USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > East Hampton > The One hundred and fiftieth anniversary, 1748-1898, of the Congregational Church of East Hampton (Chatham), Conn. : November 30, 1898 > Part 5
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CONGREGATIONAL, CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
dictated to its ministers. Neither has it been cursed by any one man taking the reins and trying to "run" things. You have been careful in choosing your pastor, then you have trusted him.
And you have done all this in a most kind-spirited and appreciative way. Some churches let their minister alone, to be sure, but they let him too severely alone. There is too little sympathy exchanged, yet the best preaching and the best pastoral work is dependent on the best of feeling existing be- tween pastor and people. Now, personally, I do not see how you could have treated a minister more kindly than you treated nie. Away at Vale as I was a good half of the time! And my own feeling in the matter is fully shared by my wife! I hope only that wherever iny lot may be cast, the people to whom I minister may be as kindly as the East Hampton people have been.
L'et in this, too, I believe I voice the feeling of the other pastors. For instance, only yesterday I was talking with Brother Ives about a certain church, and he said: "Why, I know that church; I have preached there several tinies. It is a good church. I have often thought it was a second East Hampton on a larger scale!" Let me say I shall consider that church carefully.
But this church has been appreciative as well as kindly. When a good piece of work has been done, you have not gone away content with saying that you pay the salary promptly and that this squares off that. You have not done that, but by your words of appreciation you have shown your pastor that his work has told, that he has accomplished what he set out to do, and he has taken great satisfaction in it. Was that pride on the pastor's part? Possibly; but more likely it was the satisfaction of an earnest man whose heart is in his work, who longs to see some fruit of his work, to be assured that his work is not in vain; for no man can do his best work and keep it up constantly save in the spirit of hopefulness, and probably that is nowhere truer than in the Christian ministry. Now you, by your appreciation of good work, when good work was done, have aroused in your pastors fresh hopefulness and power. That is the way to get the inost and the best work out of a pastor, and I trust this church will never lose sight of it.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF FAST HAMPTON.
My word to-day, then, is a word of congratulation, of con- gratulation on what the past has been. It is a good past. This should be a day of joy, therefore, because of much work well done. That is our feeling as we look back. And as we look forward it is with hope. For this church in its latent powers and possibilities was never stronger than it is to-day, and the success of the past should be but the prelude of a suc- cess greater still in the days to come, as the dawn is the prelude of the coming day. God looks to you for such a future. As a church determine that it shall be so, and lay hold of Him for help. God bless you. He will bless you. You can and will succeed.
C. W. COLLIER,
PASTOR, 1893-97.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
ADDRESS BY REV. HENRY E. HART.
Y RETURN to this place and anniversary was trying in many respects. After receiving the invitation, it came to me often and with a peculiar heartache, How shall I sing the Lord's song in a strange land? A friendly letter came to my relief and lifted me to the duty. I come as if to speak of a dear and honored friend who had passed away. Your pastor introduced me happily to this occasion by his letter of invitation, in which he says: "Please write me that you will come with your message to help us, or your memories to cheer us."
My memories of the North Church are delightful. The organization of that church may be likened to a river that in time of high water overflowed its banks and made for itself a new channel, and later, further down the stream, united itself again to the original river.
The Union or North Church was organized in September, 1856. Public worship was continued there until May, 1880, a period of twenty-four years. Twenty-five members from the First Church constituted the nucleus of the new church. During the twenty-four years of its existence, ninety members were added on profession of faith, and nineteen by letter from other churches, in all one hundred and thirty-four members; of these, fifty-two have died, twenty-one joined the South or First Church at one time, and twenty-eight were dismissed and recommended to other churches.
Of money contributed, there were $73.50 in 1868, $88.10 in 1869, with $90 given the same year for the Sunday School library. In 1870, $77.97 were given for various objects, and $17 for the Home of the Friendless; $94.97 in all for 1870.
What about the pastor? He came, a young man of 32 with a wife ten years younger. He had preached three years to a church in Litchfield County, and so had a little experience and entered zealously on the work. The people cordially supported and encouraged him in every proper way.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
Of the deacons, one may say, they were plain men, emi- nently faithful in their office, never troublesome or in the way. Deacon Sears and Deacon Markham were good inen and true; they did their whole duty. And the young people! How many were there! Young people of the ages front 12 to 25 years and a little over, a large, faithful and sincere company of Christian youth. They were well behaved and orderly. It is a pleasure to think of them even now and recall their relig- ious experience, their fidelity, their close and loyal attachment to the church of their choice. As Miss Ella Buell once said, "We were all young together."
As to the doctrines we held, they were the old-fashioned orthodox kind, and we were not disturbed by new theories. There was no Revised Version then. I was not critical, but practical. We worked for results. I lived and labored to- gether with them from July 29, 1866, to November, 1871.
What, now, were the justifying principles or motives in organizing and supporting the North Church?
First: A regard for independent and manly action. The South Church would not yield an inch in regard to the location of the new church. They would not make any concession to the wish of the North people. The company that went off were somewhat numerous. Twenty-five people formed the nucleus of the new church, and these with their families prob- ably made the congregation of about one hundred persons. Business had begun to prosper, the village was growing, and altogether they felt justified in forming a new church.
Second: The separate organization of the North Church led the people there to bestir themselves to a degree of activity that would not have been possible had they continued with the South Church. The independent organization called out their best activity. They worked and gave, they lived, prayed in secret, worshiped publicly, and put forth their best energies for their church. They came to love their church more deeply for the toil and sacrifice they gave.
Revivals: One in 1860, when Rev. J. J. Bell was pastor; again during the winter of 1866-67 in the first year of my own pastorate, resulting in the addition of thirteen young people to the church the first Sunday in July, 1867, and many at various tinies afterward.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
Rev. Fred W. Chapman did excellent work for the church during two years before I came, and prepared the way for my period of service.
Good men were reared in the North Church, and they are a power for good with you to-day. There are Deacon John Watrous, too well known among you to need any recommen- dation from mne; Elijah C. Barton, my ever dear and faithful friend; Edwin Barton, with a wife every way as good and excellent as he; Robert Hall, true and good, and a host of other names might be added, but especially should be men- tioned those faithful helpers on Clark's Hill, Mr. Lyman H. Clark and his brother Francis, who with their families gave and maintained excellent and efficient choir service.
F. J. Stedman, ever memorable for his heroic attempt to keep sober at a critical time, and last and noblest of all, that most true and loyal brother, George H. White, now several years in glory. Brother White was pure gold. He was a diamond which the Master polished for his own most holy service. He came out on the Lord's side, February 19, 1867, the first one to thus declare himself, and ever remained one on whom all the church might depend. His rest is glorious.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
THE INSIDE OF THE OLD CHURCH. An Interview with Miss Julia A. West.
HE OLD CHURCH was put up a good while before it was finished. Rough boards served for seats. There was no entry. The doors opened directly into the church, much to the embarrassment of those who came late. There were three aisles-a main aisle up the center and two side aisles. A row of box pews was on the sides of the church and two rows of box pews between each aisle: In these old-fashi- ioned pews part of the people faced the preacher and part of them turned their backs to him, and some of them were side- wise to the preacher as they sat around the inside of those box pews. The top of the pew was of ornamental open work, and these pieces of wood could be made to squeak as you turned them around in their sockets. This was a delight to the children, but the special privilege of the children came when they stood during the long prayer and looked out over the railing.
In the old days there was one stove. It was in the middle aisle. It was hard to tell just where the pipe went to, per- haps out of the window. It was very cold in the old church. There were great cracks in the uneven floor, and one who sang long ago in the choir used to tell how her breath froze upon her veil as she saug.
The pulpit was longer than broad. It was reached by a stairway on the west side of it. Three steps brought you to a broad stair, from which you turned and passed to the pulpit, which was paneled and painted white, and had turned yellow. A red cushion projected out over the front of the pulpit. Under the pulpit was a place called the "dungeon," of which the children were much afraid. Over the pulpit was the sounding board, shaped like an umbrella without a handle. It had no visible means of support and was a great mystery to the little folks, but it was probably supported in some way
PARSONAGE-Erected 1868.
.
----
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FIRST MEETING HOUSE-Erected 1755. (From a drawing made from memory by Mrs, E. E. Marcy, Evanston, Illinois. )
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
from the back. This sounding board was white, and had at each corner of its many sides a big carved blossom painted bright red, which looked like a peony.
In the old church a stairway led from each side of the south doors to the gallery. The galleries were on three sides, and the choir sat in the front seats. Hannah Sears, who lived one hundred and twenty years ago, is said to have remarked: "There were no tunes. We took the Psalms and sung them along like a chant." Some of the old singers were Betsy Smith and Nabby Smith, sisters of Uncle John Smith. There was Dolly Parmalee and Dempsey Parmalee, too. They got a piece of music and pricked off the notes for extra copies, which they called "patent note." They often sang "Judg- ment Anthem" and "Easter Anthem." When Mr. Curtis was here they say he used to give out "How Firm a Foun- dation" every Sunday. They had only a pitch-pipe to help them in singing.
In the southeast and southwest corners of the gallery, a few steps higher than the other pews, were the "nigger pews." Here sat old Phyllis, a colored woman, whom tradition says was quite disturbed because she was black. She had short curly hair, and to remedy the defect she raveled worsted stock- ings and hung the yarn down the sides of her face. Later the "nigger pews" were put down stairs on the west side. Then it was only a plain seat with a back and near the wood room.
The church was lighted with tallow candles. The posts under the galleries were dark blue. To these the candles were hung. They were set in sockets with a rim to keep the melted tallow from dripping down. For extra lights they brought their brass candlesticks with candles in them. The tithing man rapped on the floor with his stick when there was any mischief or disorder, and sometimes pointed at the offender, which was considered a great disgrace.
By and by things were changed inside the old church. This made a great deal of talk. They partitioned off an entry from the main part. Two windows were put into the partition, so one could look in upon the audience. They took the box pews from the body of the church, leaving pews only on the sides. They put in two stoves, one by the east door, the other by the west door. Long pipes from the stoves met in a drum
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
above the center of the church; then from the drum a pipe went up into a very small chimney. These stove pipes leaked. Square pans were wired under the joints to catch the drops, but many a hat and cloak were spoiled. But, most wonderful of all, they put in a whale-oil chandelier. By and by some people began to carpet their pews and put in cushions. They commenced to dress better and think more of themselves.
Rev. Joel West was ordained in the old church, October 17, 1792. To his ordination the people came from all the country round. One woman came before sunrise in order to get a seat. Rev. Thomas Brockway rode over from Lebanon, now Colum- bia. His beautiful daughter came, too, and as she passed the house soon after purchased by the young preacher ordained that day, she was so much pleased with it that she said in jest to her companions, "See, that is my house." Indeed, the young preacher soon brought this girl of eighteen or nineteen home as his bride. The house by the lake was improved till it became the pride of the town, and her house at last; and there is the cradle still in which her twelve children were rocked to sleep. Perhaps no minister's wife ever made such a stir as this young bride made when she came to church in her wedding costume. Her dress was of changeable silk of bright colors and very beautiful. Over her shoulders was a red broad- cloth cloak with a large hood, the whole trimmed with white swansdown. And she had a white satin bonnet trimmed with white swansdown. Her hair was "banged" across her fore- head and hung in a long braid down her back. This woman, Mrs. Joel West, of a hundred years ago, had the first carpet that was ever owned in town, and what an extravagance for a minister's wife! When Deacon Bill came to the parsonage he did not dare step on the beautiful covering of the floor, but carefully walked around the edges, thinking that carpets were never made for boots. These are memories of the old church and days gone by.
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REV. GEORGE W. ANDREWS, D. D., Pastor, 1867-1870.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
LETTERS FROM FORMER PASTORS.
TALLADEGA, ALA., September 24, IS9S.
To the South Congregational Church, East Hampton, Conn .:
EAR FRIENDS :- I am glad to send you a word of greeting on this one hundred and fiftieth anniversary. As the ancient church of Phillipi was Paul's first love in Europe, so you were my first love among the churches of New England, and as Paul's faith and interest in that church never faltered, so my interest and faith in you have ever remained steadfast.
It is always a joy for me to visit you and to know of your prosperity, spiritual and material. I am with you in spirit on this interesting occasion, though far separated in body. Except for the Macedonian call, "Come down into the south land and help us," which we heard, I believe our relation as pastor and people might have been long.
It is twenty-eight years in November since we came into our present mission field fresh from our good-byes and farewells with you. These have been short years, full of work and full of joy in the Lord. We cannot doubt that our mission here was from Him who ever guides His church and His disciples.
During all these years my faith in God and Ilis word has grown stronger and stronger. I am as certain that the Bible in its spirit and teachings is the Book of God, as I am that the world I live in is the work of God. Let me exhort you to be diligent students of the Bible. I like often to repeat Isaiah, 50th chapter, 7th verse, and to make its experience and its spirit and its faith mine.
My dear friends of the South Church, my heart goes out to you afresh upon this anniversary occasion. May the dear Father bless and keep you all to His praise and glory, both the living and the dead, alive for evermore.
Affectionately yours, G. W. ANDREWS.
Rev. Mr. Slade:
DEAR SIR :- My father wishes me to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, inviting him to be present at your one hundred and fiftieth anniversary next September, also an invitation received from Mr. Mills Bevin.
It would give him great pleasure to be with you, but his very feeble state of health makes it impossible. He is not even well enough to write you a letter to be read at the anniversary.
He hopes that it will be a very interesting and memorable occasion, and regrets very much that he is unable to be with you and enjoy it with you.
Yours truly, ANNA COLBURN BARNARD.
For REV. B. A. SMITH.
WORCESTER, MASS., 69 Lincoln St., July 29, 189S.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI OF EAST HAMPTON.
BUENA VISTA, Colo., October 7, 1898.
To the Church at East Hampton, Conn .:
DEAR BRETHREN :- It would give me great pleasure to join in your celebra- tion, but that seems impossible. Of course it will be an occasion full of interest. You still have a warm place in my heart, and my desire and prayer to God is " that all may be richly blessed."
The last few years have wrought great changes. Many familiar faces will be seen no more. One by one those who have loved the church have passed to the church triumphant, and who knows but what in the glorified presence they have as much interest and joy in this celebration as the earthly partici- pants. Be assured of my deep interest in the church. Trusting that the celebration will be pleasant and profitable,
I am most cordially, EDWARD P. ROOT.
To the Members of the First Congregational Church of East Hampton, Conn .:
DEAR BRETHREN :- From this new parish in the finest city in the northwest, Mrs. Holmes and myself send greetings to a beloved church in one of the most beautiful nooks of all New England. We may find other people with whom to. labor will be a delight, but none with whom it can be a greater delight than to have labored with you. It is safe to say that no other church will ever be to us dearer than was and is the East Hampton Church.
May you be blessed abundantly in this one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of your organization. To have completed such a term of usefulness may well be a matter of congratulation on the part of any church. God grant that the younger portion of the congregation, just entering upon their work in and through the church, may appreciate the history lying back of the church into which they come, and appreciating it, may be true to it, worthy of those who have gone before.
We shall ever consider it one of the privileges of our lives to have labored for even two years among you, to have stood in such a close relation to the church whose history reaches back so far into the life of this nation; the church whose influence has been felt in all parts of the world. And if it shall be found in the day when all things shall be made plain by the Spirit of God, that we added ever so little to the measure of the influence exerted by the church, we shall be more than satisfied.
I need not tell you that it would be an unspeakable pleasure to be with you on the day of your anniversary. But the distance between us is so great that however mighty the desire to be with you, and to enjoy the exercises of the day, it is impossible. But we shall be with you in spirit, and the day will be marked by us in this our distant home.
The dear Father command his richest blessings upon you as a church, not ' only upon this day of deep interest historically, but upon all the days which lie down the years yet to come.
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting cove- nant, make you perfect in every good work, to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.
Very sincerely yours, HENRY HOLMES.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., Sept. 23, 1898.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
COMMITTEES OF ARRANGEMENTS.
CHURCH.
REV. WILLIAM SLADE,
DEA. E. C. BARTON, DEA. H. D. CHAPMAN, DEA. H. W. PORTER,
J. W. SMITH.
A. AVERY BEVIN,
SOCIETY. S. MILLS BEVIN, A. H. CONKLIN,
HALSEY MEAD, ROBERT H. HALL.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES.
COLLATION.
MRS. ROBERT H. HALL,
MRS. A. H. CONKLIN,
MRS. WILLIAM H. BEVIN, MRS. PHILO BEVIN,
MRS. H. E. CARPENTER.
INVITATION AND PRINTING.
REV. WILLIAM SLADE, S. MILLS BEVIN.
RECEPTION. HALSEY MEAD, MRS. PHILO BEVIN.
ENTERTAINMENT AND FINANCE.
H. D. CHAPMAN,
HERBERT CLARK.
DECORATION.
WALTER C. CLARK, HERBERT CLARK, MRS. HAYDEN CLARK,
MRS. JAMES FORBES, MRS. ROBERT A. BECKWITH,
ROBERT A. BECKWITH.
MUSIC.
A. W. SEXTON, MRS. WILLIAM SLADE, MISS LOIS J. BARTON.
RELICS.
CLARK M. WATROUS, E. D. BARTON.
USHERS.
ROBERT A. BECKWITH,
D. CLIFFORD BARTON.
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CONGREGATIONAL, CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
APPENDIX.
DEACONS.
'HE first deacons of this church were Ebenezer Clark and Isaac Smith, who were probably chosen to that office at or not far from the time of its organization. Ebenezer Clark was the son of John and Sarah (Goodwin) Clark, and was born in Middletown, probably in that part that is now Cromwell, July 11, 1711. He married first, June 21, 1733, Abigail, daughter of Joseph and Hannah Whitmore, who died April 9, 1738, and was interred in the old quarry cemetery in Portland. He married second, September 20, 1739, Ann, daughter of Captain John and Anın (Ward). Warner, of Mid- dletown. In 1743 he was appointed by the General Assembly ensign of the first company or train-band on the east side of the Connecticut river, and afterwards had the title "Captain." He was one of the leading petitioners for the incorporation of this society in 1744, and prominent in the administration of its early affairs. He removed from this parisli about the year 1755 to the parish of Judea, then that part of the town of Woodbury since set off as a separate town by the name of Washington. His second wife died there March 3, 1795, aged 79. He died April 5, 1800, at the age of 89. His gravestone, now standing in the cemetery at Washington, states that he was a deacon of the church there for forty-four years.
CHILDREN OF DEACON EBENEZER CLARK. ( By his first wife.)
Abigail, born April 1, 1734.
Jedediah, born Jan. 16, 1736.
(By his second wife.)
Tabitha, born June 18, 1740; baptized June 22, 1740. Ebenezer. born Feb. 28, 1742; baptized April 4, 1742. Ann, born March 1, 1744; baptized April S. 1744.
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CONGREGATIONAL, CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
Rebecca, born Dec. 28, 1745; baptized Jan. 13, 1746; died Nov. 1I,
1755.
Susannah, born April 23. 1748; baptized May 1, 1748.
Joseph, born May 30, 1750.
Jerusha, born April 24, 1752.
Sarah, born March 3, 1755; died June 30, 1776.
Moses, born March 4, 1757: died March 4, 1757.
Isaac Smith, chosen with Ebenezer Clark as one of the first deacons of this church, was a son of Ralph and Mary (Mayo) Smith, and was born in Eastham, Mass., November 17, 1716. He married at Eastham, March 9, 1738, Mary Sparrow, born March 10, 1718. She died April 17, 1785, and he married, second, Lydia -, who died March 24, 1799, aged 75. He removed with his father and brothers to Middle Haddam about 1740, and he and his wife Mary united with the church there April 5, 1741. His residence in East Hampton was near the present residence of Henry Hutchins on Walnut avenue. He died July 29, 1802, full of years and full of honors.
CHILDREN OF DEACON ISAAC SMITH.
Azubah, born Dec. 7. 1738, in Eastham, Mass .; married Jan. 10, 1760, John Hinckley.
Ralph, born March 15, 1742, in Middletown, Conn .; baptized April 25, 1742; married Dec. 2, 1767, Hannah Hollister.
Isaac, born Nov. 18, 1745, in Middletown, Conn.
Mary, born Feb. 6, 1747, in Middletown, Conn .; baptized March 22, 1748; married Dec. 3, 1767, Nathaniel Bosworth.
Sarah, born Jan. 27, 1750-1, in Middletown; married Sage. Phebe, born April 22, 1753, in Middletown, Conn .; married Oct. 25, 1775, Ezekiel Wright.
Asenath, born March 20, 1756, in Middletown, Conn .; married Jan. II, 1781, John Markham.
Sparrow, born August 14, 1760, in Middletown, Conn .; married May 3, 1787, Eunice Clark.
John Clark, Jr., son of John and Sarah (Goodwin) Clark, born December 9, 1715, was chosen deacon to fill the vacancy occasioned by the removal of his brother Ebenezer from the parish. He resided upon Clark's Hill, in the first frame house erected in the parish, and kept an ordinary or public house in addition to carrying on a large farm. This house was erected in 1744, and was situated on the main thoroughfare leading from Middletown to the northeastern part of the colony. As the mode of traveling at that time was principally upon foot or
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