USA > Connecticut > New London County > Stonington > History of the First Congregational church, Stonington, Conn., 1674-1874. With the report of bi-centennial proceedings, June 3, 1874. With appendix containing statistics of the church > Part 12
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He was succeeded in the ministry by the Rev. Paul Couch, who was invited by the late venerable Deacon Noyes Palmer to supply our pulpit. He came, and has continued to preach to us ever since, and to such acceptance that to-day in all our hearts he is our pastor. His labors with this people have been produc- tive of the happiest results. Under his ministrations a stronger bond of union among us has been developed. His Christian courtesy and gentlemanly deportment, combined with his un- selfish and devoted labors, have won all hearts to him, and united us as a church and people. He has cheerfully participated with us in our seasons of festive enjoyment, and with tenderest sym- pathy wept with us as we have laid to rest so many of our loved ones. His teachings from the pulpit are always elevating, en- nobling, and purifying. The frost upon his locks has not chilled his heart, whose affection for this people is akin to the love of the great Master, and though going down to life's sunset, may the chill of its twilight be long delayed.
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DEACONS.
No church history would be measurably complete without at least a brief notice of its deacons. From facts and circumstances that have transpired outside of the Church, as well as in it, we know that the men who have held that position in this Church were prominent among their fellow-men, and magnified the office by well ordered lives.
Nehemiah Palmer and Thomas Miner were chosen the first deacons, but no date is found.
December 9, 1697, Gershom Palmer was chosen deacon, and there was collected two pounds and six shillings in silver and an account of seventeen shillings in ye archdeacon's hands, all which was to buy things necessary for the Church.
March 12, 1701, Manassah Miner chosen deacon.
June 19, 1723, John Noyes and Moses Palmer chosen deacons. Moses Palmer refused to serve.
July 3, 1723, Joseph Palmer chosen deacon.
July 5, 1733, Daniel Denison and Thomas Miner were chosen deacons ; this Church being destitute of deacons since the forma- tion of Mr. Eells's Church.
October 3, 1739. Mr. John Whiting was chosen to and ac- cepted ye office of a deacon.
September 4, 1743, Captain Nathaniel Chesebrough accepted the office of deacon to which he had been chosen.
July 21, 1748, Joseph Denison, Esq., was chosen deacon of ye First Church, and September 28 he publicly signified his accept- ance of the office.
May 10, 1786, Thomas Miner chosen deacon, " even to every vote."
1794, Charles Phelps, Esq., chosen deacon.
March 6, 1802, Samuel Copp chosen deacon.
April 12, 1817. Zebulon Hancox appointed deacon.
June 5, 1824, Mr. Ebenezer Denison appointed junior deacon to assist Deacon Thomas Miner.
November 4, 1826, David Chesebrough Smith was appointed junior deacon to assist Deacon Hancox at Stonington Borough.
July 10, 1831, Dr. George E. Palmer chosen deacon to take Deacon Hancox's place, he retiring.
February 9, 1834, Noyes Palmer chosen deacon.
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March 20, 1854, Elias B. Brown chosen deacon.
October 4, 1868, Noyes P. Brown was chosen deacon, and de- clined the office.
The same day, Benjamin F. Williams was appointed junior deacon to assist Deacon Palmer.
I cannot read the list of these worthy and devoted men with- out stopping to pay a tribute of respect to Deacon Noyes Palmer whose life-work was so unselfishly devoted to the welfare of this Church and Society. He united with the Church in early man- hood, and became at once an active and devoted Christian. He proved his faith by his works, and sought the best good of his fellow-men. He was " constant in season and out of season." He loved the Church, and the society of its members, and no sick-bed among their number was left unattended by him. His ever-welcome presence carried comfort and joy to many habi- tations of sorrow, and his ever-open heart and hand afforded substantial relief to the suffering poor. The tenderness of his sympathy manifested for the afflicted has left ineffaceable traces in many hearts that will gratefully cherish his memory. His piety was so truly of the heart, that it pervaded his whole na- ture, and gave character to every position in life. He was a constant attendant upon divine worship, and loved the Sabbath- school, and all the institutions of religion. He will be remem- bered in the Church, in the prayer-meeting, conference, and Sab- bath-school, and in fact everywhere, as a man grandly combining the best traits of human nature chastened and purified by com- munion with God. He lived to a good old age, kept green by his affectionate, cheerful disposition ; and when health and strength began to fail him, and he felt that his departure was near at hand, he requested to be buried near the old Church where he had so long worshipped, and for which he cherished so much affection. And yonder beautiful granite monument erected by filial hands and consecrated by affection to his memory marks his last earthly resting place.
Rest for the peaceful sleeper, With a shining crown on high.
I have thus endeavored to the best of my ability to sketch the history of this Church, for the last two hundred years and more, and greatly regret that I cannot make it more complete. Many
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of the pages of its records are already gone, and more are fast crumbling away ; and but for the Society records and archives of the State, it could not have been made so perfect as it is.
What will be her history for the future I will not even pretend to say - only express the hope, which we so fondly cherish, that those who have, and may have, her destiny in charge, will bear unimpaired the priceless treasure down the ages to the last syl- lable of recorded time.
SABBATH-SCHOOL.
MR. RICHARD A. WHEELER :
Dear Sir, - It gives me great pleasure to comply with your request, " that I should prepare a short history of the Sunday-school interest, from its beginning, in the First Congregational Church and Society, Stonington, Ct." I have endeavored to give the facts as correctly as pos- sible, although in the initial step of that interest I must give some ac counts that are traditional, as there were no records kept at that time. I am indebted to Miss Mary Howe of Stonington Borough for the date of the first movement in the Sunday-school interest in that part of the Society. Yours truly,
MARIA STANTON.
The first Sunday-school within the limits of the First Con- gregational Church and Society, Stonington, Ct. (the first in Eastern Connecticut), was planned, and gathered, in the year 1815, by Mrs. Phebe Smith, widow of Edward Smith, Esq., and held in her own house, on the corner of Church and Water streets, in Stonington Borough. She was assisted in this under- taking by her pastor, the Rev. Ira Hart, and his wife (Mrs. Maria Sherman Hart), Miss Nancy Stanton, Miss Eliza Eells, Miss Nancy Smith, Miss Emma Palmer, and Mr. Nathan Smith.
The school at its commencement numbered about twenty boys and girls. It was furnished with tracts, primers, catechisms, and a small library.
A short time after the commencement, it was removed to a house on the corner of Main and High streets, soon after to the gallery of the Congregational Church, and from there to the dis- trict school-house, where it continued until the Second Congre- gational Church was formed. Of this school we may justly say it has ever been a power for good in the community.
In 1816, Mrs. Smith was married to Deacon Ebenezer Denison,
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and early in 1817 they went to Mystic Bridge, in the western part of the Society, to reside. Here, at once, she established another Sunday-school (the first in Mystic Valley) in her own house (which was afterwards the old hotel where now stands the Hoxie House) ; it was soon after removed to the sail-loft of Mr. Charles Mallory, then from there to the Old Denison House, and from thence to the district school-house, where it remained, until a Congregational Church was built in the village.
In 1827, a correspondent writes of this school the following : -
" The Mystic Bridge Sunday-school has, upon an average, thirty schol- ars, two superintendents, and two teachers. The progress of the scholars upon Biblical questions has been very great the past year. This school has a library consisting of near five hundred small books and tracts, together with the ' Guardian,' (a small paper) which is supported by means of a box. The school is visited by its pastor, the Rev. Ira Hart, who annually preaches a sermon to them, adapted to their capacities. This school has been in operation ten years. There has been no death in it since its commencement."
From these beginnings, in various parts of the Society, a Sun- day-school was organized at the meeting-house, on Agreement Hill, in 1819. Deacon Noyes Palmer, assisted by his brother, Benjamin F. Palmer, took charge of the school at the commence- ment. Later they had the assistance of their sister, Miss Dolly Palmer, and Miss Mary R. Palmer ; the gentlemen taking charge of the boys, and the ladies of the girls. This school was held in the district school-house, which stood almost directly in front of the church. The hour for holding the school was ten o'clock A. M., one hour before the time for the morning service. The school usually commenced in early spring, and continued about six months of the year. We have no means of ascertain- ing the number of scholars that attended this school at the com- mencement, but doubtless there were more than twenty. Tracts, primers, and cards were circulated among the scholars. The school continued under the superintendence of Deacon Noyes Palmer, assisted by the pastors of the Church, until 1842, when Mr. Daniel S. Rodman was chosen superintendent. During Mr. Rodman's superintendence, the school was in a very flourishing condition, numbering eighty-five scholars and twelve teachers ; and, it being a time of much religious interest in the community, a general awakening in the Sunday-school cause was the natural
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result, and many conversions took place in the school. Mr. Rod- man held the office three years. After that time Deacon Noyes Palmer, assisted by the Rev. N. B. Cook, held the office of superin- tendent, until 1858, when Mr. William H. Palmer was chosen superintendent. He held the office two years. In 1860, the Rev. Pliny F. Warner was chosen superintendent. He held the office two years. During that time, the hour for holding the school was changed from ten o'clock A. M. to one o'clock P. M. In 1863, Deacon Elias B. Brown was chosen superintendent. He held the office two years. In 1863, it was decided to con- tinue the school through the year, to hold a monthly Sunday- school concert, and to take up a penny collection for the support of a mission school in Madura. This arrangement proved satis- factory, and has continued up to the present time, 1874. In 1865, Mr. B. F. Williams was chosen superintendent, and has been annually reelected up to the present time.
Of the superintendents I will say that they are and have been men of high religious culture, filling the office in the fear of God.
I can speak in the highest praise of a large number of worthy and excellent teachers, earnest Christian workers, who from time to time have been connected with this school, all the way back to the beginning. A large proportion of the additions to the Church have been made from the Sunday-school. Many of the former scholars are men and women of influence, located in different parts of our country. Five ministers of the Gospel of Christ received their early religious training here. One " though being dead yet speaketh." Two are pastors of flourishing Congrega- tional churches in this State. One is now a teacher in New Jersey, and the other is a Baptist clergyman. Our young men have gone to various localities, and are there exercising their in- fluence as superintendents and teachers in Sunday-schools. Our young women have become teachers, and the wives of missiona- ries and ministers, and they are exercising their influence, for good, in their respective localities. At the present time, the school is in a very flourishing condition, numbering eighty schol- ars and ten teachers ; the average attendance being fifty.
In 1830, the school was moved from the school-house to the gallery of the present meeting-house, and its sessions were held there, until 1869, when it was decided to hold them in the body of the church.
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In 1836, through the influence of the Rev. Peter H. Shaw, pastor of the Church, a library was presented to the school, con- sisting of forty volumes (publications of the American Tract So- ciety), from friends in the city of New York. This has been added to from year to year, until the number swelled to near eight hundred volumes. Then it was decided to remember the destitute Sunday-schools in the southern and western parts of our country, and at various times we have sent libraries of one hun- dred volumes each to those schools. Now we have a large library room, and every appliance for keeping the library in perfect order. The library at present numbers five hundred and twenty-two volumes. The sessions of the school are opened by singing, by responsive reading of select portions of Scripture, and by prayer. We use " The National Sunday-school Teacher," and " Lesson Papers," published in Chicago. The officers of the school elected May 10, 1874, are : -
Deacon B. F. WILLIAMS
Superintendent.
NOYES P. BROWN
Vice-Superintendent.
Miss MARIA STANTON
Librarian.
Mrs. THOMAS W. PALMER
Assistant Librarian.
Miss MARIA STANTON
Secretary and Treasurer.
During the pastorate of the Rev. N. B. Cook, a Sunday-school was organized May 2, 1852, in the village of Upper Mystic, consisting of two superintendents, a librarian, eight teachers, and thirty scholars. Rev. N. B. Cook was superintendent, Deacon Elias B. Brown, assistant, and Miss Maria Stanton, librarian. There were three hundred volumes in the library, and children's papers were distributed in the school. This school continued until the close of Mr. Cook's pastorate in 1859, when it was discon- tinued, and the library was removed to the meeting-house on Agreement Hill.
I cannot conclude this short sketch of the Sunday-schools of this ancient Church, without a passing tribute to the memory of their founder. Many can now testify to her simple and unob- trusive piety, and many to-day can date their first religious emo- tions to some timely word spoken by her. Her maiden name was Phebe Moore. She was born in Southhold, Long Island, November 5, 1769. "She was half sister of the noted traveller John Ledyard, and of Col. William Ledyard, the hero and victim
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of the Groton massacre at Fort Griswold ; her mother's first hus- band having been John Ledyard, Senior, of Groton, Ct." Her father was Dr. Michael Moore, of Southihold, L. I. At the early age of twelve, she gave her heart to her Saviour. At the age of nineteen, she united with the Congregational Church of her na- tive town. She was thrice married. Her first husband was Joseph P. Wickham, Esq., of Mattituck, L. I., to whom she was married in 1791. Mr. Wickham died in 1806. In 1809 she married Edward Smith, Esq., of Stonington, Conn., to which place she removed. Mr. Smith died in 1812. In 1816 she married Deacon Ebenezer Denison, of Mystic Bridge, Conn. She died April 4, 1840. Her last husband survived her a few years, and their remains peacefully rest in Elm Grove Cemetery in this town.
During her eventful life she founded four Sunday-schools. The first at Mattituck, L. I., in 1793. The second at Southhold, L. I., in 1812. The third at Stonington Borough, in 1815. The fourth at Mystic Bridge, in 1817. In all the relations of life the Christian graces in all their combinations shone forth in her char- acter. "Her missionary society, the female-prayer meeting, her efforts in the cause of temperance, and her early and constant witness against the sin of slavery, have borne fruit in her pos- terity, and have more or less given tone and shape to public opinion, on several important questions which have since agitated the country." Her forecast and original plans in the promotion of Christ's kingdom in the world, were far in advance of the age in which she lived. Of her it may truly be said, " She hath done what she could," in promoting during her life, " Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsover things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report."
7. POEM AND HYMN, composed for the occasion, by Miss Annie Lenthal Smith, great-granddaughter of Rev. Nathaniel Eells, and read by Rev. James A. Gallup, of Madison, Conn. The Hymn was sung by the choir to the tune of " Auld Lang Syne."
POEM. Just where Delft-Haven's sons look out Over the white sea-foam, Once knelt upon its shining sand Exiles from hearth and home.
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Upon its shining beach knelt down The May-Flower's little band, And asked that God would be their Guide To the far Western Land.
To that far Western Land they came,1 And prayed upon its shore ; Behind, the wild Atlantic wave ; The forest wild, before. - Behind, they left their sculptur'd Fanes, With windows broad and high, Where one unfading sunset reigns In rich emblazonry. ยท
Before them spread the forest aisles, With pillar'd vistas fair," Where tones, like organ tones, were in The undulating air, - Where oft, through interlacing boughs, And leafy canopy, Streamed hints that God paints ev'ry day The windows of the sky.
They brought with them a treasure rare, Not of the land, or sea ; They nurtured it in faith and prayer, The germ of Liberty ! Its branches spread to many climes : The nations sit beneath ! Its roots upheave old dynasties Of tyranny and death !;
And others sought, with kindred zeal, " The River of the Pines," And others came where Wallingford In azurn glory shines - Just where New Haven's 8 steeples rise Mid wealth of greenery, They worshipped that first Sabbath day 4 Beneath the broad oak tree.
1 1620.
2 Hartford, on the Connecticut -1635 and 1636.
3 New Haven, near Quinnipiac River.
4 April 18, 1638.
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So, on this hillock green, where still Is heard the voice of prayer, Once 1 came a chosen few, whose names We keep with rev'rent care - They wrought with fond, forecasting love, For ages yet to be ; And age to age repeats the praise Of honored ancestry.
They formed a Church,2 whose shining light Should point their sons to Heaven : A Beacon in each stormy night For those by tempests driven -- And fast, and faster, came the storm ! And fast shut down the night ! And still from this lone hillock shone The faithful beacon light.
And thus, by earnest men who sought Their best to consecrate,
Was founded dear New England's realm, Were founded Church, and State.
" He who transplanted, still sustained," When fierce their savage foes, And skies were redden'd as the flames From burning homes arose - When life grew tearful mid its wants, 'Mid hunger and disease, And death grew fearful mid the taunts Of savage enemies.
HYMN. TUNE. - " Auld Lang Syne."
O God ! in dark and troublous times The Fathers trusted Thee ; And what was gain they counted loss, For Christ, and Liberty ! And when they slept untroubled sleep New England hills among,
1 First Congregational Church of Stonington, formed on Agreement Hill.
2 This Church was formed in 1674- the year preceding "Philip's war."
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"He who transplanted still sustains," Became the children's song.
Swift, 'neath dividing centuries The electric current runs, Linking through love and loyalty The Fathers and the Sons. For we are one, though they in dust Sleep centuries away - And strong with life our pulses beat, Yet we are one to-day.
One, though our eyes have never seen The City where they dwell : Its pearly gates - its golden sheen To us invisible. And we, their sons, when scattered far, By mountain and by sea, Though creeds divide, shall yet be one, O Christ our Lord, in Thee !
God, their Deliv'rer, and their Strength ! The children still upstay, Nor suffer them in life or death, To fall from Thee away ! " He who transplanted yet sustains," With ever growing love. Age after age, shall catch the strains, Until we meet above !
8. ADDRESS, by Rev. Gurdon W. Noyes, of Woodbury, Conn. Topic, " God's Providence in caring for his Church ": -
MR. PRESIDENT AND CHRISTIAN FRIENDS: The com- mittee of arrangements have exhibited great tact in calling me up just at this point. Perceiving that the spell thrown over this assembly by such a fitting and exhaustive historical address, and the reading of such a tasteful and beautiful poem and hymn, with the sweet strains of music following, could not well be re- tained by anything directed merely to the ear, they turn to the eye, and so present me as an important figure-head to be gazed at, since I represent in my person and profession alike the first pastor and the Church.
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Though hardly daring to hope that I can add anything of in- terest or value to this great occasion, yet out of filial affection I cheerfully respond to the request that I would glance at the Lord's favoring care of his Church. The assurances in his Word respecting its protection and perpetuation in the world are nu- merous, specific, tender and beautiful. They are to the effect that she is graven upon the palms of his hands and dear to Him as the apple of his eye : that no weapon formed against her shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against her in judgment He will condemn ; that He will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream. And we of to-day know that these assurances have been made good all along the past in respect to the Church at large, and also to its branches. The Lord has proved Himself to be a covenant-keep- ing and faithful God. His religion has shown itself to be a living force in the world, and not a mere system of dry facts and dog- mas. It has marvelous adaptations to the nature and needs of men, and is furnished with infinite possibilities of help and hope. Skeptical men may deny the miracles of Christ's life and call his resurrection " a world-historical humbug," but the miracle of the steady and jubilant march of his Church down the centuries, ever increasing in numbers and influence, despite constant, subtle, and fierce opposition from every quarter, remains undenied and undeniable. None care to question the patent fact that it has been in the van of all that is great and good for the race. And the secret of it all is that Jesus Christ lives in and reigns for his Church, holding in his nail-printed and omnipotent hands the keys of hell and of death.
When the little band founding this Zion had passed away, He had quietly raised up a godly seed, through their faith and effort, to take their places and keep the flames of worship alive on these altars ; and when again opening the way for colony after colony peacefully to depart and do good work in other localities, and so the mother Church was weakened in numbers and resources, He induced friends to make such liberal benefactions for a fund as to put its financial condition beyond all further hazard. The Lord has thus comforted and favored this ancient Church, ever keep- ing a bright light burning in her candlestick. After two hun- dred eventful years, she is hale and hearty, full of gladness and hope. Her servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor her
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very dust. Yea, they recall the bright names of her founders, sustainers, friends, to honor their memory and glory in their work. We are thus forcibly taught, my friends, that it is by linking ourselves to God and goodness, right and truth, that we secure a kind of earthly immortality. During the existence of this Zion, empires and republics have been born and buried, modes of government and systems of opinion have flourished and decayed, and those prominent in them have largely sunk into oblivion.
But the Church of God is bound to live on and prosper to the end of time. The gates of hell are never to prevail against it ; and those identified with it, even in the humblest capacity, are to be held in everlasting remembrance. The names of Mary with her alabaster-box, the widow with her mite, Dorcas with her coats for the poor, Lydia with her ministry to the persecuted Apostles, are just as carefully perpetuated as those of Matthew, with his Evangel, Paul with his logic, Apollos with his eloquence, John, with his bright vision of the New Jerusalem. The good of the present can with one hand reach backward and clasp the hands of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, of all the past, and with the other reach forward and clasp those of the ran- somed from every kindred, tribe, and tongue under the whole heaven. The fathers and mothers of this Church are yet living among us, not merely in their names hanging upon the sanctuary wall before us, and perpetuated in their descendants, but also in the civil, social, and religious blessings flowing to us from their faith and forecast, toil and tears. Baxter well said, " that church greatness consisteth in being greatly serviceable." By this rule, this Church has surely reached a high point on the scale of greatness. Years ago an old miser lived in a certain New England village, who never gave away anything. Suddenly, however, he gave a town-clock to the village, which was duly placed in the meeting-house steeple. A friend, surprised at his generosity and coming upon him one day as he was gazing up at the open face of the clock, ventured to express his surprise at the gift. "Why, you see," answered the old man, " I like to put my money where I can hear it tick." Though his motive seems to have been on a low plane, it may lead us to a higher one. We should take great pains to put our money, labor, influence, where they will be most beneficent and permanent. When ex-
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