USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut. Volume I, 1600-1760 > Part 53
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The town refusing to confirm the call to Mr. Rowland, or make any provision for his maintenance, matters remained stationary for some months, the church meanwhile enjoying his ministrations and resolute in her determination to settle him as pastor. Confident in the superi- ority of their numbers, and supposing that their rejection of Mr. Row- land was definitely understood and settled, and that as soon as accounts could be arranged with him the town would take steps to introduce another candidate, the Separates grew careless in attending town meetings held about ministerial affairs, especially as many of them were opposed to managing those affairs by civil authority, and thus it came to pass that at the annual town-meeting, December 3, 1747, the friends of Mr. Rowland, very much to their own surprise, found themselves in the majority. Only about fifty voters were present, not half the num- ber then pertaining to Plainfield, but as it was a regular meeting, legally warned, the church party hastened to avail themselves of the favorable opportunity, and by a fair majority voted, " To call Mr. David Rowland to the work of the ministry in Plainfield; offering £700 settlement and £400 salary-the latter to be raised on the proportion of corn at twelve shillings pr. bushel ; rye, at eighteen ; wheat, twenty- four ; oats, eight ; beef, one shilling pr. pound; pork, two-and also his fire wood." The Separate party was greatly shocked and dismayed
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
by this most unexpected stroke of town authority, but was forced to abide by it. Appeals to the Assembly for the annulment of the vote would have been utterly useless, and having relaxed in vigil- ance they were compelled to pay the penalty. The friends of the church were equally elated with their triumph and eager to take advantage of it. The call of the town was speedily reiterated and confirmed by the church, and Mr. Rowland most earnestly besought to accept these invitations and become the minister of Plainfield. To accept this position in the face of an indignant majority, already clam- oring fiercely against him and refusing to pay for his previous services, his board, and even the sweeping of the meeting-house, required no small degree of courage and resolution, and even Mr. Rowland, with all his spirit and pugnacity, would hardly have ventured to enter the breach had the opposition to himself been more personal. But the chief and almost sole objection of the Separates was his adherence to the Ecclesiastic Constitution of Connecticut. Any other minister favoring Saybrook Platform would have been similarly rejected. It was a question of principles, not of persons, and for those principles Mr. Rowland was willing to battle, and thus signified his acquiescence:
" Feb. 2, 1748. Notwithstanding the unhappy difficulties that are subsisting, which there appears no way at present to escape, and as it seems necessary that by somebody they should be surmounted, and finding in myself a willing- ness to undertake so arduous a work, I accept the call, relying on Christ for support. O that I might go forth in the strength of the Lord, expecting help and assistance from you in this great and difficult undertaking.
DAVID ROWLAND."
As the need of a minister was so urgent, an ordaining council was convened on the 15th of March following. Reverends Ebenezer Wil- liams, Samuel Dorrance, Marston Cabot, Samuel Mosely and Ebenezer Devotion, with the messengers, Deacons Ebenezer Holbrook, John Kasson, Jonathan Clough, William Durkee and Nathaniel Bingham, were present. The Rev. Mr. Coit appeared before them, and, in con- sideration of his age and the peculiarly difficult circumstances of the town, desired a dismission of his pastoral relations to church and con- gregation and the ordination of Mr. Rowland as his successor in his pastoral office. The council, for the reasons alleged, formally dismissed him from this office, recommending him to the charity and communion of the church in Plainfield, and to occasional public service at God's altar in other churches, if his age should permit. Satisfactory testi- monials of the ministerial abilities and qualifications of Mr. Rowland were next received. " A considerable number of inhabitants then appeared," and exhibited the following objections against proceeding to ordain him :---
" I. That Mr. Rowland does not appear as a minister of Christ and is apt to deny the truth.
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PLAINFIELD) SEPARATE CHURCH, ETC.
II. That the town has now a minister ordained over it and the church- Mr. Joseph Coit.
III. That more than one-half of the inhabitants is averse and against Mr. Rowland's being settled."
With regard to the first charge, it was further alleged, that while Mr. Rowland's preaching was acceptable and savory, yet in visiting families he was defective in not forwarding religious discourse, and talking lightly upon things that rather called for a lamentation, and neglecting to discourse with a person that was upon a sick bed. The council thereupon talked with Mr. Rowland and administered reproof, which he received penitently and promised amendment. As to the alleged variations from truth, the council adjudged them mistakes or common forgetfulness, not worthy of consideration.
The second objection of the opposers was pronounced by the council a mere quibble. As Mr. Coit was not considered to be fully discharged till his successor was formally installed in the pastoral office, his oppo- nents, "to serve a turn," had raised this most absurd and untenable objection. The council was grieved at such inconsistent and inferior conduct, manifesting such insincerity, and so far from considering it an argument against Mr. Rowland's settlement, "'t'was an awful specimen of the great need they had of a minister and head, to be placed over them with all convenient speed."
As to the fact that more than half of the inhabitants were opposed to Mr. Rowland, though it was a matter of great lamentation, yet con- sidering that the great part of his opposers would oppose the settle- ment of any regular Gospel minister, the council was of opinion that this ought not to prevent ordination. Considering, moreover, the broken state of the people and the disappointments they had met in attempting to settle a minister, the breach growing wider among them, and the hopeful prospect that Mr. Rowland might be a blessing to them, the council thought it would betray a faithlessness to their Lord and a lack of fidelity to the people of Plainfield if they should fail to ordain Mr. Rowland as their minister, and unanimously voted to pro- ceed to that service. Mr. Coit made the first prayer ; Mr. Mosely preached ; Mr. Dorrance offered prayer before and Mr. Cabot after charge; Mr. Williams gave the charge ; Mr. Devotion the right hand of fellowship.
Thus the very ministers who had given Canterbury a minister in opposition to a majority of the church, had now settled one in Plain- field contrary to a majority in the town. The result of both experi- ments was equally unsatisfactory. The "hopeful prospects " that had influenced the decision in the latter town were not realized, and the settlement of a pastor only increased the difficulties and disorders. The Separate party held the purse and the power, and resolutely
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
refused to pay the stipulated settlement and salary. Even the sum due for preaching before ordination was secured with great difficulty and all farther payment scrupulously withheld and only obtained by legal pro- cess. The controversy in Plainfield thus assumed a secular and litigous character. The right of laymen to preach and of churches to ordain their own ministers, the necessity of full assurance and of inter- communion between saints, received less consideration than the impor- tant question propounded at every annual town-meeting : "Will the town now proceed to pay Mr. Rowland his salary according to the covenant on town records ?"-a question always answered "No !" by a large majority. Year after year, Mr. Rowland was compelled to sue the town and follow the action through the several courts of the county before he could obtain a penny of his salary. Charges for repairing the meeting-house and other needful expenses were only recovered by the same troublesome process. So bitter was the spirit of the town, that when compelled by the judgment of the Courts to pay these claims, it had the inhumanity and ingratitude to levy a four- fold assessment from the estate of their superannuated pastor, Mr. Coit, who only obtained relief by petitioning the General Assembly. All this litigation and vexation might have been avoided had the church party, like their opponents, assumed the charge of their own religious worship, but such a pusillanimous yielding of legal rights and privi- leges was entirely contrary to the spirit of the age and the character of its stout-hearted leaders, who like their predecessors in the early boun- dary contest, preferred " to fight it out on that line" at whatever cost and trouble. The Separates, though heavily taxed like all the inhabit- ants of the town, for legal expenses and the payment of executions, were able to support their minister and build a convenient meeting- house by voluntary contributions, and increased constantly in strength and numbers, while the ancient established church as steadily weakened and declined, its strength and vitality wasted in frantic efforts to compel an unwilling town to support a hostile minister and worship. These divisions and animosities greatly embittered the closing years of Plainfield's first pastor, the venerable Mr. Coit, who died July 1, 1750, leaving a precious memory-" even those disaffected with his preaching, never appearing to have any personal prejudice against him." Mr. Rowland, thus left alone, carried on the war with great spirit and vigor, encouraged by the verdicts always given in his favor, and not disheartened by all the obloquy and abuse heaped upon him by his opponents.
The most that is known of the Plainfield Separates is given by their opponents. The Rev. Mr. Cogswell reports them as much less bitter and fierce than those of Canterbury, a difference occasioned probably
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SEPARATION IN VOLUNTOWN.
by the difference in their position ; in one town holding the power, and in the other, held under it. With Separates for town officers, the Separates could hold meetings at pleasure ; could speak when they chose, and hear such ministers as they fancied, and, if forced to pay rates, had at least the privilege of fighting against it. A dominant party holds a very different position from a subject one, and the Plainfield Separates, in their subsequent development, showed what their party might have been under more favoring circumstances. Their chief antagonist, Mr. Rowland, with candor and charity as rare as his pluck, Jeaves this testimony in their favor :-
" Although some things appeared among them at first very unwarrantable, yet considering their infant state it must be acknowledged by all that were acquainted with them, that they were a people, in general, conscientiously engaged in promoting truth, and Mr. Stevens, their minister, a very clear and powerful preacher of the Gospel, as must be acknowledged by all who heard him."
But neither the "clear and powerful " preaching of Mr. Stevens, nor the stirring and savory discourses of Mr. Rowland, could prevent great spiritual declension among the people. The life and energies of the town were absorbed in its legal contests. The revival spirit died away. The churches grew cold and languid. The religious fervor and enthusiasm which had arisen to such a hight after the miraculous cure of Mercy Wheeler was almost wholly dissipated ; to be followed by a period of corresponding deadness and depression.
The great religious awakening in Voluntown, reported by the Rev. Eleazer Wheelock, was followed by the usual dissensions and church division. A large part of the population embraced Separate principles and became hostile to the established church and pastor. . The salary . originally granted to Mr. Dorrance was now much depreciated in value and entirely inadequate for the support of himself and family, but the town persistently refused to allow any addition, only as compelled by special order from the Assembly. Year after year, Mr. Dorrance was compelled to repeat the pitiful story, that the town would pay him nothing but the hundred pounds in bills of credit, and then extort by law the two or three hundred pounds accorded.
The date of the organization of a Separate church in this town is not preserved. In 1745, Peter Miller, Thomas Thompson, Benjamin Park, Robert Campbell, James and Thomas Douglas and John Kennedy departed from communion and set up private worship on the Sabbath, and when cited before the pastor and elders to answer for the'r breach of covenant, averred, " That the session had no right to determine such matters." Warnings and admonitions were all in vain. Others joined
58
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
in the schism until, in 1748, those previously disciplined, together with Isaac Gallup, Samuel Smith, Matthew Patrick, John Gaston, Robert Hinman, Robert Gibson and James Stranahan, were formally cut off from the church. No record of their proceedings is preserved till, after "being long scattered as sheep not having a shepherd," they appear in church estate, and having united in the choice of their beloved brother, Alexander Miller-sent forth letters inviting other Separate churches to assist in ordaining him as their minister, at the house of John Gibson, April 17, 1751. Alexander and Peter Miller were the sons of a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian, who settled in Voluntown about 1720. Both were earnest in promoting the Separate movement and resisting the ecclesiastic authority of Connecticut, and suffered severely from the spoiling of their goods and imprisonment. Alexander was a man of commanding appearance and marked character, superior in education to most of the Separate ministers. No record is left of the church to which he ministered. The "footsteps of Satan," so early detected by Mr. Wheelock, became apparently more and more obvious, and left behind them impressions of dreams, visions, super- natural appearances, and many delusions and disorders. Voluntown was evidently in great confusion and anarchy during this period. Its ancient Presbyterian church was divided and broken, and the new Separate church, after a few troubled years, united with that of Plainfield.
X.
SEPARATE CHURCHES IN WINDHAM AND SCOTLAND. SIX- PRINCIPLE BAPTIST CHURCHES IN THOMPSON, CHESTNUT HILL AND WOODSTOCK.
THE First Church of Windham, under the ministry of Mr. White, received over one hundred members during the Great Revival. A number of these converts adopted Separate principles and organized as a Separate church in 1747, ordaining their brother, Elisha Marsh, as their pastor. It does not appear that this church was ever very thriving or vigorous. Mild Mr. White persuaded the more rigid dis- ciplinarians " not to drive things," and apparently allowed the seceding brethren to fall away without resistance. The Separate church, thus left to itself, soon fell to pieces. Its pastor became a Baptist, its more moderate members returned to their allegiance, while others were absorbed into the more vigorous churches of Mansfield and Scotland Parish. The town, in general, was greatly disturbed by the Separate agitation, and so many Separates were confined in its prison that the
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new story added was quite insufficient, and a new jail and dwelling- house ordered in 1753, " between the brow of the hill against Mr. Joseph Huntington's and Mr. Elias Franklin's currying shop." The most active and efficient sympathizer with the imprisoned Separates was Joshua Abbe of North Windham, known widely as "King Abbe "-a man of large heart, generous impulses and exceedingly liberal opinions. It was he who, when asked to help a poor man who had lost his only cow, replied, " Away with your subscription paper, go into my herd and take your pick among the cows, and be sure you get a good one ; " who helped build scaffolding about the jail for Elisha Paine to preach on, and who opened his hospitable doors to Quakers, Shakers and Ranters of every shade and description. Abbe, himself, was often arrested and imprisoned as a person " of evil name and fame and vile and profane discourse, guilty of high-handed misdemeanor against common law and rights of mankind." One of his chief coadjutors was Benajah Douglas formerly of Canterbury, who aided him in main- taining irregular meetings and resisting the arrest of exhorters, and for such an outbreak at the house of Joshua Abbe, July 9, 1747, was sentenced to be imprisoned in Windham jail and kept many months at hard labor. The separation in Windham evidently embraced a very lawless and disreputable element, and falling into gross error and extravagance, gained no permanent footing in the community.
In Scotland Parish, affairs took a very different turn. A very respectable portion of the church became dissatisfied with the existing discipline, and adopted decided Separate principles. Mr. Devotion, who was strongly attached to church order and the Saybrook Platform, wholly refused to grant them any concessions or liberty, whereupon they withdrew from the stated religious worship and held separate meetings in private houses. January 22, 1746, several offending church members, viz., Joseph and Hannah Wood, Benjamin and Anne Cleve. land, Zebulon and Hannah Hebard, the wife of Samuel Manning, John Walden, Daniel Ross, Amos Kingsley, Peleg Brewster, Thomas and Henry Bass, John, Sarah, Mary and Margaret Wilkinson-were cited to appear before the pastor and brethren of the church, and " give their reasons for separating for a long time from the worship or ordin- ances which God had set up among them." The offenders appeared, and offered the following reasons :-
"1. That this church is not a church of Christ in regular standing; nor grounded, as they know of, upon any foundation. 2. That Mr. Devotion lias broken a divine rule in signing a paper, with other ministers, against Lawyer Paine and reading it to his congregation; as also, his reading a paper to his congregation against unauthorized men's preaching, and likewise his preach- ing corrupt doctrine, viz., his preaching works before faith, and his setting poor, blinded sinners to work in order to obtain their salvation. 3 That Mr. Devotion did not preach Christ according to their understanding. 4. That
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
the voice of Canaan was not to be heard in his preaching. 5. That they did not perceive that lie preached the truths of the Gospel, and that they separated for the sake of better preaching, viz. : Dea. Marsh's, Solomon Paine's and others, whose preaching fed their souls. 6. That the church admitted to communion persons that were not converted. 7. That they did not look upon Mr. Devotion to be a faithful minister, and did look upon the church to be a church of Anti-Christ. 8. That they could not profit by Mr. Devotion's preaching, but did profit by that of Lawyer Paine, Dea. Marsh and Solomon Paine. Some gave one of these reasons; some gave others of them."
The church decided the reasons to be insufficient, and in an admoni- tory paper called upon the separating members to return, and warned them of their danger. A committee of fifteen brethren was chosen to carry round the paper, and after taking pains to enlighten and convince, read it to the refractory members. "John Walden and Hannah Hebard were allowed a longer time for consideration. Thomas Bass was dis- missed from church process, forasmuch as he was not fixed in his separation." March 17, 1746, the church declared :-
" Whereas, divers offending members have given these reasons for sepa- rating, which reasons appear insufficient, and also carry in them gross, unjust and defamatory reflections either upon the church or pastor, for which, together with their unjust and sinful separation, they ought to be ashamed, humbled convinced and brought to repentance, and, therefore, until such time as they visibly manifest their repentance; This church does by the command of our Lord Jesus, solemnly withdraw from them as disorderly walkers and renounce communion with them as persons who cause divisions and contentions, con- trary to the doctrines which we have heard and learned-hereby debarring them of all powers to act in any church affairs and depriving them of all right to the special ordinances of the Gospel, agreeable to II. Thess. iii : 14. Nevertheless, our prayer for them shall be, that God would open their eyes, subdue their wills, overcome their obstinacy, that they may be humbled, reformed and brought to repentance, and that their souls may be saved in the day of the Lord."
"The aforesaid brethren remaining obstinate, after waiting more than the time prescribed (two months), sentence of excommunication was publicly read." Measures had already been taken by them for uniting in church estate. Having now had time to examine their objections and reduce them to more regular and logical form, they thus formally stated their reasons for their dissent from the established church in Scotland Parish :-
" 1. They have not covenanted together in any form of discipline according to the Word of God, but act upon Saybrook Platformn, which we think disa- greeable to the Word of God."
2. We dissent from them because they admit of half-membership, or persons owning the covenant and coming to the ordinance of baptism and stopping there, which we find no rule for in the Word of God.
3. Because they receive members into the church without giving personal satisfaction to the church that they are members of Christ by declaring what God hatlı done for their souls. Rom. x: 9, 10. I. Cor. ii: 27, 28, 29.
4. They appear partial in their discipline, denying those to act that are naturally related to them and that are dealt with in the church, there being no rule for it in the Word of God.
5. Because we find a form of godliness among them and not the power, and from such we are commanded to turn away. II. Tim. iii : 5.
6. For want of gospel preaching in the clear demonstration of the Spirit and the power.
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SEPARATE CHURCHES, ETC.
7. Because they suffer their pastor to have that power which Christ hath given to the Church. Matt. xviii : 15, 16, 17-but by holding the Saybrook Platform, they give the Council the decisive power, and the pastor the negative power in the church.
8. Because they suffer the pastor to sit in Council as church messenger when neither chosen nor empowered by the church. Acts xv : 22, 23.
9. They exclaim against the present work of God in the land and call it the work of the Devil or enthusiasm ; that in general, they reject the present work which we conceive to be the work of God's Spirit, turning men from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God-for the same cause the Apostle separated the disciples from them that speak evil of that way. Acts xix : 8, 9.
10. Because of the persecuting among them, as appears to us, against those that hold to the present work, and especially against those that improve the gifts that God hath given them, by imprisoning their bodies, or vilifying them, or executing laws upon them to bind their consciences in matters of religion, which we never find in the Church of Christ. 'If they persecute you in one city, flee to another.'
11. They deny that any should teach or exhort in any public manner besides the pastor, which God hath expressly commanded. I. Cor. xiv : 31.
12. They deny those that are dealt with in the church to plead their own case except they acknowledge thein to be a church of Christ in regular state, when we cannot acknowledge them for the above reasons-and thus having declared to the church those things wherein we cannot agree with them, we now soberly, and deliberately, and conscientiously declare our dissent from them, wishing the salvation of their souls.
Cornelius Waldo. Peleg Brewster. Benj. Cleveland.
Lemuel Bingham. Henry Bass. .Jacob Perkins.
Daniel Ross."
Zebulon Rudd.
Mr. Devotion replied to these articles with equal formality, "in the name and by the desire of the brethren," considering each specific charge at great length, wholly denying some, and justifying the church in those admitted. His own views of the Revival are clearly set forth in his answer to the charge of rejecting the present work of God in the land, viz .:-
" If they mean by this, a separation from the churches in the land, an encouraging and setting up exhorters and lay teachers to preach and teach, and administer in the church (many of whom have scarcely acquaintance enough with the doctrines of the Gospel, or even with the first principles of the Christian religion, to be admitted members of a Christian church) : if they mean judging, censuring and in words Damning men whom they dis-esteem ; if they mean a boisterous treatment of their fellow creatures. Bellowing after them like strong Bulls of Bashan. when they are quietly traveling through the streets, which things have become common with many Separates; if this, or anything like this, is what they mean by ' the present work of God in the land' we are so far from calling it a work of God's Spirit, that we esteem it highly dishonoring to God, and even blasphemous, to impute such folly and wickedness to his Holy Spirit."
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