USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Wolcott > History of the town of Wolcott (Connecticut) from 1731 to 1874, with an account of the centenary meeting, September 10th and 11th, 1873 and with the genealogies of the families of the town > Part 11
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." Whereas, the inhabitants of the town of Wolcott, feeling desir- ous to have a bell in said town, do propose to build a cupola on the Congregational Meeting house in said Wolcott for the purpose of hanging said bell, provided a sufficient sum can be raised to de- fray the expenses of the same; and wishing that if there be one provided it may be used for all denominations whatever, and that
IIO
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
the same shall be freely used whenever it may be necessary for the convenience of any and every individual of said town ; and hoping and trusting that a thing of this kind would be the means of uniting the people of this town rather than of dividing them ; it is therefore to be hoped and trusted that the inhabitants of this town generally will take so deep an interest in an object of this kind that they will cheerfully and liberally contribute to effect said object. The bell to be always considered the property of the Town of Wolcott, and the ringing of the same to be directed by the inhabitants of said town in their annual town meetings. The weight of the bell to be determined by the subscribers or by a committee by them appointed.
WOLCOTT, January 31, 1831.
Therefore, we whose names are underwritten do agree to pay the several sums annexed to our names, respectively for the at- tainment of the object as above specified, to be paid to him or them, whom the subscribers shall appoint for that purpose.
NAMES OF SUBSCRIBERS AND AMOUNT SUBSCRIBED.
Moses Pond,
$25.00
George Griswold,
5.00
Daniel Holt,
25.00
Lydia Alcott,
1.00
Adna Whiting,
25 00
Josiah Thomas,
10.00
Lucius Tuttle,
25.00
Luther Andrews,
5.00
A. & H. Boardman,
15.00
John S. Atkins,
5.00
Archibald Minor,
20.00
Samuel Plumb,
1.00
Thomas Upson,
20.00
Mercy Beecher,
1.00
Marvin Minor,
5.00
Lud Lindsley,
10.00
Charles M. Upson,
1.00
Esther R. Hotchkiss, 2.00
Freelove Upson,
2.00
Rev. E. Scranton;
5.00
Caroline R. Byington,
2.00
Almon Plumb, 1.00
David Frisbie,
20.00
Joseph N. Sperry,
5.00
John Bronson,
8.00
George G. Alcott,
1.00
Hannah Bronson,
50
Wm. Blakeslee, 1.00
John Bronson, jr.,
5.00
Wm. F. Curtiss,
1.00
Lua S. Carter,
2.00
Alben Alcott,
2.00
Luther Hotchkiss,
20.00
Lewis Churchill,
1.00
Irad Bronson,
5.00
Mark Tuttle,
8.00
James Alcott,'
16.00
Simeon N. Norton,
2.00
James Alcott, jr.,
4.00
Wm. Parker,
1.00
Anson G. Lane,
5.00
Ansel H. Plumb,
3.00
Leveritt Kenea,
10.00
Reuben Carter,
5.00
John Thomas,
5.00
Mark Alcox,
5.00
WITHOUT A PASTOR.
III
Nathaniel Lane,
2.00
Ira Frisbie,
10.00
Levi Atkins,
3.00
John Frisbie,
10.00
Samuel Horton,
5.00
Almus Wakelee,
10.00
Moses Bradley,
5.00
Jonathan Bement,
15.00
Wm. R. Bradley,
2.00
Erastus Nichols,
1.00
Eri Welton,
5.00
David Pardee,
1.00
Ira Hough,
20.00
Levi Frisbie,
4.00
Seth Norton,
5.00
Ashbel Upson,
10.00
Derius Hull,
1.00
Lowman Upson,
2.00
Jocl Alcox,
4.00
Clark Bronson,
6.00
Elijah Royce,
2.50
Harley Downs,
1.00
Timothy Royce,
50
Isaac Alcott,
1.00
Luther Bailey,
2.00
Ransley Minor,
2,00
Henry Beecher,
5.00
Henry IIarrison,
1.00
Leonard Beecher,
7.00
Seth Thomas,
25.00
Titus Brockett,
5.00
Solomon Parker,
1.00
Salmon Upson,
3.00
Ailen Wells,
1.00
Cyrus C. Upson,
5.00
Ambrose Ives,
5.00
Abner Hotchkiss,
1.00
Ransom Blakeslee,
1.00
Orin Hall,
4.00
Martin Upson,
2.00
Erastus Atkins,
3.co
Alfred Churchill,
2.00
Rollin Tuttle,
2.00
Ives Bronson,
2.00
Ziba Norton,
4.00
Chester Andrews,
3.00
Elihu Moulthrop,
10.00
Joshua Minor,
1.50
Mark Upson,
5.00
Newel Minor,
1.00
Prosper IIull,
1.00
Miles Loveland.
3.00
Abram Norton,
3.00
Fitch A. Higgins,
8.00
JcIn ABrady,
1.00
Hezekiah Mix,
1.00
Ephraim Hall,
5.00
Royce Lewis,
1.00
Wm. A. Finch,
2.00
Samuel B. Tuttle,
5.00
Selim Doolittle,
2.00
Pliny Bartholomew,
1.00
Selah Upson,
8.00
Thomas Barnes,
ICCO
Reuben Lewis,
4.00
Susan Byington,
1.00
Harvey Upson,
10.00
Jerry Upson,
5.00
Marshal Upson,
2.50
John Beecher,
6.00
Marcus Upson,
1.50
James Bailey,
10.00
W'm. Bartholomew,
10,00
Eldad Parker,
2.00
Isaac Bronson,
2.00
Gates Upson,
5.00
Seth Peck,
1.00
Almon Alcox,
3.00
Timothy H. Hotchkiss,
2.00
Truman Price,
1.00
Subscription for painting and covering Meeting house,
51.00
L. Tuttle, jr., added
7.00
Amount, -
- $650.50
In fifteen days this subscription was raised and the sub-
·
II2
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
scribers in assembly voted " to apply the balance of the subscriptions already obtained over and above the ex- pense of erecting cupola and procuring bell, towards covering and painting the house. Upon this the Society voted, "That we accept and approve of the proposals of · the subscribers for the cupola to the Congregational Meet- ing house and placing a bell in the same, agreeable to the terms and upon the same principles as stated in the caption to the subscription paper now before the meeting. That the Society approve of the proposal of individuals and grant permission to have the outside of the house covered and painted, if the subscriptions shall furnish means sufficient. That the committee appointed by the subscribers to superintend the erection of the cupola, be authorized to superintend the covering, painting, etc." This committee consisted of Archibald Minor, Thomas Upson, Daniel Holt, Luther Hotchkiss, Adna Whiting. It is worthy of note that this project was carried on by the citizens as such, and not as members of the Society or church, and yet a very large part of the money came from members of the church. Why it was they would not do as well through the Society as through the Town I am unable to say; but the fact is very evident, and to complete the whole, the Society gave its own work into the hands of the special committee .*
On the 28th of June, 1831, the contractor gave a re- ceipt in full for the pay for the work done on the house and cupola, $440. The bell, weighing 931 pounds, and the hangings cost at the foundry, Medway, Mass., $313.61. At the following Town meeting the cupola and bell were offered by the subscribers to the Town as Town property, but the Town refused to accept the same ; af- ter which the subscribers organized into a stock company,
* In 1826 the Society voted a tax to the amount of ninety dollars, for re- pairing and painting the house, but in 1827 they rescinded the vote and gave up the work, having failed to raise the money.
te
a
113
WITHOUT A PASTOR.
appointed officers and held the property several years. It was finally given to the Society. The first bell became fractured soon after it was put up. It was returned to the foundry, and another sent in its place, according to the stipulations made by Mr. Holbrook, the maker. It is be- lieved, to this day, that the first bell was not properly used.
In August, Rev. Nathan Shaw was hired for four months, beginning 4th of July, previous ; and a vote was passed by the Society to apply to the Home Missionary Society for aid in paying the minister. Eighty dollars were obtained and Mr. Shaw preached until July 4, 1832. He is said to have been a "very smart " preacher.
In October, 1832, the pews were offered for the first time, for rent for one year ; "to be sold to the highest bid -. der, provided the sum bid amount to three hundred and twenty-five dollars, reserving the pew east of the pul- pit." One year from this time they were rented again.
On the 12th of November, 1832, the committee were directed to " engage the Rev. David Smith for three Sab- baths." During the year 1833 there is no account of a minister being hired by the Society. Mr. Shaw may have preached part of the year and others the remainder ; the Home Missionary Society appropriated 80 dollars for 1833. On April 10th, 1834, they voted, that " this Soci- ety will settle a minister provided the means can be ob- tained." On the 21st of the same month they voted " That the prudential committee be directed to wait on Rev. Seth Sackett and invite him to become our minister and that we on our part will pay him four hundred dollars yearly, and that at any time, either party giving six months' notice, the connection between them may be dis- solved, without damage on either side." This proposition was not accepted, and Mr. Sackett preached two months and probably no longer.
In 1835 Rev. Wm. F. Vail was hired for one year, his term of service extending into the summer of 1836.
9
II4
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
Several persons, not members of the committee, per- sonally bound themselves for the payment of his sal- ary. They circulated a subscription and obtained what they could, and at the end of the year made up the whole amount that was wanting, by paying, each, an equal pro- portion of the deficiency. These are the names of the persons so uniting : Fitch Higgins, Jonathan Bement, Ephraim Hall, Orrin Hall, Reuben Carter, Luther Bailey, Joel Alcott, Lud Lindsley, Selah Upson, Noah H. Bying- ton, Lucius Tuttle.
The committee were directed on the 4th of August, 1837, to "hire Mr. Chapman six weeks after next Sab- bath, as a candidate for settlement," and in September they voted to invite Rev. James D. Chapman to settle with them "as a gospel minister," and this invitation being accepted, Mr. Chapman was "ordained Pastor of the church and Society of Wolcott, on the 25th day of Octo- ber, 1837," with a salary of "three hundred dollars and all that is realized from the Home Missionary Society, annually, so long as he shall continue our minister."
The following is a list of those who subscribed for the support of the gospel in 1837, who were seated in the Meeting house according to their age :
John Bronson, aged 102, July 16th. Rhoda Norton, 63, Nov. 6th. John Frisbie, 75, April Sth. James Alcott, 63, Dec. 5th. Levi Atkins, 62, Jan. 14th. Royce Lewis, 62, Feb. Ist. Ruth Johnson, 62, Feb. Ist. Luther Andrews, 62, April 16th. Josiah Thomas, 62, Sept. 10th. Nathaniel Lane, 73, May 4th, Sarah Parker, 72, January 12th. Theda Bailey, 72, May 7th. Samuel Plumb, 71, July 13th. Amy Tuttle, 70, March 14th. Mehitable Upson, 69, January 24th. John Bronson, Jr., 61, Jan. 3Ist. Samuel Gaylord, 69, June 12th. Lois Alcott, 68, April 6th. Harvey Upson, 68, Nov. 11th. L ud Lindsley, 67, Sept. 24th. A bner Hotchkiss, 66, May 24th. Hannah Bronson, 66, Aug. 24th. Mark Alcott, 64, May IIth. John Thomas, 64, Dec. 9th.
Joshua Minor, 61, May 9th. Selah Upson, 61, May 26th. Lydia Hall, 61, Aug. 14th. Moses Bradley, 60, Sept. 25th. Luther Hotchkiss, 59, Dec. 17th. Elizabeth Alcott, 58, July 14th. Titus Bracket, 58, Nov. 25th.
Elihu Moulthrop, 57, March 12th.
115
WITHOUT A PASTOR.
Gates Upson, 57, July ISth. David Scarritt, 56, Dec. 22d. Ziba Norton, 55, October 2d. Ira Hough, 54, March 7th. Wm. Bartholomew, 54, Nov. 13th Archibald Miner. 53, May 23d. Jonathan Bement, 52, August 28th. Thomas Upson, 52, Sept. 23d. Nathaniel G. Lewis, 51, April 2d. Clark Bronson, 51, Dec. 6th. Moses Pond, 50, January. Eldad Parker, 50, July 24th. Isaac Hotchkiss, 50, October. Olive Wiard, 48, January 10th. Almon Alcott, 47, February 29th. Lucy S. Carter, 47, Dec. 2d. Freelove Upson, 46, Feb. 2d. Daniel Holt, 46, August. Stephen Harrison, 45, Sept. 20th. Amanda Perkins, 44, March 13th. Reuben Carter, 44, March 18th. Jedediah G. Alcott, 44, June 26th. Hannah Plumb, 43, February 12th. Lamburton Tolls, 43, August. John Beecher, 42, May 5th. Milo G. Hotchkiss, 42, June 13th. Marvin Miner, 42, August 19th. Stephen Meriman, 42, Sept. 20th. Flavius Norton, 42, Nov. 27th. Anson G. Lane, 41, March 19th. William Plumb, 41, July 29th. Orrin Hall, 40, October IIth. L. L. Kenea, 39, June 2Ist. Leonard Beecher, 39, Nov. 27th. Ephraim Hall, 38, Sept. 15th. Nelson Tuttle, 38, Nov. 2Ist Florilla Hickox, 37, March 7th. Chester Andrews, 37, Sept. Ist. Joseph N. Sperry, 37, Sept. 5th. Prosper Hull, 36, April 10th. Timothy Bradley, 36, May 22d. Alben Alcott, 36, October 5th. David S. Bailey, 35, July 2Ist. Mary Hotchkiss, 35, August IIth. Abram Norton, 35, Sept. 15th.
Ansel H. Plumb, 34, Jan. 6th. Wm. B. Bradley, 34, August 13th. Salmon Upson, 34, Sept. Sth. Mark Tuttle, 34, October 21st. George Griswold, 34. Sylvia Thomas, 33, Feb. 15th. Ira Frisbie, 33, March 28th. Alfred Churchill, 33, May 28th. Johnson Alcott, 33, Dec. 10th. Lydia Hotchkiss, 32, March 15th. Carlos R. Byington, 32, April 24th. Lucius Tuttle, Jr., 32, Sept. 17th. Luther Bailey, 31, July 10th. Encas Blakeslee, Jr., 31, Aug. 10th. Wm. Blakeslee, 31, Oct. 22d. Charles Welton, 30, April 30th. L. M. Sutliff, 30, Sept. 15th. David Scarritt, 30, Dec. 28th. Anson H. Smith, 29, March 20th. Jarvis R. Bronson, 29, April 5th. Henry Beecher, 28, Jan. 24th. Lenas Tolls. 28, May. Charles Upson, 28, June 4th. Benjamin Z. Lindsley, 28, July 31st. Noah H. Byington, 28, Sept. 18th. John Humiston, 28, Sept. 23d. Henry D. Upson, 28, Oct. 5th. Henry Harrison, 27, March. James W. Norton, 27, March 24th. Joel Alcott, 27, August 16th. Henry Minor, 27, December 17th. Levi Moulthrop, 26, Jan. 5th. Roxannah Perkins, 25, Feb. 13th. Augustus Rose, 25, May 25th. Isaac Hough, 25, Nov. 23d. Cyrus Wiard, 24, Jan. 13th. Wm. Johnson, 24, April 25th. George H. Plumb, 24, Oct. 15th. Levi Atkins, Jr., 24, Nov. 5th. Henry A. Pond, 23, January 13th. David B. Frisbie, 23, June 17th. J. B. W., 23, June 23d.
Ezra S. Hough, 23, August 9th. Joel A. Hotchkiss, 23, October 26th. Lucius Upson, 22, Feb. 13th.
II6
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
Lucian Upson, 22, Feb. 13th. John C. Alcott, 17, March 24. Elihu Moulthrop, Jr., 21, March 16th. Wm. Wiard, 16, Dec. 10th. Hendrick Norton, 21, Dec. 11th. Rachel Lindsley.
Stiles L. Hotchkiss, 20, March 6th. Mary Ann Wiard, 19, Nov. 10th. Rufus Norton, 18, Feb. 18th.
Isaac Bronson. Mr. Higgins.
1
CHAPTER VIII.
THE MINISTRY OF REV. JAMES D. CHAPMAN AND REV. AARON C. BEACH : FROM 1837 TO 1857.
REV. JAMES D. CHAPMAN.
Mr. Chapman's ministry was passed during troublesome times. The anti-slavery spirit was rising in the country and making itself felt in political issues. Wolcott was a strongly democratic town and Mr. Chapman was a strong anti-slavery man, and it was not long after his settlement that the conflicting elements gave forth their legitimate prophecies. In April, 1839, when Mr. Chapman had preached here but eighteen months, the Society "voted that a committee be appointed to confer with Rev. J. D. Chapman, with regard to the expediency of dissolving the pastoral relations existing between him and the Society." So strong was the sympathy of some with the " peculiar institution" of the South that they adopted the barbar- ous expedient of despoiling their neighbors' property in order to intimidate them to silence. As a consequence, Mr. Chapman's horse was sheared, mane and tail, and also the horses of several other members of the church, and one member who had no horse had his cow sheared.
The church was satisfied with Mr. Chapman, but seve- ral members of the Society, not members of the church, were very greatly opposed to him. The contest went on till the IIth day of December, 1839, when the Meeting house was burned to the ground. It is said in charity that the burning of the house was in part accidental. A notice had been given for an anti-slavery meeting to be held in the Meeting house. The evening before this
I18
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
meeting was to take place, a quantity of powder was placed in the stove with a slow match attached, and a lit- tle after nine o'clock in the evening a heavy explosion was felt and heard by the people residing near the Meet- ing house ; but the cause they could not discover. About 12 o'clock in the night they were aroused by the cry of fire, and found the house all in flames, and it was soon a heap of ashes. The next day the anti-slavery meeting was held, and the people gathered around the smouldering ashes to keep warm while they were ad- dressed on the great subject of freedom. It is possible that the intention was not to burn the Meeting house, but to destroy the stove, and thus prevent the meeting ; for it is said that there was great opposition to having any stove in the house, and for this reason some wanted it destroyed. The first stove was put into the Meeting house about 1815 and was used till near 1829, when it
was set aside. The stove destroyed by the fire was a new one, and had been in the house about one month. This event made great excitement in the town and through the county. Some persons were arrested and held to trial, but when the trial came the principal wit- ness was wanting. This witness was well known, and declared that certain parties had told him that if he testified in the court against them they would certainly kill him. Believing this, he left the town just before the trial, and has never been seen in Wolcott since. These things are still asserted by several of the most trust- worthy persons of the town. This was the tribute that Wolcott paid in those early stages of the great conflict between slavery and freedom, a tribute which, though it seemed great at the time, was but a tithe of what it paid years after, in the conflict that closed, in 1865, in the realization of freedom to all the subjects of this nation without distinction of race or color. And it is to the highest honor of many in this town that, although they held strictly to the Democratic party, when the flag
119
MINISTRY OF REV. JAMES D. CHAPMAN.
of the nation was dishonored by her own sons, they then buckled on the soldier's pack, marched to the war, and acquitted themselves like men. At the annual meeting, held on the 26th of April, 1840, seventeen men withdrew from the First Society. They were the anti-slavery men, who had been true and faithful to the church and to church principles as maintained in the Congregational churches in New England. They were nearly, if not all, communicants, and among them was Deacon Isaac Bron- son, the great and good man of this church.
When these persons had withdrawn, being strong friends of Rev. Mr. Chapman, and on the same side of the great question at issue, the Society at once "voted that the Society hereby notify the Rev. James D. Chap- man that they wish that the pastoral relation may be dissolved between him and this Society agreeably to the contract entered into between him and this church and Society at the time of his settlement."*
An effort was made at this meeting, 26th of April, to raise a subscription to build a Meeting house, but did not succeed. On the 16th of May next they met again, and put forth the following statement as the heading of a subscription paper :
Whereas, the Congregational Society in the town of Wolcott have suffered a severe loss in the destruction of their house of public worship, inasmuch as they have been deprived of a suit- able and convenient place to assemble for the public worship of God ; and whereas certain individuals who have formerly belonged to said Society have withdrawn from the same, thereby rendering said Society, whose strength has always been small, still more en- feebled ; and whereas it is believed that the erection of a house of public worship by said Society will greatly tend to unite the feelings and promote that peace and harmony throughout the parish which ought ever to exist amongst all ecclesiastical bodies ; and whereas said Society are contemplating the erection of such
* The contract was that the relation between the parties should be dis- solved on condition that either party give six months notice.
00
S
1
I20
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
a house, and feeling in their present circumstances the necessity of soliciting the aid of all those who feel desirous of promoting so laudable an object ; therefore we, the undersigned, for the purpose of assisting said Society to build said house, hereby promise to pay, on demand, to the treasurer of said Society, or his successors in said office, the several sums set opposite our respective names, to be used by said Society for the purpose aforesaid.
Fifteen men were appointed to circulate this subscrip- tion paper, and on the 20th of June they had succeeded so far that the Society held a meeting and appointed the following persons a building committee : Joseph N. Sperry, Marvin Miner, Ira Hough, Ira Frisbie, and Levi Moulthrop. "The house, including portico, to be 52 feet long ; main body of the house 46 feet long by 36 feet wide ; length of posts, 20 feet."
This effort to build a Meeting house did not bring back those persons who had withdrawn, and on the 10th of July, 1840, a Second Congregational Society of Wolcott was organized. Under these circumstances a Council was called, consisting of the "whole Consociation." The church united in calling the Council because the Society demanded the dismission of the pastor. On the 9th of November, 1840,- probably the day on which Mr. Chap- man was dismissed,- the church, at a church meeting, took the following action : "Voted unanimously that we are well satisfied with the Rev. James D. Chapman as a gospel minister, both as to his preaching and personal deportment, and are desirous that the pastoral relation might be continued, but as the persons who now consti- tute the Society over which he was installed are anxious for his dismission, we reluctantly consent to it ; provided the Rev. Consociation shall judge it meet and proper."
The Council met apparently on the 9th of November, 1840, and passed the following remarkable but just and high-toned declaration :
" Whereas, there have existed various difficulties in the church and Ecclesiastical Society in Wolcott, which have led to the form-
I2I
MINISTRY OF REV. JAMES D. CHAPMAN.
ation of distinct congregations for public worship ; and whereas, the Consociation has been requested to act on the case, in which request both parties have acquiesced ; and whereas, the interests of religion must be seriously injured in the place by their contin- ued separate existence ; and whereas, the Consociation anticipate no good result from investigation into difficulties complicated and of so long standing, which it would be impossible now wholly to settle ; therefore
Resolved, That as in the opinion of Consociation, a union of these two bodies may take place without any sacrifice of principle by either of them, a union ought therefore to take place on the basis of the following great principles and stipula- tions, to be solemnly assented to and forever faithfully observed by the parties herein before mentioned : -
The church, in Congregational usage, is a body distinct and independent of the Ecclesiastical Society, and as such, should in the settlement of a pastor, give a separate vote to be concurred in by the Society, if the Society see fit ; and moreover, may for suf- ficient reasons separate from the Society; but the separation never should take place except in peculiar emergencies and after seeking counsel of Consociation or the neighboring churches.
It is a cardinal principle that every pastor has a right to discuss in his pulpit those subjects, moral and religious, the discussion of which will in his judgment promote the cause of the Redeemer, and that it is an unreasonable and dangerous infringement on his right, for his church or Society to dictate to him, while their pas- tor, what moral and religious subjects he shall or shall not discuss ; while we fully admit not only that the exercise of this right should be governed by discretion and wise regard to the interests of religion in the community, but also that a church or Society if they deem themselves aggrieved by indiscreet and improper dis- cussion in the pulpit may seek redress, but only by the regular ecclesiastical and civil processes.
The above principles of Congregationalism are fully established and admitted, which no Congregational church or Society can violate without injustice to others and unfaithfulness to their de- nominational obligations.
We, therefore, the Congregational church and Society in Wol- cott, do hereby solemnly admit these principles and express our
I22
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
fixed intention to abide by them. We also acknowledge it to be the sacred right of all individuals to enjoy, undisturbed, their own views in respect to Moral Reform, Anti-slavery, Temperance, and kindred subjects, and that we will not disturb, and will use our influence to prevent others from disturbing, any public meet- ing held for the discussion of these subjects.
Resolved, That on the above principles and stipulations we will unite in good faith as one Society in finishing the House of Worship which has been commenced on the site of the former house, and endeavor hereafter to support the gospel therein in peace and harmony, it being mutually understood that said house shall be opened for the discussion of the above mentioned sub- jects whenever it shall be requested by a majority of the Church."
Upon this arrangement between the Society and the church, the pastor was dismissed with the full confidence of the church and Council, and the church and Society entered upon their engagement to complete the Meeting house.
During Mr. Chapman's first year of labor twenty-one persons united with the church, most of them by profes- sion, so that the condition of the church and the congre- gation was prosperous and hopeful ; and had the Society, or rather certain members of it, conducted themselves according to the Congregational principles which they finally bound themselves to obey, there would have been little if any of this difficulty.
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