USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartford > History of the Second church of Christ in Hartford > Part 8
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FAC-SIMILE OF THE FIRST PAGE OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING RECORD BOOK THE HANDWRITING OF REV. THOMAS BUCKINGHAM
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monument still stands in Old Saybrook's burying-ground, where his first wife, Hester Hosmer, a child of this church, is also buried.
Rev. Thomas Buckingham was born in Milford, March 1, 1671, graduated at Harvard in 1690, and was settled as pastor in this church in 1694. He soon married Ann Foster, only child of Rev. Isaac Foster, late pastor of the First Church in Hartford (1680-82). Mr. Timothy Woodbridge was then pastor of the First Church, and these two ministers labored side by side in great accord for nearly forty years, and died, as it were, together, Mr. Woodbridge surviving Mr. Buckingham only six months. Two sons of Mr. and Mrs. Buckingham graduated at Yale College, but the elder, Isaac by name, died in early manhood. Joseph graduated in 1723, and was elected tutor in 1725, but declined the ser- vice. He also declined the call of this church and society inviting him to settle in the ministry here as his father's successor, and devoted himself to the study and practice of law with eminent success. He was Judge of Probate for the Hartford district from 1741 until his death in 1760, repre- sented the town in many sessions of the legislature between 1735 and 1757, and enjoyed the respect and confidence of the entire community. He was the worthy son of his honored father, and seems to have inherited and manifested his father's superior abilities, exemplary piety, engaging man- ners, and amiable virtues. Of his benefaction to the church which had honored both his father and himself, mention will be hereafter made.
Mr. Buckingham entered upon his ministry here at a time of no little depression and gloom. Allusion has been made to Mr. Whiting's Election Sermon, in 1686-7, in which he lamented the prevailing declension both in temporal and spiritual things. There was only too good ground for that lamentation. The new church-ways had not promoted spirituality in the community. The Indian wars of 1675-77 had resulted in manifold demoralization. Courts and coun-
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cils make mention in their records of a great decay of god- liness, of laxity in morals and discipline. In 1683, the Gen- eral Court deplored the solemn and speaking dispensations of God " toward his poor wilderness people " for many years past, and spoke of the great sickness, mortality, rains, and floods of the past year, as evidences of Providential judg- ments. Fasts were proclaimed, and many remedies pro- posed, among which it is pleasant to remark, "the fostering of schools of learning." Mr. Whiting's "soaking repent- ance " and "rain of righteousness" were evidently needed.
The accession of William and Mary to the throne of England in 1689 had given the colonists political relief and an assurance of security in their civil and religious freedom, but had indirectly brought about the war with France, known as King William's War, by which the colonies were immediately brought into conflict with the Canadian French and their Indian allies. Great and general alarm was felt throughout New England. Capt. Jonathan Bull of Hart- ford, and a member of this church, led his troops to Albany, to aid in the defense of that region, and lost several officers and men in the Schenectady massacre of February, 1690. It was ordered that a constant watch be kept in all the towns, and all the men, except the aged and infirm, watched in turn. Three years later, Col. Wm. Whiting, a son of Rev. John Whiting, led forces into Massachusetts to aid the settlers there. There were continual alarms and movements during the war, which ended in the peace of Ryswick in 1697. The cessation of hostilities and miseries was of brief duration, for in 1702 broke out the war of the Spanish succession known as Queen Anne's War, in which England was arrayed against France and Spain, and which for eleven years in- volved the colonies of New England in a struggle with Canada. These struggles were all the fiercer, because on the one side were Romanists and on the other Protestants. Western Massachusetts was the scene of horrible onslaughts in 1704, and the Deerfield massacre sent consternation into
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every colonial village and household. Four hundred men were summoned that year, in Connecticut, to aid in defend- ing the Northern frontier. And even after the treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, there were continual outbreaks of war with the Indians, and scenes of carnage for more than a decade.
In the winter and spring of 1696, an unusual religious interest prevailed in Hartford. During the months of Feb- ruary, March, and April one hundred and ninety-four per- sons "owned the covenant " in the First Church, "which," says Trumbull, "appears to have been nearly the whole body of young people in the congregation."' The half-way covenant was in free course.
" The ministers, Mr. Woodbridge and Mr. Buckingham, with their deacons, went round among the people, and warned them once every year, to come and publicly subscribe or own the covenant. When such persons as had owned or subscribed it came into family state, they pre- sented their children to baptism, though they made no other profession of religion, and neglected the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper and other duties peculiar to members in full communion." 2
In the beginning of its practice this "owning the cove- nant " was permitted to baptized persons in family estate who wished their children baptized. So soon it had come to be pressed upon young people, who were drummed up and urged to go through a ceremony which, at best, had but a half-way significance. It is not strange that "the number of church members in full communion was generally small." Out of the one hundred and ninety-four who, in the spring of 1696, owned the covenant in the First Church, twelve were admitted to "full communion."3 Ten were received to the Second Church that year, but how many came " half- way " is not known.
The season that followed was very severe, as appears from the following statement:
"The year 1697 was one of great scarcity, distress, and mortality. There was frost every month of the summer, the winter was severely 1 Hist., I: 497- 2 Ibid., 498. 3 Walker's Hist., p. 249.
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cold and very long, and there was a great cry for bread. Cattle starved in the yards, and sickness was very prevalent and distressing."
The settlers on the east side of the Great River, who had hitherto worshiped with the First or Second Societies, petitioned in 1694 for the liberty of their own church and minister. The churches on the west side were reluctant to lose the financial aid of the members who lived across the river, some of whom were wealthy. Several of them be- longed to the Second Society, among whom was Mr. John Crow, one the largest landholders in the plantation. Per- mission was, however, granted to the petitioners, and the Third Ecclesiastical Society of Hartford was created. Wor- ship was maintained for a while under the preaching of Rev. John Reed, and, in 1705, Rev. Samuel Woodbridge was settled on a salary of f60 a year. The minister's house and £25 with which to complete it were given him on condition that he "continue with us during his life, or that it be not his fault, if he remove out of the place."
The Fourth Society of Hartford, in what is now West Hartford, was established in 1711, and the church related thereto was organized in 1713, when Rev. Benjamin Colton was ordained and installed as pastor. It began with twenty- nine members. The second pastor of this church was Nathaniel Hooker, a descendant of Hartford's first minister.
Rev. Mr. Buckingham served as chaplain in the success- ful naval expedition against Port Royal in 1710, and also in the unsuccessful expedition of 1711 against Crown Point. His pay was six pounds a month, and the value of his ser- vices was recognized by a gratuity of ten pounds. He wrote diaries during both these campaigns, which were printed in 1825, in connection with Madame Knight's Jour- nal. They are very meagre, and contain nothing of interest to us except the author's account of the things he took with him from Hartford as an outfit.1 One article is worthy of par-
1 This outfit specifies several coats, broadcloth and serge, a drugget jacket, white 1 waistcoat, serge and leather breeches, two shirts, three bands, five handkerchiefs, grey and black stockings, shoes, gloves, ink-horn, tobacco-box, and tongs, silver
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ticular notice, "Milton on Comus." This shows that Milton's lighter poems were finding way into the colonies. In the Port Royal expedition Lieut. Cyprian Nichols was with his pastor, and Col. Whiting commanded the Connecticut troops in the Crown Point campaign.
Two important matters in which the churches of Hart- ford, in common with all churches of the colony, were deeply interested and engaged about this time, must be noticed. One of these was the project of founding a college in Con- necticut. Harvard College had thus far been the resort of young men desiring a collegiate education, and Connecticut had wisely refrained from withdrawing its support of that institution. But in 1698 steps were taken for the establish- ment of a collegiate school in this jurisdiction. In 1700 an organization was effected consisting of eleven ministers as trustees, and a rector. A charter was granted in 1701, and the trustees selected Saybrook as the most suitable site of the new institution, and appointed Rev. Mr. Pierson of Killingworth, as rector. Mr. Pierson did not remove to Saybrook, and, after his death in 1707, some of the students were at Milford, under the instruction of Rev. Mr. Andrews, the temporary rector, while others were at Saybrook, under tutors. Much complaint was thereafter made of the incon- venience of Saybrook as a site for the school, and also of the distracted condition of the school itself, and a lively contro- versy ensued concerning the removal and new location of it. In 1716, both the Hartford ministers seem to have been on the board of trustees, and they urged Hartford as the proper place for the college, petitioning the legislature, and using all efforts to that end. The matter was hotly canvassed, and New Haven was finally fixed upon by the trustees. The Hartford ministers, supported by local public sentiment, remonstrated, but to no purpose, for the college planted
shoe-buckles, portmantle with lock and key, bottles of mint water, and mingled rum and clove water, two galleypots with essence of roses, Bible, Psalm Book, Milton on Comus. The price of coqoulate was two shillings and fourpence a pound. A yard of calico cost four shillings, and a silk muslin handkerchief about four and a half shillings.
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itself in New Haven, and, in 1718, a "splendid commence- ment " was celebrated there, made more joyful by the re- cent donations of Elihu Yale. A factious endeavor was for a while made to carry on a collegiate school at Wethersfield, in which the Hartford ministers were conspicuously zealous, but it soon came to naught. Rev. Mr. Woodbridge and Rev. Mr. Buckingham were elected representatives to the Gen- eral Assembly in 1719, but Mr. Woodbridge was not permitted to take his seat on account of some disrespect shown or charges made by him against the court in regard to the Saybrook matter. As Mr. Buckingham did not take his seat, he may have been in the same condemnation. Both of these gentlemen soon became warm supporters of the college at New Haven, and two of Mr. Buckingham's sons gradua- ted there.
The second matter was that of establishing a new ecclesiastical constitution for the churches of the colony. The leaven of Presbyterianism had been for some time ef- fectually working in the Congregational churches, and es- pecially in their ministers, and a distrust of the fundamental principles of Congregationalism had grown apace with con- fidence in synodical authority protected and empowered by the authority of the State. Several of the earlier ministers had expressed their deep conviction of the necessity of some form of consociation for the local churches. As new towns and plantations came into existence, and distinct churches were organized therein, this conviction became widespread and general among the ministers. The population of Con- necticut at the beginning of the eighteenth century was more than 20,000, and there were eleven churches in Hart- ford county.
Some closer association and co-operation of ministers and churches seemed desirable, and also some ecclesiastical organization, to embrace them all for their more orderly government and discipline. Through the efforts of leading ministers, the General Assembly, in 1708, was induced to
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express itself as " sensible of the defects of the discipline of the churches of this government," and, finally, to ordain and require the ministers and messengers of each county town to assemble for the consideration of "methods and rules for the management of ecclesiastical disciplinc," and to appoint delegates to meet at Saybrook, who should draw up a result to be reported to the General Assembly at its October ses- sion. These initiative steps would seem to have been taken in utter disregard of the original principles of Congrega- tionalism. It was not the churches, but a few of their minis- ters who first moved the legislature to act in the matter. The preliminary assembly or caucus of ministers and mes- sengers was ordered by the State, and the result of their deliberations was to be reported, not to the churches, but to the legislature.
The synod thus ordained and directed by legislative enactment, met at Saybrook, September 20, 1708, and was composed of twelve ministers and four laymen. Of the ministers, nine were trustees of Yale College. One of the lay-members was deacon William Parker of Saybrook, son of William Parker who was an original Proprietor of Hart- ford, and afterwards of Saybrook.1
The "result " of this Saybrook Synod may be briefly stated. It was three-fold: Ist, the substantial adoption of the Savoy Confession of Faith; 2d, the adoption of certain " Heads of Agreement," designed to be, as Dr. Bacon well says, "in some sort, and to some extent, a compromise with Presbyterian principles ";2 3d, a formulation of fifteen origi- nal " Articles of Discipline," which provided the consociational
1 Of this Deacon William Parker, Dr. Leonard Bacon could find no other men- tion. As a direct descendant of his father, the writer may be permitted to add that Deacon William Parker was born in Hartford in 1645, and for many years was one of the most prominent and active citizens of Saybrook. He was Sergeant of the Train Band as early as 1672, Deacon of the church from 1687 till his death in 1725, ard repre- sented his town as Deputy in the General Court in more sessions than any other per- son, excepting only Robert Chapman. Both he and his wife, Lydia, were buried in the old graveyard at Saybrook, where their tombstones may still be seen, and the inscriptions thereon may be read.
2 Cont. to Ecc. Hist. of Conn., page 37. 7
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system, under which Connecticut Congregationalism thence- forth, for more than a century, was administered and de- veloped in forms peculiar to itself.
The system was an ingenious and effective one. It had elements of strength, as many churches discovered, to their sorrow. It admirably answered the ends of those who wanted a strong government over the churches, and were less jealous of the rights and liberties of the "little local democracies" than were the fathers who planted them.
The churches and pastors of each county were to con- stitute one consociation (or more if thought best) for mutual assistance; as might be requisite, in all matters ecclesiastical. Each one of these county or district consociations was to be a permanent ecclesiastical court or council for that neighbor- hood of churches.
The pastors of each county should form one association (or more if thought best) for mutual consultation, and for other ministerial considerations and duties.
It was recommended that a General Association, com- posed of delegates from the local associations, should meet once a year, first at Hartford, and thereafter in the other counties successively.
Thus the ministers were grouped in county associations, and these associations were to be the constituent members of an annual General Association. The churches and their pastors were grouped in county consociations, for purposes, chiefly, of ecclesiastical discipline.
This scheme was presented to the legislature (not to the churches) and approved by it. And the legislature was pleased to order and enact "that all the churches within this government that are or shall be thus united in doctrine, worship, and discipline, be, and for the future shall be owned and acknowledged established by law." 1
But the ordinance provided that "nothing herein shall be intended and construed to hinder or prevent any society or church that is or shall be allowed by the laws of this 1 Col. Records, 5: 87.
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government, who soberly differ or dissent from the united churches hereby established, from exercising worship and discipline in their own way," etc. How this latter clause was subsequently set aside will presently be shown. Thus consociated Congregationalism became the established church of Connecticut, " owned and acknowledged by law," with the Savoy Confession for a creed, and the Saybrook Platform for a constitution. So it remained until 1784, when the legal support of it was withdrawn, but for many years after the system held in force, and was the "standing order." The Second Church of Hartford was in consociation bonds till after the year 1860. This system worked well and ill. It powerfully promoted, as Dr. Bacon has said, "the association of pastors for professional fellowship and mutual co-opera- tion, and the friendly confederation of churches." The minis- terial associations survive and flourish. The consociations have, for the most part, been condemned and abandoned, and District and State Conferences have taken their place, though not their disciplinary duties.1 There was some- thing in the whole system that was at variance with the genius and common law of Congregationalism. It was com- pulsory at the start, providing that the ministers of each county town shall appoint a time and place for the churches to assemble, in order to form themselves into consociations.
Many of the churches disliked and distrusted this action from the first, but could only feebly protest. There might have been less trouble had the administration of this system always been in the hands of men sanctified from all ambition and obstinacy, or if all the churches and ministers had been tamely content to surrender those Congregational rights and liberties which are anterior to civil and synodical legislation, and submit to be governed in silence. But there were anti- Congregational men in those days, not as yet wholly sancti- fied, in whose hands the new system worked oppressively. And there were many on the other hand to whom this estab-
1 The following consociations still survive : Fairfield East, Fairfield West, Litch- field South, and New Haven East.
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lishment of each county as an ecclesiastical district, and of the consociation as the standing court therein, savored far more of Presbyterianism than of Congregationalism. But these met with little sympathy or toleration. Behind the courts of the Saybrook Platform was the General Assembly of Connecticut. It was the old contention of Mr. Stone and the withdrawers of 1658, in a new form. It was the old struggle between a church established by law and Separate churches, and while Baptists and Episcopalians might find shelter under toleration acts, these Congregational Separatists were not permitted even that privilege. The sad history of the Separate churches of Connecticut during the years ensuing, and particularly those of Windham County, show that while the Saybrook system may have furnished a remedy for many irregularities and evils, it became also, in the hands of the unwise, a prolific source of many protracted dissensions, and of many grevious injustices. It completely broke down at last, when the church of which Horace Bush- nell was pastor withdrew from all connection with the North consociation of Hartford, and so blocked the game of those who, as a last resort, would have used the rusty machinery of that court for his condemnation.
In accordance with the 15th article of the Saybrook Platform, the General Association of Connecticut held its first meeting at Hartford on Election Day, 1709, and has held annual meetings ever since, to the present time.
In accordance with the 2d article, the thirteen churches of Hartford County met by pastors and delegates, February I, 1709, at Hartford, and formed two consociations, and two ministerial associations, the Hartford North and the Hart- ford South. Under the new order of things strenuous efforts began to be made for religious improvement.
In 1711, the Hartford North Association passed several resolutions in view of the alarming declension in morals and religion. Among the recommendations made by them, the chief one seems to have been that of "owning the covenant."
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The resolutions of the association were read in this church, and proposed to the people December 30, 1711.1 A day of fasting and prayer ensued, and the tistal method was taken. More than one hundred persons came forward and "owned the covenant," and went their way. Thirteen persons were received into full communion in that season of so-called revival.
In the year 1715, the churches of the colony reported a great scarcity of Bibles, much neglect of worship, of cate- chising, and of domestic discipline, and a prevalence of man- ifold evils, whereupon vigorous measures for reformation were adopted by the legislature, among which was one for better enforcement of the law against "unseasonable meet- ings of young people in the evening after the Sabbath days and other times." The young people were the occasion of no little concern and trial.
Mr. Buckingham preached the Election Sermon, May 9, 1728. It was entitled " Moses and Aaron," and the subject was " God's favour to his Chosen People in leading them by the ministry of civil and ecclesiastical Rulers." It was a favorite topic with the ministers, and the language should be noted, "civil and ecclesiastical Rulers !" That bears the im- press of the Saybrook Synod. It was universally understood in those days, says Dr. Bacon, pithily, "that Moses and Aaron were to embrace each other in the mount; that Christian magistrates were to care for the peace and purity of the churches."
But a perusal of the sermon convinces one that Mr. Buckingham was a man of moderate views, of quiet thought- fulness, and of a graceful and flowing style of discourse. In one passage which comes near to eloquence, he traces the analogy between God's conduct of the Israelites of old, and his providence in leading hither the Puritan fathers.
On the 29th of October, 1727, New England had been visited by a great earthquake. It is referred to in Dr. Trum-
1 Dr. Trumbull refers in this connection to the "Records of the South Church in Hartford." Hist., vol. 2: 18, 19. The records have vanished.
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bull's History, as the time "when the Almighty arose and shook the earth through this continent." Many were alarıned, " and there was a greater resort to ministers and the House of God," and great numbers were added to the Church. Mr. Buckingham failed not to "improve" this event, and other kindred phenomena, in his sermon. He spoke of "universal illumination of the heavens, by re- peated and almost continual flashes of lightning, with dread- ful peals of thunder attending," of "scorching heat and drought of summer, pinching cold and length of winter," and of " strong winds and tempests," and finally, of " the groan- ing and trembling of the earth under our feet." And all this litany-measure of external visitations loudly called for re- pentance.
But one passage deserves to be quoted :
" And have you not seen some entering into the folds, not sparing the flock ? who came in privily to spy out their liberty and to bring them into bondage? And have you not heard some who have risen up among you, speaking perverse things, blaspheming the constitution and order of your churches, denying the validity of your ordinations, and condemning your ministerial acts as so many usurpations ? who unchurch the best and greatest part of Christians, and leave you with the best part of your flocks to uncovenanted mercies merely for the sake of non-agreement with them in a few unscriptural rites and notions ? . . Let then the mis- guided Heat and Bigotry that compass sea and land to make proselytes to new, narrow, and church-dividing principles, prevail with you to take heed to yourselves and to your flocks. . . Especially, considering the spirit of Giddiness that is abroad, . . and the readiness of some to put their necks under a yoke which their fathers could not bear."
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