USA > Connecticut > New London County > History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 180
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Some doubtless sincerely believed that in leaving the church they were bearing their testimony to the religion of Jesus Christ. Some honestly believed that the pastor, in attempting to prevent confusion, and to discriminate between true piety and the mere excite- ment of natural feeling, was taking part with the enemies of the revival. The Separate brethren adopted their " Articles of Faith and Church Covenant" Sept. 11, 1746.
Soon after the new church was organized the old church "voted to call" their Separate brethren, and all who had (in a stated way) absented themselves from public worship and communion with them, "to give a reason of their conduct at the next church- meeting." In compliance with their " call" several of them appeared at the next meeting, and at subse- quent meetings, and gave their reasons, which were judged by the church to be insufficient. "The rea- sons" of each individual, and the judgment of the church thereupon, with such passages of Scripture as, in their views, supported their judgment, were placed upon the records of the church. An invitation was then sent to those who had given their reasons for separation to meet the church at a given time and hear their judgment in the case. But they declined coming, nor could they be prevailed on by the most earnest expostulation and entreaty to return to their former communion. For several years afterwards their case was before the church, and was finally dropped, as the members were unable to agree upon a proper course of discipline. After the separation the church gradually declined. From the latter part of 1743 to the death of their pastor in 1781, a period of almost thirty-eight years, only seventeen were added on the profession of their faith. Mr. Fish died May 22, 1781, in the seventy-sixth year of his age, having had the pastoral care of the church forty- eight years and five months. During his ministry there were added to the church one hundred and ninety by profession of their faith, thirty-six by letters from other churches, and one hundred and twenty- nine on the half-way covenant. He baptized six hun- dred and six children, and officiated at three hundred and sixty-three marriages.
Mr. Fish was a graduate of Harvard University. He possessed a clear, discriminating mind, and was a logical reasoner. He was an excellent preacher, an affectionate and faithful pastor, but his Master as- signed him a difficult part in times of trouble. He acted well his part. Repeatedly was he called to other inviting fields of labor; but although a large
part of his own church and congregation had left him, and he had to contend with various difficulties, yet, as his little flock seemed unwilling to give him up, he did not forsake them. His ministry subse- qnent to the first ten years might appear, upon a superficial view, to be comparatively fruitless. Dur- ing ten years after the separation but a single mem- ber was added to the church by profession, yet his labors during this period may be found in the " great day" to have contributed more to the perfecting of "God's building" than during the preceding ten years, which were crowned with such visible success.
For thirty-six years after the death of Mr. Fish the church was destitute of a pastor, and even of stated preaching. At each annual meeting of the society a committee was appointed to supply the pulpit. This duty they performed so far as they were enabled by the society's fund, which at that time was small. From May, 1783, Mr. Barnabas Lathrop preached nearly two years. After that time there was but little preaching till the summer of 1790, when Mr. Asahel Hooker preached nearly four months. Through the summer of 1791, and occasionally for two or three years afterwards, Mr. Reuben Moss supplied the pul- pit. At this time the church was in a very low state, virtually almost extinct. In August the surviving members and other serious persons held a meeting to consider the state of the church. Fifteen persons ex- pressed a desire that it should be built up again. Of these only six were professors, but the others de- sired to become members. It was thought best to begin anew. August 11th was set apart as a day of fasting and prayer. A solemn meeting was held, at which the Rev. Messrs. Levi Hart, L. Tyler, and H. N. Woodruff, pastors of neighboring churches, were present, and assisted in the exercises. Also licen- tiates Messrs. Moss, Smith, and Newell. Sabbath, the 28th of August, was a memorable day.
The six members of the church, two more who brought letters from the South Church, and ten who had never before made a public profession of religion, eighteen in all, presented themselves before a large congregation, and gave their public assent to a confes- sion of faith and covenant which had been previ- ously adopted. The Rev. Levi Hart officiated, and administered the Lord's Supper to the newly-organized church. At the close of the services fourteen children were dedicated to God in baptism.
About this time a committee was appointed to wait. on Mr. Moss and ascertain whether he would be in- clined to listen to a call for settlement, but he appears to have given them no encouragement. For several months during the years 1798-99 the pulpit was sup- plied by the Rev. Ebenezer Lazell. In the summer of 1800, Mr. Ephraim T. Woodruff preached several Sabbaths. During the summer of 1802-3 the Rev. Micaiah Porter preached a considerable part of the time; in 1804, Mr. John G. Dorrance three months ; in 1805, Mr. Daniel Farrington four months; in 1809,
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the Rev. Ira Hart about four months; in 1811, Rev. Henry Sherman three months. The Rev. Amos Bing- ham preached during the summer of 1814, and was invited by the church and society to settle, but he declined.
From 1806 to 1822 the following persons preached from one to ten Sabbaths each, viz .: Messrs. Luke Wood, James Davis, Clark Brown, Oliver P. Ser- geant, Walter King, Asahel Nettleton, David A. Sherman, Gordon Johnson, Nathan Waldo, Heze- kiah N. Woodruff, John Hendrick, Seth Chapin, George A. Woodbridge, Joseph Hurlbut, and Charles F. Butler. During the same time, also, the pulpit was not unfrequently supplied by the pastors of neighbor- ing churches.
We must now return and take a hasty view of the other branch of the church.
I have already stated that the Separate brethren adopted their articles of faith and covenant, Sept. 11, 1746. They met November 27th, and chose Mat- thew Smith for their pastor. They also chose two elders and two deacons. There were at that time thirty-one members,-twelve males and nineteen fe- males. Mr. Smith was ordained on the 10th of De- cember. On the 3d of August, 1749, he was excom- municated from the church. Their next pastor was Mr. Oliver Prentice, who had been one of their elders. He was ordained May 22, 1753, and died Oct. 18, 1755, in the third year of his ministry. The next minister was Rev. Nathan Avery, who was ordained April 25, 1759, and died Sept. 7, 1780, in the sixty-sixth year of his age and twenty-second of his ministry. The church was then without a pastor more than six years. Their next minister was Elder Christopher Avery, who had recently been received by letter from Elder Park Allyn's church in North Groton. He was or- dained Nov. 29, 1786, and died July 5, 1819, in the thirty-third year of his ministry. The Strict Congre- gational Church had four pastors, and from its for- mation to the death of Elder Christopher Avery, a period of nearly seventy-three years, it was without a pastor in all about fourteen years and six months.
I have no means of ascertaining how many were added to the church during the ministry of the suc- cessive pastors.
It received, however, frequent additions. In 1754 it had forty-three members. Fifty years afterwards (1804) the number had increased to seventy-five.
It contained a great amount of warm-hearted piety, and was therefore prosperous. Many of its members were eminently praying people. So far as I can learn, it was in a good degree flourishing until it was reunited with the other church.
The house in which it worshiped stood more than a mile west of the village. It was probably built not long after the formation of the church, though I am unable to ascertain in what year.
To the eye of Omniscience it appeared best that the church should be separated. Thus could the mem-
bers, too diverse in sentiment to walk together in harmony, serve their Master more in accordance with their own views. Thus could the working of their distinctive principles be more clearly seen, and truth and error be better distinguished.
Such, too, was the character of the community that more would taste the waters of salvation if they flowed in separate channels.
Considering the times and the character of the people, each branch of the church was important. If the one was useful in defending the purity of the gospel, and in preserving the principles of gospel order, the other was also useful in exhibiting its life- giving power. If the one held to the necessity of a learned and evangelical ministry, the other main- tained that it should be a ministry that would reach the hearts of the people.
The object of the separation was nearly accom- plished. Years before, Edwards had applied his dis- criminating logic to the "Half-way Covenant," and it had fallen into disuse. Evidence of a renewed heart was now admitted on all sides to be a requisite quali- fication for admission to the church, and especially to the sacred office. With the strict Congregationalists the duty of maintaining the order of the gospel, and of contributing for the support of the ministry, was more insisted on than formerly. The two churches had become greatly assimilated in doctrines and practice. Old prejudice was in a good degree for- gotten. Each church invited the members of the other to occasional communion. God was preparing the way for a reunion.
The two churches were next to have a house of worship in common. Each of the old meeting-houses having become unfit for use, a subscription was opened for the building of a new one. This was erected in 1817, and was to be equally enjoyed by both societies. By the terms of subscription it was provided that the pastor of the Strict Congregational Church, Elder Christopher Avery, should have the privilege of preaching in the new house during his life, and that afterwards, when both societies had preachers, they should occupy it alternately, and that when one was destitute the other might occupy it the whole time.
In 1824, the Rev. Joseph Ayer commenced preach- ing here by invitation from both churches. He was ordained June 29, 1825. The way was now prepared for a reunion of the churches. They worshiped in the same house, they enjoyed the labors of the same minister,-why should they not become one? With great harmony they were united March 15, 1827. At this time the church, thus united, consisted of more than sixty members. Mr. Ayer was not installed pastor, but performed pastoral duties until the latter part of March, 1837, when his labors in this place terminated. He appears to have been raised up to perform a special and important office in "God's hus- bandry."
Under his ministrations the fragments of this
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.
church, so long dissevered, were brought together again, and the church, one and entire, took its place in regular standing among the churches of our order. During the ten years of Mr. Ayer's ministry subse- quent to the union of the churches there were added to the church, by profession and by letter, upwards of eighty members.
In April, 1837, the church and society gave a call to the Rev. Peter II. Shaw to become their pastor. He accepted it, and was installed on the 24th of May following. Feb. 5, 1839, his pastoral relation to the church was dissolved.
The Rev. Philo Judson succeeded Mr. Shaw, and preached here as stated supply until the close of 1844, more than five years.
In 1842 several were added to the church.
During the summer of 1845 the pulpit was supplied by the Rev. William Case.
The Rev. Myron N. Morris commenced preaching in January, 1846, and was ordained on the 15th of the following April.
At that time the church consisted of eighty-three resident and thirty-four non-resident members.
Mr. Morris labored most successfully with the church and society. For several years since his de- parture the church has been fortunate in their pas- toral relations, especially in the present pastor, Mr. J. W. Savage, whose labors thus far have been most acceptable, promising the best results. The church has a membership of ninety-nine, and a flourishing Sunday-school of great promise.
First Baptist Church of North Stonington .- This church was organized in 1743, and was the out- come of the " Great Awakening," which commenced under the searching preaching of Dr. Edwards, and like a wave of light spread over New England in 1741-42-43. Whitefield and Davenport were the most important actors in the drama. Their labors were incessant and were crowned with abundant success. Mr. Wait Palmer, one of the members of the church, became their first pastor, and was set apart to that work. But of the names and numbers of its original members, and of the churches and ministers who composed the council of recognition, we have from the records no information. Nor is it certain that Mr. Palmer was ever ordained in the usual order of councils. It is more probable that he was set apart to his work by the members of the church, by laying on of hands by his brethren. This at first was the plan of ordination adopted by the Separatist churches, who came into existence during the "Great Awaken- ing."
Unfortunately, the records of this church are lost from its organization to 1762, and little can be known save what can be gleaned from tradition and collateral history. Mr. Palmer was an intelligent, sagacious business man, and acquired a handsome property for his time.
He was excluded from the church after nearly
twenty years' service. The charges against him were as follows : first, that he was actuated by a hireling spirit in demanding a stated salary for his ministe- rial services; and, second, that he professed to have an internal dismission from the church, and in virtue thereof pronounced the church dissolved. There is no evidence extant to show that he did not sustain a good moral character. That he might have cher- ished delusions and labored under mistaken impres- sions, like a good many of the leading men of his time, is not unlikely. But to be arraigned for asking to know how much he should receive for his services, and then to be tried and convicted by his brethren and excluded from their fellowship, must have been a severe ordeal. But it was in accordance with the ideas of the reformers of his day, whose theory was that salvation was free, and that God inspired the men he called to preach. He gave them thoughts, ideas, and words, and he who wanted a stated salary was a hypocrite, a hireling, an unconverted man. Over all these things let the mantle of charity be thrown, and let men and institutions be weighed and judged by their labors, for it is by their present works that you shall know them. In the early part of Mr. Palmer's ministry he traveled somewhat extensively, penetra- ting the adjoining towns and counties, preaching the gospel wherever God in his providence opened the way for him. No record is kept of the number of members received under his ministry. Mr. Palmer was succeeded in his ministry by Mr. Eleazer Brown, who entered upon his ministry under discouraging circumstances. The removal of Mr. Palmer from the ministry of the church had embittered his friends and weakened the bond of union among the members. The church was in a scattered, languishing condi- tion, yet his call to the pastorate seems to have been unanimous, and productive of great good. Mr. Brown was not of the Davenport style, but a sound, able, and effective speaker, and it required all the power that he possessed to arrest the blacksliding from the standard of the great awakening, which was everywhere succeeded by the most lamentable reli- gious declension ; however, he kept good the mem- bership of his church. In 1784 the church num- bered ninety-seven, and kept steadily gaining. In 1792 the church enjoyed a precious revival, in which it received an accession of fifty-two members, making the whole number one hundred and fifty-four.
On the 25th of October, 1792, Peleg Randall was ordained an evangelist, and assisted Mr. Brown in the work of the ministry. Mr. Brown died June 20, 1795. His early educational advantages were limited, but he educated himself as he advanced in his work, which gave real strength to his strong native powers, and he was justly esteemed as among the most emi- nent of the preachers of his day.
He was succeeded by Mr. Randall, whose pastorate was distinguished by no remarkable elevations or de- pressions, but gradually increased from year to year.
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NORTH STONINGTON.
He closed his labors with the church Oct. 8, 1813. He was succeeded by the Rev. Jonathan Miner in 1814, who received a call from the church, and soon after became their pastor. His labors with the church were productive of the happiest results. During the. first month between thirty and forty were admitted to the church by baptism, and within the period of three months fifty-six were baptized. This for the times was an extraordinary accession. The years 1822, 1828, and 1831 were years of revivals in Mr. Miner's ministry.
Down to the present time this old church has been visited by many precious revivals, and many of all ages have been gathered into its sacred folds ; but the unrelenting death-roll, and the migration of so many of its sons and daughters to other fields of labor and usefulness, lessens their numbers and weak- ens the church. But under the pastoral care of the Rev. Daniel F. Chapman, who has been connected with the church for about three years, a happier bond of union is manifest, and more practical religion is developed. A well-arranged parsonage has been built, exhibiting not only an increasing interest in the old church, but a respectful consideration for their worthy pastor and his interesting family. The Sunday-school connected with this church is well organized, and the teachers and scholars are all benefited by the instruc- tion received and imparted. It is in fact as well as in name a nursery of the church.
The Second Baptist Church in North Stonington was organized in 1765, and Deacon Simeon Brown was ordained their pastor in March of that year. He was a native of Stonington and a man of sterling worth, but not a natural pulpit orator. He was greatly be- loved by his parishioners, and gathered about him a church of respectable numbers, who loved and sus- tained him under all the circumstances in which he was placed. Other ordained ministers have been raised up in this church or employed by it, viz. : Asher Miner, Asa Spalding, Jedediah Randall, Foronda Bestor, Amos R. Wells, Levi Meech, John Green, Erastus Denison, Levi Walker, also a number of li- centiates. There has been a good many special sea- sons of refreshing from the Lord enjoyed by this church, mingled with the depressing influence of re- ligious declension. At present they are enjoying the preaching and pastoral care of the Rev. E. P. Mathew- son, who is greatly respected and beloved. The church numbers one hundred and sixty-eight, with a Sunday- school well organized and progressing finely.
The Third Baptist Church in North Stonington was organized on the 25th day of December, 1828. The following extract from their covenant exhibits their motives and feelings : "We whose names are hereunto annexed, feeling an interest for the cause of God, and being located by Providence where we can but seldom have an opportunity of meeting the churches to which we severally belong, feel that it is high time for us to set up a banner for God." An
ecclesiastical council, consisting of Elders William Bentley, J. G. Wightman, W. Palmer, Luther God- dard, B. M. Hill, J. S. Swan, Jonathan Miner, and Asher Miner. But eight individuals were originally recognized as the church, because they only had been purposely dismissed by their respective churches.
Many others who were anxious to be recognized with their brethren united the first opportunity after- wards. As a church their labor was indeed a work of faith, but they were strengthened for the undertaking. Their meetings were held in a school-house, which was frequently too small for them, and they were de- pendent on transient supplies for the ministry of the word. Nevertheless, at the close of the first year of their existence as a church they numbered thirty- seven. In June of 1829 they united with the Sto- nington Union Association, at their anniversary in Plainfield. The following September the church en- gaged the ministrations of Elder Seth Higby for six months; the last four months of his engagement he officiated as pastor of the church at their particular request. From the spring of 1829 they were without the pastoral care of an under-shepherd for five years. During this period the question of life or death was many times difficult to answer. Those were days of darkness and trial, but the great Shepherd of Israel, true to His promise, upheld and sustained them. The church was favored with occasional preaching by Revs. J. H. Baker, R. Mowry, J. White, C. Denison, and others, and a few names were added to the roll of members. Once during this period light seemed to illumine their path. The place of meeting became altogether too small for them, and they were obliged to repair to a neighboring grove, where, in the great temple of God, his word was preached with great power to an attentive and anxious auditory.
Many were quickened into life by the influences of the Holy Spirit, though but few joined the church, as they had no pastor. The neat and commodious house in which they now worship was erected in 1833. Early in 1834 they secured the services of the Rev. Foronda Bestor, in whom the church were greatly united. During his pastorate thirty-eight were added by baptism and forty-seven by letter, most of them being the additions of a single year.
After three years of prosperous labor, Elder Bestor was succeeded by the Rev. Alfred Gates, who re- mained with the church only one year. This year will long be remembered for a large increase of the membership of the church, by the admission of twen- ty-seven converts. In the spring of 1838 the Rev. Pierpont Brocket commenced his pastoral labors with them, and ministered with great acceptance to the church and society until the fall of 1839, when he re- signed the pastorate, and they were again left desti- tute of an under-shepherd, though they were supplied with preaching through the winter by the Rev. Silas Leonard. For the subsequent two years they enjoyed the ministry of the Rev. Thomas Dowling, by whom
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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.
they were strengthened and built up in their faith by the clear and faithful preaching of the important, but too often neglected, doctrines of practical religion. In the summer of 1842 the Rev. B. C. Grafton accepted a call to the pastorate of the church, and entered upon his duties.
This year is also worthy of note for a church act prohibiting the use of all intoxicating liquors as a beverage, and especially for a gracious visitation of the Holy Spirit.
Nearly sixty were received into the fellowship of the church as the blessed fruits of this revival. Mr. Grafton resigned in 1843, and was ably succeeded by the Rev. E. T. Hixcox, a graduate of Hamilton Sem- inary, N. Y., who supplied the pulpit for about four months. By request of the church he was ordained to the work of the ministry, Jan. 18, 1844. Rev. John Blain preached the sermon ; Revs. E. Denison, C. Randall, H. R. Knapp, A. G. Palmer, and S. Wake- field took part in the exercises. Mr. Hixcox's en- gagement was for but one year, and at the expiration of which he removed to Westerly, R. I., when the church and society united in calling the Rev. James R. Stone to the pastorate, with whom the church were greatly edified and blessed. Since Mr. Stone's departure they have had a succession of able and de- voted ministers, who have kept up and increased the membership of the church. A large and interesting Sunday-school is held in connection with the church.
The present clergyman, Rev. J. Eldred Jones, has assumed the pastorate upon the unanimous call of the church, whose labors thus far have been very success- ful.
At a town-meeting legally warned and held at Stonington on the 5th day of April, A.D. 1806, it was voted to divide the town of Stonington into two sep- arate towns, beginning at Mystic River, at the west end of the society line that divides the said town into two societies, thence sontherly and easterly a straight line to Pawcatuck River, where Shunnock River enters said Pawcatuck River.
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