USA > Connecticut > The records of the General association of ye colony of Connecticut. Begun June 20th, 1738. Ending June 19th, 1799 > Part 6
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1. As an Incumbent Duty on Ministers both in public & private, to take pains with the professed Disciples of Jesus, to convince them of the nature & end of Discipline & the necessity of maintaining it in the Church of Christ in its militant State, without which it cannot subsist in Character. They should be made sensible of the advantages of a Christian Watch over each other, whereby Every Member hath the friendly assistance of the whole community with which they are Specially connected, to prevent their Wandering, or reclaim them when they have gone astray.
2. We judge it expedient in this day of Declension & Dissoluteness for Ministers to be frequent & pressing in their addresses to Parents & heads of Families, especially such as are under the Bonds of the Covenant that the eyes of the Lord are upon them & God requires that they perform their Vows, not only for themselves but also for those committed to their care, to train them up in the Nurture & admonition of the Lord by Instructions, Councils, Reproofs & Discipline as needed &c., the neglect of which we apprehend is one cause of much Disorder both in Church & State.
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3. To effect the good End proposed, we recommend it to the Churches, that all the Children of the Covenant be con- sidered & Treated as subjects of Discipline & objects of their tender care & christian Inspection ; to see that such Lambs of the Flock have the advantage of Christian Instructions & Government in their Early Days ; & as such come forward in years & understanding, if they are guilty of Scandal or Neglect to take upon themselves the Bonds of the Covenant by their own act ; that the Church use proper methods to reclaim them & bring them to a sense of their Duty by admonitions both private & public if need be; & in case these methods prove ineffectual to reclaim them after all due Patience hath been used; it is the Duty of the Church publicly to discharge themselves of their Watch & Care over them.
4. Because of the so great neglect of Discipline in Christ's house it appears to us men become fearless of transgressing, & that Delinquents & Scandalous Persons are often Neglected to their Damnage, when they need the wholesome Discipline the great head of the Church has Instituted ; That guilt often lies upon the Church by suffering Sin upon a Brother, merely because no one takes upon him the friendly part of a Complainant ; for what equally concerns all is too often neglected by all.
To remedy this Disorder we propose, that each Church chuse a small number of the Brethren as a Committee of Inspection, Inquiry & Information, to act with or by direction of the Pastor, who upon hearing anything of their Members, which they apprehend to be Matter of Scandal & Church Censure are to consider themselves as under obligations to make Inquiry, examine Evidence &c, and endeavor by private measures to heal the Difficulty, reclaim offenders & restore peace & good order to the Church ; But if they fail hereof & find it necessary for the Honor of God, the peace & Edifica- tion of the Church & the good of offenders, then one of the said Committee to exhibit a formal, written Complaint to the Church, & support the Charge with what Light & Evidence
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he can ; that the Church may proceed against such offenders according to the Laws of Christ's Kingdom & be lead to a righteous Judgment. Yet this is not intended to cut off any brother from his Right of exhibiting a Charge in his own Name against an offender if he desires it, & the matter of offence renders a Charge Necessary.
The foregoing Particulars are recommended by this asso- ciation to the practice of each of the several Pastors d' Churches in this Colony so far as can be done with Peace & Unanimity.
The above l'oted as the Doings of this association. Con- cluded with Prayer.
Test EBENEZER BALDWIN, Scribe.
NOTES.
1. Thomas Canfield Pastor in Roxbury from 1744 to 1795.
". John Miner Pastor in South Britain from 1768 to 1790.
1775.
At a General Association of the Pastors of the consociated Churches of the Colony of Connecticut, convened by Deliga- tion, at the House of the Revd Benjamin Throop in Norwich June 20th A D 1775
Present
Elnathan Whitman
Ephraim Little
Benjamin Throop
Stephen White
Eliphalet Williams
The Revd Messieurs
Elijah Sill Elizur Goodrich
Simon Waterman Eliphalet Huntington
Hezekiah Ripley and Jonathan Murdock 1.
The Rev.d Elnathan Whitman was chosen Moderator and Mr Goodrich Seribe.
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The General Association was opened with a Sermon from Exodus III Chap. 2 Verse, by the Rev.d Eliphalet Huntington.
Mr. Goodrich reported the State of Matters relative to the sending of Missionaries to the Northwestward, as was pro- posed the last General Association, and thereon Mr Throop & Mr Williams were joined with him as a Committee to draw up and bring in a Draught of what may be proper for the General Association to do further in prosecuting the Design.
Adjourned 'till to morrow morning 7 o'Clock. June 21.st 7 o'Clock A. M. met according to adjournment. The Com- mittee appointed to prepare a Draught relative to the Affair of Missionaries brougt in one which was read, approved and is as follows -" The General Association being of Opinion that great and good Ends, through the Blessing of God, may be answered by sending Missionaries into the back Settle- ments, as was proposed the last General Association, and - being unwilling that the Design should fail, tho' from the Report made by Mr. Goodrich it appears not practicable to be immediately executed, do continue the same Gentlemen who were appointed by the last General Association, as a Committee to carry the Plan into the Execution, and do recommend to the Receivers in the several Counties to col- lect the Monies which have been subscribed and transmit the same to the Committee with all convenient speed that they may be enabled to act in the Affair as providence shall open a Door, and if possible carry it in some Measure unto Execu- tion this Year ; otherwise they are directed to lay the matter before the next General Association.
The General Association are apprehensive that the per- plexed & melancholly State of public Affairs has been a Dis- couragement to this Design, & a Reason why the Collec- tions have not been brought in, as was expected ; but how- ever dark present Appearances are, they cannot but hope God will yet give Opportunity of executing the Scheme pro- posed, to his own Glory, and the Spread and Increase of the Redeemer's Kingdom.
At present affairs are in such a Situation that the General
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Association can give no particular Directions to the Commit- tee for the Management of the Business, but would have them use their best Discretion, having a regard to what was done by the former General Association, as nearly as Cir- cumstanees will permit : And though in the opinion of the General Association it would be best That both Missionaries should be ordained Ministers, yet if it be found impracticable to send two such, the Committee are at Liberty to send some suitable Candidate, as one, under the Direction of the other who shall be ordained.
We recommend the Matter to the serious consideration of Ministers and all good Christians, and hope they will encour- age it and assist all concerned in the Execution of it ; and if this be done we hope some attempt may be made before Winter.
The General Association taking into serious Consideration the destressing and melancholly State of public affairs in the British American Colonies, and the Dangers they are now threatened with from the oppressive Measures of the British Court are sensible of the lond calls of God in his Providence, that humbling ourselves under his righteous Hand, we turn unto him by unfeigned Repentance and Amendment, and we are thankful that God has put it into the Hearts of our Rulers so frequently to call upon us and our People to those Duties, that laying aside all Levity and extravagance and un- dne Diversions, we should be excited to earnest Prayer and Supplication, and meet with our People for that Purpose as frequently as Convenience will admit. We trust our Rulers will still encourage this good Work and strengthen the Hands of all the Ministers in it. We also rejoice that in so many of our Churches and Congregations there appears a Disposition of attending on such Seasons and wish it may become General and Universal : We look upon it in particu- lar our Duty to stir up ourselves and all our Brethren in the Ministry to be forward in leading our People in this Day of Trouble to be calling on God, and to have special seasons of Prayer and that the whole of our Congregations be urged to
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attend them; This is certainly our Duty and what we are particularly directed to in the Word of God, that we answer the Messages of Heaven in Divine Providence and become an humble, penitent and pardened People, prepared for the Divine Mercy and Salvation. And as we are the Covenant people of God, and have enjoyed the Special Privileges of the Gospel, we look upon it that God in his Providence calls upon us to consider our Covenant obligations and that it is the indispensable Duty of Ministers to impress the minds of all their People with the Duty of owning the Covenant God of our Fathers ; that those who have come under explicit and personal Engagements humbling themselves for all Breaches of their Vows, should be quickened to walk with God in all his Commandments and Ordinances, and that others should be reminded of their awful Neglects and urged to remember and own the Obligations they are laid under by God's Cove- nant, and improve the Privileges of it, and if any Churches or Congregations shall see fit and convenient publicly and as a body to renew their Covenant with God we should approve it; but must leave the Matter to the Prudence of Ministers and Churches to determine particularly for Themselves ; At the same Time we would solemnly Charge ourselves, our Brethren in the Ministry and our People to be earnest in seeking and turning to God, and that bringing forth such Fruits as he requires we may have tokens for good, and still trust in his fatherly Kindness, that he will appear for this Land, scatter the dreadful Cloud that is over it, secure & perpetuate all its Rights and Privileges and cause the Churches here planted to flourish so long as the Sun and Moon shall endure.
Voted that the next Meeting of the General Association on the third Tuesday of June next be at the House of the Reverend Hezekiah Gould in Cornwall, and provided it should be inconvenient for Mr Gould to entertain them that the Association of Litchfield County appoint a Place and inform the other Associations.
A true Record of the Doings of the General Association - Test ELIZUR GOODRICH, Scribe.
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A true entry of the Record of the Doings of the General Association.
Test BENJAMIN TRUMBULL Register of the General Association.
NOTES.
1. JJonathan Murdock Pastor 2d Greenwich from 1774 to 1785.
1776.
At a general Association of the Pastors of the Consociated Churches of the Colony of Connecticut, convened by deliga- tion at Cornwall in Connecticut June 18: 1776-
Upon Motion made, it was voted that this Association will from Time to Time order to be printed and dispersed to the several Consociated Churches of this Colony whatever shall be transacted by them of general Concern to the Churches: and that when any thing is not published in this Manner, it is to be understood that nothing material of this Kind was transacted by the Association.
June 19th Voted That the preceding vote, and the Address of this Association to the Consociated Pastors and Churches of the Colony of Connecticut, with the Advice of the General Association respecting Discipline in the year 1774 be printed forthwith and distributed to the several Consociated Pastors and Churches of this Colony: And the Scribe is directed to see it done.
Truly extracted from the Minutes of the General Associa- tion.
Test EBENEZAR BALDWIN, Scribe
A true Entry of the Extracts from the Minutes of the Gen- eral Association.
Test BENJAMIN TRUMBULL, Register.
N. B. The original Minutes of the General Association in 1776 being lost (probably taken and destroyed by the enemy at Turtle Bay, where the Revd Mr Baldwin lost a con-
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siderable Number of his Manuscripts, or afterwards in their Excursion to Danbury) these Extracts, which had been pre- served in the printed Address to the Consociated Pastors and Churches of the Colony of Connecticut, are registered in their proper Place, agreeable to a Vote of the General Asso- ciation in June 1778, which may be seen in its Place.
An ADDRESS of the General Association to the CONSO- CIATED PASTORS and CHURCHES in the Colony of Connecticut.
Reverend and Beloved,
Deeply impressed with a sense of the calamitous State in which our Land is involved: Reduced by the arbitrary edicts of the British Parliament, and the cruel and inhuman Meth- ods used to inforce them to the sad Necessity of defending by Force and Arms those precious Privileges which our Fathers fled into this Wilderness quietly to enjoy : Declared Rebels by the British King and Parliament; Not only the Power of Britain, but a large Army of Foreign Mercenaries, hired at a most extravagant Price, employed to dragoon us into Obedience or rather abject Submission to Tyrrany : Our Foreign Trade almost annihilated: Many of our Towns ruined and destroyed: Our Children, our Friends, our dear- est Connections called from our Bosoms to the Field of Bat- tle; and some of them captivated and enslaved by our cruel and insulting Foes : Detestible Parricides interspersed among us, aiming to give a fatal stab to the Country which gave them birth, and hath hitherto fostered them in her indulgent Bosom: And in many Places both at home and abroad deplorable Sickness wasting away the Inhabitants of our Land : Deeply impressed with a View of these dire Calamities, we are led anxiously to enquire what Sins and Iniquities prevalent in our Land have called down these heavy Judg- ments of Heaven upon us : Fully assured both from sacred Writ and the usual Method of the Dispensations of God's Providence, that such Calamities are ever the effects of abounding Sin and Iniquity, and that sincere Repentance, 12
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and a thor'o Reformation is the only probable Method to avert these Tokens of Divine Wrath.
Upon serious Enquiry we find there is an awful Declension from that purity and Strictness both of Doctrine and Manners which characterized our Ancestors, whom God so signally planted, protected and defended in this Land. Many of the distinguishing Doctrines of the Gospel are treated by great Numbers not only with disregard and Neglect, but even with Contempt : Such as the Doctrines of the Sovereignty of divine Grace : Of the Necessity of a deep and thoro' Conviction of Sin, and of Conversion by the effecacious regenerating Influence of the divine Spirit : Of the necessity of internal Holiness in order to Salvation &c. But still greater is the awful Depravation of our Manners. God's Sabbaths which used in the primitive Ages of New England to be kept with a most exemplary Strictness, are now most impiously profaned : In many by slothful Absence from public Worship, or by unnecessary Travelling, Busi- ness, or Visiting on God's holy Day : In others by a careless, indolent and irreverent Attendance on public Worship ; or by playful Diversions, especially of the younger Sort, even in the Time of divine Service : By spending the interims of public Worship in discoursing of public News or other secular Concerns. And the remainder of the Day, not appro- priated to public Worship, instead of being spent in family Instruction and Worship, and the Duties of the Closet, is but too generally wasted away in slothful Indolence, or trifling Amusements. And so awfully is God's sacred Name profaned among us that the vices of profane Cursing and Swearing, which but lately were confined to a few despicable Wretches in our populous and trading Towns, contaminated by their Intercourse with Foreigners, have now penetrated the obscurest corners of our Country ; so that even the most remote and obscure Villages will furnish each many Instances of Wretches expert in this Language of Hell : And in our Armies we have reason to fear that like a mighty Torrent it carries all before it. God's sacred Word is
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treated by amazing Numbers as tho' unworthy their serious Attention : Few appear anxious to found their Faith upon its sacred Truths, or conform their Practice to its divine Precepts. The means of Religion we have been so highly favored with have been greatly abused. The Gospel of Jesus Christ we have Reason to fear receives a cordial Welcome from but very few. God's Ordinances are treated by vast Numbers with Neglect, and by not a few we fear with Contempt. Great Numbers, much the greater Part of the rising Generation, tho' dedicated to God in Infancy neglect to take upon themselves the Bonds of the Covenant, which can be construed in no other Light, than a denial of Christ. As a consequence of this their Children are un- devoted to God in Baptism; and much the greater Part of our Congregations turn their Backs upon the holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper. And in many of our Churches numerous are those who are guilty of the most glaring Con- tradiction in that they show no Concern for the Improve ment of Religion in their own Souls by attending on the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper, while they appear anxious to devote their Children to God in Baptism. The Neglect of God's Worship in Families in a very growing and fashiona- ble Sin; and as if the Hearts of Parents were hardened against the Fruit of their own Bowels - As if destitute of natural Affection, Parental Instructions in Religion, Coun- sels, Warnings and Restraints seem in great Measure to cease from among us. Many gross Immoralities shockingly abound, which are become so fashionable that in the estima- tion of many they almost cease to be Vices. Of this kind we may reckon Intemperance. How many wallow in the more than bestial sin of Drunkenness, and seek every Opportunity by the immoderate Use of Strong Drink to deprive themselves of Reason that distinguishing Badge of Humanity and reduce themselves to a level with the Brutes! Almost beyond Account have been the Quantities of strong Drink annually consumed in this Colony; and the mournful Complaints under the present Scarcity, show what a wretched Influence
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it hath acquired over ns. Uneleanness, with many Customs and practices leading thereto - Injustice - Fraud - Oppres- sion - Extortion - Covetousness - Selfishness - A want of Love to our Country, and of a Disposition to prefer the great Interests of the Community to the little private Interests of our own - A Disposition to Anarchy while struggling for Liberty - Impatience under lawful and necessary Restraints - A boundless Freedom in censuring the Conduct and defaming the Characters of others, while that Christian Watchfulness and brotherly Reproof which the Gospel enjoins is almost fallen into disuse, and that wholesome Discipline which Christ hath appointed to be Kept up in his Church for the preventing and correcting of Immoralities seems in our Churches to be in a languishing, dying State.
And under all these Judgments and Calamities an awful Stupidity seems to prevail among all Ranks of Men : In a a great Measure insensible of the Hand of God herein, while we are venting our Resentment against and loading with Imprecations the Instruments of our Sufferings : Attending to them rather as Injuries from Man, than the righteous Cor- rections of an holy God, justly provoked by our Sins. So far from being led to a general Repentance and Reformation by these awful Judgments, every Species of Wickedness seems rather increasing in on Land. A Confidence of Success seems to prevail, without a proportionate Concern to remove the procuring Cause of our Afflictions. These and the like, appear to us, upon serions Enquiry, to be the prevailing Sins of our Land.
Now the Voice of Revelation and Reason conspire to warn ns against entertaining Expectations of a Restoration of our former Tranquility and Happiness, unless these abonding Sins and Iniquities, the proenring Cause of these Evils, be in some Measure removed. They jointly bid us expect accumu- lated Miseries and Destresses, till a general Reformation take Place. They equally join to encourage our Hopes, that, upon Virtue and Religion's flourishing again, God's Hand now so heavy upon ns will be removed and our former Tranquility and Happiness be restored.
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Tenderly concerned (as we would hope) for both the tem- poral and spiritual Interests of our dear Country, and fully convinced of the Necessity of our being deeply humbled under a Sense of our Sins, and of a general Reformation's taking Place, in Order to obtain and secure these invaluable Bles- sings ; we hope we shall obtain the serious Attention of our Brethren in the Gospel Ministry, and their and our respective Churches, While we endeavor to unite our Voice with that of our civil Fathers in bearing our Testimony against these Heaven-provoking Sins, in resolving against them, and earnestly exhorting to sincere Repentance and Reformation.
We would earnestly exhort our brethren in the Ministry, at the same time resolving the same for ourselves, to labor abundently for the conviction of their Hearers of the preval- ence of these and the like Iniquities : To urge every Argu- ment and Motive to persuade to Repentance and Reforma- tion ; to dwell much in their preaching upon these seasonable and necessary Topics ; to be painful and diligent in catechis- ing and instructing the Children and Youth, with unremitting Importunity to call upon Parents to discharge their Duty to their dear Offspring ; to use their utmost Endeavor to revive languishing Discipline ; and especially by their own Example to recommend and enforce that Reformation, those Virtues and that Religion they teach the Necessity of ..
We would earnestly request those to whom the Execution of our civil Laws are intrusted, to lend a helping Hand towards this necessary Reformation, by restraining open Immoralities by a due Execution of the Laws against them ; especially against profane Cursing and Swearing, Sabbath- breaking and Intemperance; in which we fear there is a sinful Neglect ; A vigorous Execution of the Laws may be a means to prevent the outward Deed, tho' it do not mend the Heart, and so may preserve others from the Contagion of general example. Let not such take it amiss, if we remind them that their Duty to God, their Duty to their Neighbour, and the solemn Oath they are under, do all oblige to this.
We would earnestly intreat the Professors of Religion, the
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Members of our Churches, who are bound by God's sacred Covenant to a Life of Purity and Holiness, zealously to exert themselves to promote this necessary and important Work. The eyes of God and man are upon them ; God expects them to lead in this Work : Their Vows, their Privileges lay them under the highest Obligations thereto. If forward in this Work, their example may have the most salutary Effects ; if backward, in all Probability will be an insurmountable Obstacle. Tis to be feared that some if not most of the Sins mentioned as abounding in our Land are to be found with some of this Number. Let the guilty be exhorted to sincere Repentance and Reformation; to render their Reformation visible to those around them, that their Light may shine before others, and their Example powerfully draw them to Imitation. Let every one faithfully bear Testimony against these abounding Sins ; by prudent Advice, Council, Warning and Reproof, laboring to bring others to join in this wished for Reformation. And as it lies with them principally to revive the languishing Discipline of our Churches, let them be exhorted faithfully to execute the Laws of our dear Redeemer who alone is King and Lawgiver in his Church. And as many who profess the Religion of Jesus, do as we apprehend, shamefully contradict it in their Practice, by refusing to commemorate the dying Love of our dear Redeemer, we would exhort such carefully to examine whether they have any just ground for making such a Distinction between the Ordinances of our Lord and Saviour; and whether the Practice be not a virtual Contradiction of their Profession : That they would with sincere and honest Hearts practice all the Commands of our dear Saviour and thus show forth that they are genuine Disciples of the blessed Jesus.
As the rising Generation, who are under the special In- struction, Direction and Government of their Parents, are at present an important Part of the Community, and will soon succeed in Place of those who are continually going off the Stage of action. Parents and Heads of Families have a most
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