USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > History of the South Congregational Church, New Haven : from its origin in 1852 till January 1, 1865 > Part 3
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" But in Oxford I heard him preach as well as pray, and some of those discourses are as vivid in memory as if utter- ed yesterday. This is specially the case with two ser- mons ; the one on the words, ' For there is one God and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus,' &c., (1 Tim. ii. 5, 6,) and the other on the expression of Pharaoh to Moses, 'To-morrow.' In these sermons were evidences of intense mental effort, and prodigious grasp of his subject. The analysis of the sin of procrastination, in the latter discourse, was exceedingly fine, and the illustra- tions admirable. Such an impression did this discourse make on my memory, that, on hearing it some years after-
3*
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES. .
wards, a second time, at the East, I could anticipate his arguments and illustrations, without the least abatement of interest.
" Occasionally he illustrated particular points, either by anecdotes or comparisons, which were always in good taste, and told on his audience with prodigious power. Thus, I remember, he illustrated the necessity of a sinner's casting himself loose from every refuge, on the mercy of Christ, by the son of a stern sea captain. One day, when the ship was at anchor, the boy had climbed to the very top of a mast, and had lifted himself up so that he stood on the mast's top, on a place scarcely large enough for his feet, with nothing above him to cling to. To attempt to stoop, in order to catch something below, would be to lose his bal- ance and fall to the deck. A cry of alarm ran through the ship as his perilous situation was perceived by the sailors. The father, coming from his cabin, saw that his son had no chance of life but to spring from that dizzy height into the water; and seizing his rifle with one hand, and the speaking trumpet in the other, standing where the boy could see him, he cried to him in piercing tones of command, 'Jump into the water, or I will shoot you !' For a moment the boy seemed wavering. Every eye was fixed on him with ago- nized intensity. The delay in obeying that stern voice was but momentary, and the boy sprang into the air. As he reached the water, several sailors sprang in and brought him in safety to the deck.
" This is a very meagre outline of a most thrilling illus- tration. The language, and tone, and manner, were highly dramatic, but perfectly natural, and the imagination was so stimulated, that it reproduced the scene, until it seemed an actuality, and not a narrative. So powerfully wrought up was the whole scene as to put the hearer into an excitement really painful; and yet the anecdote was not suffered to dis- tract the mind from the point in hand, for instantly the preacher began to describe the danger of the impenitent sinner, with overpowering earnestness, and point to Christ as the only possible salvation. The effect here produced was a triumph of eloquence, at least so far as to kindle the emotions of an audience in a very high degree.
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
" These illustrations formed but a small part of his dis- courses, and were always such as to administer to the' great end aimed at. They were not introduced, as by some inferior men, to relieve the stupidity of a sermon, and to cover up grievous deficiencies in argument and substance, by some captivating narrative. The illustration was itself calcu- lated to impress some valuable thought, to point an argu- ment, or render some truth overpowering. It has been my good fortune to hear Mr. Stiles many times since, but the impressions made by those discourses in Oxford have never been modified; and I can easily imagine the power of such a preacher in his early manhood, when addressing vast au- diences, such as in revival seasons waited on his ministry in Georgia and Kentucky. He had all the elements of power for a southern audience. He was a most manly man in the pulpit, and in all the social relations of father, broth- er, friend and pastor ; his piety was unquestioned, his pray- ers not merely appropriate but subduing, his emotions of the warmest and most generous character, his zeal apos- tolic, his mind logical and analytical, his imagination bold, and his view of his business as a preacher such as Paul had, ' woe is me if I preach not the gospel !" Withal, he had a perfect freedom from all the trammels of manuscript, and at times, when in the full exercise of his gifts, seemed almost choked with the burning words which struggled for utterance."
1242278
We have copied the above as a truthful description of Dr. Stiles' preaching and praying, from a source less likely to be suspected of partiality than the pres- ent writer ; who nevertheless may say, as he deeply feels, that whoever has had the opportunity of listen- ing to such a preacher, not only on one occasion, but for some years, has incurred a weight of responsibil- ity which it is not easy to estimate. But if some were unprofited and unblessed by his ministrations, through prejudice or other causes, many received the
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
good seed into their hearts,-believed, and were saved. Others, who were already church-members, were attracted to and around him, and on the evening of November 8, 1852, twenty-nine of them, most or all of whom resided in the south-western portion of the city, were organized into a Christian church, in con- nection with his ministry. [For names, see Cata- logue at the close of this volume.] They had previ- ously appended their signatures to the following declaration :-
" We, the undersigned, having considered the increasing population of this section of the city, and its inconvenient distance from places of public worship, and having felt the consequent importance of Christian privileges in the midst of us, and being providentially provided with a sanctuary for the service of God; looking up to God for holy motive in our solemn work, and for His gracious blessing upon it, with a view to the constitution of a Christian church,-do hereby subscribe the above as our Confession of Faith and Church Covenant."
These documents are published in connection with the Catalogue, at the close of this volume. They were chiefly prepared by Rev. Dr. STILES, and are as good an epitome of Christian doctrine and fellow- ship as can well be found. On the evening aforesaid, the twenty-nine persons who had thus united them- selves in covenant, although previously belonging to three religious denominations, and to churches in three different States, were publicly organized into a church, called " The South Congregational Church," by an Ecclesiastical Council whom they had invited
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
to meet for that purpose, in which were represented by Pastor and Delegate, the Centre, North, Chapel Street, College Street, Howe Street, and Third Church, of New Haven ; the First Church in Fair Haven, and the Church in Westville. The Council had previously approved of the Confession of Faith and Covenant, and had expressed themselves satis- fied with the evidence presented of the regular stand- ing of the applicants in Christian churches, and of their "dismission for the purpose of constituting themselves a Church of Christ." The exercises of the evening were as follows :-
Introductory, by Rev. WM. T. EUSTIS.
Sermon, by Rev. Dr. BACON.
Reading Confession of Faith and Covenant, by Rev. Dr. CLEAVELAND.
Address to the Church, by Rev. EDWARD STRONG. Prayer, by Rev. Dr. DUTTON.
On the 18th of the same month, (November, 1852,) a Committee of the Church, who had been appointed on the 13th " to consult with Mr. STILES in refer- ence to his official relations to the Church," reported, " that he regards himself, and wishes to be regarded by the Church, as sustaining the relation of an indef- inite Stated Supply." Whereupon the following preamble and resolution were adopted :-
" WHEREAS the Rev. Dr. STILES had been engaged as stated preacher to the congregation assembling in Co- lumbus Street Church, before this Church was consti- tuted,-and whereas it is according to Congregational
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
usage for the Church to express its concurrence in any arrangement that places a pastor over them; therefore-
" Resolved, That this Church do cordially accept the Rev. Dr. STILES as their Stated Minister, and do hereby invite him to attend all their meetings for business, as Moderator."
On the 19th of the same month, (November, 1852,) Benedict Burwell and Eastman S. Minor were chosen Deacons ; and on the 3d of June, 1853, Thomas Horsfall was added to the number.
The first Communion of the Church was held on Sabbath forenoon, December 6th, 1852, on which occasion five persons were admitted by profession, and three by letter. At that Communion, as at all subsequent ones to the present time, the usual hours of worship in the forenoon were entirely devoted to Sacramental services. On the first Sabbath of each alternate month, from that date to the present, the Lord's Supper has been administered,-with this vari- ation, that after the Communion in December, 1859, no other was held until the following March, (three months,)-the object being to change the order of the months in which the Communion was held. It is now held in January, March, and so on, each alter- nate month, to the end of the year. Many of these celebrations have been deeply solemn and impressive, and besides church-members, have attracted large numbers of other persons, to see and hear. In most, if not all the other Congregational Churches in the city, the Lord's Supper is administered every month.
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
The Chapel, which was completed and opened for use about the beginning of 1853, became at once the place for holding all religious meetings, except the regular preaching services of the Sabbath. Between those services was held the Sabbath School. On Sabbath evenings there was a large gathering in the Chapel proper, attracted by the powerful extempore addresses and prayers of Rev. Dr. STILES ; on Tues- day evening there was a lecture or prayer meeting ; on Wednesday afternoon and evening, in their room over the Chapel, a meeting of the Ladies' Benevolent Society, which was instituted November 11, 1852, (three days after the organization of the Church,) and which at this period assembled every week ; and on Friday evening a prayer-meeting. The Ladies' Society devoted the afternoon to sewing for benevo- lent purposes ; at tea-time they sat down to a plain but inviting supper, having all the apparatus for making tea and otherwise furnishing the tables, with- in their own precincts ; after tea, an hour or two more was spent in sewing; then the Pastor took charge of the meeting, and the remainder of it was devoted to strictly religious exercises,-including an address, singing and prayer. These meetings were turned to excellent account by the Pastor, who con- versed familiarly with the persons in attendance, and when he found cases of special seriousness, which he often did, he would invite them into his study, in the adjoining room, and talk and pray with them, after the usual manner of an Inquiry Meeting.
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
Quite a number of persons, now members of the church, trace their first permanent religious impres- sions to the influence of these meetings. The table was supplied by the ladies in rotation, or by such of them as were able to bear the expense, except that a gentleman of the congregation offered to provide sugar and tea, which he has continued to do ever since, of the choicest quality. One of the standing rules of the Society is, that "only one kind of cake be furnished, under penalty of one dollar." At the anniversaries of the Society this rule does not apply. On the contrary, every member, on such occasions, brings in what she pleases ; and the consequence is, that there are not only several kinds of choice cake, but almost every thing else that a lady's ingenuity can think of, to make up a rich and inviting repast. The original number of members was only eighteen ; but it has since very largely increased, and includes gentlemen as well as ladies,-the former paying an annuity of one dollar, and the latter of fifty cents. At some of the anniversary meetings, more than a hun- dred persons have sat down to the tea-tables, which, of course, in such cases, have to be spread more than once. The influence of these gatherings upon the social interests of the church and congregation is very valuable, as it brings and keeps the members acquainted with each other, and tends to do away those distinctions which so naturally creep in, even among the members of the same religious organiza- tion. This Society still continues to prosper, after. twelve years of successful experiment.
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
So also does the Sabbath School. Originally trans- ferred to the South Church from the Mount Pleas- ant School House, as before stated, it was in every respect a humble institution, if institution it could be called, but has since grown to liberal dimensions,- more than 200 teachers and pupils having sometimes . been in actual attendance. Under the able superin- tendence of Deacon Warner, supported by a corps of faithful teachers, its numbers continue to increase. From it many plants of righteousness have been transferred to the church, thence, it may be hoped, to be transplanted into the Paradise above. Two or three years ago, one whole class of young ladies, five or six in number, who had for a considerable period enjoyed the instructions and counsels of Deacon Hors- fall, were hopefully converted, and united with the church. It has long been customary, and still is, to have a Sabbath School festival on Christmas day, in the Ladies' Room, over the Chapel, where short addresses are made, hymns sung, and a prayer offer- ed, at the close of which a bag of sweetmeats, fruits, &c. is distributed to each pupil. These are always interesting occasions, especially to the children, and are very largely attended. At the last festival of the kind, December 26th, 1864, (the 25th being Sun- day,) there was a larger gathering than ever before on a similar occasion. The whole number of per- sons present, including children, must have been nearly or quite 400. About 165 bags of sweetmeats, fruits, &c., were given out,-and 160 or 170 per-
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
sons, chiefly adults, sat down to tea. No person who accepted a bag, was allowed to take supper at the rooms. In the course of the evening, an hour or more was occupied in singing ; several accom- plished musicians being present and participating. Rev. Mr. Carroll and his lady and mother were there, and added to the interest of the occasion. At a late hour the company separated, after an entertainment, moral, social and physical, which, taken all in all, has seldom been equaled in any church. There was a great abundance and variety of choice food, fruits, &c., including a barrel of fresh oranges, just arrived from Porto Rico ; and notwithstanding the bountiful repast enjoyed by so many, there was a handsome surplus of money and other good things, after supply- ing the wants of all. There are also quarterly meet- ings of the Sabbath School in the Chapel, which take the place of the regular Chapel services on those evenings, and are largely attended.
A Young People's Prayer Meeting was commenced at a very early date, in the Chapel, at the close of the afternoon service, and has been continued, with occa- sional interruptions, to the present time. Just now it is merged in the "Fulton street Prayer Meeting," so called, which is held in the Chapel on Sunday evenings.
But to go back to the thread of our narrative. While these collateral agencies, most if not all of them, were in operation and efficiently conducted, as long ago as the beginning of 1853,-that is to
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
say, almost from the very organization of the South Church,-the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, was powerfully wielded by Dr. Stiles, Dr. Nathaniel W. Taylor, and others ; and as might be expected, God "left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven." A few scraps from Dr. Stiles' letters written at that period, will show his estimate of the state of reli- gious feeling in the congregation :
" NEW HAVEN, Dec. 13, 1852.
"A good meeting last night. Six persons among us now entertain hope. One or two interesting developments of this kind."
[From another letter without date, but which must have been written about the same time with the above.]
" Our seriousness has decidedly increased since Sabbath. The young person of whom I spoke as having taken a wrong direction, but whose early conversion I anticipated, rejoices in Christ. * * * It is a little remarkable that almost every awakened one says that he was impressed from the very beginning of our services. Remember two things :- our (perhaps) sincere prayers that God would descend and own that House as his accepted sanctuary, by the move- ments of his Spirit, at that earliest moment, and forever after. Call to mind your own frequent remark, when there was yet no outward manifestation of Divine influence, that the sermons preached would show their fruit by-and-bye. Mr. and Mrs. - said to me after meeting last night, that since their own conversion they had not seen such a demonstration of religious feeling as they then witnessed."
"NEW HAVEN, Dec. 22, 1862.
" One or two conversions this week; particularly a Miss , awakened last Sabbath. Prayer Meeting very crowded."
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
The same encouraging state of things continued for months, and with some variations, for years. It hardly amounted to a "revival," in the usual accept- ation of the term ; yet in the long run it produced the fruits of a revival. But one Communion passed, in the course of several years, say from 1852 to 1857, when there were not more or less admissions to the Church ; [for particulars, see Catalogue at the close of this volume ;] and we remember well what a cause of lamentation it was to the good man who had the interests of the Church so much at heart, that even one such season should pass without any visible in-gathering.
As a Southerner by birth and early education,- as a Christian, with a heart large enough to compre- hend the wants of the whole country and the world, -Dr. Stiles was among the foremost in a movement commenced in the city of New York about a year after he came to New Haven, "for the diffusion of Gospel truth in the Southern and Southwestern States." A Society for that purpose, called the "Southern Aid Society," was organized at a Con- vention of clergymen and others from different parts of the country, held in said city, 28th and 29th of September, 1853. On the 27th and 28th of October following, the Society elected its officers, among whom was Rev. Dr. STILES as General Agent. The neces- sity for such an organization was very clearly set forth in an Address to the Christian Public, written by Dr. Stiles, and adopted by the Society, from
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
which we can make room for only a few paragraphs, as follows :
" It may be asked,-' Why not accomplish your object through the American Home Missionary Society ? Why form a new Society ?' The answer is, that the course which the Home Missionary Society is understood to have marked out for itself, does not permit it to perform our work. First, because it is restricted by its rules, from aid- ing any minister or missionary, however faithful, laborious or self-denying, who, under any circumstances, is a slave- holder. And secondly, because the impression is general at the South, that the Home Missionary Society is closely allied to Abolitionism, so called. This impression, how- ever erroneous, renders the aid afforded by that Society to churches in the Southern and South-Western States, of doubtful value in reference to success; insomuch that, in some cases where such aid had been rendered, it had been voluntarily relinquished by the recipients, needy though they were, as a damage rather than a benefit. While, there- fore, we are convinced that the American Home Missionary Society, without a change of policy, is essentially unable, even if it were disposed, to perform our work, we desire still to cherish towards it the sentiments of kindness and good will, which, with some of us, date back to its organ . ization, and even before ; for some of us aided in its forma- tion. Most of the members of the Southern Aid Society are, and long have been, supporters of the American Home Missionary Society ; and some of them are among its largest contributors. They expect to aid it still. They rejoice in its efficient labors at the North and West, and hope, in some measure, to supply its lack of service at the South and South-West. The whole country is our field. In so far as it is occupied by the American Home Missionary Society, we gladly co-operate. Where that Society pauses or falters, there the Southern Aid Society begins its separate action, and thence proceeds. Thus, between the two, if Providence smiles upon our efforts, the whole of our beloved country will be cared for and aided, according to the measure of the benefactions of the churches."
4%
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
" In the American Home Missionary Society's Annual Reports, the ministers or missionaries aided, are classed under the heads of New England, Middle, Southern, and Western States. The number so aided, for a few years past, in each of these geographical divisions, according to said Reports, is as follows :
1848-9
1849-50
1850-1
1851-2
1852-3
New England States, 302
301
311
305
313
Middle do
239
228
224
213
215
Southern do
15
15
15
14
12
Western do
463
488
515
533
547
Total,
1,019
1,032
1,065
1,065
1,087
" The largest number aided in the Southern States, in any one of the last five years, is 15. It is proper, however, to remark, that in this (not unusual) classification, Kentucky and Tenessee, as well as Missouri and Arkansas, are ranked as Western States. Delaware and the District of Colum- bia are included among the Middle States. In all the slave-holding States, including the District of Columbia, the Society aided an aggregate of 56 ministers or mission- aries, 30 of whom resided in Missouri, and nearly all the rest in other States bordering upon free territory. In all the non-slave-holding States, the Society aided 1,031 minis- ters or missionaries ; being more than eighteen times as many as in the slave holding States. In Maryland, South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, com- prising, according to the last census, a population of 2,675,- +29 souls, and an area of 424,032 square miles, the Society, last year, aided not a single minister or missionary. In Georgia, Alabama and Arkansas, with an aggregate popu- lation of 1,SS7,309 souls, and an area of 160,920 square miles, it aided only three ministers or missionaries, one in each State.
" Without going further into particulars, is it extravagant or unkind to say, that the A. H. M. S. is not accomplishing in the Southern and South-Western States, all that might be reasonably expected from its national designation-much less all that is demanded by the immensity of the field,
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MINISTRY OF DR. STILES.
(844,144 square miles, equal to 108 such States as Massa- chusetts,) the greatness of its population, (9,663,997 souls,) or the magnitude of the interests involved, both for this world and the next ? And if such be the fact, need we any apology before a Christian people, for attempting, as God shall enable us, to occupy that most important and too long neglected missionary field, and to turn in that direction some portion of the zeal, effort, contributions and prayers, of the denominations with which we are connected. Pre- cisely this is the object of the Southern Aid Society."
" We commend it to all who love the Church and the nation,-God and man. We dedicate it to the Lord Jesus Christ,-God and man, the Head of the Church and the Saviour of the world. And here we register our prayer, that its spirit may ever be Christian only, to all classes, and especially to Christian brethren ; that its management may soon win the confidence of all Christian Societies toil- ing in the same cause ; and that its work may thus be en- tered up, on the grand final record of the earth :- THE SOUTHERN AID SOCIETY,-IN THE SERVICE OF GOD,- THE SUPPLY OF THE NEEDY, -- SALVATION TO THE LOST."
Notwithstanding the strong attachment of Dr. Stiles to his church and congregation, and his deep interest in their welfare, he felt it his duty to accept the General Agency of the new Society, at least in part, and it was finally arranged that he should de- vote one half his time to said Society, and the other half to his church in New Haven. This made it necessary that regular assistance should be provided for the supply of the pulpit in his absence, instead of depending, as had hitherto been done, upon casual engagements. Accordingly, three different clergymen, who occupied the position of Pastors in as many churches, were successively invited to this field as
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