USA > Connecticut > Windham County > Historic Gleanings in Windham County, Connecticut > Part 12
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The shadows lengthen. Zeph seems an older man after his return from New Haven. The year of 1828 was especially calamitous. " A cow breaks her leg
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and has to be killed ; sad for the poor cow;" an ox sickens and dies; the colt dies; it is a bad season for lambs and sheep, and even the geese refuse to hatch properly. Cut-worms appear in great force and cut off the young blades of corn. June 30, a hard thunder shower. Nathan's new house was struck; the clock was torn to pieces, and a dog un- der the table killed ; but a " deaf boy heard better after the shock." And it is what old people call " a very dying time, indeed." Neighbors and kindred drop off like autumn leaves. One brother dies after long illness ; one is found dead on the road, supposed to have fallen off his cart when asleep. Pretty sister Mary, who kept house for us long ago in Rhode Is- land, comes from the West to visit her old home and dies soon after her return. Sister Hannah, living near by, soon follows. This neighbor wastes away in long disease, Zeph and his wife watching with him night after night, after their old, helpful fashion. That one, going cross-lots through a wet place stum- bled " and fell forward with his forehead against a stone and his face in the water and died surpris- ing." Another is drowned in his saw-mill flume. Saddest of all was that of the lone, lorn woman found dead in the swamp. It is supposed "she got up in the night in a fright by the wind blowing very hard and started for a neighbors but got out of her way into the swamp where she fell. She left her shoes
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and stockings in the house." Poor lone creature, flying barefoot and panic struck to meet her death in the dank swamp-does fiction parallel these trage- dies of real life ?
But a new source of comfort has come to our old journalist. Politics have lost much of their interest with change of party names and measures. We are Democrats now fighting Whigs, Banks, and Anti- Masons, but not with the old fervor. There are things of more vital interest upon the stage. These are the days of "the great revivals of 1830-33," and Zeph's whole heart is in the joyful work. Meetings are held everywhere, at private houses and meeting- houses ; "pike-gate and grove." "See Elder T. bap- tize old Miss W. and many people." "Benjamin A's son speaks like preaching, many more talk ; a very good meeting." "Elder Lovejoy is here, (a noted name and preacher.) Two were plunged and two more had water poured on their heads." "Aug., 1830, went to meeting in a tent, 36 x 20-some speak- ing, no preaching ; tent full and many more outside." Camp meetings and " protracted meetings " are kept up the following year, and Zeph reads his Bible through by course in the interim, beginning January 1 and finishing March 31.
The clouds darken. The mother of the household, the strong, bustling, hard-working wife and mother is failing in strength, but the work goes on as usual
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and the loom is seldom idle. Zeph, whose turn for rhyming gains upon him, sends this humorous missive to a neighbor :
" My old dame is sick and poorly, And now there is more yarn yet lacking, She thought she'd state the matter fairly And have you bring the filling airly, And if you don't bring more blue than red You had better put yourself to bed, She hath been sick and kept a-drilling, And now hath stopped for want of filling."
But the trouble increases and becomes more mani- fest. Work can no longer stifle the growing anguish. Neighbors flock in apace ; sometimes " six women at once." Poultices of every conceivable material, hot and cold, dry and liquid, are vainly applied. "Very full of pain," "wastes fast," are the discouraging en- tries. These are " solemn times " for our light-hearted Zeph. Three funerals reported in one day and things growing worse at home. "Sad, sad, sad." "Bad, bad, bad. A very bad day with some and I am sorrowful." But the illness was short. Worn with hard work and life's burdens the strong frame soon succumbs. "She fell a-bleeding, grew dark to her, faint, and she died just before twelve, Sept. 14, 1831, aged 73."
And now Zeph is left in the old home with Jack and his wife at the head of affairs. But he is still too
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vigorous in mind and body to settle down into a subordinate position, and public affairs claim atten- tion. He superintends the work on the new school house in our district, selects brick of the best mate- rial, and does the work so thoroughly that it still bears witness to his fidelity. Then he builds a good stone wall for our burying-ground, and pays his heavy taxes for all these improvements without grumbling.
" April 9, 1833. 'Tis said that I am seventy-four years old this day, P. M. Thanks be to God that he hath spared me so long." He has more time now to note the weather and its changes. "We had an early spring, robins, blue-birds and red-winged blackbirds early in March. A hard frost in June killed most of our corn to the ground ; beans also ; " enjoys in No- vember the wonderful spectacle of "many shooting stars." Meetings engross much time and interest. Now some famous Methodist or Baptist elder gives a ronsing sermon ; then they meet in some private dwelling-"a glorious meeting without preaching, many brethren speak and all to the Bible truth." He is in great demand for funeral occasions as bearer or manager this same Zeph who once danced all night when a mate lay dead in his coffin. But he is still Zeph, now " Old Zeph." No one would think of calling him anything else, or know him by his family name alone. He is a noted " character " now at town
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meetings and all public doings, with his quaint old wig and many-caped cloak, his reminiscences and weather-saws, and his knack at rhyming. Asked to make a rhyme npon an easy-going neighbor, more fond of prayer meetings than work, he instantly re- sponds :
" There's Uncle Ase, so full of grace Sometimes his cup runs over ; He'll lay and sleep and let his sheep Eat up his neighbor's clover."
Or he pictures " a hired man" with one snap-shot :
" Here's Joseph Pace with his long face And not so very fat : He's poor to hoe and worse to mow, And what do you think of that ?"
He has his old mare killed and buried decently, which was twenty-seven years old :
" She could not live on hay And I would not put her away."
" March 4, 1837. Martin Van Buren came in presi- dent. 5th. Sixty years past this day I went for two months to drive a team for the Continentals, to carry provision to the army at Peepskill; staid fifteen months; took team at Colchester. April 1. Town meeting, chose George Nichols and Vernon Stiles representatives. Republicans of the old stamp ; four
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hundred voters in town. Some went not from this. hill but enough without them." Trainings have lost. attraction to him, perhaps because the trainings themselves are not what they used to be, but he takes little Nap to the Centre to see a caravan with two lions and ninety-five horses.
Zeph works hard as ever, but there is a screw loose somewhere, and the farm yields less profit. No more carting surplus produce to market. No potash making and mill-working, and factory-cloth weaving under present administration. All the crops are lighter, and there is hardly hay enough for the cattle. The old man groans over this thriftlessness and " a. prevailing evil " at the root.
" April 9, 1839. Eighty years old this day & I am poorly. A failing year in health and results of labor. A severe winter, cold and stormy, no church going, look after pigs and chickens and read good books. Great excitement in town this spring of 1840. Fifty new voters made "-737 votes cast. They say old Democrats are ahead; but they cannot check the Tippecanoe craze and Harrison's election. Another losing season is reported-"short in corn, rye, hay, and so it goes."
Another cold winter keeps our friend at home, sink- ing more and more into the ordinary status of the superannuated, and too often supernumerary, grand- father. The gay young fellow whistling over the
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hills; the busy man of affairs driving about town is gone, and we see a shriveled old man crawling about the premises to feed the chickens, and poring over Baxter's Saints' Rest and his Bible by the fire- side. Friends of his youth, and companions of his life have vanished. Public and even church affairs no longer claim his attention. The great political overthrow, the opening railroad, excite but a lan- guid interest ; but the journal begun in his youth, the daily chronicle of life and weather, still remains to him. Each morning, foul or fair, he hurries out to breathe the pure air of Heaven, survey the sky, note the direction of the wind. His dulled ear catches the first song of the spring birds ; his dimmed eyes mark the springing grass, the swelling buds. Two books are open to his fading vision-eternal works and words, to which some mortal eyes are ever closed. The great comet of 1843, stretching half way across the visible heavens, thrills his old heart - " but I go not to town meeting, nor to other meet- ings ; have not strength for it."
The journal is getting mixed. The dates are jun- bled up; we have turned the last leaf. "June 20, 1843. I find that I am failing ; feel very slim." Still the entries are kept up, but the lines run together. The summer sun is shining in full strength ; the corn is hoed and the grass is ready for mowing, fully ripe. The boys carry on the work-but old Zeph is " so
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tired." July 26, he makes the last entry. A few more days and nights of weariness and watching and eternal rest is his. Good-bye, old Zeph. For more than three-score years we have traveled with you on your pilgrimage. Truly in thy case, "the end was better than the beginning." " Average Connecticut citizen " did we say ? Faithful old soul ; true to yourself, your country, and your God, well will it be with each if our record marks as high a figure.
VII.
DODGE, THE BABBLER.
In the closing years of the last century Pomfret held a high place among Windham County towns. Less in extent and population than most of its towns it exceeded them in proportionate wealth and influ- ence. It held the Probate office for the north part of the county. Its post-office, administered by Judge Lemuel Grosvenor, accommodated all the neighbor- ing towns. Its leading citizens were remarkable for sound judgment and intelligence. Perhaps that United English Library, established as far back as 1739, had something to do with forming the character of these men, and inciting young men to obtain the privilege of college education. The town had also been favored with a succession of distinguished physicians. Doctors Lord and Warner, of Abington, Dr. Waldo, of the Street, were noted in their pro- fession, and Doctors Hall and Hubbard quite equalled them in reputation and extended practice.
But perhaps there was nothing in which Pomfret took greater pride than in her meeting-house and ministers. This house of worship was the largest and most pretentious in Windham County, and ex-
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cited the envious admiration of other towns. Her first minister, Rev. Ebenezer Williams, was considered one of the leading ministers of his day, receiving by bequest of Gov. Dudley, of Massachusetts, a me- morial ring in token of esteem and favor. An incip- ient wrangle at the time of building the great meet- ing-house was promptly healed by the suggestion that lack of harmony might hinder them in settling a minister, so that instead of having as they had done the best of orthodox preaching, they might be com- pelled to take up with "New Light stuff," or some inferior article. As successor of Mr. Williams they agreed upon Aaron Putnam, a young graduate of Harvard, who filled the place for many years to public acceptance, a man of learning and piety ; a sound if not eloquent preacher.
Mr. Putnam's unhappy failure of voice in the latter part of his ministry brought in a new element. A col- league pastor was found needful, and again Harvard furnished the candidate-Mr. Oliver Dodge. The lively and agreeable manners of this young gentle- man, and the freshness and animation of his dis- courses, won universal favor, and he soon received a unanimous call to the colleague pastorate, one person only advising delay. But before the time fixed for ordination, uneasiness had arisen. The spirits of the young minister carried him beyond the ordinary bounds of ministerial propriety, and unfavorable re-
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ports came from abroad, so that the ordaining council was confronted by a small number of "aggrieved brethren," objecting to the ordination of. the candi- date on charges of "disregard of truth, neglect of duty, irreverent application of Scripture and un- becoming levity." Decision was referred to a special council of ministers and delegates-nine to be chosen by friends of Mr. Dodge, four by the opposition- which met in Pomfret, September 4, 1792. Four days were spent in considering the situation. The engaging manners of Mr. Dodge, and the large ma- jority in his favor, pleaded strongly in his behalf ; yet, as the good repute of a minister was a matter of such supreme importance, the council unanimously decided not to proceed to ordination. With paternal kind- ness they besought the young minister to accept this result in its true tenor, and endeavor in future to maintain that Christian spirit and live that exemplary life " that all the excellent and amiable talents and accomplishments with which God had been pleased to favor him, might be improved for eminent and most important purposes." Mr. Dodge demeaned himself through these trials with the utmost pro- priety, accepted the reproofs with due meekness, re- flecting upon himself in several alleged instances except that of falsehood of which he had never been consciously guilty.
Uninfluenced by this decision, the friends of Mr.
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Dodge proceeded to renew their call in a regular society meeting, and requested the church to concur in this invitation. Very great interest had now been aroused, and it was evident that a large majority of the church would vote in favor of settling Mr. Dodge. To Mr. Putnam and the aggrieved brethren this seemed a very injudicious and hazardous experiment. There was one way by which this evil could be averted -the power allowed to ministers in Saybrook Plat- form, by which their single vote nullified the unani- mous vote of the church over which they were set- tled. Believing that Mr. Dodge was unfit for the ministerial office, with a deep sense of his personal and official responsibility in the matter, Mr. Putnam now exercised this supreme power and dissolved the meeting without permitting a vote upon the question. So completely had a century of Saybrook Platform administration eliminated from its adherents the spirit of original Congregationalism and recognition of the rights of individual church members, that this act of Mr. Putnam's was fully sustained by brother ministers. According to Windham County Associa- tion, the result would have been the same " had he allowed the church to vote, as he would then have left the meeting and rendered them incapable of further action." That a large majority of the church had any rights in the matter never seemed to occur to them. "A few more than half makes no differ-
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ence," said President Clap, of Yale. The rights of majorities had not then been admitted.
But there was another side to the question. Op- position to the Saybrook Platform, initiated by the unfortunate Separates half a century before, had now been strengthened by more orderly bodies of Christians. Baptists, Episcopalians, the newly-ar- rived Methodists, were equally averse to accepting one religious denomination as the established church, the "Standing Order" of Connecticut. Free-think- ers of every shade were bitter against it. The spirit of free inquiry was in the air. Public men who had been active in the attainment of civil liberty were realizing that religious restrictions were inconsistent with a Republican form of Government. Foremost among the opposers of the ecclesiastic establishment of Connecticut was Zephaniah Swift, of Windham, the able lawyer and jurist. His attitude on this point had given great offence to the ministers of the county who had upon this ground, opposed his elec- tion to Congress. Some of these ministers had as- sisted in the rejection of Mr. Dodge, and thus afforded Judge Swift ample ground of retaliation.
As soon as the result of the Pomfret council was given to the public, Judge Swift took the field as champion of Mr. Dodge. The whole affair was "an open attack upon religious liberty and the rights of conscience." The power arrogated by the council was
18
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"more unwarrantable and dangerous than that exer- cised by the pretended successors of St. Peter." The act of Mr. Putnam "in nullifying the voice of the church by his single voice, his sovereign negative, was a most conspicuous instance of the arbitrary power vested in ministers by that celebrated code of eccle- siastic jurisprudence, known by the singular appella- tion of SAYBROOK PLATFORM." "Is the exercise of such a power compatible with the equal rights, the unalien- able birthright of man ? Reason, common sense
and the Bible with united voice proclaim that the CONSTITUTION which delegates to one the power to negative the vote of all the rest, is SUBVER- SIVE OF THE NATURAL RIGHTS OF MANKIND, AND REPUG- NANT TO THE WORD OF GOD." Dodge himself was the innocent victim of clerical revenge and malice; a young man of superior genius and merit ; a second Luther, battling against ecclesiastic despotism."
Pomfret scarcely needed this outside stimulus to self-assertion. Her sympathy, pride, and will were all enlisted in behalf of the young minister. The result led to immediate and great departure. A large majority of members of the church withdrew from connection, and proceeded to organize as "The Reformed Christian Church and Congregation of Pomfret." A satisfactory covenant was drawn up and adopted, and public worship instituted in pri- vate mansions. Mr. Dodge, stimulated by contro-
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versy and popular favor, was more eloquent and fas- cinating than ever. Crowds flocked to the new place of worship, while the great meeting-house was al- most deserted. Eleven male members, with their families and minister, was all that was left of the large church membership. The County Consocia- tion, called to consider and advise, could do nothing. The church had taken itself out of their jurisdiction and Mr. Dodge scouted its summons to appear, and declared himself " no more amenable to their con- trol and jurisdiction than he was to the Bishop of London."
Removed from all restriction, Mr. Dodge now came out more openly as the apostle of a new dispensa- tion. It was a time of great upheaval and discus- sion. Revolutions in Government and thought were in progress. "The reign of long faces had passed ; ministers were now to act and talk like other men, and unite with them in mirth, festivity, and amuse- ment. Puritan blueness and austerity were to give place to good fellowship and universal jollity. God was best served by merry hearts and cheerful voices." All knotty points of doctrine were to be ignored ; the Scriptures a sufficient rule of faith and practice ac- cording to each man's personal interpretation. In the revolt from stiffened orthodoxy, these views and practices as set forth by an engaging and eloquent speaker were most attractive. Dodge was the hero
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of the day ; the popular minister. Numbers united with his church ; people from all the surrounding towns flocked to hear him. The friends of free re- ligion could not have selected a more eligible leader than this clever and accomplished young man, who could charm all hearts with religious rhapsodies, and dance, drink, and joke with equal acceptance. That it was difficult to find ministers of any standing to assist in his ordination added zest to the situation, as did the wordy battle in the columns of "The Wind- ham Herald" between Judge Swift and sundry min- isters who rushed to the defence of Mr. Putnam and the council. Nothing in modern times equals the bitterness of this newspaper controversy, and the vituperations exchanged between the combatants. All the sayings and doings of Mr. Dodge and his op- ponents were paraded before the public, and peaceful, dignified Pomfret figured as the scene of this scandal and division. Neighboring towns were drawn into the strife. Mr. Dodge, by invitation of one of the society committee, preached an afternoon lecture in Woodstock meeting-house. The minister, Rev. Mr. Lyman, having previously manifested his disapproval went into the house during service and read a public remonstrance. Whereupon the friends of Mr. Dodge served a warrant upon Mr. Lyman for disturbing a religious assembly, and compelled him to pay as high a fine as the law would allow. In Pomfret the par-
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tisan feeling became very strong and bitter. It en- tered into politics ; it divided families. The very children in the street jeered and mocked at each other as "Dodge-ites " and "Anti-Dodge-ites." An opposer of the popular favorite lost his place as town clerk, leaving this farewell upon Pomfret records :
"Here ends the services of a faithful servant of the public, who was neglected for no other reason than because he could not Dodge
For more than six years this rupture and strife continued, and Mr. Dodge maintained his prestige and popularity. It does not appear that during this period he lost ground or adherents. His " finely- polished golden chain of equality and brotherly love " satisfied his congregation ; his good fellowship and easy insolence kept his hold in society. His oc- casional excesses and increasing levity were excused as the exuberant overflow of spirits, and by his frank admission of wrong. Nothing but his own suicidal act could have lost him his place in heart and favor. He held himself in restraint as long as it was possi- ble and then gave way at once and forever. Every- thing was sacrificed for liberty in vicious indulgence. After a week of revelry, driving from one low tavern to another, and even offering blasphemous prayers in a blacksmith's shop upon a challenge, he had the ef- frontery to enter his pulpit and attempt to conduct
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the usual Sabbath service. Rising to speak he fell upon the pulpit overcome with drunken sickness, fall- ing forever from his high estate. Apparently no at- tempt was made to excuse or palliate his conduct. Of his large following not one was left him, because he was too far gone to make the effort to retain them. At a meeting of The Reformed Church of Pomfret, July 4, 1799, upon complaint that Mr. Dodge had been guilty of repeated instances of intemperance in the use of spirituous liquor, and of indecent if not profane language, it was voted that he " be excluded from the rites and privileges of this church till by his reformation and amendment of life he shall be again restored to charity." But this charity was not called into exercise. The "lost leader " gave himself up to reckless dissipation. Seldom does one who has filled so high a position, with so large a following, sink into such sudden obscurity and oblivion. The Re- formed Church vanished with its founder, its mem- bers gladly returning to the old church that welcomed them into the fold. The name that had been so con- spicuous dropped from the records and " Herald," and he himself sunk out of sight and knowledge, only as tradition whispered tales of " Pomfret's drunken min- ister."
But there is a sequel to the story. Last spring the Probate judge of Windham at Willimantic chanced to light upon a somewhat curious old document,
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apparently an affidavit laid against a notorious of- fender, denominated "Dodge, the Babbler"-under date of 1805. The paper best tells its own story :
"Dodge, the Babbler, in an harangue at Glastonbury, on the 8th of August, 1805, after declaiming upon church & state & law and religion-exclaimed-
'God knows, angels know, saints know, all honest men know, the Devils know, and none but knaves and fools but what do know, there ought not to be any laws for the support of religion. We should not then see the poor man dragged to jail to pay a minister's tax, while his family were left starving : we should not then have to pay four or five hundred dollars a year for ministers' dinners at Hartford : we should not then see ministers have the privilege of turnpiking the road to Heaven and ereet" ing gates and collecting tolls upon them.'
He also used this expression :
. Minister's salaries are a stink in God's nose, and a stench in his nostrils.'
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