USA > Connecticut > New London County > Norwich > The Methodist Episcopal churches of Norwich, Conn. > Part 12
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16
Mr. Bentley was called to mourn the death of his son, David G., May 1, 1845. He died at New Orleans, where he had gone for his health, of the same insidious disease which had removed his eldest sister, and soon invited his beloved wife, Harriet M., to follow. He was converted early in life, but fell into religious indifference until this marriage, when he soon became a zealous Christian, class- leader, and exhorter. He died in confident expec- tation of joining the blood-washed bands of Para- dise, in sight of which the graves of saints are but stepping-stones to the chariots of the Eternal.
Mrs. Caroline Stowell, another daughter, was taken ill at Portsmouth, Virginia, and her wishes were instant, to be brought to the homestead and die there among the relatives and friends of her childhood. . Though much reduced by sickness and apparently near to death, sustained by the kind- ness of God and the hope of reaching home, she was taken on board a vessel in an India-chair, made of cane, constructed so that it formed at pleasure a sort of lounge, while its back could be elevated at any angle. She withstood the roughness of the voy-
176
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCH.
age better than her attendants, until reaching the New London Light-house, when she sank rapidly. By telegraphing to Norwich, and speeding the "small steamer," she was enabled to reach this city 5. o'clock P. M., Friday, and was carried to the mother she so longed to behold. She died the next day, about 3 o'clock P. M., after bidding all the family a long " farewell," and by faith in Christ was entered among the list of safe immortals, June 17, 1848.
Mr. Bentley was called to mourn the translation of his wife, Mrs. Letitia, October 30, 1853, after a short illness. Her health had been declining upwards of a year, but now attacked by pleuritic disease, she prognosticated it as her last sickness ; and after she had made a judicious disposition of her personal effects, and advised early companion- ship to her husband, near the last she said : "There is Gardner ; he has come for me. I shall be ready shortly," and soon slept the Christian's sleep, which never even dreams of sorrow. She was highly benevolent, kind to the poor, provident for the comforts of the itinerant minister, even to the sac- rifice of her own convenience, and faithful to God and her friends. Something like an hour before she ceased to breathe, taking Mr. Bentley by the hand, she said, in her fond, familiar way : " Father, you will be very lonely when I am gone, and now, I advise you, as soon as you can bring your mind to
177
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCH.
the subject, to take to yourself another compan- ion," intimating who that one should be.
" At the gloomy midnight hour, with mournful step," May 27, 1865, he followed his son, John W., to the city of the dead. He had died of small-pox, contracted while awaiting the refitment of a vessel which he had just brought in to New York as a prize, and of which he had received orders from the Navy Department to take command.
Again, March 4th, of the same year, he resigned the remains of his daughter, Elizabeth R., to the peaceful quiet of Yantic Cemetery. She was the youngest of fifteen children, and the idolized wife of William H. Allen, Esq., of New York. She was greatly beloved and respected among her rela- tives and acquaintance.
As will be remembered from the previous refer- ences, Mr. Bentley commenced his labors as a Local Preacher soon after conversion, and has continued in this unremunerative field until the present time. In 1811, and for several succeeding years, he alter- nated with the traveling ministry at the Landing and Bean Hill, except at such times as an exchange was effected with other local ministers. He also at this early date began to preach at the Almshouse, whence some of God's poor, rich in faith and celes- tial treasures, have been taken to the King's Palace, among whom may be mentioned Aunt Betsey Calkins and Mr. Nathan Becket, who shall repre- sent a goodly company that have exchanged the 8*
178
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCH.
Poorhouse for Heaven, indigence for wealth, humility for coronation. Doubly blest shall be his efforts who, without pay or praise, has continued to serve penury in life and death, and in the feebleness of old age is all unconsciously provoking the applaudit, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
The New Year's eve of 1817 was a marked occasion. The regular ministers having failed to reach the city, Mr. Bentley preached two sermons from, "Prepare to meet thy God," and, " The end of all things is at hand ; be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer." Great solemnity and awe rested upon the congregation at the closing services, and when they were invited to join in silent prayer in the ebbing of the old year, not one in that crowded assembly remained sitting, while many prostrated themselves on the floor, crying for mercy. Seven were converted in the church, and one, over- whelmed by sin, knelt by the roadside, and while prayer was offered at his instance by Mr. Jeremiah Griffing and others, he entered into the rest of con- scious pardon.
His ministerial activity during the immediately succeeding years is worthy of especial record. On his tour to the West, he preached upwards of forty sermons. Returning, and having convalesced, he resumed preaching in this and contiguous towns, Jewett City, Preston, Gales' Ferry, Uncasville, &c.,
179
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCHT.
in all of which places his labors were attended with more or less awakening.
A large number of persons have been baptized by him, in this and other appointments. His views upon the mode of its administration are liberal and accommodated to the conscience of the candidates. On May 16, 1819, he baptized eighteen in five different positions : First, by immersing the can- didate backward; secondly, the candidate knelt in suitable depth of water, and was immersed forward ; thirdly, the baptism was performed by affusion, the person kneeling in the water ; fourthly, by affusion, the subject kneeling on the bank ; and lastly, the rite was administered at the altar in the usual manner, the same formula being used in each case.
In fact, he seems to have shared an unusual cele- brity in the matter of baptism, as he was often invited by the regular pastors to perform this ordi- nance, and the record of the subsequent years is signal for the number whom he thus initiated into the church militant. To attempt a chronological statement of the number baptized by him, would ill consort with the character of this work, but. the aggregate is not far from three hundred and forty,* many of whom remained faithful to their profession, and received funeral rites at the same hand. Two thousand and twenty-six personst have been com- mitted, " dust to dust, ashes to ashes," by him,
* Two hundred and six immersions.
+ Four hundred funeral discourses.
180
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCH.
whose services have been so memorable at the bridal,* the font, and the grave. Probably no minister in Norwich has ever attended an equal number of funerals, at many of which, especially in the rural districts, sermons were delivered, a prac- tice still observed in numerous portions of the country. His labors are redolent of such instances as the following, only a few of which can be given :
"1840 .- This year, Father Fuller of Lisbon, Mother Taylor of Jewett City, and Father Perry of Bean Hill, all died in great peace, w hose mortal remains I committed to the grave."
" 1841 .- In July, I was called up to Plainfield to attend the funeral of Rev. Hezekiah Thatcher, who was killed on the railroad near that place. November 10th, the funeral of our dearly beloved sister, Hannah Fuller, at the Landing. December 5th, similar mournful services for our greatly respected brother, J. O. Hopkins, at the Falls."
"1842 .- Sister Harriet Allen, in the city. She was a lovely little woman. March 31, I was called to sympathize with our dear brother and sister Woodward at the Falls, in performing the last services over their loved little Daniel."
" 1844 .- In the city our highly esteemed and much loved sister, Mary Winchester. There was as much of the milk of human kindness flowing through her soul as in any other person that came within my acquaintance or observation."
"1847 .- August 17. This day I performed the funeral obsequies' of brother Nahum Fay. He was a good man, and died in the faith."
" 1849 .- October 2. Funeral of brother James J. Hyde. A Chris- tian of many trials. Peace to his ashes. February 10, sister Diantha Hopkins at the Falls. She was one of the most lovely, kind, and piously devoted of women. February 21, funeral solem-
* Four hundred and twenty-five marriages.
181
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCHI.
nities of the venerable Deacon Congdon, a little below Uncasville. I remember of hearing him exhort after Bishop Asbury had preached, at New London. He said when he was a boy, his father was a carpenter, and his business was to stand on the other side of the work, and when his father drove the nails through, he stood there ready to clinch them. He died full of faith, and the joy of heaven anticipated."
"1851 .- July 29. This day the serious duty of performing the sad and mournful services at the funeral of our highly esteemed brother, Jesse Fuller. He was the principal acting steward from 1829, to his removal by death, a man very much respected and beloved by all the community, and lamented by all the church. He was the son of the venerable Ebenezer Fuller of Lisbon, one of the first Methodists in that vicinity. He experienced religion in 1829. I baptized and took him into the church at the Falls, Sep- tember 27, 1829."
" 1846 .- July 12. Sister Polly Setchel, aged sixty-six years. She was highly esteemed and beloved."
" 1851 .- October 8. I consigned to the grave the mortal remains of sister Nancy Butler. She was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in this city for about forty years."
"1854 .- April 20. I gave an address at the funeral of brother William Fletcher, one of the first Methodists at Norwich Falls ; a good consistent Christian, pious and peaceable in his life, resigned and happy in death. July 27, brother Elbridge G. Allen. He was a warm-hearted Christian, and has gone to his reward in heaven."
" 1855 .- February 19. I was called to attend the funeral of my old friend, Mr. Russell Lamphere, at the Falls. He was the father of our respected brother William Lamphere. October 10, I com- mitted the lifeless form of Samuel, son of our highly esteemed brother Samuel Carter, to the last resting-place. He was a lovely boy. November 26, I was again invited to the house of death, where, robed in the habiliments of the grave, lay our beloved sister, Anna D. Francis, where I offered prayer, and at the grave resigned 'dust to dust,' while Rev. C. Payne preached the funeral sermon at the Bethel. She lived much beloved and died greatly lamented."
!
182
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCH.
"1857 .- March 22, attended the funeral of our aged sister, Hannah Crawley, of the East Main Street Church, in the eighty- seventh year of her age. 'Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.' July 3, the funeral of sister Mary Lester, aged fifty-seven years. She was an excellent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at the Falls. She was a lady of more than ordinary intel- lectual faculties, with a nice sense of propriety. September 11, sister Olive Kingsley, a worthy member of the East Main Street Church, aged sixty-four years. She lived a holy life, and died in the faith of a glorious immortality. October 23, funeral obsequies of widow "Betsey Griffing, aged eighty-five years. She was the wife of our lamented brother Jeremiah Griffing, the old faithful, untiring class-leader at the Landing."
"1860 .- On receiving tidings of the death of our venerable mother Vashti Clark, it was thought that some public expression of re- spect to her memory should be shown by the church, in appropriate funeral services in the sanctuary. Sabbath, August 31, I was called on to give an address and offer prayer. Mother Clark died at Binghamton, N. Y., August 27, in the ninety-eighth year of her age, all ripe for glory. My wife and I visited her between two and three weeks before her death, when we found her as near heaven as a mortal could be here in the flesh."
" 1861 .- September 25. Was called up to Bean Hill to attend the funeral of brother Jesse Calkins, aged sixty-five, who had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for more than forty years."
" 1863 .-- March 4. Sister Eunice Hebard, wife of brother George Hebard. She was a respected, member of the Methodist Episcopal Free Church of this city."
" 1864 .- March 5. I attended the funeral services of sister De- borah B. Crandall, at Norwich Falls. She was the wife of Rev. Phineas Crandall, of the New England Conference, and daughter of the venerable Mother Cady, of blessed memory. Sister Crandall was some of the fruit of my early labors in Jewett City. I bap- tized and took her into the church June 17, 1821. Her maiden name was Tinkham. She was an excellent specimen of a Methodist proacher's wife-blessed with a good understanding, chaste, indus-
183
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCH.
trious, economical, affectionate, and pious-a true helpmate for a man in the ministry."
" 1865 .- February 26. This day I was called to mingle my tears of sympathy and grief with my nephew, Doctor Edwin Bentley, as the funeral services of his deceased wife were being performed at East Main Street Church. Rev. Daniel Wise of New York preached a most admirable discourse, happily adapted to the be- reaved husband and daughters, and all the mourning relatives, while the whole densely packed congregation seemed to participate in the general feeling of sympathy and bereavement. At the grave, by request, I performed the burial service, committing the body to the ground, 'earth to earth, ashes to ashes.' "
" 1866 .- July 31. In connection with Rev. I. Bidwell and other ministers, participated in the funeral solemnities of sister Henri- etta Truman, consort of brother J. B. Truman, of this city. Brother Bidwell gave a most gratifying address on the occasion, setting forth in a clear and lucid manner the long and useful Christian life and peaceful death of sister Truman. She, with her husband, came to reside in Norwich something over forty years ago."
"1867 .- January 22. This day I was called to Preston, to attend the funeral solemnities of our old brother, Robert Palmer, eighty- nine years old. Brother Palmer was a most exemplary Christian. He had been feeble in body for a long time. I visited him in the fall; found him confined to his room, ready to depart and be with Christ, which, he expressed, would be far better. His earthly tabernacle was taken to the old city cemetery, with other mem- bers of the family, to remain until Gabriel's trump shall wake a slumbering world."
"Our beloved Brother Griffing, our good old class-leader, departed this life March 13, 1825, aged fifty-four years. He was among the early Methodists in the Landing, although his resi- dence was nearly two miles up town, on the Scotland road; yet he would walk down to the Landing to attend his class-meetings Saturday evenings, and back, and also prayer meetings, beside those of the Sabbath. He possessed a remarkably pleasant Chris- tian spirit. I sat up with him the night before his departure for
1
184
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCH.
the heavenly land. He had been a little depressed in spirit in the early part of his sickness, but when he came to look the dread monster in the face, he did not quail. While I was praying with him, the morning before I left, ho seemed in quite an ecstasy of joy and glory, saying: 'Now I am ready; come, Lord Jesus.'"
"Just six days after Brother Griffing's funeral, I was called to attend the funeral solemnities of our dear old mother in Israel, . Mrs. Sarah Carew, aged eighty-six years. Mother Carew was one of the first class that was formed on Bean Hill. At her house I used to go and spend the intermission, when I went to meeting in the Academy. She was a lovely old lady. We always addressed her as 'Mother Carew.' There was no place in that vicinity where the preachers could go and feel themselves at home as at ' Mother Carew's.'"
" 1834 .- January 9, I committed to the dust the mortal remains of our dear old sister Davison, in the sixty-third year of her age."
" Called to deliver a discourse in the East Main Street Church, on the death of our venerable father in Israel, Andrew Clark, who died in Camdem, Oneida County, New York, July 10, 1839, aged about eighty years."
" 1835 .- August 10, I performed the funeral service of sister Williams, consort of the late venerable Solomon Williams, of Bean Hill, one of the early Methodists of that place. She was seventy- one years old. Two years after, September 2, 1837, I performed like mournful services at the funeral of Father Williams also, aged eighty-one years."
" March 16 .- I attended the funeral services of brother Seth King, aged fifty-six years. Brother King was a Christian of very genial feelings, a great singer, and when religion did not make him. happy enough to sing, he was quite prone to get into Doubting Cas- tle. But one spiritual song would generally bring him out all right."
" July 15 .- I was called to officiate at the funeral of ' Mother Thurber,' of Poquetanoc, eighty years old. I attended the funeral of her husband, Luther Thurber, twelve years before, in his eighty-eighth year. They were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in this city. Brother Thurber made his own coffin a number of years before his death."
185
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCH.
" 1835, May 11 .- This day I attended the funeral solemnities of Brother Clark Summers, at the Falls. Brother Summers was an industrious, pious, and peaceable member of the M. E. Church, aged forty-eight years."
The originality and versatility of his mental faculties in the bygone, may be seen from an account of a sermon preached at a camp-meeting, held at Thompson, 1818, transcribed from his pen :
"On the afternoon of Thursday, there was an unusual large con- gregation on the ground. The preacher appointed for that service being sick, the congregation became exceedingly restless, when Brother Hyde came to me, and said the Presiding Elder wished me to go on the stand, and, if possible, collect the scattered attention of the people. I then held a ' Commission of the Peace' in the State. I told the Presiding Elder that my mind had been so occu- pied with the order of the meeting that I was ill prepared for the occasion."
" Well, then," I replied, "If I must, you commence the services by singing and prayer, while I collect my thoughts and select a text. I retired into the grove some eight minutes, and, as the introductory prayer was closing, I went on to the stand and gave out a hymn. The meeting, thus far, had been almost surfeited with most excellent preaching. Brother Fish, then a young man just out of college, had given them a beautiful discourse on the ' Love of God in human Redemption;' Brother E. C. Taylor, on the ' Feast of the fatted Calf;' Brother E. C. Blake, on ' The Judgment of the last Day ;' Brother Bates, on 'Backsliding.' As I stood up to read my text, I remarked that, when a company had been enter- tained at a great feast, and fed with all the delicacies that the occa- sion could afford, even unto surfeiting, there would be a difficulty in furnishing another table with such articles as would be desira- ble to the taste. So with this large congregation. You have been served with almost every variety of gospel food, the nutritious
186
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCH. .
Lamb, and the delicacy of the fatted calf. I thought while the preliminary services were being performed, I would go out into the thick forest and catch a wild bird, called a partridge. And now I will try to dress it, and make you a dish of savory broth. By this time I had gained the attention of nearly all within hearing. I announced my text, Jer. xvii. 11 : ' As the partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not, so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.' I illustrated the text by the conduct of Pharaoh, getting riches by the unrighteous servitude of the Hebrews in Egypt, and his folly, exemplified in his destruction in the Red Sea. Also, in the case of Haman, Absalom, Ahab, and many others of their time, with Herod and Judas, all who died as the 'fool dieth.' As soon as I got through, Lorenzo Dow came running on to the stand, and continued to apply the subject to wicked men for about fifteen minutes, when penitents were called forward for prayers. They came from every part of the congregation, numbering from eighty to one hundred, and more than thirty were converted before that prayer meeting was dismissed."
The value of his presence in the chamber of death, where he has initiated into the spiritual Church by baptism a number of the irrecoverably sick, is instanced by the following, of 1822 :
" A lady in Poquetanoc, being sick, and having some premoni- tion of her approaching dissolution, sent for me to come and visit her. I found her calm and considerate, a hectic flush on her check. With the utmost composure of mind, she said : 'I have been prayerfully considering my condition. I have no thought that I shall ever get well, and I want to be prepared to go to heaven when I leave this world. The last time I went to meeting I heard you say we must be born again, or never go to heaven. You explained to us how we must become new creatures in Christ, and here in this chamber I have tried to do as you said. I have re- signed myself, my husband, and my little babe, and all I have, to the
187
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCH.
will of my heavenly Father. I feel that he has accepted the offer- ing through Christ, who stood before the throne of the Father for me. I feel Him to be my Saviour, and He has said, 'Whatsoever is bound on earth is bound in heaven.' I have sent for you to come and initiate me into the church, by the solemn rite of the . baptismal vow, and to have my name enrolled with the people of God in the church book. After that, I desire to commemorate the death and sufferings of my Saviour, by partaking of the symbols of the broken body and shed blood of my crucified Lord, when I shall be ready and willing to depart and be with Christ my Lord!' I then asked her what day I should come and attend to those duties. She replied, 'Now ; I may not live to see another day.' In about half an hour, some six or eight persons came in, while preparation was made for the occasion. Without any ritual, I performed the baptismal rite in the accustomed way by sprinkling, while it did appear that the Holy Ghost was manifestly present, and sealed the vow. After this, I administered the Holy Eucharist, and that upper chamber seemed the ante-room of heaven. The lady sur- vived this solemn dedication some ten days, and then fell asleep in Jesus."
This abbreviated account of his life cannot be better concluded than in his own language :
"It is now more than sixty-two years since I received my first license to preach, although the world called my labors 'preaching' two or three years before. During all those many years, I never have pocketed a dollar beyond my expenses of traveling to and from my appointments. More than half of that time I kept a team of my own. It may truly be said I have been the poor man's minister. For more than sixty-three years I have held meetings at the almshouse in this city, regularly once in three weeks, and, when sick or absent, I have supplied a substitute. During that length of time I have attended two hundred and three funerals at the almshouse.
"I began the world with nothing but my hands. I have literally labored seven days in the week for fifty years. Quite a number of
188
HISTORY OF THE FREE CHURCH.
times, when I have been at work casting brass, a messenger has called for me to go and attend a funeral three or six miles off. Such calls, or something not altogether dissimilar, I have answered in all the towns within twenty miles of my residence. And now, if I can but see weeping penitents inquiring what they shall do to be saved, and hear them shout the praise of a sin-forgiving God, I think I shall feel like exclaiming, with Simeon, 'Now lettest . Thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.' "
Mrs. Betsey Bentley, the venerable consort of Rev. David N. Bentley, was the fourth child of Mr. James Rogers, of Montville, Connecticut. Her mother's maiden name was Miss Elizabeth Howard. She was born August 9, 1790. Early impressed with religious truth, when only thirteen years of age, she was deeply affected by the thought that she was unprepared to meet the Judge, and going to a Methodist meeting, where the Rev. Nathan Emory preached,* who was the first Meth- odist minister ever seen by her, she felt the load and burden of her sins, and could not eat nor sleep. until the Lord had consciously forgiven her. She was deeply convicted, until an old gentleman from New London, called "Father Bolles," of precious memory, talked and prayed with her. He seemed to divine just how she felt, and mercy's door was opened at his prayer, the burden of sin rolled off, and a sense of pardoning mercy gave joy and peace. The next morning, all nature seemed to be praising God. The little clouds floating in the heavens
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.