USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history of ancient Windsor, Connecticut > Part 17
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Accordingly the dissenting party having made choice of the Rev. Benjamin Woodbridge, requested permission of the As- sembly to enjoy his services as their minister. Whereupon May the 18th, 1668, the "Court declares that they shall not dis- approve of Mr. Woodbridge's continuance as a lecturer there, and that if the church and Mr. Warham shall so far condescend for peace as to give liberty for Mr. Woodbridge to preach once a fortnight on the Sabbath, as well as on the week day, until some further time be obtained to improve some other way as an expedient for the peace of Windsor, it shall be acceptable to this Court."2
Also, Mr. Warham having enquired of the assembly, whether they had intended by their order of the previous October, to authorize the withdrawal of any members of the church, was affirmatively answered " that the dissenting party mentioned in the order are those that have liberty granted them."
The dissenting party, however, could not long remain con- tented with the limited functions allowed to Mr. Woodbridge; and it is also quite probable that Mr. Warham had not " seen fit to condescend for peace sake," that Mr. Woodbridge should officiate on the sabbath. That the adherents of the latter made « strenuous efforts to secure a town vote in his favor, and that public feeling ran high on the subject, is sufficiently evidenced by the following entry on the town records, in a strange hand, to which is appended the formal protest of the town clerk:
August 8th. At a town meeting warned by the townsmen, by the desire of several inhabitants, to see the desires of the town concerning giving Mr. Woodbridge a call to preach once on the Lord's day, and it was voted by a full vote.
This as a proviso: I here express to clear myself from having any hand in assenting to the warning of the town meeting, so
1 Col. Rec., 1, 76.
2 Ibid, 11, 85.
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called, as George Griswold has entered in this Book, Aug't. the 8th, -68 - for he and some others came to [my] house after they had been together, and desired me, being the town recorder, to enter their town vote, made this day, that Mr. Woodbridge shall have liberty to preach on the Sabbath. I told him I would not have no hand in the business, nor enter their vote. Then he desired me to let him have the town Book, wherein I used to enter such things. He being a townsman I laid the Book upon the table, and there he wrote himself what is entered by his own hand. This I testify,
MATTHEW GRANT. Augt. 17th, 1668.
Sept. 28th. Also Voted that the townsmen should get the meeting house to be set in good repair, every way that it needs, and to be made comely, upon the town cost.
Dissension, however, continued to reign supreme, and the assembly then had to resort to, that most unsatisfactory of all resorts, an ecclesiastical council.
Oct., 1668. "This Court by reason of several applications, that have been made to them both by the officers of the Church of Christ at Windsor, and also by the dissenting party, are to their great grief very apprehensive that those divisions that have been among them there, are not healed, and therefore can not but declare that they are very studious to promote the public peace of the Church and town of Windsor. And in order thereto, this Court doth desire and appoint the Revd Mr. James Fitch, Mr. Samuel Wakeman, Mr. Gershom Bulkley and Mr. Joseph Eliott, to meet at Windsor the 4th day of the second week in April (or sooner if they see cause) there to hear all and what- soever shall be represented to them by the Church of Christ at Windsor, or by the dissenting brethren and inhabitants there, in reference to Mr. Chauncey's invitation, reception, election and ordination to office in the Church of Christ at Windsor; and also whatsoever shall be objected against the procurement, entertainment, continuance and improvement of Mr. Woodbridge at Windsor. And when they have heard what they have to say, of both sides, they are desired and empowered to settle an accomodation between the church and dissenting brethren of Windsor, if they can attain it. But if, after all their endeavors the aforesaid Gent" can not attain an accomodation or issue to satisfaction, they are desired and by this Court ordered to make a return how they find the state of Windsor, with their advice annexed; what way in their judgments may be the most agree- able to rule to settle peace in the church and town of Windsor. But if, by any Providence of God, any of the aforementioned Gent" should be hindered from meeting the aforesaid time, they are desired to take the next opportunity to attend the aforesaid
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service, so it be before the General Court in May next. And for the mean time this Court grants Mr. Woodbridge liberty to keep a lecture at Windsor once a fortnight on the 4th day of the weck, that the inhabitants of that plantation, as their occasion will permit, may religiously and without offence attend the same, and not on the Sabbath without liberty from the Reverend Mr. Warham; which is all at present this Court sees cause to grant."1
This council, however, was unsuccessful in its attempt to reconcile matters, and by their advice, the dissenting party were at last permitted to embody themselves into a separate church organization.
May, 1669. "The precedent Court having desired and im- pounded Mr. James Fitch, Mr. Gershom Bulkley, Mr. Samuel Wakeman and Mr. Joseph Eliott, to hear all that should be presented to them by the Church of Windsor or by dissenting brethren and inhabitants there, in reference to Mr. Chauncey's invitation, reception, election and ordination, and also what- soever should be objected against the procurement, entertain- ment, continuance and improvement of Mr. Woodbridge at Windsor, and when they have heard what they have to say of both sides, to settle an accomodation in that case, and the said Gent" having heard and considered and returned in writing under their hands the sense of that case, and their advice for an accomodation suitable to the present state of matters there. This Court doth, according to the serious advice of those said Gent", approve that both those Gent", viz: Mr. Chauncey and Mr. Woodbridge abide in their respective improvements as formerly, till such time as either there be a greater appearance of the settlement of their peace in the enjoyment of these, or some other orderly means (to be promoted by the civil authority) may be used for the procuring of another minister, so as may be for the union and satisfaction of the whole, or till some other expedient be ordered by the Court. And it is ordered that a copy of the Elders' advice be delivered to the Church of Wind: sor, and another copy to the dissenting party. And it is desired they would severally declare to the next court in October, their consideration about it."2
Oct. 16, 1669. "This Court finding to their great grief that the differences and dissensions at Windsor, do, after many means of healing yet continue, and no appearance of a mutual compli- ance as yet presented in their last return to what the Court recommended, therefore they see not cause to deny liberty to
1 Col. Rec., II, 99.
2 Ibid, II, 113.
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those dissenters to meet distinctly for the present and orderly and regularly to imbody themselves in church state, according to law, when they shall seek it."1
They lost no time in acting upon the consent so reluctantly granted by the court. Mr. Woodbridge was ordained over the new church on the 18th of March following (1669-70),2 and the old Town House was fitted up and occupied as a place of wor- ship. 3
It might have been supposed that the two churches would now have pursued their respective ways in peace and quietness. But bitter words and uncharitable thoughts were yet rankling in the hearts of those who should have been brethren, and as we shall see, the calm was but temporary.
In the midst of these uncomfortable bickerings and disputa- tions, Mr. Warham died. He expired, April Ist, 1670, having been for forty years minister in New England, six at Dorchester,
1 Col. Rec., II, 124.
2 In Mr. Simon Bradstreet's Journal (N. E. Hist. Gen. Register, Ix, 45) is the following item : "March 18, '69-70. My Br. Benjamin Woodbridge was ordained minister of the Presbyterian party (as they are accounted) of Wind- sor." The Rev. Mr. Bradstreet of New London, was both cousin and brother- in-law of Rev. Benj. Woodbridge (see Gen. Reg., 1x, 118), and it is hardly pro- bable that he was either misinformed, or would be apt to say " ordained," unless he meant it. I have therefore preferred to adopt his account, in direct opposition to that of Trumbull, who says (Hist. Conn., 1, 470) that neither Mr. Chauncey nor Mr. Woodbridge were ordained.
3 This Town House stood in the northeast corner of the Palisado, near the spot now occupied by the house north of Mrs. Giles Ellsworth. (See chapter on Distribution and Plan of Ancient Windsor.)
. 4"The humble application of the distressed and grieved inhabitants of Windsor, requesting the Conrt to direct that the disaffected have the meeting- house their share of the time on the Sabbath and not cause a division. The experience we have had doth give us a test of the ruins of division. If there can be no union obtained by all endeavors that are used we are apt to think that time will bring such desolations upon ns.
We thank God 'tis the same Gospel truths that are preached by our minis - ter and by the others and to find out the reason why one must take all the labor upon himself, and the other must be silent and have his mouth stopped when we have need of variety of gifts, doth puzzle other heads than ours.
[Signed ] [Dated] May 13, 1670.
THOS, STOUGHTON, GEORGE GRISWOLD, TIMOTHY THRALL, [for the rest.]
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and thirty-four at Windsor. The little that is known of him is contained in the following passage from Cotton Mather:
" The whole colony of Connecticut considered him as a prin- cipal pillar and father of the colony. I suppose the first preacher that ever preached with notes in our New England, was the Rev. Warham; who, though he was sometimes faulted for it by some judicious men who had never heard him, yet when once they came to hear him, they could not but admire the notable energy of his ministry. He was a more vigorous preacher than most of them who have been applauded for never looking in a book in their lives.
" But I have one thing to relate concerning him which I would not mention, if I did not, by the mention thereof, propound and expect the advantage of some that may be my readers. Know then that, though our Warham were as pious a man as most that were out of Heaven, yet Satan often threw him into those deadly pangs of melancholy, that made him despair of ever get- ting thither. Such were the terrible temptations and horrible buffetings undergone sometimes by the soul of this holy man, that when he has administered the Lord's Supper to his flock, whom he durst not starve by omitting to administer that ordin- ance, yet he has forborne himself to partake at the same time in the ordinance, through the fearful dejections of his mind, which persuaded him that those blessed seals did not belong unto him. The dreadful darkness which overwhelmed this child of light in his life, did not wholly leave him till his death. 'Tis reported that he did even set in a cloud, when he retired into the glorified Society of those righteous ones that are to shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father, though some have asserted that the cloud was dispelled before he expired.
"What was desired Johannes Mathesius, may now be in- scribed on our Warham for an
Epitaph. Securus recubo hic mundi pertæsns iniqui; Et didici et docui vulnera, Christe, tua. 1
Six years had now elapsed since the death of Mr. Warham, during which the two churches of Windsor, under the respect- ive care of Messrs. Chauncey and Woodbridge, had dwelt together, not in harmony perhaps, but with comparative quiet. It was a quiet, however, which the most trivial cause could not fail to disturb, nor was that cause long wanting. Both the
1 Magnalia, 1, 442.
" Saviour ! with life o'ertasked, oppressed, forlorn
Thy Cross I preached - Thy Cross too, I have borne ; But now I rest."
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Old Meeting-House belonging to the original church, and the Town House, occupied by Mr. Woodbridge's church, had been for some time past in very dilapidated condition, and much needed repairs. Consequently on June 8th, 1676, " the Towns- men met, and considering the rninous condition our meeting- house is in, we do agree to get [it] set in good repair; the cost of doing it to have it paid by a town rate, which work we do determine to have to be done. Witness our hand. Matthew Grant, John Loomis, Jacob Drake, Thomas Bissell, John Mauds- ley."1
The Woodbridge party, probably thought that the Town House which they were occupying needed repairs quite as much as the Meeting-House. For at the following meeting of the town a paper was "presented by George Griswold, Timothy Thrall [and] Job Drake as followeth:
"To our respected friends the townsmen of Windsor.
Whereas there was a voat sometime passed by the town that both Meeting-honses here in Windsor, in respect to the cover- ing outside, should be repaired on a general or town account, and the old meeting-house, as we apprehend, is already done in answer to that vote: We therefore whose names are under- written as a Committee, in the name [and] behalf of the new congregation here in Windsor, do hereby present to you that the New Meeting-house may also be speedily done, there being great necessity of it, and we desire and request [it] may be es- pecially attended; or if not you would give an answer to return to the company whom we represent, that they may consider what is to be done in that matter."2
To this the townsmen returned the following answer:
" Whereas we received a writing, dated July 27, 1676, from some of our friends, wherein they declare that formerly there was a town voat that both the meeting houses should be repair- ed upon a town account, and that they do apprehend that we have gone on to repair the old Meeting-house upon the account of that vote, and therefore [they] desire [us] as speedily to re- pair the new one, or else to give them a speedy answer. There- fore we having considered the matter, as it is presented to us; we do give this answer: that we have endeavored to repair the old meeting-house, and do intend to perfect it as soon as we can upon a town charge, but not out of any respect to such a vote as you say was lately passed, for we know of no such
1 Town Acts, Bk. 11, 40.
2 Ibid.
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vote - but we did as looking at it to be a proper estate [cus- tom] of the whole town, from the first setting up till now, for such a use as it is now put to. Therefore we looked at it to be a proper work of the townsmen to look to the repairing of it, And as to the town house we looked at it be as properly the town estate as ever, yet it being taken into the hands of some part of the town and improved to another use than was agreed by the town, and by them made incapable for that [former] use, that it was first intended [for], therefore now we do apprehend it is not the work of the townsmen to meddle with it upon the account of a reparation [repairing], until it be set in the state it was at the first, and then we look at it to be the townsmen's work to put it in repair."
MATTHEW GRANT, JOHN LOOMIS, JACOB DRAKE, THOMAS BISSELL, JOHN MAUDSLEY.1
In this refusal to repair the Town House it is easy to discern that the townsmen, representing the orthodox, or First Church, were unwilling to recognize, by any official act, the existence or legitimacy of the new congregation. The repairing of a town house, occupied by the dissenters, " on a town account," would have been a concession which they would not make, and a precedent which they dared not establish.
The Woodbridge faction, of course, did not quietly submit to being thus tacitly ignored and snubbed by their fellow citizens, and contention again arose in Windsor. At length, at a towns meeting held September 22, '76, it was proposed "to make choice of indifferent men out of some other towns, who shall have power to advise and determine in what way and manner the two public meeting places of the town of Windsor shall be repaired. Also 3 men shall be chosen, one party [to] choose one, and the other party [to] choose one, and the third to be chosen by those two men so chosen. This was voted affirma- tively, and the man chosen by the New Congregation is Captain Allyn, and the man chosen by the other is Major Treat."
Finally at a Town meeting held on November 2d, "it was voted by the major part that the old meeting-house and the other companies' meeting-house or Town house shall both of
1 Town Acts.
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them be repaired both on the outsides of them, on the town cost."
Here their difficulties rested for a short time. The Old Meeting House and the Town House were both repaired, and at a town meeting, February 11th, 1677, it was "appointed and desired that Mr. Wolcott, Sen'r, Capt. Newberry, and Capt. Clark, with the townsmen, should order persons seating in the meeting-house."
During the two years which followed, various attempts at reconciliation and reunion of the two churches, were made. But here a new difficulty arose. The First Church insisted that those members who had withdrawn themselves and joined the Second Church, should be examined before readmission to the First Church. The Second Church claimed that this was unne- cessary, inasmuch as they had been members of the First Church, " in good and regular standing," and were at that time members in full communion with the Second Church. But the First Church, in the pride of their orthodoxy, and the uncharita- bleness of their hearts, stood firm on this point. At length, January 31st, 1677-8, a council of fourteen members, was mutually called by the two churches. This council advised, " that the two congregations reunite and walk together in the same way and order, and this way of order, whereunto they shall meet in their future walk, shall be the known and settled walk of the First Church, which we understand to be the Congregational way of Church order."1
That "those who were originally members of the First Church be admitted; and those who after the division, joined the New Church, be examined, if there was any objection to them, by the Rev. Mr. Rowlandson and the Rev. Mr. Hooker."
1 There is, to our mind, an especial significance in this frequently recurring phrase, " the Congregational way of Church order." Taken in connection with the term Presbyterian, as applied to the Woodbridge party in Windsor by Simon Bradstreet (see note to p. 179), and other similar terms, it seems clear to our minds that Presbyterianism was creeping into the churches, and as such was recognized as a foe to the established or Congregational order. The Synod of 1708, at Saybrook, evidently developed many latent seeds of Presbyterianism in Connecticut.
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That " Mr. Chauncey be continued in his office and employ- ment, acting according to the professed Congregational princi- ples; and that Mr. Woodbridge be received to communion and assist in preaching."
This advice was partially complied with.
The following August, the Second Church1 send a communi- cation to the First, stating that, " we are satisfied in ourselves respecting our churchhood and churchmembership;" and affirm- ing their understanding of the council's advice to be that they (the Second Church) be received in a body, " without any trial of their fitness," by the First Church.
This communication being read to the First Church after meeting on the sabbath, they voted "that they understood the Council's act otherwise, and should wait the Council's session for the clearing up of the matter."
On the 14th of January, 1678-9, "at a town meeting, the congregation in Windsor being met, did by their vote choose six men, who are desired and empowered to consult with the present Honble and Revd Council, and any others able to advise, to what person to make application unto, to procure him to carry on the work of the ministry, in this place, and so to return the Council's advice given to the congregation to carry it on to effect - to procure the person to settle amongst us here in Windsor in the work of the ministry. The above written is voted - and the persons chosen for a committee are the World Mr. Wolcott, Capt. Newberry, Capt. Clark, John Loomis, Jacob Drake, John Bissell."
Attest. JOHN ALLYN, Secy. JAMES RICHARDS. 2
" It was also voted that Mr. Chauncey and Mr. Woodbridge shall carry on the work of the ministry in Windsor jointly to- gether, until a third minister be settled amongst us."3
The Council recommended the Rev. Samuel Mather, of Bran- ford, and the Rev. Isaac Foster, as suitable candidates for set- tlement. And, January 27th, 1678-9,
" The Congregation being met to consider the return of advice that the Committee received from the Honble Council - Mr. Ma-
1 Through John Hosford, Timothy Thrall and Jacob Gibbs.
2 Town Acts, Bk. 11, 48.
3 Ibid, Bk. 11, 48.
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ther being put to vote, there was forty-seven affirmative votes, and seventy-one negative. And for Mr. Foster, eighty-three affirmative and forty-four negative."
Also, " the congregation having passed a vote wherein they declare their desire to procure Mr. Foster, if he be free and suitably persuaded and accomplished to carry on the work of Christ in the ministry here amongst us, do therefore desire the committee lately chosen to apply to so many of the Houble and Revª Gentlemen with whom they lately advised as may be (con- veniently ) come at, and with all convenient speed, procure not only their concurrence but assistance in obtaining the said Mr. Foster, provided it appears by sufficient information from such Honble and Revd Gent™ in the Massachusetts [colony] to whom we shall apply by a messenger that he is not only congregation- ally persuaded, but otherwise accomplished to carry on the work of Christ amongst us."1
The committee accordingly waited upon the council, and in due course of time received the following reply :2
Hartford, April 10, 1679.
Gentlemen:
We have perused the letters of Rev. Mr. Dakes and Mr. Mather in answer to ours concerning Mr. Foster; and entertain their testimony of him as to his parts and piety with great satisfaction and thankfulness. There seemeth to us a doubtfulness still abiding concerning his persuasion in point of church order; by reason of which we can not advise you immediately to make ap- plication to him; but rather think it advisable to send down Capt. Newberry and John Loomis with letters from Capt. Allyn, Mr. Richards, Mr. Hooker, Mr. Whiting, to the Rev. Mr. Dakes and Mr. Mather, requesting them that they would improve their interest in Mr. Foster to gain a true discovery of his judgment in the premises, and in case they can obtain so much from him as shall capacitate them to assert that he is congregationally persuaded according [to the] synod [s] [of ] '48 and '62, that then they be entreated to lend their helping hands to promote the motion to him and persuade him to come to you: otherwise not to meddle. This is the sum of our present thoughts. To which we add our earnest prayers to the Father of lights for his gracious guidance and blessing, and remain your
Friends and servants, JOHN ALLYN, JAMES RICHARDS. SAMUEL HOOKER. JOHN WHITING.
1 Town Acts, Bk., 48.
2 Ibid, 11, 50.
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" At a town meeting, April 14th, the congregation unanimously voted their acceptance of the advice sent from the council."
They also "voted their willingness to give the said Mr. Fos- ter an invitation to the work of the ministry" amongst them, and that in case of his acceptance of the same " there shall be allowed him for the first year, if he stay so long with us, the sum of seventy pounds." "The Congregation also by vote, desired and empowered the Committee to draw up a letter to Mr. Foster," which being done and read to the congregation, was "by them approved and ordered to be improved by the messengers, Capt. Newberry and John Loomis, according to the advice sent to us by the Council."1
The messengers accordingly went to Massachusetts and brought back a favorable report. The congregation invited Mr. Foster to come to Windsor on trial, which he did, and gave them such "full satisfaction of his parts, ability and per- suasion, and some test of his labors,"1 that they tendered him " a unanimous eall" to settle among them. £100 per annum for his support was voted, and Capt. Daniel Clark was delegated " to accompany Mr. Foster to the Bay, and further his return again." The prospects now seemed bright, of a speedy reunion and restoration of harmony to the unhappy and divided churches of Windsor. But, for some unexplained reason, Mr. Foster did not settle there, and the partial union between the parties was again broken.
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