USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > Reports and papers. Fairfield County Historical Society, Bridgeport, Conn. 1882-1896-97 > Part 11
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MESSENGERS.
From Woodbury, Mr. Ephraim Miner.
Stratfield, Maj. John Burr, Esq.
Green's Farms, Mr. Gideon Hurlburt.
Stratford, Dea. Robert Walker.
Fairfield, Mr. Lathrop Lewis.
Canaan, Lieut. Ebenezer Carter.
Newtown, Mr. Peter Hubbell.
To which number, after the opening of the meeting, there were added, --
Elders, Mr. Moses Dickinson, from Norwalk, and Mr. John Goodsell, from Greenfiehl, and as Messengers, Deacon John Benedict, from Norwalk, and Ensign William Peat, of Unity.
These were the men by whom was accomplished the separa- tion of the county organization into the two bodies here repre- sented, and this is the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of that event. The division was not seemingly on account of any mutual jealousies or alienations-not because Ephraim envied Judah, or Judah vexed Ephraim-not because, thus to speak, one part of the flock wished to go on the east side of Lebanon and the other upon the west, each hoping thus to find sweeter pasturage, but from a judgment that a better cultivation of the whole field, and hence, more abundant pro- eluets could be realized by two separate organizations rather than by one. The disuniting and re-forming act of that body was in these words.
"Voted, That the Consociation of this County be divided into two Consociations by a line running from the sea on the
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eastern side of ye prime Society of Fairfield, on the eastern side of Greenfield, on the western side of Reading, and on the western side of Danbury; that the several pastors and churches on the western side of said line be known by ye name of the Western Consociation of the County of Fairfield, and the several pastors and churches to the eastward of the aforesaid line by the name of the Eastern Consociation of the County of Fairfield, and that the present act of division shall take place and be in force immediately upon the dissolution of the present Council."
It will have been noticed that some of the names made use of in the records referred to, seem unfamiliar, and that eer- tain churches named do not belong at present to either of our bodies, it will be suitable, therefore, that I shall make mention here of
SOME CHANGES OF NAMES OF PARISHIES, AND ALSO CHANGES IN THE GEO- GRAPHICAL LIMITS OF THE CONSOCIATIONS AS TIME HAS PROGRESSED.
Unity (I trust from no change in the disposition of the peo- ple) has come to be Trumbull. Ripton has ceased to be, and Huntington is its recognized successor. Monroe designates the locality formerly known as New Stratford. Darien appears in the early records as Middlesex. Norfield has come to be Weston, and North Fairfield, Easton. New Fairfield, north parish, is now Sherman, and the church at Horse Neck is the Second Church in Greenwich. Newbury, in honor of its first pastor, Brooks, is Brookfield, and Canaan of the former days is the New Canaan of the present.
Added to these changes of names there have been changes, as already implied, of geographical limits.
Quite early in the history of "Fairfield East," the churches in Bethlehem, Washington. (then called "Judea"), Roxbury, New Milford, and the First Church in Woodbury, were all in- eluded in that body. On the organization of the Consociation of Litchfield County, in 1752, they were transferred to that group.
At an early date there were churches connected with us within the boundaries of New York, as at Philippi Patent, or
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South East, Yorktown, West Philippi, or Carmel, Bedford and Rye, but State limits came afterward to be regarded and their connection here was dissolved.
The church in Sherman, on account of geographical and business relations of the town to Litchfield county, withdrew from "Fairfield East " in 1779, and united with "Litchfield South."
The First and Second Churches of Greenwich, dissolved connection with " Fairfield West" in 1876, and organized as the "Fairfield South West Conference."
It is relevant here, to say, that again and again in the pro- gress of years, endeavors have been made on the part of the Eastern Consociation to secure a more equitable division as to the number of churches belonging to each body, but with- out success, the brethren of the "West" being content to remain with the larger group notwithstanding the sweetest cooings and most persistent wooings of lovers on the Eastern side, (I speak as a member of the Eastern district), only prov- ing that churches like individuals, do not always comprehend their privilege, and that swollen majorities tend to pervert judgment!
Breth'en, of the West. the way is still open to genuine pen- itents, and Fairfield East is willing!
But, to be done with pleasantry. Not only geographical changes have taken place with the drift of time, but changes also in
THE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS
of the two bodies. While our consociational fathers were careful not to invade or seemingly impair the antonomy of the individual church while they took action specifically defend- ing the local body of believers against usurpation of its rights, they nevertheless, claimed for the representative Council power almost Presbyterial. One of the first recorded acts of "Fairfield East," was in the words following: "Voted, That the pastors, with the consent of the representatives of the elnrches convened and that shall hereafter convene in Conso- ciation as above said, have power authoritatively and deci-
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sicely to determine Ecclesiastical affairs brought to their cognizance according to the Word of God."
Presumably similar claims were asserted by the brethren of the Western district, though their records having perished, the evidence is not decisive.
This sounds quite differently from a deliverance of the "Fairfield West." given in 1816, in answer to certain ques- tions propounded by the Second Church in Greenwich. "As concerns the relation of Consociation to consociated churches, and its power over them, it disclaims, and always has dis- claimed all legislative power. * * In cases of difficulty and discipline submitted to Consociations by the churches, it sint- ply gives adeise. It is a permanent Council, having the same powers and doing the same services with regard to consoci- ated churches which churches in New England not consociated allot to occasional Councils."
This is certainly a marked receding from the high Consoci- ationism of the earlier date, and is I suppose a fair expression of the view generally accepted at present-a permanent Coun- eil with the advantage of continuous and permanent records.
The inquiry is appropriate here,
WHAT WAS THE STATE OF MORALS AND RELIGION
in the earlier days of our churches as compared with the type which now prevails? There is a certain class of minds always looking to the past for the golden and sorely deprecating lapses from a former standard. Is our review to-day a justification of such a state of mind ?
Were "the former days better than these?"
A few years previous to the Synod at Saybrook the mem- bers of one of the most important churches of the Colony re- newed their Covenant, and a part of the instrument was in these words-not a very animating picture, certainly, of the moral status.
"Whereas to the great dishonor of God, scandal of religion and regard of the damnation of many souls, drunkenness and uncleanness are prevailing amongst us. We do solemnly engage before God * * faithfully and conscientiously to
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strive against these evils and the temptations leading there- unto."
President Edwards, in his "Narative of the Revival in Northampton." gives this account of the state of things there prevailing when the "day spring from on high" visited the place in 1734.
"It was a time of remarkable dullness in religion. Many of the youth were much addicted to night walking, frequenting the tavern, and lewd practices. They would often spend the greater part of the night in frolies without regard to any order in the families they belonged to, and indeed family government did too much fail in the town."
In 1750, the brethren of the Eastern district find occasion to speak of "the abounding profaneness and irreligion of the times, especially the crying sins of Sabbath-breaking, intem- perance, profane swearing, uneleanness, filthy and foolish jest- ing," and advise publie fasting on these accounts.
The records of these bodies contain frequent allusions to a state of things scarcely better-testimonies of good men deploring the prevailing immoralities and irreligion in terms truly pathetic, as for example when the brethren of the West- ern district, in 1781, record that "they are exceedingly grieved at the too general negleet of publie worship through- out this part of the country," and in 1814 testify to "a deeply affecting state of coldness and indifference respecting Divine things," when not "even the judgments of God seemed to be regarded," referring doubtless to the calamities of the war of 1812, which were still oppressive upon the people.
There is another kind of evidence quite as eonelusive to the reader of Consociational doings in the long stretches of our early history.
The pages thus open to onr perusal are not pleasant read- ing since they are so largely a record of disciplinary processes carried up from constituent churches and often for very gross offences-too often I am pained to say, involving the purity, temperance, and straight forwardness of ministers themselves.
Having carefully perused these records, and without the least desire to disparage those who can raise no voice in their
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own defense, I am free to say, the churches, the ministry, for the last fifty years have been moving npon a far higher plane of morality and practical Christianity than during the previous hundred years which come under our review to-day. In strict justice it should be said, however, in partial abatement of the force of this kind of evidence, that a hundred, or even fifty years ago, discipline was much more rigidly enforced than in these later years.
The transition is easy here to the question.
WHAT SPECIAL MEASURES
did our Consociational fathers adopt for making head against the prevailing sinfulness of their times and promoting godli- ness in their generations ?
They were not, I judge, in the earlier period of their organ- ization so much disinclined to extraordinary measures and extraordinary men as some of their brethren in other sections of the Colony. When Rev. George Whitefield visited some of the parishes of Connecticut in 1740, the " Fairfield East " put on record its appreciation of "the wonderful success" that attended his ministrations "in awaking secure sinners and the promotion of piety," and instructed the Moderator and Seribe, in the name of the Consociation, "to prepare a letter and send it to the Reverend gentleman with all convenient speed, entreating that he would make a visit to the several towns within our district that if it may be the will of God he may be an instrument of reviving decayed religion in our churches likewise."
Whether he actually came in response to this request is not a matter of record, though there is a tradition that he visited and preached in the parish of Stratfield, (Bridgeport), and that considerable religious interest followed .* However, this may have been some of the "new light" representatives itine- rated in different parishes causing no small ferment, and the men who invited the great preacher had occasion in the most energetic manner to warn the churches against the extrava- gances and irregularities that were then introduced, and to
* Supplementary Note B.
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advise most seriously, parishes with vacant pulpits as to the kind of candidates they should seek.
As to other and later measures additional to the regular ministrations of the Sanctuary, "Circular Fasts" as they were called, came into use in conjunction with the "Great Awaken- ing" in 1740, and were continued for twelve or fifteen years, at first with marked success but varying afterward.
Family religion was much insisted on, neglect of family prayer being voted by the body a disciplinable offense and a quarterly catechising of the children in public by each pas- tor was accepted as a part of ministerial duty.
In addition to these methods, for a considerable period in the Western district, preaching tours were arranged, the min- isters of the several parishes going forth after the pattern of Christ's time, two by two, spending four days among thie churches visited in their evangelistie work, and repeating this twice each year.
It is in the natural order of thought next to inquire what was the effect of these and other endeavors in promoting
REVIVALS AND SPECIAL INGATHERINGS ?
Allusion has already been made to the "Great Awakening" in 1740, in which Edwards and Whitefield and Bellamy and the two Tennents were so conspicuous workers. It was the dawn- ing of a resplendent day after a dark and long continued night of religious degeneracy and depression -- "a general and terri- ble decay of Christianity " as Increase Mather expressed it, consequent, largely upon the wide acceptance of the "Half- way Covenant," and the Stoddarderian theory of the Lord's Supper-a connection of cause and effect, I cannot forbear to say, in passing, which sends down its warning to us, bidding us beware how our churches shall receive into membership unconverted men and women .*
The dawning of this brighter day east its reviving beams upon some, at least, of these churches, and the brethren of "Fairfield East" refer under date of 1741, to "the large ex- perience they have had within the year of the boundless good- ness and saving grace of God as a hearer of prayer."
* Supplementary Note C.
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After these remarkable demonstrations of the Spirit's power other years of gloom for Zion succeeded, and when at the close of the century the tide of French infidelity began to ebb, it was necessary "to lay again the foundations of repentance from dead works and faith toward God," which was a work of some years. This being accomplished, the grace of God again became conspicuous in its operations.
In 1816 many of the churches, especially in the Western district, were visited by reviving influences. Fairfield church received into its membership as the fruits of this visitation, fifty; Green's Farms, thirty; Norwalk, one hundred and fif- teen; Middlesex, (Darien), forty; Stamford, twelve, Wilton, fifty four; New Canaan, thirty; Ridgefield, ten; Ridgebury, twenty one, making a total ingathering of three hundred and sixty-one for the strengthening and encouragement of Zion. Years of special grace subsequent to this for both the Conso- ciations were the memorable ones of 1831 and 1832, the for- mer of which added from two hundred and fifty to three hun- dred members to the churches of our order in the Eastern district, and in the latter year, in the same district, revivals were reported in Bridgeport, New Fairfield, Stratford, Red- ding, Trumbull, and Monroe, while in the Western district nearly all the churches were revived and strengthened, as their records affirm, "to an extent never before experienced."
Other especially fruitful years in which the harvest song was sung were 1821, 1843, and 1858, but time forbids more than this general reference.
It is among the pleasant features of our history that these bodies were so early and vigorously committed to the
REFORMATORY AND MISSIONARY MOVEMENTS
characteristic of the passing century.
So early as 1768 a lively interest began to be felt on the part of the ministers and churches in the spiritual condition and welfare of those who had pushed to the frontier settle- ments and were without the means of grace. and in that year the brethren of the Western district delegated Rev. Mr. Silli- man as a missionary to destitute churches in New York and
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Pennsylvania, and subsequently this kind of endeavor was enlarged, the elders of both Consoeiations engaging more or less in evangelistie work outside their own parishes.
The benevolent spirit thus awakened began shortly to con- template wider fields and more appalling destitutions. In 1797 the brethren of the Western district proposed to the General Association that a society be formed in the State "for the purpose of enlarging the Redeemer's kingdom and propogating the gospel among the heathen," and in 1812, the second year after the organization of the "American Board," a "Foreign Missionary Society" was formed in the district,* and two years later an Auxilliary Bible Society was formed in the Eastern district.
About the same time-for benevolence limits itself to no one partieular channel-a sore evil existing in all the commu- nities to an alarming extent, and invading even the churches themselves, was recognized and its abatement became an object of solicitous endeavor. The same year in which the mission- ary spirit became so active in the Western district, viz. in 1812, Messrs. Swan, of Norwalk, Humphrey, of Fairfield, and Bonney, of New Canaan, were appointed a committee to draft and print an address respecting "the temperate use of ardent spirits," and it was voted in Association "wholly to discon- tinue the use of ardent spirits in the future meetings of this body except in eases of real necessity,"-similar action being taken, the same year, by the associated brethren of the Eastern district.
This action is the more noteworthy as being the first decided movement on the subject of temperance made by any Ecelesi- astical body in the country, and the address drawn by Messrs. Swan, Humphrey, and Bonney, is referred to in the records as "one of unusual power." Would that its prolonged echoes were a thousand fold stronger than they are to-day!
A somewhat less agreeable department of our subject in- vites here, passing attention.
The recorded doings of these bodies for the one hundred and fifty years of their existence, and the documents held on
. Supplementary Noto D.
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file, are a sad commentary upon the infirmities, imperfections, imprudencies, and evil passions of those even professing Chris- tianity, and our review would be not a little defective if no allusion were made to
SOME OF THE MORE NOTICABLE CONTROVERSIES, DIFFICULTIES AND TROUBLES
which have been brought before these bodies for adjustment.
Neither time nor inclination allow protracted reference to these matters. In respect to many items, especially of more recent date, it is better that the ashes should not be stirred at all lest some spark should remain which even now may have injurious heat.
The most conspicuous of these difficulties, and those which have put the wisdom and patience of the members to the severest test, have been perhaps the case of Rev. Mr. Miner, of Unity, (Trumbull), whose defection in 1743, from the " Con- gregational way" to Episcopacy, connected with some other circumstances in the state of the church unfavorable to its prosperity developed under his ministry, led to its reorganiza- tion in 1747; the case of Elisha Kent, of Newtown, tried, though not convicted, on scandalous charges in 1742; the case of the "White Controversy," so called, wherein Rev. Ebenezer White, of Danbury, Rev. James Taylor, of New Fairfield, and Rev. Noah Whitmore, of Bethel, were tried for false doctrine, (viz. Sandemanianism), and the two former were silenced; the case of Rev. Robert Silliman, who was not willing to acqui- esce in the wish of the church at New Canaan for his dismis- sion, and whose pastorate finally came to an end by an act of the legislature in 1771; the case of Rev. Mr. Seward, dis- missed from the church of Stanwich in 1794, and afterward deprived of his standing in the ministry for immorality; the case in 1797 of Benedict es. Comstock, of New Canaan, the trouble growing out of disagreement in respect to a land- boundary, and the further case of Rev. Mr. Carle, of Wilton, who after two unsuccessful endeavors to have his pastoral relations dissolved by act of Consociation, abdicated his charge without their consent, and was adjudged therefor no longer a minister of the gospel.
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In 1817 the church at Ridgefield withdrew from the Conso- ciation because the body refused to install their chosen ean- didate under the so called "six months notice " clause, and remained outside until 1831, and a serious unpleasantness arose between the Second Church in Greenwich and "Fair- field West" in connection with the dismission of Rev. Mr. Coe, the disagreement being as to what constitutes a sufficient reason for the dissolving of the pastoral relation.
To controversies of more recent date, for obvious reasons I make no allusion.
Cases like these, only a little less conspicuous and perplex- ing, brouglit before one or other of the bodies for adjustment might be added to a painful extent, but it is better they should remain in the obseurity given them by intervening years- " Reyeiscat in pace."
A few words are at least allowable before I am done, in re- spect to
THE MINISTRY
of these more distant periods of our history, though a testi- mony from the pew, upon this topic might be quite as grace- ful and more satisfactory.
Notable men of this elass there have been among us, as Rev. Charles Chauncey and Rev. Samuel Cook, of Stratfield, (Bridgeport), Rev. Noah Hobart, of Fairfield, Dr. Noah Wells and Rev. John Davenport, of Stamford, Dr. Samuel Hopkins, of North Stamford, and Dr. Timothy Dwight, of Greenfield, Rev. Isaac Lewis, D.D., of Greenwich, and Rev. Joseph Del- lamy, of Bethlehem.
In the roll of distinction at a later date stand the names of Drs. Heman Humphrey and Lyman Atwater, of Fairfield, Rev. Elijah Waterman and Drs. Samuel and John Blatchford. Drs. Woodbridge and Hewit, of Bridgeport, Rev. William B. Weed, of Stratford, and later of Norwalk, Dr. Edwin Hall, of Norwalk, and Dr. Joel H. Linsley, of Greenwich, true and good men all, who like David, having "served their own gen- eration by the will of God, fell on sleep and were gathered unto their fathers."
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So far as appears, the ministers of the county have in a marked degree been true to their doctrinal standards, with exception of the Sandemanian or Glassite defection at Dan- bury already referred to, and a protest by four members of Council against the settlement of a candidate at Green's Farms in 1840. In all the one hundred and fifty years not a single stain of blood from the veins of heretics-not even a seorch by inquisitorial fires, appearing upon the records.
As the nearest approach to this it perhaps should be men- tioned, that at the settlement of Dr. Dwight, in Greenfield in 1783, (was there a touch of humor in this?) a protest was submitted to the Council from some of the congregation based upon the asserted doctrinal unsoundness of the candidate. In this connection I can scarcely refrain from making inen- tion of a single name in the list of lieentiates, though its rela- tion to us is Associational rather than Consociational-a name held in well deserved honor as the symbol of all that is self- denying and heroie in Christian character and life. I refer to David Brainerd, licensed by the "Fairfield East" Associa- tion in 1742, and who after being expelled from Yale College, in part because he disobeyed orders in attending meetings held by the sympathizers with Whitefield and Tennent, was received into the family of Rev. Mr. Mills, of Huntington, and by him qualified as to his theological education for his subse- quent mission as preacher among the Stockbridge Indians.
It may be justly added, we of the present generation have no reason to think lightly of our Consociational fathers. They were for the most part men of sound judgment, "zealous for purity of doctrine and the wholesome administration of discipline," full of labors for Zion's welfare, and with just enough of divergence of opinion on cases submitted for adjust- ment to make evident their independence of thought and the courage of their convictions, yet in these cases differing with- out bitterness and at all times maintaining good fellowship.
But here our review must reach its end.
These memorials of the past-these gleanings from the records of the church within these Consociational boundaries
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while five generations of our brethren in Christ have been ful- filling their mission and ripening for the estate of glory upon which they have entered-do they not render their testimony that the church is of God, and that God is in her history, and this further truth also, that the faith which is the inspiration, the comfort and the undying hope of believers from age to age is not of human origin, but divine, is not an experiment, but a settled verity, is not ephemeral, but everlasting.
The clear affirmations of history-the chronicles of all the Christian centuries are on our side, and we say to the agnos- tic, the scientific doubter, the scoffing infidel-whatever may be true of human interpretations, Christianity itself hath its walls of adamant and its gates of brass, against which the bow- guns of the assailant will have little effect!
Institutions which men have builded grow old and perish, but "whatsoever God doeth shall be forever; nothing can be put to it nor anything taken from it, and God doeth it that men should fear before Him."
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