support Religious Exercises the society may raise the necessary funds by levying a tax on each of its members in proportion to the amount of their property set in the grand list, by
1 I have it on good authority that Mr. Olney gave a man twenty-five dollars if he would never come near them.
45
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voluntary contributions, or by such means as may be deemed most advisable by a majority of the members present in any legal meeting.
Article 6th. This constitution may be altered or amended at any legal meeting by a vote of two-thirds of the members present."
At first the preaching was supplied by the best talent of the Boston Unitarian pulpit. The men who appeared here, from time to time, were widely known, and their names drew good audiences.
In 1842, an invitation was sent to a Rev. Mr. Arnold of Nashua, N. H., to preach here as a candidate; he came and supplied for a year or two with only partial satisfaction. Of his later life I can learn nothing definite. He was followed by the Rev. Warren Burton.
There were various candidates and supplies who came for a brief period only. Of those who labored for any length of time sketches will be given hereafter.
As has been said, the first services were held in the Episcopal church then standing where Mr. Woodruff's market now is. From some cause, not disclosed in the records, this place of meeting was not satisfactory to many, and the project of a new building was discussed. After deliberation and interchange of opinions, the present building was decided upon and erected.
There was no formal installation of a pastor until Mr. Richardson settled. Then letters of invitation were sent to the Congregational and Baptist churches, of the town, to participate in the services. The replies (which follow) show how little sympathy they entertained for the new church.
Action of the Congregational church, June 5, 1846, upon the let- ter missive from the Unitarian church:
"At a meeting of the church this day (June 5, 1846), after the Pre- paratory lecture, the following preamble and resolutions were passed, unanimously :
Whereas a letter missive has been received from the body calling themselves the " Unitarian Society and church of Christ, in Southington" signed by the secretary, inviting this church by their Pastor and Dele- gate to meet on the 10th day of June, 1846, to form a council for the purpose of ordaining Mr. James Richardson, jun., as Pastor of said body; and whereas by the very terms of said letter, said body belongs to a denomination and holds doctrines entirely distinct and at variance with the doctrines of this church:
Thereupon, Resolved, that this church, while it would treat with courtesy all men of every denomination, yet professing to believe in the Divine Person, mediation and atonement of Jesus Christ, and to trust in his righteousness for salvation, deems it improper and incon- sistent to aid, assist, council, advise, countenance or in any way be in-
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strumental in the ordination of a religious teacher, who builds upon another foundation and inculcates doctrines with which this church can have no fellowship or sympathy.
A true copy.
Attest, E. C. JONES."
The action of the Baptist church with respect to the invitation to at- tend the Council, was as follows-
"Whereas this church, having received an invitation by letter from the Unitarian Society (so called) to send Delegates to sit in Ecclesiasti- cal Council with them for the purpose of ordaining James Richardson, jr., and believing as we do that their sentiments are not in harmony with the spirit of Christ; therefore
Resolved, that we lay their communication on the table. Dated June 6, 1846."
Nevertheless the installation proceeded. The introductory services were by Rev. Joseph Harrington; Sermon by Rev. Dr. Lamson of Dedham, Mass .; Ordaining prayer by Rev. Dr. Lowell, Boston; Right Hand of Fellowship by Rev. Edward E. Hale, Boston; Charge to Pas- tor. by Rev. F. T. Gray; Address to the people, by Rev. Dr. Dewey.
REV. WARREN BURTON.
Mr. Burton was born in Wilton, N. H., Nov. 23, 1800. His great- great-grand father, with three sons, had removed to that place from Salem, Mass., in 1760, and occupied the wilderness which in a single generation they converted into fine farms. His grandfather, Jonathan Burton, was a soldier of the Old French War, and also a commissioned officer in the Revolutionary army; and while he was absent in patriotic service his wife conducted farming operations.
The parents of Mr. Burton were Jonathan and Persis (Warren) Burton, and were not only respectable but of large influence in the community and church.
The boy, Warren, was distinguished from other boys in this one thing-delicacy of feeling. He had no companions who could sym- pathize with him in certain experiences. Trained from the first in pious thought, expression, and doctrine, his cast of mind led him always in the way of devotion. When hardly able to talk he climbed into a chair "to worship the rising sun." What so many boys observed as only a common occurrence entered his mind as something to awaken emotion and awe. And so he would stand and gaze upon the mountains with a heart so full of feeling that it could not find expression. He loved books, and exhausting the scanty supply of the house " would save his money to buy one when a peddler might come along. At ten he was permitted to rejoice over a Latin Grammar,
.
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the gift of his father, and which he studied even while driving cows to pasture."
In 1817 he entered Harvard University, graduating in 1821. In 1823 he entered the Divinity School, and after a year or two was com- pelled to abandon study by sickness. Receiving certificates of qualifi- cation from his professors, he visited central Pennsylvania and preached as occasion offered. For a time he supplied the church at Northumberland, founded by the celebrated Dr. Priestley. Returning to the Divinity School he graduated and was licensed to preach in 1828, by the Boston Association.
His first settlement was at East Cambridge, Mass., but his very sensitive nature led him to suspect opposition where it did not exist, and after a time he resigned. He supplied for a time, at Washington, D. C., Newton and Townsend, Mass., and Wilton, N. H.
In 1831 he delivered a course of lectures in Boston, upon the "Phi- losophy of Evil," which were afterwards published as a book with the title of "Cheering Views of Man and Providence." He supplied at Keene, N. H., Hingham and Waltham, Mass.
In 1840 he was engaged with Hawthorn, Ripley, and others, in the Brook-Farm experiment near Boston, but dissatisfied with the results, he soon separated from them. Soon after he gave himself more fully to lecturing upon questions of family, social, and educational interest. In 1852 he was honored with the appointment of Chaplain of the Massachusetts Senate.
In June, 1828, Mr. Burton was married to Sarah Flint, [daughter of John and Sarah Flint, Wilton, N. H.,] born April 5, 1804. Their children are Arthur William, born March 26, 1831, (dying an infant,) and Sarah Warren, born Feb. 19, 1835.
He was very conscientious, and fidelity to duty made him fearless in speaking the truth. When laboring in - he attended an Anti-slavery meeting and proclaimed his own views. When, the next day, he was told that it might injure his influence, he replied, “ Do you think I can listen to such advice ? All - is not rich enough to buy my silence in this matter."
REV. JAMES RICHARDSON.
The attention of Mr. Richardson had been drawn to Southington, sometime before he came here to preach. This society had been under the fostering care of the Unitarian Board in Boston. Distinguished preachers from that city had visited and preached here, and a deep interest was felt in the success of the enterprise. Friends had for some time felt that Mr. Richardson had qualifications for such a field as this. There was that in his nature and methods that speedily won
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popular favor, and awakened the enthusiasm of a congregation. It was supposed too that Southington was the home of solid but rather sluggish qualities, and that the people were almost buried out of sight in the ruts worn by passing generations. In such a social and theologi. cal condition it was considered not only expedient, but a telling stroke to introduce a man here as unlike as possible to other public teachers. The change itself, from "grave to gay," would attract attention, and the glowing words of such a man would charm and captivate the young. James Richardson was the man selected for this work, and wisely too. There was not needed a man of solid qualities and admin- istrative talent. He would the more surely win who could appear upon the scene as a genius, and invest himself with novelties of speech and manner. And a goodly measure of eccentricities would not diminish the chances of success. All of these were the possession of Mr. Richardson. His warm heart and humanitarian views; his quenchless love of nature, and poetic expression; his unbounded sym- pathy for the suffering, and consuming rebukes of social wrongs, woke for him, first, attention, and then attendance. The older and more serious minded saw only profanity and the skilled magic of evil, in all he said or did. Younger and more tender minds felt drawn to him by a power they could not resist. His congregation grew sabbath by sabbath. On week-days his simple hearted ways attracted many to his side. He introduced more themes into the pulpit. Not only sla- very, intemperance, licentiousness, covetousness, and kindred topics, but he preached upon popular education, questions of science, and whatever pertained to social improvement. He even threw his Unita- rian predecessors into the shade. They seemed conservative and tame compared with him. He discarded everything technically theological,1 and dealt only with current practical questions. But he was apt to treat of such questions in impractical ways. But few doubted his sincerity and zeal, and yet not many could follow him. His congre- gation followed him more as a marvel than as a leader. He would write a sermon in two hours. He composed a hymn for his ordination. When the order of exercises was to be carried to the printer a hymn was wanting to complete it. He was busy talking with friends. " Wait a moment," he said. Turning to a table he dashed off a few verses-"Here take this;" and so they were printed .?
It is hard to estimate the extent or permanency of the influence of such a man upon a community. His friends claim for him vast- influ-
1 One of his very ardent friends and supporters told me that he put more theology in his last two sermons (that were afterward published) than in all his preaching beside while here.
2 See published order of exercises.
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ence, but of a kind that appears rather in thought than in a more palpable form.
He' was born at Dedham, Mass., May 25, 1817, and was the son of James and Sarah Elizabeth (Richards) Richardson. His preparation for college was under Rev. Daniel Kimball of Needham, and he grad- uated at Harvard University, in 1837. The Rev. John Weiss (biogra- pher of Rev. Theodore Parker), was his first room-mate. Leaving college he taught in the Academy, Milford, N. H., for a year, and here had the "Hutchinson singers" for his pupils. He was then Prin- cipal of Kent Academy, R. I., and still later of the Central High School, East Greenwich, in the same state. He graduated at the Divinity School, Cambridge, Mass., in 1845.
"From ? his early boyhood he manifested the deep love of Nature which he always retained. He would shun the sports and games of his companions to ramble or sit for hours amid the woods and hills, or gather the wild flowers in the fields. "Nature was my study," he said later. "Nature was my delight." From his father he early learned a love of poetry, and in early boyhood began to compose verses, in which the devotional tone of his nature showed itself, as well as in his habit of assembling his playmates to preach to them; so that he gained the name of the ' little minister.' In 1833 he entered Harvard College. A somewhat delicate constitution, impaired by early illness, and a highly excitable nervous temperament prevented any great application to study, but he read largely, and was a very ready writer and fluent speaker. His mind was marked then and always by activity and freedom rather than by logic and accuracy. He was fond of philosophical and theological speculation of the bold- est kind. A certain erratic quality was always characteristic of him. Equally characteristic then and through all his life, was the warmth of his affections, an unbounded good will and an unwearied and active readiness to serve his friends, and all he met were his friends, for he had a genius for friendship. He graduated in 1837, writing the vale- dictory ode of his class. After some years spent in teaching, princi- pally in Rhode Island, he entered the Divinity School at Cambridge, completing his studies there in 1845. At the school, though fully ac- cepting the results of the rationalistic criticism, the ideal and imagin-
1 For some of these facts I am indebted to Miss Mary Plimpton, Walpole, Mass.
2 The Rev. Samuel Longfellow of Cambridge, Mass., amid pressing duties, very kindly consented to aid me, and has sent this "tribute" to the memory of his friend ; and he states that in preparing this sketeh he has been largely indebted to Col. Ilig- ginson's Memoir in the Harvard Biographies. Mr. Longfellow is brother of the poet, and was for several years pastor of the Second Unitarian Church, Brooklyn, N. Y., but is now engaged in literary labors at Cambridge.
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ative cast of his mind made him naturally an ardent receiver of the Transcendental and Mystical philosophy, a believer in man's intuitive perception of religious truth, in God as a Spirit pervading all nature and indwelling in the soul of man. "Everything I do is a prayer," he said once in an evening circle of friends; and at the same moment he snuffed the dull wick of the candle upon the table (for gas was not yet in Cambridge). "Was that a prayer ?" asked a somewhat in- credulous companion. " Yes," he answered very seriously, "it was an aspiration, a desire for clearer light." He was fond of working in the garden of the Divinity School, where he always had the finest flowers. "I know," he used to say, "that I shall have flowers in heaven, for my love of them is a spiritual love." Speaking of his studies at the school, he wrote "Nature and man were my books, the inward Spirit my teacher." A year after leaving the school, in June, 1846, he was ordained as minister of the Unitarian Church in Southington. The freshness, warmth, and flow of his preaching excited much interest. Soon after, he wrote in his enthusiastic way, "the church is crowded, pews, aisles, doorway." "The society has doubled in a year." But in Sept., 1847, "for the sake of being near my father, and having some exchanges," as he wrote, he accepted a call to Haverhill, Mass. His farewell sermons at Southington were printed. He gave his " views of the nature and services of theology, of the Christian reli- gion and salvation by Christ." These views were those of "the spirit- ual-rationalistic school." He was fond of dwelling upon the point that the salvation offered and accomplished by Christianity was one which " saved men in this world, not in another," saved them, that is, " from ignorance, malice, sin, disease and suffering," here rather than from the penalties of a future life. He was always an ardent advo- cate of the reform movements of his day; and bore a strong and clear testimony against Slavery, and in behalf of Temperance and peace. As a pastor, he was particularly interested in the young men, for whom he felt a fatherly affection and to whom he delighted to pour out in his ever fluent speech, his ideas upon all subjects.
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