USA > Connecticut > New London County > New London > The early history of the First church of Christ, New London, Conn. > Part 7
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defeated, and Mr. Bulkeley was on the popular side in politics.
He was not always on the popular side, but on the side which he believed to be right, and advocated it fearlessly. In October, 1687, Sir Edmund Andros . was again in Hartford ; this time to demand the charter. The story is familiar; how, while the Assembly was debating whether or not to surrender the document, the lights were suddenly extinguished, and when they were relighted, the charter, which had been lying on the table, was missing. "And now," says Roger Wolcott, "Sir Edmund being in town and the charters gone, the secretary closed the Colony Records with the word Finis and all departed." Mr. Bulkeley, who never favored any least approach to a democratic form of government, held that the Colony had surrendered the right of self-government guaranteed by the charter. Thus, he said, "we think that the Colony of Connecticut is de jure (we wish we could say de facto), as much subject to the government of the crown of England as London or Oxford." When, therefore, in 1689, Sir Edmund was imprisoned in Boston and Mr. Bradstreet was reinstated as Governor of the Bay Colony, and the missing charter of Connecticut was brought forth from its hiding place, and the Colony once more re- sumed the reins of government, Mr. Bulkeley, joined
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by Mr. Edward Palmes, and some others of equal note, opposed the proceedings, and refused to recog- nize the Colonial government. He was now on the unpopular political side. Says Dr. Chapin, in his Glastonbury address, " as a politician he was opposed to the resumption of the government by the Colonial authorities in 1689 after the time of Sir Edmund Andros."' His "political foresight and sagacity
* enabled him to see that the course the Colonists were pursuing would finally lead to the triumph of those democratic principles which they all disavowed, and consequently he set his face against them." In pursuance of his efforts to prevent the re-establishment of the charter government, he ad- dressed a letter to the convention met at Hartford, May 8, 1689, upon The People's Right to Election or Alteration of Government in Connecticut argued. But the Colony proceeded to resume government under its restored charter, and in 1692, Dec. 12, . Mr. Bulkeley issued his famous pamphlet, Will and Doom, or The Miseries of Connecticut by and under an Usurped and Arbitrary Power. It was an argu- ment in behalf of the divine right of kings. . A single sentence from the preface will give its key- note : " A lawful authority is the root, and the law of the land is the rule, of justice ; we want both, we have no way to come at either without a stream flow-
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ing from their sacred majesties, who, under God, are the fountain." Lord Cornbury and Joseph Dudley made use of this book in their efforts against Con- necticut, but without avail. Sir Henry Ashurst, the Colony's agent in England, speaks of it as having 'been sent over, "all by Mr. Dudley's contrivance." And Lord Cornbury wrote to England in 1704 say- ing, "I take the liberty to send your lordships the laws of Connecticut, and with them a book writ by one Mr. Buckley, who is an inhabitant of Connecti- cut. By that you will be informed of the methods of proceeding in that Colony." But as late as this Mr. Bulkeley does not seem to have had any grievance against the Colony, nor to have taken an active part in politics.
Mr. Bulkeley was a man of marked ability, and his hand was strong, and made itself felt, upon whatever he touched. He wrote a book upon the divinity of the Scriptures, which he left for the use of his chil- dren. He gave his theological manuscripts to his son John, the first minister of Colchester. Some of his books are said to be in the library of Trinity College. It was said of him that " he was master of several languages, among which may be reckoned Greek, Latin and Dutch." Dr. Russell said of him, " from all I can gather about him, he was a learned and pious clergyman of very high order." Upon the
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stone, in the Wethersfield cemetery, which marks his grave, is this inscription, which testifies to his worth, and rare qualities of character : "He was honorable in his descent ; of rare abilities, extraordinary indus- try, excellent learning, master of many languages, exquisite in his skill in divinity, physic and law, and of a most exemplary and Christian life. In certam spem beatae resurrectionis repositus." A sentence from his will, dated May 26, 1712, will show some- thing of his character. "The said Gershom Bulk- eley having lived much more than twenty years upon the very mouth of the grave, under so great infirmi- ties that I can not but wonder how I have all this while escaped falling into it, have not been wholly unmindful of that which nature and prudence call for in such cases." Then follow the bequests which need not be repeated here. He died, it is supposed of small pox, December 2, 1713, aged 78 years. Fifteen days later, Dec. 17, Rev. James Pier- pont, pastor of the First Church in New Haven, wrote lamenting the " hasty removal of three so valu- able men, Mr. Bulkeley, Haynes and Russel. Surely," he continues, "it's not unfit in such a critical june- ture, when so many cedars fall, to cry, Ah Lord ! wilt thou not make a full end ? Ah ! help Lord, for ye godly man ceaseth."
This brief sketch of his life justifies the remark of
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one of his descendants, the Hon. Morgan G. Bulke- ley, that he " was a prominent and distinguished fig- ure among the men of the Colony during the time in which he lived." He exerted a wide influence, and his opinions were honored, even by those who were opposed to him politically.
Many of his descendants have held prominent posi- tions in social, political, and religious life. Charles, his eldest son, was licensed by the Colonial Court, to practice medicine. He settled in New London in 1687. He had a son Charles, who lived to the advanced age of ninety-five, and died in 1848. He was the father of Leonard Bulkeley, the founder of Bulkeley school. Peter, the second son, and fourth child of Gershom Bulkeley, was lost at sea. Edward, the third son and fifth child, lived in Wethersfield. From him was descended another Gershom Bulkeley, who was for thirty years pastor of the Church at Cromwell. John, the fourth son and sixth child of Gershom Bulkeley, graduated from Harvard College in 1699, at the age of twenty, and was settled as the first minister of Col- chester Dec. 20, 1703, where he died June, 1731. From him is descended the Hon. Morgan G. Bulkeley, recently Governor of this State. The two daughters of Gershom Bulkeley married and settled in Wethers- field and Glastonbury.
VI.
SIMON BRADSTREET'S PASTORATE. MAY, 1666 .- AUGUST, 1683.
The town at once set about the task of securing a successor to Mr. Bulkeley. For July 10, 1665, there is this record : "If it be your myndes yt Mr. James Rogers shall goe in behalfe of the towne to Mr. . Brewster to give him a call and to know whether he will come to us to be our minister * mani- fest it by lifting up your hands. Voted." Probably this was Nathaniel Brewster, of Brookhaven, L. I. The invitation seems to have been declined. For October 9, of the same year, the following action was taken : "Mr. Douglas by a full voate none manifest- ing themselves to the contrary, was chosen to go to Mr. Wilson and Mr. Elliot to desire their advise and help for the procureinge of a minister for the towne." Mr. Wilson had come from England with Winthrop, and was teacher of the First Church in Shawmut, or Boston, till he died in 1667. Elliot was the pastor of the First Church in Roxbury for fourteen years, and then became the famous apostle to the Indians.
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Evidently Mr. Douglas went upon his mission at once. For "November 24 a town meeting concern- ing what Mr. Douglas hath done about a minister". was held. At the same meeting it was voted that a letter should be sent to Deacon William Park, of Roxbury, asking him to intercede with Mr. Brad- street in behalf of the town to persuade him to come to it as its minister; and it was voted that "full powre be given to Mr. Parke to act in our behalf, the towne expressing themselves willing to give 60 lb., and rather than the work seas, to proceed to ten pound more, giving our trusty friend liberty to treat with others in case our desire of Mr. Broadstreet faile." October 5 and 30, 1666, the town voted a piece of land to Mr. Douglas, "which is for his sat- isfaction for his journey to Boston." January 12, 1665-6, a town meeting was held, at which the follow- ing items of business were attended to: "The return of Mr. Bradstreet's letter to be read," "a rate to underpin the meeting house," "concerning messen- gers to goe for Mr. Bradstreet ;"' "Also for a place where he shall be when he comes." February 26, 1665-6, "It was voated that Left' Avery and James Morgan be chosen messengers to fetch up Mr. Brad- street as soon as moderate weather presents." " It is voated and agreed that the townsmen shall have power to provide what is needful for the Messengers that are
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sent to Mr. Bradstreet and allso to provide for him a place to reside in at his coming." It was voted also that Mr. Avery and Mr. Morgan should have full power to engage a suitable horse "to be emploied in fetching up Mr. Bradstreet," and the town voted to fulfill any agreement which they might make. Later ten shillings were voted "to Goodman Prentice for his horse,"' and 15 lb. "to Goodman Royce for ye minister's dyet." From these votes it appears that Deacon Park's intercessions had prevailed, and that Mr. Bradstreet had accepted the call. It was also "voted that a Towne rate of 40 lb. be made immediately for ye payment of Towne depts and pro- viding to acomadate a minister and repareing the meeting house." Thus all the preparations were completed for the commencement of Mr. Bradstreet's. ministry.
At the meeting, at which the foregoing arrange- ments were made, it was voted that "John Smith and goodman Nichols shall receive contribution every Lord's daye and preserve it for ye publick good." August 15, 1667, is a similar vote worth preserving : " Myselfe [Douglas] chosen to hold the box for con- tributions and this to be propounded to Mr. Brad- street to have his advise therein. Williams Nichols is also chosen for that worke." The contribution box is not a modern innovation.
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The journey from Boston to New London was a greater undertaking then, when there was no road save a path through the wilderness, than now. Thirty years before it took Thomas Hooker and his company two weeks to go from Cambridge to Hart- ford; and their journey was over "a toilsome way, through a pathless wilderness, over mountains and across unbridged rivers, with only a compass for a guide." We have no reason to suppose that, in the spring of 1666, Mr. Bradstreet found the trip much shorter, or much more comfortable, than Thomas Hooker did in 1636. This little touch of history shows what it cost the fathers to lay the foundations, and of what stuff they were made.
In pursuance of the vote to provide a place for the minister " to reside in at his coming," a lot was pur- chased of Mr. Douglas and Mrs. Grace Bulkeley, which lay south of the meeting house; that is, on the south side of what is now called Bulkeley Square. It will be remembered that Mrs. Bulkeley was the mother of Rev. Gershom Bulkeley, and that she removed to New London on the death of her husband, where she was a house-holder during the ministry of her son. For the temporary use of Mr. Bradstreet the house vacated by Mr. Bulkeley was hired for one year from April 1, 1667, together with the orchard and six acre lot, for the sum of ten pounds.
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Mr. Bradstreet arrived in town early in May, 1666. June 1 of that year it was " voted by a Vnanimous consent that Mr. Bradstreet is acepted in ye worke of ye ministry amongst us, and that he have 80 lb. pr yeare to encourage him in the worke, to be gath- ered by way of rate." It will be noticed that this sum is ten pounds larger than the limit allowed by the town to Deacon Park. Evidently the new minis- ter proved quite as acceptable a preacher as had been anticipated. At the same meeting it was voted to build a house " for ye ministry " immediately, on the lot purchased of Mr. Douglas and Mrs. Bulkeley, "the dimensions to be 36 foote in length and 25 in breadth and 13 studd betwixt ye joynts with a stack of stone chimneys in the midst. The house to be a girt house." The town voted to give 100 pounds for building the house, besides paying the " masons for building a stone chimney and glaze ye house win- dowes." The work was pushed forward with energy, and completed about September 3, 1668. It was the business of the whole town to erect it, and the people were often called together to vote as to various ques- tions, such as the size of the cellar, who should dig it, who should do the iron work, etc. When it was finished a committee was appointed to inspect the work, and the masons in particular were not to be paid till it was ascertained that the chimneys were
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sufficient. The cost came very nearly within the 100 pounds voted for the purpose. At the same meeting, June 1, 1666, it was voted that the house " built for the ministry," together with the house and land bought of Mr. Douglas, and the land which " hith- erto hath been reserved for the ministry," shall remain so, nor " be sold or alienated to any other vse forever." It is scarcely necessary to say that this vote, on the death of Mr. Bradstreet, became a dead letter, as the property was sold to Nicholas Hal- lam in 1697.
Mr. Bradstreet was now on the ground. In De- cember, 1667, a committee was appointed to secure his immediate ordination. But for reasons which do not appear this event did not take place till three years later-October 5, 1670. So that at his ordina- tion he had already been doing the work of the min- istry since some time in May, 1666-over four years.
The salary of 80 lb. a year voted to Mr. Brad- street, was soon raised to 90 pounds "in current country pay, with firewood furnished, and the par- sonage kept in repair." This was soon increased again to 100 pounds, which was equal to the salary of the most noted ministers of New England at that date.
In this connection the following votes are of inter- est, as showing the customs of those early times.
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"Sept. 9, 1669. In answer to Mr. Broadstreet's proposition for easing him in the chardge of his wood the towne doe freely consent to help him therein, and some with carts and some for cutting and that next traineing daye a tyme be appoynted for accomplish- ment thereof and that Leiff' Avery be deputed to nominate ye daye."' Another vote is the following: " 16 Jan., 1670-1. Mr. Edward Palmes hath liber- ty granted to make a seat for himself and relations at ye north end of ye pulpitt." From this vote it would seem that the first meeting house stood east and west, with sides to the north and south. Another vote, of the same date, to put galleries of the width of two seats, "on each side of ye meeting house," points to the prosperity of the Church under the new minister. As we shall see, even with this addition the house be- came too small for the increasing congregations. These facts, together with the material increase of his salary, justify the conclusion that Mr. Bradstreet was no ordinary preacher and pastor.
After serving the Church a little over four years, he was formally inducted into the pastoral office by ordination. The diary of Thomas Miner says, "the ffift day"' of October, 1670, "mr. broadstreet was ordayned." Mr. Bradstreet wrote in his own journal, " October 5, 1670, I was ordained by Mr. Bulkley
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(Gershom Bulkeley) and Mr. Haynes (Joseph Haynes of the First Church in Hartford) an established pas- tour of the Chh. of Christ at New London. The good Lord grannt I may so preach and so live, that I may save myself, and those who hear me." Miss Caulkins says, " this ordination was the first in town ; no pre- vious minister had been regularly settled." However, Mr. Blinman, as has been shown, was already an or- dained clergyman when he came to America in 1640, and was regularly chosen as pastor of the Church in 1642, when it was organized in Gloucester. So that while Mr. Bradstreet's was the first ordination, Mr. Blinman was the first ordained minister on the ground in the full exercise of the duties of a pastor.
As has been stated, Mr. Bradstreet began to keep the records of the Church, October 5, 1670. One of the entries says that children were baptized before that date ; but Mr. Bradstreet did not baptize them. For it was not deemed proper for an unordained per- son to administer the Sacraments. For example the Church in Plymouth was nine years without the ad- ministration of the Lord's Supper. Brewster, who acted as pastor, had never been ordained. He was only ruling elder, whose office included the duties of preacher, when occasion required ; but he was not authorized to administer the Sacraments. When the Church, desirous of sitting at their Lord's Table, pro-
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posed to Brewster that he should assume the right to officiate at it, he demurred, and wrote to John Rob- inson for advice. Robinson replied that he did not deem it lawful for him, being only a ruling elder, to do so, and quoted Rom. xii: 7, 8 and I Tim. v : 17 in support of this view. We know that similar senti- ments governed the action of Mr. Bradstreet, for an entry in the diary of Thomas Miner reads: "The 15 [January, 1670-1] was the ffirst sacrament of the lord's supper administered by mr. broadstreet." This was three months after his ordination, and may point to the custom of celebrating this Sacrament quarterly. Mr. Miner's diary speaks of its continued observance from this date on.
The names of those who composed the Church at Mr. Bradstreet's ordination, as recorded by him, may be found on page 41. He gives no names of those who were deacons at that date, but Thomas Park, John Smith, William Douglas and William Hough, without doubt, held that office.
Following the list of members are the names of those added subsequently. In a number of instances the record reads "added and confirmed," or simply " confirmed." Thus Mr. Bradstreet records the fol- lowing, " confirmed, April 30, 1671, Clement Miner,"' afterwards deacon Miner; " added and confirmed May 14, 1671, Gabriel Harris and his wife." What sig-
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nificance attached to the word "confirmed" in his mind we have no means of knowing. The last entry of accessions to the Church during his ministry is, "Sept. 10, 1682, Thomas Avery and wife were added to the Church." It was this man's son, Thomas, who was an original member of the Church in Mont- ville. Forty-three names are on the list of those who were added after his ordination-thirty-nine upon profession of faith, and four by letter. We know that three whose names do not appear on any list, Goodman Rice, Lydia Bailey and Ruth Hill were re- ceived before his ordination, making an addition of forty-six during his ministry of seventeen years. Add these to the list at his ordination and we find that seventy-two was the total recorded membership of the Church during his pastorate. No additions were made between September 2, 1673, and August 26, 1677-a period of four years. Evidently the Church was in a low spiritual state. The cause is not certain. But the Rogerene movement, which began during his ministry, may have been responsible to some degree. The Half-way Covenant was crowding its way into the Churches of Connecticut, and may also have exerted some damaging influence upon this Church, even though the pastor did not practice it.
Mr. Bradstreet recorded the baptism of 455 per- sons, mostly children ; 438 of his own Church, and
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17 of other Churches, thus he records the baptism of the children of persons belonging to the Churches in Roxbury, in Hartford, in Ipswich, in Rehoboth, in Norwich, and in Lyme. Miss Caulkins says of the baptism of those belonging to his own Church, that "a considerable number were adults; some parents being baptized themselves, at the time that they owned the covenant and presented their children for baptism." But there is no record of this kind dur- ing the ministry of Mr. Bradstreet; nor is there any evidence that he ever baptized a child, neither of whose parents were in full communion in the Church. On the contrary there is evidence the other way. Thus one of the entries upon the Church records, made by him, reads as follows: " The names of such as were called the children of the Church, viz., of such as had been baptized before Oct. 5, 1670, their parents one or both being in full communion." The pains which he takes to mention that one or both the parents of the children were in full communion, seems conclusive proof that he did not practice the Half-way Covenant. However, the baptized children of the Church were regarded as within its pale, by the terms of God's covenant with his people, but not entitled to its full privileges until conversion and public profession of faith in Christ. Thus it is recorded, " Aug. 14, 1681, Goodwife Geerey received
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into full communion." This cannot be understood as an action akin to the Half-way Covenant, but as receiving into full fellowship one who was a baptized child of the Church.
Baptisms usually followed close upon births. In some cases not more than two or three days passed. Not only children, but also grandchildren, and serv- ants bound to apprenticeship, and slaves, might be presented by one who would give a pledge for their Christian education; that is, become a sponsor for them. Thus Mr. Bradstreet makes the following record, May 7, 1671: "Two servants of Mr. Doug- lass his, for whom he engaged, ye one being an Indian bought when a child; and at his Disposal. I bap- tized her according to God's command in Genesis xvii, 12, 13 Elizabeth (the Indian) Mary." It must be borne in mind that Mr. Douglas, the spon- sor, or godfather, was a member of the Church, and one of its deacons. As early as 1634 a member of the Church in Dorchester desired baptism for a grandchild, neither of whose parents were members of the Church. The advice of the Church in Boston was sought. It was given in these words : " We do therefore profess it to be the judgement of our Church * that the grandfather, a member of the Church, may claim the privilege of baptism to his grandchild, though his next of seed, the parents
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of the child, be not received themselves into Church covenant." [Dunning, p. 172.] It also appears on the records of the Church, during the ministry of Mr. Bradstreet, that men presented their children for baptism, on the account of their wives who were in full communion. All the facts go to show that, in the matter of the baptism of children, Mr. Bradstreet held with Hooker, Davenport and others, that only the children of "visible saints " should be baptized.
There is no record of marriages by Mr. Bradstreet. Previous to 1680, marriage was regarded solely as a civil rite throughout New England. The ceremony was, therefore, performed by the civil magistrate, or by a person specially qualified by the Colonial author- ities. Hutchinson says that, previous to 1684 "in Massachusetts there was no instance of a marriage by a clergyman during the existence of their first char- ter." Neale says "all marriages in New England were formerly performed by the civil magistrate." If a clergyman officiated, the ordinance was made valid by a civil officer. After 1680, or about that time, clergymen had the right, under the law, to perform the marriage ceremony.
The next item of importance relating to this pas- torate is the building of a new house of worship to take the place of the Blinman meeting house which had served twenty-five years, was insufficient for the
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needs of the growing town, and was going into decay. The town held a meeting in February, 1677-8, at which it was voted to build a new house by the side of the old one, the latter to be kept for use till the new house was completed. The work was contracted to be done in October, 1680, but it lingered for sev- eral years. The building committee were Captain Avery, Charles Hill and Thomas Beeby, who pro- cured the timber, and made all preparations to pro- ceed with the work. But a strong party favored an entirely new spot, "on Hempstead street at the southwest corner of Broad street." A vote was ob- tained to build on this new site. However, the dis- satisfaction, especially among those on the east side of the river, was so great, that another meeting of the town was called April 19, 1679, to reconsider the subject. The following conciliatory action was taken : "The town sees cause for avoiding future animosities, and for satisfaction of our loving neigh- bors on the east side of the river to condescend that the new meeting house shall be built near the old, Mr. Bradstreet having spared part of his lot to be made him good on the other side, for the accommo- dation of this work; but that the vote above [i. e. before taken] was and is good in law, and irrevo- cable, but by the loving consent of neighbors is altered, which shall be no precedent for future alter-
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