USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Cornwall > Historical records of the town of Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut; > Part 7
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The north society had no incorporation, and no local bounds.
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
For about five years, in the period of Mr. Weston's ministry, the Rev. Mr. Israel Holley, who had been a minister in the Society of Salmon Brook in Granby, Hartford county, was their stated preacher and officiated as pastor, though not installed. He was a pious man and of sound theology. His ministry was blessed, for the spirit of revival that had been spreading in the county, and had reached South Cornwall, was soon enjoyed in the north part of the town. This revival was not an event that could be ordina- rily expected, when there were such discordant feelings between professed friends of Christ here. Still it was so. The two ministers of the town had scarcely any intercourse with each other. They did not associate at all in religious meetings, and yet both of them were the sincere friends of Christ and of His cause !
The claims of conscience, and a religion that is established by civil government, cannot well coalesce anywhere, but above all, not in a free government like ours. The people that had separated from the society of Mr. Gold some years before, believing that they and their families could not be edified by the instruction of the pastor, formed the majority of the legal voters of Cornwall. But the statutes of Connecticut bound them to the decision of the minority, by means of the union between church and the ecclesiasti- cal society.
At this time Mr. Gold was disconnected from his people by his resignation of office as pastor, and also by death.
Those dissenters, respectable in character and for number, being in their religious opinion united with the churches and societies of the vicinity, were very desirous to have christian intercourse and fellowship with the adjacent churches. But the south church and society opposed them, unless they would come down to Cornwall Valley to worship there, which the northern people regarded as a mile beyond the center of the town. They were regarded by the south as schismatics and disorganizers, and the neighboring ministers and churches countenanced the conduct of the south church by refusing to associate with them as a regular body of Christians.
Therefore the north church and people applied to the Morris- town Presbytery (a body of churches and pastors that had from some reasons separated from the Presbyterian Church of the United States), to be united with them as a regular church. They were so far received as such that for eighteen months they had their patronage and were in a sort of connection with that presbytery.
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The Rev. Mr. Somers, afterwards the pastor of a church in Spencertown, in Columbia County, N. Y., preached to them for some time. They applied to the legislature for incorporation with local bounds, but unsuccessfully, as the society bounds they petitioned for took in several families that had uniformly belonged to the south society.
A few months after the ordination of the writer at South Corn- wall, the people of the north made another attempt to become an incorporated society, and to obtain an equal part of the property that belonged to the Ecclesiastical Society of Cornwall which was appropriated in a right of the town for that purpose at the survey- ing of the township. This property was not granted, as it was designed for the first society, and these petitioners were dissenters from it. But an act of the legislature in 1804, at the October session held in New Haven, gave them an incorporation, but with- out any local boundaries: allowing any one to join the society, if done within a specified time prescribed in the act.
More than a year before this incorporation, at a meeting of the north association of this county, held at the Rev. Mr. Starr's of Warren, a delegation from the north church met them, requesting that the pastors of the vicinity would visit the north society and church and open a friendly and christian intercourse with them, and thereby acknowledge their christian character. They having been connected with the Morristown Presbytery, the association appointed a committee of their body to unite with a committee of that Presbytery, to investigate into the state of North Cornwall Church. This proposal was much opposed by Mr. Weston, who was present; and no doubt the opposition was agreeable to some of the leading persons of the south church, but not to all of them. Those who with Mr. Weston opposed such compromising measures, thought that all the northern people ought to come down to the meeting-house in Cornwall Valley, and quitting their old prejudices, unite and form one large church and society. The joint com- mittees of this association and of the Morristown Presbytery met at North Cornwall in the summer of 1803, and recommended such a course, or rather did such things, as tended to a reconciliation of the two contending parties.
Having been incorporated as an ecclesiastical society, as has been already stated, Rev. Josiah Hawes, a native of the adjacent town of Warren, was invited to preach to the north society, and he commenced preaching in the latter part of 1803, and continued his
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labors in the succeeding winter. He had studied and graduated at Williams College, and was a pupil of Dr. Backus of Somers, of this State. Having been invited by the church and people with much unanimity to the pastoral office, he was ordained on the 14th of March, 1805.
The ordaining council consisted of the pastors and delegates of the North Consociation, although the church of North Cornwall was not yet consociated. The church and pastor of South Corn- wall were invited to the council. Some of the worthy members of this church were not very ready to acknowledge the North Church as a sister church,-they had not sufficiently forgotten former trou- bles. But the venerable General Heman Swift was then retain- ing his ample powers of mind, and he wished to see the peace of Cornwall. The pastor, too, earnestly desired the same, and, in opposition to the feelings of his friends, his church, by a majority, voted to comply with the request of North Cornwall, and appointed Gen'l Swift delegate. Previous to the ordination of Mr. Hawes the South Cornwall minister determined, so far as he could do it, to break down the separating walls between the two churches, and therefore exchanged labors in the pulpit with Mr. Hawes. The Rev. Mr. Stowe, the pastor of Mr. Hawes, preached the ordination sermon. The venerable and reverend Mr. Cornwall, the former spiritual guide of the people of North Cornwall, was appointed by the council (he being one of the body) to give the charge to the pastor elect. This he did with great propriety and solemnity. He presented to Mr. Hawes the holy Bible, and, putting it into his hands, charged him to regulate his own conduct and all his minis- try according to the orders of this sacred directory.
The right hand of fellowship was allotted to the writer of this account. With great pleasure was the right hand of his presented to that most worthy and very amiable ministerial brother. This event was interesting, highly so, to the religious prosperity of this town.
During the ministry of Mr. Hawes, which was more than eight years, his ministerial connection with the pastor of South Corn- wall was unusually cordial; and when their respective flocks were not on the most friendly terms, the two pastors never indulged a suspicion of the friendship of each other. There was, indeed, much more harmonious feeling between the two churches and societies than had been before known. In more instances than one the two churches, with their pastors, met for prayer and Christian
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conference. These meetings were delightful. The North society had never been accustomed to pay taxes for the support of the ministry, as the South society had been, and which had now an ecclesiastical fund of nearly three hundred dollars a year; and the people of Mr. Hawes, who were less in number than the South parish, and supported their minister by subscription and donations, found it somewhat hard to raise the salary of about three hund- red and thirty-three dollars for Mr. Hawes.
Therefore they were desirous that the South society should con- sent and propose to give up some families that belonged to them to be united with the North. For this purpose the North Church requested that the sister church should, in a meeting with them, favor such a concession, and that some important members of the South society, living in the north part of the town, should be allowed and recommended by the South Church to join the North society. This was, indeed, a delicate matter to handle. Fearing that such a meeting of the two churches for such a purpose would tend to lessen friendly feelings which had been enjoyed already, the influential members of the South Church, with the pastor's advice, opposed such a meeting, and it did not take place. This was in the summer of 1810. This rejection produced unpleasant feelings among many of the North society toward the pastor of the South Church, charging him with too much influence on the minds of his people and church. In the summer of 1811, proposals were made by the North society, in a meeting for a union of the town in one society, and for the accomplishment of which the two ministers would be necessarily dismissed.
The South society met on this subject, and about or nearly one half of the voters approved, in general terms, this project. But as it excited much agitation, and was strongly opposed by some of the most important members of the church and society of the South, the plan was soon given over by those who at first had strongly advocated it. Some time before this, in the spring of 1809, Mr. Hawes proposed to be dismissed on account of his inad- equate support, and the consociation was convened. It should be stated that soon after the connection of Mr. Hawes with his church it was formally united to the North Consociation of the county. At that consociational meeting in North Cornwall, in the spring of 1809, it was not thought proper to dismiss Mr. Hawes, as his people did not wish it, and they made a compromise with him. He did not leave his charge till he was dismissed by a
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special meeting of consociation, convened at Ellsworth for a case of an appeal from Ellsworth Church. Mr. Hawes and his church and society, being united, then requested the separation, and it took place.
The eight years of Mr. Hawes' ministry at North Cornwall was a very great blessing, as will be shown in the following pages, and in the statement of the condition of the South society, to which we are now to advert.
There were several cases of discipline, demanding the immediate attention of the church of South Cornwall, on the commencement of the pastor's duty. The adoption of a sound and sufficiently explicit creed has been brought to view already. Such was the ill health of Mr. Weston that it had been impossible for him to attend to pastoral visits among the families of his flock. This being known, the new pastor was under the necessity of paying special attention to service, and immediately entered upon it. He soon saw the benefit of communicating religious instruction in the family and at the fireside; where a friendly familiarity inspires confidence and friendship. But little did he at first apprehend that, maintaining the advantages resulting from it, required a con- tinuance of such a practice, and at the expense of the time essen- tial to faithful study for the all-important services of the pulpit. Little did he think that to prepare "well beaten oil " for the light of the sanctuary demanded much time. He, indeed, at first intended to be more of a studious minister than many times he was. Cases of discipline were attended to, and with apparent suc- cess, as the delinquents gave satisfaction to the church.
Early in 1806 the church appointed a committee to visit with the pastor the families of the society, and especially members of the church, and to converse on religion, and urge on baptized children their duty. This plan had been recommended by the Association to the churches a few months before. In a few in- stances this course was prosecuted, but not so effectually as the importance of it demanded; still it was not unsuccessful. In the course of the summer of 1806 a revival of religion, almost imper- ceptible, commenced. Here and there in different and various sections of South Cornwall there were cases of religious impres- sions. The excitement was still and solemn; it gradually increased more and more for several months. Youth, the middle aged, and many younger heads of families now felt the infinite importance of salvation. Some had very deep convictions of the truths that
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had been urged before in the pulpit. The entire depravity of man- kind, the spirituality and strictness of the law of God, the neces- sity of renewal of heart and affections by the Holy Spirit, the ina- bility of sinners to come to Christ on account of their alienation from God, and the endless destruction of the finally impenitent sinner, were the doctrines which had been plainly exhibited. Nor was the doctrine of divine sovereignty in the predestination of the elect at all disguised. At this time, when religion was the absorb- ing subject of attention. these doctrines were deeply reflected upon, and had very great influence. For it is not to be forgotten that in connection with the preaching of those truths, the moral agency of sinners and their accountability to God, were strenu- ously maintained. In all the religious conferences, and meetings on the Sabbath, there was solemnity, and nothing like outcries, but not a few tears. Cases of great opposition to certain truths were manifest, when conscience felt the truth, which the heart per- fectly abhorred, which opposition terminated in a peaceful and joyous submission. Some saw that the heart was so opposed to the spirituality of the Divine law, that it was apprehended by them that the Holy Spirit had nothing to do with the production of such a conviction of the truth, but that they were given up to their native wickedness. They could not believe that God's Holy Spirit could have any connection with such hearts as theirs. Some that lived within a few rods of the house of worship, and had scarcely ever attended it, were alarmed at their situation-were enlightened, and became decidedly pious members of the church that they formerly detested. In short, this was a most interesting event to South Cornwall. Before, the youth had been quite lawless; had their midnight balls, and violated the rules of propriety with very little restraint. But now there was a surprising change among the youth. Most of the influential of them turned their course en- tirely, and were sober-minded and truly pious. For twenty years, until about the time the pastor of those youth was dismissed, in 1827, there was scarcely an instance of a midnight dance or party of the youth known in South Cornwall. Then, when their pastor was to be dismissed, parties were again renewed, to the alarm of their more sober parents, who, for their own credit and for the reputation of the society, determined to break up such disorder. More than seventy, most of them youth and younger heads of families, were the subjects of religious hope at that period, and about that number united with the church in a few months. Al-
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
though this revival commenced in South Cornwall, the North society soon shared in this effusion of God's regenerating and sanctifying spirit. The same solemn scenes of religious anxiety for the salvation of the soul were witnessed among the people of Mr. Hawes. The same doctrinal preaching was heard from both of the pulpits, and the confessions of faith of the two churches were essentially the same; and the operations of the divine Spirit, in awakening, convincing, and converting sinners, were similar in both parts of the town. A considerable number of heads of fam- ilies of North Cornwall, and of the most respectable class, became publicly the disciples of the Lord Jesus.
In this season of revival much ministerial labor was demanded; religious meetings and evening conferences were multiplied far more than in a former period. Neighboring pastors and other ministers were not unfrequently here, rendering their benevolent aid, in both of the societies. The venerable fathers of the consociation, the Rev. Messrs. Mills, Starr, Gillett, and that emi- nently pious servant of Christ, Jeremiah Hallock, were here in Cornwall, to bear their witness to the great truths of the gospel. None were here oftener in this precious season, than Messrs. Gil- lett and Hallock. Opposition to this work of God was very little known.
It ought not to be forgotten that previous to the commencement of the solemn scenes in South Cornwall, there had been, within a year or two, religious camp-meetings of the Methodists in adjacent towns. Although those meetings were accompanied with irregu- larities and confusion, yet, no doubt there were in those meetings real conversions to God. And those scenes, in all probability, had their influence in leading some persons who had been entirely thoughtless of their souls, to think seriously on their situation.
Religious conversation was more common in Cornwall. The youth were unusually sober-minded throughout the town. At that time the religious youth in South Cornwall maintained, at stated times, meetings of their own for prayer and familiar conversation on religious subjects.
The plan of uniting the two societies in the summer of 1811, already mentioned, was fraught with danger to the peace of the South church. The fund of the South society was so managed as to give great dissatisfaction to many; it was indeed conducted in a manner that could not bear a legal trial at law. A fund for a
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
society is obviously intended (unless otherwise specified in its con- stitution) to be an equal benefit to each individual. Therefore, if the fund is not sufficient to pay the annual support of the minister, the deficiency must be made good by subscriptions, or by a tax laid on all equally. But some individuals had given for the fund more than their property would have required had there been no fund. Such were resolved not to pay more by a tax over and above their fund subscription. But this was not legal proceeding, and it produced a continual dissatisfaction in South Cornwall. By the proposed union of the two societies, the entire abolition of this fund was intended. But the goodness of Divine Providence interposed by a very great and most interesting revival of religion in the South church and society not long after the project of union, and which commenced in the beginning of October, 1811. This solemn excitement silenced all present agitations of union and of the fund.
The youth had maintained their stated religious meetings, and the church also had not neglected to attend their meetings in a somewhat regular manner. But in the summer of 1811, both the meetings of the youth and of the church had become less regarded. The zeal of christians among us in the midst of the agitations of union of societies and of the fund, was dying away apace. Thomas Ruggles Gold, a most excellent character, and Victorianus Clark, Esq., afterwards a deacon of the church, made efforts to revive the spirit of zeal in the youth's religious meetings. God mani- festly smiled on these efforts. The youth were the first fruits of this revival of 1811 and 1812. Very many of them, and many children, turned to the Saviour. Gradually, and with solemn silence, this interesting state of mind concerning the unseen realities of a future world, increased from October to the succeed- ing spring. The charge of the Rev. Mr. Hawes, in North Corn- wall, shared not a little in these things. One after another of the youth, and several children of the age of twelve and somewhat older, were solicitous to find their Saviour. The Center School of South Cornwall, taught by a young man who had been one of the first to hope in God, was in a very singular situation. Often in the intermission of the school hours, the children would resort to their pastor's house, a few rods distant, to receive his instructions, and to unite in his prayers for them. Deeply interesting were these interviews. To behold a group of children, forsaking their accustomed pastimes, and from the number of six or ten to double
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
of that sum, asking with the utmost simplicity, and with tearful eyes, " What shall we do to be saved," would affect the stern heart of any stoical and proud pharisee that opposed the effusions of the Holy Spirit. Many in that season were most solemnly im- pressed with the belief of the reality of vital religion, who never gave evidence that they knew it experimentally. Yet a very con- siderable number of both societies eventually united themselves with the visible church, whose deportment as christians hon- ored their holy profession. A large accession there was to the church of South Cornwall, not only of youth, but of those of respectable standing in middle life. The two pastors beheld with great delight, a happy change in the religious state of their respective charges.
On a very pleasant Sabbath morning in May, 1812, the minister of the South society had the great satisfaction of beholding from his pulpit about forty seated in the galleries of the house of God, most of them youthful singers, who with two or three exceptions were young converts, and had united with the church, or expected to do it soon. Few pastors had more reason to rejoice than he, in seeing so large a number of the youth of his flock apparently walking in the truth, conducting soberly and amiably as young christians, and honoring the great Saviour by a public profession of faith in Him.
One extraordinary case of conversion in a man of more than eighty-one years of age is demanding peculiar notice. Samuel Abbott, eldest son of the ancient Deacon Abbott, was at his com- mencement of active life amply furnished with patrimonial property, which he entirely lost, by a peculiar providence, not long after he began to take care of himself and family. His loss made him almost a misanthropist. He for a long course of years was scarcely ever seen in the house of worship, though within half a mile of his residence. He indulged strong prejudices against professed christians, and felt and expressed bitter feelings to the minister of South Cornwall. In the summer of 1811 he was sick, and apparently near death. He was often visited by his minister in his sickness, and was solemnly and yet tenderly urged to repentance, being told that he was a ruined sinner. But the agonizing sufferer felt himself insulted, and indignantly turned a deaf ear. When requested by his wife, who was a professor of religion, to ask Mr. S. to pray for him, he sullenly assented to the request, turning on his side, intending to hear nothing. He com-
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plained of the minister as wishing to torment him in his distress, and even declared that he believed that the Almighty loved to tor- ment him in his distresses. He indeed seemed like a wild bull tossing in a net which he could not break. Contrary to all expec- tations, he recovered to his former activity. The revival came, he knew nothing of it, as he was quite a deaf man, and none wished to speak to him of a subject that would provoke his wrathful feelings. Thus this aged man appeared to be given up to repro- bation and final impenitence; and as such was he regarded by him who gives this narative, and so he wrote of him in his private writings of that time.
When the cold season had commenced, and the anxiety of many youths concerning their salvation was increasing, this old man became unhappy, and silent, sullen, and unpleasant in temper; often he retired to the woods, continuing there alone. When his wife, noticing his singular conduct, inquired of him what affected him, his answers were cross and evasive. She, suspicious that he was under serious impressions about his soul, asked him whether it was not so, he indignantly denied it. Repeatedly it was so when the wife thus inquired of him. His pride and the force of truth and conscience made him miserable.
For many days, in which he would hide himself in the woods among the rocks, and seated on the stumps would he bemoan his woeful situation. At length his agony of soul was too much to be concealed, and soon his state of mind was entirely altered.
It was reported to his minister that Samuel Abbott was under deep conviction, and was even converted. This astonishing report soon brought the minister to his little, cold habitation, who in his way thither, took with him a judicious christian brother of the church, to ascertain what was truth relating to this marvelous story.
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