History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 50

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317

USA > Connecticut > New London County > History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 50

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The Right Rev. Father in God, SAMUEL SEABURY, D.D., First Bishop of Connecticut, And of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States; Consecrated at Aberdeen, Scotland, Nov. 14, 1784 ; Died Feb. 25, 1796; aged 67. The Diocese of Connecticut recorded here its grateful memory of his virtues and services, A.D. 1849.

And on a brass plate inserted in its upper surface this inscription :

Sub pavimento altaris

Ut in loco quietis ultimo usque ad magni diei judicium Exuviae mortales praesulis adinodum reverendi nunc restant, SAMUELIS SEABURY, S.T.D. Oxon., Qui primus in rempublicam novi orbis Anglo Americanam successionem apostolicam,

E. Scotia transtulit XVIII. Kal. Dec. A.D. CIDIOCCLXXXIV. Diocesis sua laborum et angustiarum tam chari capitis nunquam oblita in ecclesia nova S. Jacobi majoris Neo Londinensi olim seda sua hoc monumentum nunc demum longo post tempore honoris causa anno salut. nost. CIOIgCCCXLIX ponere curavit.

Of which the following is a translation :

Under the pavement of the altar, as in the final place of rest until the judgment of the great day, now repose the mortal remains of the Right Rev. Prelate, Samuel Seabury, D.D., Oxon., who first brought from Scot- land into the Anglo-American Republic of the New World the Apostolic succession, Nov. 27, 1784. His diocese, never forgetful of the labors and trials of so dear a person, in the new church of St. James the Greater, of New London, formerly bis See, now at last, after so long a time, bave taken care to place this monument to his honor, in the year of our sal- vation 1849.

He, perhaps as much as any one, some would say more, has left his impress on the service and offices of the American church. His was the distinguished honor of bringing the episcopate into the New World, and planting on the shores of this Western Conti- nent a genuine branch of that apostolic tree whose "leaves are for the healing of the nations," and whose spreading boughs have now stretched from sea to sea. He was to a large extent the conservative element in the church in his day, useful to restrain the impetu- osity of some and stiffen the flexibility of others, and so keep the church from drifting away from those an- cient landmarks which the fathers had wisely set. Yet, while he was a firm man, he was not an obsti- nate man. While he could frankly and earnestly ad- here to his settled convictions, and hold unflinchingly to them in all matters of essential truth, he knew how to yield gracefully when his views were overborne, and not waste his time in whimpering over losses, and wound himself and the church by ineffectual resist- ance and defiance. Such a man deserves respect from all, whether they sympathize with his opinions or dissent from them. Bishop White, than whom it would be difficult to find a man wider from him in constitution of mind and habits of thought, bears tes- timony of the most honorable sort to his worth when he says, in his "Memoirs of the Protestant Episcopal Church," "To this day there are recollected with sat- isfaction the hours which were spent with Bishop Seabury on the important subjects which came before us, and especially the Christian temper which he manifested all along." Yet this great and good man it has been the habit, in some quarters,-alas that it should be in our own household of faith !- to decry and ridicule, to make the butt of obloquy and detrac- tion, to represent as a weak and vain man, vaporing

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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

with the conceit of his dignity, aping English state, strutting in the paraphernalia of office, holding with a blind and unreasoning tenacity to obsolete tradi- tions, and imposing his own personal convictions on men with a narrow and bigoted imperiousness. It was the fortune of the writer to be born and grow up among his contemporaries, while his memory was yet fresh in many hearts. Not one of these imputations was ever heard among those who knew him best. True, he sometimes wore a mitre, and wrote himself "Samuel Connecticut ;" but in the latter particular he did but conform to the ordinary usage, and the mitre he did not use at first, nor did he bring one with him when he came home after his consecration; but when he found many of the non-Episcopal ministers about him were disposed to adopt the title of bishop, in derision of his claims, he adopted a mitre as a badge of office which they would hardly be disposed to imitate. The mitre worn by the bishop is still preserved in the library of Trinity College. This mitre is a bifurcated cap of black satin, displaying on its front a metallic cross.

He was at home, among his parishioners and fel- low-citizens, a man of simple, quiet, unpretending ways, performing the humble duties of a parish min- ister with exemplary assiduity and faithfulness, social and affable, sometimes witty and jocose, benevolent and charitable, always ready to use the medical skill which he had acquired in early life gratuitously for the benefit of the poor and needy, doing good with his narrow income to the utmost extent of his ability, so that when he died he had "a tune of orphans' tears wept over him," sweetest and most honorable re- quiem that can attend the bier of any man. Yet he possessed a native dignity of appearance and manner that constrained universal respect and repressed every attempt at undue or flippant familiarity. He was always the minister of God, and, as a Congrega- tional gentleman once said to me, every whit a bishop. An honest, brave, fearless, conscientious man was the first Bishop of Connecticut.

The remains of Bishop Seabury, at the time of his death, were interred in the public burying-ground. It seemed a proper thing, especially as he had been rector of the parish as well as bishop of the diocese, that they should now, upon the erection of the church building, be transferred to the church and a suitable monument to his memory be placed over them. The idea found favor, both in the parish and in the dio- cese at large. The convention of the diocese, held June 8, 1847, passed the following vote: "That a committee of three be appointed to collect, through private donations, a sum sufficient for the erection of a monument of suitable stability and beauty to the memory of the first bishop of this diocese, to be placed, with the consent of the vestry, within the walls of the new church of his former parish, St. James', New London. "

The Rev. Wmn. F. Morgan, the Rev. Wm. Jarvis, and

Richard Adams, Esq., were appointed as this commit- tee. The following persons-the Rev. Dr. Jarvis, the Rev. Dr. Hallam, the Rev. A. C. Coxe, the Rev. Dr. Burgess, and the Rev. Dr. Mead-were appointed a committee to carry the design into effect. The parish, on its part, though heavily taxed for the erection of the church, met the call handsomely and liberally. The work of preparing a design of the monument and attending to its execution was intrusted to Mr. Up- john. In the summer of 1849 the church was so far advanced as to be ready to receive the monument, which was be built into the eastern wall of the chancel, and on the 12th day of September the ceremony of removing the bishop's remains and placing them in their final resting-place was per- formed with appropriate solemnities. The minute made at the time in the register-book of the parish is here subjoined :

"The remains of Bp. Seabury were removed from the Second Burying" ground and deposited beneath the chancel of the new church, in a grave lined with brick and covered with flagging-stones, directly under the monument in the church and before the north window on the east side of the chapel, below the floor. His bones were found perfect, but no part of the coffin, except a portion of the lid, surrounded by brass nails in the form of a heart, containing within it, in brass nails also, these letters and figures :

S. S. Æ. 67. 1796.

"The remains were placed in a new coffin, which was borne from the ground to the church, on a bier covered with a pall, by the Rev. Messrs. J. Williams, D.D., A. C. Coxe, T. H. Vail, H. F. Roberts, T. C. Pitkin, J. M. Willey, C. E. Bennett, and E. O. Flagg. The rector, attended by the Rev. Dr. Jarvis, met the remains at the church. The rector read the first two sentences of the burial service and Dr. Jarvis the anthem, the persons present responding. The rector read, for the lesson, Wisdom, fifth chapter to the seventeenth verse. Dr. Jarvis pronounced the sen- tence, 'Blessed are the dead,' etc., and the rector read the last prayer but one in the burial service, the prayer for all persons in the ' Visitation of the Sick,' the collect for ' All Saints,' the Lord's Prayer, and the Apos_ tolic Benediction. The coffin was then lowered into the grave, after which the psalm ' Deus Exurgat' and the Nicene Creed were repeated, led by the rector, and Dr. Jarvis said the closing benediction. The place of deposit was a brick grave underneath the floor, covered by heavy flag- stones carefully mortared together. There may they rest, in the lan- gnage of Dr. Jarvis' epitaph in the chancel, ' Ut in loco quietis ultimo usque ad magni diei judicium.' "

Methodist Episcopal Church .- Methodism was introduced into New London in 1789, by Rev. Jesse Lee. On the 2d of September of that year he preached in the court-house, twenty-three years after the first Methodist sermon was preached in New York by Philip Embury. Mr. Lee continued to visit the city for about three years. New London first appears on the minutes of the Conference for 1793, when George Roberts, Richard Swain, and F. Aldrich were the preachers and the circuit called New London circuit.

The Methodist Church was organized in New Lon- don, at the house of Mr. Richard Douglass, Oct. 23, 1793, with eleven persons, but soon after, within a few months, at the close of the Conference year, consisted of the following persons: Richard Douglass, Ann Douglass, Nancy Douglass, Peter Griffing, Gennett Hall, Annah Moore, Sally Lewis, Mary Lewis, Jones Rogers, George Potter, Elizabeth Potter, Ann Smith,

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Mercy Smith, Freelove Miller, Luther Gale, Susannah Stockman, Abigail Potter, Epaphras Kibby, Jemima Perry, Nabby Bleckly, P. Champlain, Ruth Crocker, Josiah Bolles, Hannah Brown, Henry Harris, and Sarah Clark.

The following is a list of pastors from the organiza- tion of the church to the present time : George Rob- erts, Richard Swain, F. Aldrich, Wilson Lee; David Abbott, Zadoc Priest, Enoch Mudge, A. G. Thompson, Lawrence McCombs, Nathaniel Chapin, Timothy Meritt, S. Bostwick, John Nichols, N. Chapin, Shubal Lamb, Abner Wood, David Brumley, Alex. McLean, Peter Vannest, Phineas Peck, James Annis, Michael Coate, Aaron Hunt, John Nichols, William Pickett, Benjamin Hill, Nathan Emory, Thomas Branch, E. Washburn, G. R. Norris, Daniel Perry, Theo. Smith, Isaac Bonney, E. Streeter, John Lindsay, Joel Winch, E. Marble, A. Stebbins, Jon. Chaney, Benjamin Sabin, J. Lewis, W. Bannister, Robert Bowser, Joel Steele, William Nichols, Francis Dane, V. R. Osborn, Nathan Paine, E. Blake, Daniel Dorchester, J. W. McKee. In 1818 New London became a station, and the fol- lowing is a list of the pastors from that time to 1824: Asa Kent, 1818-19; Elijah Hedding (afterwards bishop), 1820; V. R. Osborn, 1821; Thomas W. Tucker, 1822-23. In 1824 the society, having become reduced in numbers and financial strength, was again united with a circuit under the pastorate of Daniel Dorchester, G. W. Fairbank, and J. W. Case.

It was again made a station in 1825, with Isaac Stoddard as pastor; N. S. Spaulding, 1826; Le Roy Sunderland, 1827. In 1828 the church was again connected with the circuit, and Amasa Taylor and George Sutherland were the preachers ; Reuben Ran- son, L. B. Griffing, 1829; Reuben Ranson, C. D. Ro- gers, 1830.

In 1831 the society was again made a station, with James Porter pastor, who remained two years; Eben- ezer Blake, 1833-34; S. B. Haskell, 1835-36; Daniel Webb, 1837; A. Halloway, 1838; John Lovejoy, 1839-40; R. W. Allen, 1841-42; Sanford Benton, 1843-44; John Howson, 1845-46; M. P. Alderman, 1847-48; G. M. Carpenter, 1849-50; Samuel Fox, 1851; Thomas Ely, 1852-53; M. P. Alderman, 1854- 55; John B. Gould, 1856-57; John D. King, 1858- 59; Paul Townsend, 1860-61; V. A. Cooper, 1862- 63; F. J. Wagner, 1864-65; William J. Robinson, 1866-67; John D. Butler, 1868-69; Charles S. Ma- cready, 1870-71; A. W. Page, 1872-73; John Gray, 1874-76 ; George W. Anderson, 1877-79; H. D. Rob- inson, 1880-81.

The first church edifice was erected in 1798, and dedicated the same year, Bishop Asbury preaching. This house was occupied until 1818, when a new building was erected. Discussions subsequently arose in the church, and in 1840 a number withdrew and organized a new body. This body, after holding ser- vices in the conference-room of the Congregational church and court-house, in 1842 erected a church edi-

fice on Washington Street, which was subsequently sold for a piano-factory. The Federal Street church edifice was erected in 1855, and dedicated in 1856.

There is also a Bethel Church, organized under its present name in 1851, but we have been unable to secure further data for its history.

First Baptist Church .- The Baptists of New Lon- don for some years were members of the First Bap- tist Church in Waterford, and nothing like an organ- ization is known to have existed until after the great revival in 1794, when the Waterford Church was dis- tricted, New London proper constituting one district, and the Harbor's Mouth another.

Immediately after this revival, and probably on account of it, the Waterford Church was divided into four divisions, as follows: Niantic, New London, Great Neck, and Harbor's Mouth. Each division had its own leader, but all were under the pastoral care of him who for fifty-two years was the efficient and revered pastor of that church, the Rev. Zadock Darrow, who died at the advanced age of ninety-nine years, and who was the grandfather of the Rev. Francis Darrow, of precious memory.

Thus, besides prayer-meetings, preaching services were held in New London by Baptists in the court- house, and in other places as they could be obtained, and as preachers could be secured, from the year 1794.

In 1802, or two years before the formal organiza- tion of this church, arrangements were made by the Waterford Church, in accordance with which com- munion services were to be held in New London every two months; and about this time arrange- ments were made by the brethren in New London for the Rev. Samuel West, who was then an assistant of the aged and infirm pastor, Zadock Darrow, to preach and administer the ordinances for them part of the time, the church at large engaging him for the rest of his time.

During these years it was agreed between the church at Waterford and the branch here in the city that at each communion service held in Waterford at least two brethren from the city should be present to represent the members here, and, after the same man- ner, that at least two brethren from Waterford should be in attendance at communion services held here, to represent that part of the church. Thus by sending representatives from one part of the church to meet- ings held by the other part they sought to co-operate with each other, and to maintain Christian fellow- ship and a thorough acquaintance between all. At the same time it was mutually agreed that if any members living in New London should prefer to at- tend services at Waterford, or if any living in Water- ford should prefer to attend in this city, they should have full liberty so to do.

On the 11th of February, 1804, "the brethren and sisters of the Baptist denomination in the city of New London accepted and subscribed" to the "covenant

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HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

articles and principles" which are still used by the church. The meeting for the organization of the church was held in the house of Mr. Samuel Coit, whose name is attached to the letter just read.

The body was fellowshiped as a church of Christ by a Council which convened in the Baptist meeting- house in Waterford, Feb. 22, 1804. About fifty brethren and sisters were dismissed from the Water- ford Church, and they, with a few others from other Baptist Churches, united to form "The First Baptist Church of New London." Rev. Samuel West, who had been preaching for them part of the time for two years previous, was chosen as the first pastor, at a meeting of the church held April 9, 1804. At the same meeting, as the record states, " it was agreed to receive Henry Harris as a deacon of this church." John Lewis and Noah Mason were also appointed " on trial in the office of deacon," but no record is found of their ever having been ordained or fully recognized as deacons. Jan. 25, 1809, Jonathan Sizer was ordained deacon, and he, with Henry Harris, seem to have been the first deacons.

In October, 1804, the church applied for member- ship in the Stonington Union Association, and was received, and remained a member of that body till 1817, when the New London Association was formed and it withdrew to unite with it. Up to this time their preaching and communion services seem to have been held in the court-house, and their meetings for prayer and conference in private houses ; but in the spring of 1805 preparations were made for the erection of a house of worship. This was to them an under- taking of no little magnitude.

In the first place, they were few in number. Be- sides this, they were poor in the goods of this world, however'rich they may have been in faith. But these were by no means the greatest difficulties to be en- countered and overcome by them. The chief obstacle in their way was the intense and persistent opposi- tion, and, I may say, the bitter persecution, of what was then the ruling order.1 Such was this bitterness of feeling against Baptists and against Baptist princi- ples that it was impossible for the newly-organized church to purchase land anywhere in the city on which to erect a meeting-house. It was determined that they should not have an inch of ground on which to rest their feet. As a last resort, one of the brethren, John Lewis by name, acting in a private and indi- vidual capacity, and without making known his in- tentions, purchased that piece of property now famil- iarly known as "the Baptist Rocks," and after he had secured the deed then deeded it over to one whom the church had appointed to receive it. Thus in a roundabout way the church secured a solid rock foundation.

The first baptisms into the fellowship of the church of which we find any record occurred on the 6th of

July, 1806, when seven persons, one brother and six sisters, were thus received.

The first decade in the history of the church had now passed, the Rev. Samuel West having served the church during these years faithfully, efficiently, and to the entire satisfaction of the members. During this time the church had been worshiping in the meeting-house " on the rocks," " which was still in an unfinished state, the beams and rafters left naked, and with loose, rough planks for seats." In 1807 the church petitioned the Legislature for permission to hold a lottery for the purpose of raising funds to aid in completing their house of worship, the pastor being requested to attend and present the petition in person. The petition was never granted.

The pastors from Mr. West to the present time have been as follows: Nehemiah Dodge, Ebenezer Loomis, Henry Wightman, Daniel Wildman, Chester Tilden, Alvin Ackley, Nathan Wildman, C. C. Wil- liams, H. R. Knapp, Jabez Swan, William Reid, J. R. Baumes, J. C. Wightman, J. E. Ball, A. B. Burdick,2 N. P. Foster, Byron A. Woods.

In 1839 the " house on the rocks" had become too small to accommodate the congregation, and what were afterwards known as " the wings" were then put on, other and important improvements being made.

Early in 1854 preparations were begun for the building of a new house of worship. In March, 1856, this building was completed and dedicated, at a total cost of twenty-five thousand dollars. Sermons were delivered on the day of dedication by Rev. Drs. Ives and Turnbull.

In the spring of 1875 this house of worship was repaired and refurnished at an expense of three thou- sand dollars, that amount being raised by subscription and paid when the work was done.

The church has had fourteen deacons, viz. : Henry Harris, Jonathan Sizer, Thomas West, Ira R. Steward, W. A. Weaver, Richard Harris, Clark Daniels, W. P. Benjamin, D. Latham, J. Congdon, P. C. Turner, W. P. Benjamin, D. W. Harris, G. A. Lester, and C. A. Weaver.

Second Baptist Church .- For a considerable period previous to December, 1840, efforts were in contemplation for forming a second Baptist Church in New London. In the success of Baptist principles, the house of worship of the First Baptist Church be- came too strait for an increasing congregation ; and although subsequently enlarged, it did not remove the convictions of those who believed that the general cause of religion in the city would be promoted by the erection of another house and the establishment of another Baptist Church.

About the 1st of April, 1840, several brethren, to- gether with other individuals in the city of Baptist sentiments, commenced a separate meeting in the court-house, and engaged the services of C. C. Wil-

1 Rev. HI. A. Woods, in his historical address, June 29, 1879.

2 Supply.

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NEW LONDON.

liams, formerly pastor of the First Church. Imme- diately active measures were taken to secure a lot and erect a second Baptist meeting-house, with the expectation of the formation of a second Baptist Church. A contract for this object was signed June 10, 1840, by Jonathan Smith, William Champlin, John Carroll, Jr., George W. Wheeler, L. H. Tracy, and Charles and Joseph Bishop. The house was com- pleted in December of the same year. The early struggles to obtain letters for the purpose of forming the church we would willingly pass over, but a brief outline is necessary to show the origin of the church.

After all attempts had failed of obtaining letters of dismission from the First Church, for the purpose of forming a second interest, and Mr. Williams and six of the movers of the enterprise had been excluded for the part they had taken in the establishment of a separate meeting, and when a petition of thirty mem- bers in good standing in the First Church for the same object had also been rejected, the friends inter- ested called a Council to investigate the whole mat- ter, which, after a prayerful and laborious session and examination, advised the organization of the church. The thirty members then of the First Church consti- tuted themselves into the "Second Baptist Church of New London," and, agreeably to advice of the same Council, immediately received five brethren and sis- ters having letters from the First Baptist Church of Waterford, and C. C. Williams and the six brethren who had been excluded with him previously from the First Church. The Council still remaining in session, the church was then publicly recognized, Dec. 31, 1840. C. C. Williams became the first pastor. A protracted scene of trial followed the organization. The difficulties with the First Church, growing in part out of the reception of excluded members of that body, which unfortunately continued for a consider- able period, were subsequently removed and adjusted during the pastorship of Lemuel Covell, through the voluntary, kind, and affectionate labors of Elders Bolles, of Colchester, and John Peck, of the State of New York. Harmony was restored, which has con- tinued unbroken to this day.

C. C. Williams resigned his charge of the church Sept. 13, 1841, and Elder A. Bolles, of Colchester, was engaged as a supply till a pastor should be obtained. Jan. 5, 1842, the church gave Lemuel Covell a call. Mr. Covell signified his acceptance of the call, Feb. 28, 1842, and entered upon his pastoral duties in April of the same year. Mr. Covell resigned his charge Dec. 28, 1843, and removed to New York in January, 1844. John Blain succeeded Mr. Covell in the pastorate, and continued till the spring of 1845, having resigned January 6th of the same year. March 10, 1845, the church invited L. G. Leonard, of Thomp- son, to become their pastor, who accepted, and com- menced his pastoral labors the 1st of May of the same year. Mr. Leonard continued his useful labors with the church till November, 1848, when he resigned.

Edwin R. Warren, of Albany, N. Y., succeeded Mr. Leonard in the pastorate. He accepted the invi- tation, and subsequently the call of the church to become their pastor, and entered upon its duties the 1st of January, 1849.

The following is a list of pastors from Mr. Warren to the present time : Revs. O. T. Walker, 1853-59; J. S. Swan, 1859-61; U. B. Guiscard, 1861-62; from 1862 to 1866, supplies, no pastor ; Revs. S. B. Bailey, 1866-67; J. C. Foster, 1867-68; W. W. Case, 1868-69; E. K. Fuller, 1869-70 ; J. P. Brown, 1871-77 ; Latham Fitch, 1877 to present time.

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History of New London county, Connecticut : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 50

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1317

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1317