History of ancient Woodbury, Connecticut : from the first Indian dead in 1659 to 1854, Part 12

Author: Cothren, William, 1819-1898
Publication date: 1854
Publisher: Waterbury, Conn., Bronson brothers
Number of Pages: 870


USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Woodbury > History of ancient Woodbury, Connecticut : from the first Indian dead in 1659 to 1854 > Part 12


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1 Hist. of Conn., 1781, By a Gentleman of the Province. Printed at London.


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same manner as members in full communion. In this way a church could never run down in point of numbers, so long as unconverted persons enough to keep it up were willing to own the covenant of baptism. Abundant proof of the foregoing statements is found in the first book of ministerial records of the Second Church of Strat- ford, now the First Church of Woodbury, happily in a fine state of preservation. Consequent upon this practice, baptisms followed close upon births ; very many instances may be found upon these records, where the child was but from one to eight days old at the time of the ceremony. If the child appeared to be in danger of " non-continuanee," it was baptized on the day of its birth. The children of ministers, deacons, and other leading men in the church, were generally less than a week old when presented for baptism. Young persons did not usually own the covenant till they became parents, and wished baptism for their children.


Previous to 1650, great watchfulness had been exercised to admit only such as gave visible evidence of piety. The choice of pastors, also, had been confined exclusively to the church, and nearly all the honors and offices of the colony had been distributed to professors of religion, who in the New Haven colony were the only ones possessed of the right of suffrage, in meetings of a political character. In the colony of Connecticut, not only these, but also other orderly individ- uals, having a certain amount of property, were entitled to the privi- lege of being admitted freemen. During the lives of the early fathers, little trouble had arisen on these points, nearly all the first emigrants being professors of religion. But this generation had passed away, and a new one had succeeded, many of whom, on account of their not belonging to the church, were excluded from their proper influence in community. Most of them had been baptized, and by virtue of this, it was claimed, that they might own their covenant, have their children baptized, and thus perpetuate the church. All New Eng- land became interested in this controversy, and in 1657, the matter in dispute was referred to a council of the principal ministers who met at Boston, and declared


" That it was the duty of those come to years of discretion, baptized in in- fancy, to own the covenant; that it is the duty of the church to call them to this ; that if they refuse, or are scandalous in any other way, they may be cen- sured by the Church. If they understand the grounds of religion, are not scan- dalous, and solemnly own the covenant, giving up themselves and their children to the Lord, baptism may not be denied to their children."


In consequence of this decision, many owned their covenant, and


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presented their children for baptism, but did not unite with the church in the celebration of the supper, nor in most other duties of members in full communion. Hence it was termed the half-way cor- enant. In process of time, the privilege here mentioned was en- larged in some of the churches. Many churches in Connectieut never adopted this practice, and toward the end of the eighteenth century, it was generally abandoned throughout New England.


The first church at Stratford would not adopt this practice, although a large and influential part of its members were in favor of it, togeth- er with a majority of the town, who were not church members. Rev. Mr. Chauney, who was not in favor of the practice, was settled over the church in Stratford, in 1665, though there was strong opposition to him on this aml other accounts. The efforts of the dissenting party to settle their difficulties seem to have been sincere. Their communications to their brethren were couched in respectful and brotherly terms, and their arguments were not easily refuted. In faet, little pains seem to have been taken by the church proper dur- ing the whole controversy, to answer the reasoning of the dissatisfied party, but it seemed rather to throw itself back on its dignity, with an intention of allowing the malcontents to take their own course. The latter were in the majority in the town meetings, and John Mi- nor, one of their leaders, was town-clerk during the whole time of the controversy, and for several years after, with the exception of a year. This famous controversy, so far as the records show it, is deemed of sufficient interest to be inserted here, almost entire. It opens with a letter from eight of the dissatisfied party, who were the advocates of the half-way covenant system, and who state their wishes as follows :


" To Mr. Chaney and the rest of the Clinreh at Stratford.


" Loving brethren and friends, God by his good providence having brought us hither, who are of his ehureb and people, and separated us from the world> and of his free and abundant grace hath taken us and our seed into eovenant with himself and with his church and people, and hath given us an interest in himself to bee our God, and taken us to bee his own, giving us his own disei- pline and ordinances for our spirituall and eternal good, and owning us hath given us equall right with yourselves in all his ordinanees, his providenee also having setled us together in this plantation that we might jointly together wor- shipp him in all his ordinanees, and that we should be mutuali helpers of one another in our Christian raee. These few lines are to informe you that wee whose names are underwritten doo declare to you onr earnest desire to enjoy communion in all God's ordinanees with you, that we may together worshipp him according to his holy will; desiring also that wee and our posterity may be owned as immediate members of the Church of Christ by you ; as Christ own- eth us and ours by his own institution, taking us into covenant, and solemnly


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setting his own seal upon us. We further deelare, that owning it to be our duty, and hoping it to bee our desire to account you our best friends, who shall use meanes to convince us wherein we have sinned, and bring us to the sight of our evills : we desire that if any man being converted according to God's rules, and doo not hold forth repentance, then no such person so remaining may bee admitted to communion, till he hold forth repentance. And whereas there hath beene difference about the calling of Mr. Chaney, and severall of us have declared our objections against his setling amongst us till those objections were answered, and we judge they never were unto satisfaction ; yet if you shall see cause to answer our earnest and reall desires in the premises, as we hope you will, wee shall passe by what hath beene, and endeavor lovingly to close to- gether and to walke together according to the rules of God's holy word, hoping and desiring you will so farr respect us as to give us an answer hereunto in writing as soone as you conveniently can.


" Yours in all due respects and desireous of unity according to the rules of Christ.


" Jannary 16, 1665.1


Joseph Judson, Richard Butler,


. David Mitchell, Henry Wakelyn, James Blakman, John Minor, Samuel Sherman, Daniel Titterton."2


This respectful and kind letter, offering to forget past grievances, and soliciting a union with the rest of the church in a truly fraternal and Christian feeling, received no attention, either from Mr. Chauncy, or the remainder of the church, who were of his way of thinking. Accordingly on the 9th of the following month, the dissentients ad- dressed them another letter in the same spirit, still further making known their wishes, and mildly reproaching them for their want of courtesy and kindness :


" Whereas wee have formerly made known our mindes unto you in writing, as concerning our desire of communion in all God's ordinances with you ; hold- ing forth unto yon by way of preface, our right unto them, from the free grace of God owning us and externally sealing the priviledges of ye Covenant unto us ; have also declared our mindes concerning such letts as may hinder us from proceeding nnto such attaynments mentioned in some clauses thereof; and comeing together to know how you stood affected to our desires, hoped you might have seen good soe farr to have betrusted those yt were to declare .


1 New Style, Jan. 27, 1666.


2 This and the other papers relating to this controversy are to be found in the Sec- retary of State's office, in " Ecclesiastical," vol. 1, Nos. 18 to 37.


P


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yor minde unto us as in conferring with us to take farther knowledge of our desire propounded ; and to putt us in a way of farther proceeding ; should have bin glad soe farr to have bin tender by you that they might have took it into consideration. And if anything did on our part lye in y" way, have seriously appointed ns a time for examining of us in respect of our fayth and knowledge : Accounting it requisite y' ye Minister may take perticular knowledge of all those y' are to have Comunion in the whole worshipp of God ; And herein (to deale plainely) y' nothing may hereafter bee laid as a block in our way; we desire that in this examination by ye minister or Ministers and Elder wee may issue in their questioning and examining onely. And whereas we have openly, sol- leinnly, wholly and onely ingaged ourselves to be the Lord's, who hath gra- ciously taken ns into Covenant ww himself and his faithful people ; we desire, y' in the owning hereof, wee may not be further troubled with any imposition of that nature. The exereise of yor tenderness unto us wee cannot but hope for, according as you are allowed. Ro. 14 : 1.


" February, 9th, 1665.


Joseph Judson, Richard Butler, David Mitchell, Henry Wakelyn, John Mmor, James Blackman, Samuel Sherman, Daniel Titterton."


By this letter we learn that so great was their desire to be recon- ciled to the church, that they were willing to be again examined in regard to their "fayth and knowledge," that the church might be convinced, that their peculiar views had not, in any manner, under- mined their religious principles, or purity of character. More than two months elapsed before any answer was vonchsafed them, and then we find the following


" CHURCH ANSWER TO THE MEN :"


" Neighbours, whereas wee received fro you two writings the sum of both which was to hold forth your earnest desire as to communion in all the ordinan- ces of Christ with us, These are to give you to understand that our apprehen- sion concerning the order of discipline is the same that we have formerly man- ifested it to bee, both by our practice, and answer to your proposalls. And whereis you apprehend you have eqnall right with ourselves in all the ordinan- ces of Christ in this place. These may certifie you at present that we are of a different apprehension from yon in that matter. And whereas you desire that your posterity may : ete : wee would put you in mind that as yet the matter is in controversie among the learned and godly. Likewise whereas you seeme to intimate in the close of your first page that you have taken offence at our late proceedings, but as you say upon the granting of the premises are willing to pass it by ; we return no more at present but this ; viz. wee hope if you had


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had sufficient ground so to doo, the godly and learned would have spied it out, and have endeavored to convince us of our evills herein. Lastly, whereas in your latter page you prescribe the way wherein you desired to be attended : viz ; you account it requisite': etc : To which we answer in the words of Panl in another case, wee have no such custome nor the churches of Christ with whom we hold communion, and moreover it is practised you know by those whose principles in discipline are farr different from ours. And truly neigh- bours, as it relates to your case, (notwithstanding wee gladly and heartily de- sire ye increase and enlargement of ye Church when it may bee attained in a rulable and satisfactory way yet,) wee must plainely tell you that we cannot at present see how it will stand with the glory of God the peace of ye Church and our and your mutuall edification (which ought to bee deare unto us, and earnestly sought by us) for you to embody with us in this society : The Apostle Paule exhorts the Corinthians, and so all that walk together in church fellow- ship : 1 Romans 10, to avoide divisions and to be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment, otherwise it is not likely we should keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, to which we are exhorted, Eph. 4 : 3. And notwithstanding wee give this answer in generall to you all that were concerned in the yys presented to us; yet you may casily imagine that we have particular exertions as it relates to particular persons whereof we find that we are thereunto called, wee shall manage and desire satisfaction in before they are admitted to communion in all the ordinances.


"Apr. 16th, 1666.


This is a true Coppye of ye answer given unto us as it was tryed by both papers. Church Answer to the men."


One would think this a rather short and crispy reply to letters as humble and inoffensive as the two former had been. The " Church" begins with calling the dissenters " neighbors," and ends with char- acterizing them as " the men." They assume a very lofty, and some- what arrogant tone; sufficiently so, one would think, to have pre- vented further efforts toward an accommodation of their differences. This was undoubtedly written by Mr. Chauncy, the former letters having been addressed to him, and it is probable that the remainder of the papers on the side of the church were written by him.


Although by this communication they had been flatly refused ad- mittance to the church, even on a satisfactory examination, yet they persevered in their efforts to accomplish the desired end. It is to be recollected, that Stratford belonged to the Connecticut colony, and consequently had other freemen besides the members of the church. The freemen joined with the dissentients in their efforts. It is to be further noted, that Mr. Channey had been settled by a majority of the members of the church alone, the other freemen of the town hav-


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ing no voice in the matter. As by the laws of the colony they were obliged to pay taxes for his support equally with the church mem- bers, they wished a voice in the selection of the minister. The dis- senting part of the church, together with the other freemen of the town, as we have seen, constituted a majority in the meetings of the freemen. So that although the church could choose and settle a min- ister, it took a majority of the voters of the town to provide for his support. Failing as individuals and members of his church to effect an arrangement with Mr. Chauncy, they held a town meeting, and passed a vote embracing the conditions under which they would con_ tribute to his support. The vote is a very interesting one, as it con- tains a lueid explanation of the half-way covenant, and is as follows :


" Towne propositions to Mr. Chauncey, May 13, '69.


" Mr. Chancey,


" We a Christian people by the providence of God settled together in this plantation of Strattford Judging it our duty as from the command of God soe for our own necessary spirituall & eternall good to indeavor after maintain & uphould a minister orthodox in doctrine and practice yt ye word of life & salva- tion may be held forth unto us & all the ordinances of God disspenced amongst us. And whereas you have been some time amongst us we accounting rea- sonable, very necessary & equall yt some mutuall agreem' be made in a Chris- tian way between you & us ; We hereuppon think good to propound to you for yor settling & continuing wth us as followeth ; We desire yt you would per- form ye work of a Minister of ye Gospel unto us in ye preaching of ye word, and administering of the sacraments. More particularly we desire yt all they y' profess fayth & obedience to the rules of Christ not scandalous in life and doe present themselves in owning ye covenant wherein they have given themselves unto the Lord in baptism may be admitted and accounted members of ye Church and under the care and discipline thereof as other members and have their children baptized. Yet notwithstanding we desire not that any thus admitted may approach unto the Lord's table till in and by examination and due tryall they make testimony unto the Judgment of Charity of their fitness thereunto. Moreover as God owneth the Infant children of believers in ye Covenant of Grace neither doth exclude ye same children w" grown up from keeping their standing in ye covenant while they soe walk as they doe not reject it. God owneth y' and would not have ye grace of his covenant shortned or straitened nor put ym from under the disspensations of his grace giving his ministers a sollemn charge to take care of & traine up such as a part of their flock : We desire also yt ye children of churchmembers may be accounted churchmembers as well as their parents and yt they doe not cease to bee members by being grown up but that they doe still continue in ye church successively untill ac- cording to ye rules of Christ they bee cast out and yt they are still ye subjects of Church discipline even as other members, and y' they should have their ehil- dren babtized notwithstanding their present unfittness for partaking of the Lord's supper. And farther wee assure you hopeing without the least suspi- cion you may creditt us yt uppon yr accepting of propositions and granting them


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unto us wee shall according to o' abillity contribute for yor comfortable subsist- ence amongst us. Expecting an answer from you hereunto in time convenient, subscribe in the ye name of ye Towne.


" June 1, 1666. Extracted from the originall ; Thomas Fayrechilde, Joseph Judson,


being Recorded & therewith


diligentlye compared ye 26th : 9m : '68.1 Henry Wakelyn, Thomas Uffoote."


P John Minor, Recorder.


It does not appear that Mr. Chauncey made any reply to this propo- sition, though, as the matter had now assumed a serions aspect, it was doubtless discussed during the next few months with much fre- quency by the two parties. Efforts were also made by the minority of the church, together with others of the town, to procure another minister for themselves, probably with the tacit consent of the other party ; and it would seem that they applied to Mr. Peter Bulkley to preach to them. It does not appear, however, that they were suc- cessful in obtaining him. But later in the year the two parties were able to agree, that each party should have its own minister, and also agreed upon a division of the land sequestered for the use of the ministry between the two ministers, as appears by the following vote :


" Dzeember 18th 1666.


" Att a lawfull Towns-meeting it was voated and agreed on yt there should bee in ease yt it be found in nowayes contradictory to a courte order to have another Minister here in Strattford. a laying out of the sequestered land reserved for the ministry : viz : A quarter part of it to Mr Chaneey and a quarter part. of it to Mr Peter Bulkley. or any other man by yt party obteyned yt now in- deavor for Mr Bulkley And yt wch shall be laid out to Mr Chansey shall by him be improved as his own during his life or continuance in Strattford. And in case of removeall ye sd land is to return to ye town again : Provided alwayes yt ye town pay him for wt it is bettered by his improvement according as ye Town and Mr Chansey shall agree, in ease of difference then ; as it shall be judged better by indifferent men chosen by both parties : And in case of decease ye Town is to pay Mr Chansey his Heires wt ye whole accommodations together with ye improvement shall be judged worth at his disease. It is further agreed on in case Mr Bulkley or any other Minister be obteyned hee shall have ; hould and injoy his part in every respect as Mr. Chancey doth. It is further agreed on yt as respecting a house lott ye reserved land for y' purpose shall bee equally divided into two lons and Mr Chanecy is to have his choyce, wch of ye two he will please to have. It is further agreed on and voated ye 18th 10th : 66, in case of decease or removal of either of y'e aforesaid ministers y' ye Town shall joynt- ly make ye payments yt will be due to ye deceased or removed minister. And yt party yt is destitute of a minister either by death or removall shall have free


1 The year at this date began with the 25th of March; consequently 26th: 9m: '68 was Nov. 26, 1668.


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libberty to provide for themselves another. And shall have ye same intrest in y' accommodations and improvement yt formerly they had.


"Exactly transscribed and diligently compared wth the originall records the 24th April : 1669.


John Minor Accord?


At the October session of the General Court in 1667, this action of the parties was approved and established on motion of Ens. Joseph Judson :


" Ensigne Joseph Judson moveing this courte for a confirmation of ye agree- ment of ye Town of Strattford made December 15th 66. in reference to ye divis- ion of sequestred Land to Mr Chansey ye present Minister and Mr Peter Bulkley or any other, etc; there haveing nothing appeared to this courte therein yt is contrary to law ye court doth approve of ye sd agreement and desires Enssigned: Judson, Mr Fayrechilde, Mr Hawley: Leif' Curtiss, Rich. Butler and Henry Waklyn to lay out ye land according to ye sd agreement. And that from hence- forth they shall all joyntly make payment of their proportions towards the mayntenance of Mr Chancey till theire bee another minister at Strattford there cohabiting.


" This is a true coppie out of ye originall dilligentlye transscribed and com- pared this 31st December 1667.


" Per JOHN MINOR, Recorder."


Early in the year 1668, the minority engaged Rev. Zechariah Walker, of Jamaica, L. I., to perform pastoral labors among them. Having obtained a minister, they perceived they had no house of their own to worship in. They had contributed equally with Mr. Chauney's party toward the construction of the meeting-house occu- pied by the first church, and the first idea that occurred to them was, that they might agree with the other party, to allow Mr. Walker to preach one part of each Sabbath in the meeting-house, and Mr. Chauncy the other part, thius joining the two congregations. They accordingly made known their proposition to Mr. Chauncey's party, to which they received two elaborate answers, in better spirit than former communications, and in which the plain word "neighbors " had been exchanged for " loving neighbors :"


9


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" 1st


" OUR ANSWER TO OUR NEIBOURS MOTION


" Loving Neibours,


" You are no strangers to the afflicting troubles which through the malice of the common adversary have bin occasioned amongst ns by different persuasions as to order in the house of God, which we may truly say have cost us not a few prayres and tears, and no little affliction of spirit ; fearing indeed whilst we have bin contending about the shell we have lost much of the kernal of reli- gion : Differences continuing thus uncomfortable amongst us for a long time, at length it pleased the most High to guide us to a joint agreement whereby we did hope through his blessing an end might be put to these our exercising troubles and differences and on earth have a better way found out for our mu- tual edification which in truth was the main thing seoped at by us in our agreement ; And we for our parts (the generality of us) did conclude that it was the intention of all, for the attaining of this end, that we should meet sep- erately and apart, one from another, we by ourselves, and you by yourselves, that we might enjoy the ordinances of God according as we are persuaded without disturbance each to other and therefore shall not cease to wonder at your motion (so different from our expectation and as we judge not a little predjudicial to your edification) for you and us to meet together publickly to worship God in the same place. Neverthelesse we have not bin wanting seri- ously to consider and earnestly to enquire, what may be the mind of God in this matter since we have had knowledge of this your motion and intention, (according to the little time allowed us.) And we do declare,


1st That it is not our intention or desire in the least to deviate from the true sense and meaning of our agreement.


2d That in our agreement we had still an eye to meeting in distinct places :


3d As to Mr Walker that he is one whom we desire to honour and esteem in the Lord ; yet


4th That wee cannot see how two though godly can walke together (especially two ministers) except they are agreed.


5th We doe account ourselves bound by covenant to that order and dispensa- tion of the worship of God that hath hitherto bin peaceably practised in this church and other churches of Christ, holding communion with us ; this bond being upon us, we also continuing thus persuaded, we can (now) doe nothing against the truth, but for the truth.




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