USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > New Haven > Thirteen historical discourses, on the completion of two hundred years : from the beginning of the First Church in New Haven, with an appendix > Part 23
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" But while I say these great and good things of our de- ceased friend, far be it from me to be an advocate for the per- fection of any human character. He had his imperfections. Yet when we consider how incident it is to characters of his magnitude, as well as others, in the course of a long life to make some capital mistake in conduct, or stumble upon some capital if not essential error or singularity in religion, it is rather to be admired that Mr. Whittelsey should have by Providence been carried through life so securely from both these. It must be a satisfaction upon scrutinizing a charac- ter, while we find many excellent things in it, to find only the common infirmities of human nature, to be covered with the mantle of charity, and the white robes of the Redeemer's righteousness."
The more polished and studied eulogium pronounced by Dr. Dana, while it coincides with the testimony of President Stiles, has one or two touches which indicate the character of the author quite as much as of the subject. Yet all is ex- pressed with so much caution and truth, as well as beauty, that to attempt any correction would be to mar the picture.
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" The foundation of Mr. Whittelsey's eminence in life was laid in superior natural endowments and an early thirst for knowledge. Suavity of temper and dignity of manners, with an early and decided choice of religion, commanded respect. From youth to old age he had a reputation which is better than gold.
" During his residence at the university as an instructor, and his after employment in merchandise and civil life, he acquired an accurate and extensive knowledge of men and things, and a large acquaintance with principal characters at home and abroad. These were desirable accessions to his special accomplishments for the ministry. Preferring the employment in which he might best promote the immortal and most important interests of mankind, he relinquished worldly prospects which would have allured most minds.
" He was distinguished as a gentleman, scholar, Christian and divine. He united the greatest affability with true dig- nity. Philanthropy, integrity and firmness strongly marked his character. He scattered the wicked with his eye. Pos- sessing in a high degree the friendly and social affections, his conversation was always savory, enlivening and improving. His hospitality to his numerous friends was supported by econ- omy and discretion in all his temporal affairs, and a rare ac- tivity and promptitude in every business he undertook. He discerned the proper time and opportunity for every purpose, the modes and seasons of address, and knew well how to redeem time.
" Numbers of first distinction in Church and State, having been his pupils, their known reverence and love of one who had imbued their minds with science and virtue, is his high- est encomium.
" Thoroughly read in history, particularly ecclesiastical, he saw the errors and corruptions which have crept into the Church through a zeal for dictating in matters of faith, and was himself perfectly satisfied with the protestant confession. He was no disputatious theologist, but a practical rather than a controversial preacher. Persuaded of the truth of Christian-
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ity, and deeply sensible of its importance, he was well able to defend it. In this cause he set his face as a flint. He la- mented the decline of professors and prevalence of infidelity. Never ashamed of the gospel, he magnified his office by incul- cating the doctrines of grace in connection with, and as mo- tives to, evangelical holiness ; by exhibiting the sacred Scrip- tures, not human systems, as the rule of faith ; by ruling well the Church of God ; and being an ensample to the flock.
"He was attached to the Congregational discipline. At the same time, being a consistent protestant, he asserted the equal rights of all denominations, and was open to the full influence of that charity which 'seeketh not her own, think- eth no evil, hopeth all things.'
" In preaching, his aim was to enlighten the mind and im- prove the heart. Perspicuity and forcible reasoning, energy of language and manner, elevation of thought, and original- ity of composition distinguished his discourses from the pul- pit. Feeling the truth, dignity and importance of his sub- ject, in composing his sermons, he seemed to have caught the fervor of St. Paul in delivering them.
" This evangelical minister revered the character of Em- manuel, and preached Jesus Christ and him crucified as the only foundation of acceptance with God. He was indeed a workman who needed not to be ashamed. With the activ- ity, zeal and perseverance, he united the humility and pru- dence, the meekness and gentleness of Paul. With him he attended continually on his ministry, 'teaching publicly and from house to house, warning every one night and day, and teaching with all wisdom, that he might present every man perfect in Christ.'
"He possessed the gift and spirit of prayer above most of his brethren. Grace was poured into his lips in public and private, on all occasions. How have we been edified and warmed with the variety, copiousness and pertinency of his prayers ! Such was the elevation of his heart in devotion, that he seemed to be caught up to heaven.
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" Diligent to know the state of his flock, and naturally car- ing for it, his pastoral visits were frequent, and judiciously conducted. He 'opened his mouth with wisdom.' His heart was open to the tenderest sensibility, and in all your afflic- tions he was afflicted. He presided over his flock with fidel- ity and impartiality, with gravity and dignity ; and made himself servant unto all, that he might gain the more.
" His religion was equally free from affected austerity, and from levity of temper, from bigotry and indifference. He could address you, as Paul the Corinthians, 'Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.'
" Amidst the intricacies of providence, allotments not joy- ous but grievous, he exhibited a serenity of temper and joy in divine government, which manifested the commanding influence of the faith that overcomes the world. He had learned to glory in tribulation.
" The course of the ministry which he fulfilled with you was twenty nine years and upwards. How he took heed to fulfil it, let those say who were best acquainted. You, my brethren, knew his manner of life from his youth to the day of his departure-after what manner he conversed, taught and lived ; how he was with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility, affection, and fervency, counseling, comforting, persuading, warning and admonishing, as a father his children-how he 'travailed in birth, that Christ might be formed in you.'
"He wished not to exceed seventy years. According to his desire, his usefulness as well as life was protracted to this period. When it came, he closed the scene with the same serenity and constancy of mind as he had ever lived. He was ready to be offered, having like comfortable reflections in the review of his life and ministerial warfare as the holy apostle, and a like prospect of a crown of righteousness. His old age was amiably splendid as the clearly setting sun. His past days looked back upon him with the smile of friendship. And the morning of immortal felicity dawning on his soul,
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gloriously irradiated the valley of death. We saw the aged saint commend his soul to God, full of faith, looking up sted- fastly into heaven, seeing the glory of God, and Jesus on his right hand."
Those among us who remember this venerable man, are only a few; but I have never heard one of them, or of the others who, since I have been here, have gone to the dead, speak of him but with a sort of affectionate veneration. When he died, the feeling found utterance among men of all parties and of the strongest prejudices, "that if any man had ever gone to heaven, good old Mr. Whittelsey had gone thither."
I introduced his religious character to your view, by exhib- iting a leaf from the journal of his feelings in early life. We saw him struggling with perplexities, uttering the desires of a wounded spirit, and the groans of a broken heart, and hardly daring to indulge the hope which yet he dared not re- press. - Ere we take our leave of him, I am permitted to show you, from another of his private papers, what were the exercises of his mind when his religious character had at- tained its full maturity. The paper now referred to, is an occasional memorandum, dated " April 8, 1767, Fast day."
" I am now in the fiftieth year of my age. Looking back upon my life past, and looking into myself, I have great rea- son, O God ! to be deeply humbled in thy sight.
" The advantages I have enjoyed have been very great ; but my unfruitfulness is a full proof that they have been but ill improved.
" I now have, and for many years have had, a prevailing comfortable hope, through the grace of the gospel, that my eternity will be happy.
" I cannot indeed but be astonished at this grace of God, astonished that there is any room for one so unworthy as I am, to hope. I truly appear to myself the chief of sinners ; nor is it easy for me to think any other in the world is so un- worthy as I am, or that any other of the redeemed will be so much beholden to free and rich grace as I shall. But it is
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this very grace which, I do not say excites me to resolve I will be, but constrains me to be the servant of God and the Redeemer without reserve and forever. And yet since I have known this grace of God, how inactive, how forgetful, how worldly minded, how sensual, have I been. Many times that I can call to mind, the world, and at other times the flesh, have seemed for a season to have got the ascendant ; but fresh views of the extent and the exceeding riches of the grace of God in Christ, have encouraged me, and even con- strained me to hope afresh ; and it has been the language of my heart, in opposition to every lust and every worldly in- terest, 'I am the Lord's.' I have felt myself infinitely obliged and infinitely indebted, and have loved to feel my- self under these bonds. It is now pleasant to live, because I live upon God, and I see God in all, in all that befalls me, in every thing that surrounds me. It is pleasant to go to the throne of grace, not because I am worthy, but because there is grace sufficient for me altogether unworthy. It is pleasant to fight in the Christian warfare, even without any direct consideration of the crown which will be given to him that overcometh ; it is pleasant from the consideration of the leader and captain under whom, and the cause in which I am engaged,-a leader whose directions are infallible, and whose grace is all-sufficient,-and a cause in which all the excellent ones of the earth have been, and to the end will be, unitedly engaged.
" Thus for days, it may be weeks, I go on, vigilant, cheer- ful, and I may even say happy. But in a little while, alas ! I seem to lose a sense of the grace of God, a sense of my Redeemer, and of my obligations. But then, again, fresh views of the extent of the exceeding riches of the grace of God in Christ, captivate, encourage and engage me afresh.
" O thou God of all grace ! may these views be more and more lively, permanent and steady. I am never so happy as when every thought and imagination is brought into subjec- tion to the obedience of Christ. Then, the more firmly I can trust in the mercy and grace of God in Christ Jesus, the
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more entirely do I feel myself devoted to God, and the more resolved and ready to do every thing that God requires of me."
Such were the devotional exercises of this good man, twenty years before his death. I may add here, that his friend Dr. Stiles was with him in his last moments. They had often conversed together about death and heaven ; and Mr. Whittelsey had for a long time expressed habitually a full assurance of hope, a confidence that knew no fear of dy- ing. Dr. Stiles was desirous to see the triumph of that con- fidence, in the hour of dissolution. He came into the room just as death was beginning. Taking his friend by the hand, he said, " Do you feel now the full assurance of hope ? If you would say yes, and cannot speak, answer me by the pressure of your hand. Do you feel now the full assurance of hope ?" The aged saint rallied his dying strength, and with a struggle answered distinctly, " Yes." His wife, chil- dren, and grandchildren, kneeled around the bed,-a few words of prayer and thanksgiving were uttered, and the mortal had put on immortality .*
* Mr. Whittelsey's published works were several occasional Sermons, the titles of which are subjoined :
A Sermon occasioned by the death of Mrs. Abigail Noyes, 1768.
A Sermon, preached at the ordination of Rev. John Hubbard, in Meri- den, 1769.
A Sermon at the funeral of Mrs. Mary Clap, relict of President Clap, 1769.
Election Sermon, 1778.
Beside these, I have seen somewhere a printed Sermon of his, delivered about the year 1745, to a graduating class, of which he had been the prin- cipal instructor.
DISCOURSE XIII.
JAMES DANA AT WALLINGFORD AND NEW HAVEN .- THE PAST AND THE PRESENT.
ECCLESIASTES, vii, 10 .- Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these ? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
As we approach the close of this history, and begin to touch upon the doings and reminiscences of the living, our views must be more cursory, and we must advance with in- creasing rapidity.
After the death of the venerable Whittelsey, the pulpit was supplied for a season, according to one of the most beautiful of the ecclesiastical usages in New England, by the neigh- boring pastors-each of the thirteen ministers who were pres- ent at the funeral, volunteering to give one Sabbath's service for the benefit of the widow of their deceased brother and father .* Immediately afterwards, the Rev. Dr. James Dana, of Wallingford, being at that time free from the labor of preaching in his own Church, was called in to supply the va- cant pulpit statedly. In January, 1789, the Church and So- ciety, with great unanimity, elected him their pastor ; and on the 29th of April, he was inducted into the pastoral office. Dr. Dana preached the sermon at his own installation, which I believe is the latest instance of that ancient usage in New England. Thus, in less than two years after the Church's bereavement, another pastor was harmoniously settled.
Dr. Dana, at the time of his removal to this Church, was more than fifty years old. He was born at Cambridge in Massachusetts, about the year 1735, was educated at Harvard College, where he graduated in 1753, at the age of eighteen, after which he appears still to have resided at Cambridge for some time. In the year 1758, the Church in Wallingford, having been without a pastor ever since the death of Rev.
Stiles, Lit. Diary.
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Samuel Whittelsey in 1752, and having been somewhat divi- ded into parties in consequence of hearing various candidates, was advised by some of the neighboring ministers to send to Cambridge for a new candidate. Accordingly a messenger was sent with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Appleton of Cambridge, the Rev. Dr. Chauncey of Boston, and the President of Har- vard College, asking them to nominate, and send to Walling- ford, some suitable and worthy candidate for the ministry in that place. Dr. Chauncey happening to be absent, the selec- tion of a candidate devolved on Pres. Holyoke and Dr. Ap- pleton ; and at their nomination, Mr. Dana was requested to come to Wallingford for settlement.
This arrangement proved less happy for the Church and Society in Wallingford than was expected ; for though both the Church and the Society, with apparent harmony, united after a few weeks in giving Mr. Dana a call, the voting of the call was immediately followed by the organization of a strong opposition, promoted, as was supposed, by some of the min- isters of the neighborhood. A council, selected according to the undisputed usage of those days, was invited to meet for the ordination. The opponents of Mr. Dana, on their part, determined to prevent his ordination, by bringing a complaint before the consociation of the county. The consociation was accordingly summoned to meet for the purpose of attending to a complaint against the regularity of the proceedings of the Church and Society, and against the orthodoxy of the candidate. Whether it was by accident or design, is not known; but so it was, that the two councils, the one called by the Church and Society to ordain Mr. Dana, the other called by the minority to prevent his ordination, met in Wal- lingford on the same day,-and a memorable day it was in the ecclesiastical history of Connecticut. The story is too long to be repeated here in detail. The various pamphlets that were published respecting the "Wallingford Contro- versy" in the day of it, are a volume .* Dr. Trumbull has
* A Faithful Narrative, &c. By Jonathan Todd, A. M., a member of the ordaining council .- A few Remarks upon the ordination, &c. By William
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related the particulars with great honesty of purpose, but not without some bias from his personal and party prejudices. Let it suffice to say here, that the Church and Society, and Mr. Dana, being cited to appear before the consociation, ap- peared and denied with strong arguments the jurisdiction of that council over any Church in such a case as that ;- that the ordaining council, though expressly and solemnly forbid- den by the consociation, went forward and ordained the candi- date ;- that the consociation, finding themselves thus baffled, and perceiving that the affair was becoming very complicated, determined to call in the aid of the neighboring consociation of the southern district of Hartford county, and adjourned accordingly for three weeks ;- that when at the appointed time the two consociations assembled in a joint meeting, Mr. Dana and the Church and Society still refused to acknowl- edge the jurisdiction of that body, as the case was then situ- ated ;- and that the two consociations, after trying the case as well as they could when the parties to be tried refused to plead on any point but that of jurisdiction, declared the rela- tion between Mr. Dana and the Church and Society to be dis- solved ;- and finally, that after waiting several months to see the effect of their doings, they pronounced a sentence of non- communion against Mr. Dana and the Church, acknowledged the minority to be the consociated Church in the First Soci- ety in Wallingford, and denounced the ministers and dele- gates of the ordaining council " as disorderly persons, and not fit to sit in any of our ecclesiastical councils, until they
Hart, A. M., Pastor of the First Church in Saybrook .- Some Serious Remarks upon the Rev. Mr. Jonathan Todd's Faithful Narrative, &c. By Edward Eells, A. M., Pastor of the Second Church in Middletown .- The Principles of Congregational Churches, &c. By Noah Hobart, A. M., Pastor of the First Church in Fairfield .- A Letter to the Rev. Mr. Noah Hobart. By R. Wolcott .- Remarks on a pamphlet wrote by Mr. Hobart, &c. By William Hart .- A Vindication, &c. By Noah Hobart .- A Reply, &c. By Jona- than Todd : Together with an Answer, &c. By William Hart .- Some Re- marks upon the claims and doings of the Consociation, &c. By Andrew Bartholomew, A. M., Pastor of the Church in Harwinton .- The Walling- ford Case Stated, &c.
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shall clear up their conduct to the satisfaction of the council of New Haven county."
What added to the violence of these proceedings, was, that the controversy was at bottom a conflict between the old light and new light parties, not only in Wallingford and in New Haven county, but throughout the colony. Mr. Dana was of that party which had opposed the revival of religion ; his set- tlement in so large and important a Church, would be a tri- umph of that party, which had already become a minority in the county and in the colony ; and therefore the new light men were determined by all means to prevent the ordination, and when the thing was done, to undo it if possible. The old light party had previously attempted to use the peculiar constitution of the Connecticut Churches as an engine of op- pression. They had carried matters with a high hand while they had the power, interfering arbitrarily with the rights of pastors and of Churches; and now they found the very en- ginery which had been so convenient to them, turned against them. So true is it that they who take the sword shall per- ish by the sword, and that the violent shall find their vio- lent dealing coming down upon their own heads. So true is it, too, that when parties run high, no party can be trusted to guard any body's liberty or interests but their own. What- ever party happens to wield power, will make the most of it, if necessary to their party ends, though by contradicting all the professions and complaints of their weaker days.
Mr. Dana and the ministers by whom he was ordained, be- ing thus excluded from all ecclesiastical and ministerial in- tercourse with the other pastors of the county, formed an association by themselves, which was upheld till the year 1772, or later, when a sort of amnesty was proposed by the ministers who had formerly denounced them, parties,-and persons too,-having changed in the mean time .*
From that great Wallingford controversy and a few sim- ilar conflicts, one result has arisen of no small importance to
* Stiles, Lit. Diary.
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the Churches. I have already had occasion to show, that the Saybrook Articles of Discipline, commonly called the Saybrook Platform, were originally a compromise between two parties, the one inclined to a high Presbyterian form of government, the other holding strongly the great Congrega- tional principle, of the competency and inalienable liberty of each particular Church to manage its own affairs. Hence that instrument has always been subject to two diverse in- terpretations. The one, which may be called the Presbyte- rian construction, gives to the consociation of the district a general and complete superintendency over the Churches, condemns all other councils as irregular, and claims for the decisions of the consociation, in cases of appeal, a juridical authority, so that they are to take effect not by the consent or acquiescence of the Church appealed from, but by their own intrinsic power. The other, which we may call the Congregational construction, maintains, that the Congrega- tional principle of the liberty of every particular Church is unimpaired by the Platform, and that the consociation is nothing else than a council of Congregational Churches, con- vened and organized by a particular rule. In 1740, and for a few years after, when the "old lights" were the majority, and were oppressing Mr. Robbins of Branford, and Mr. Al- len of West Haven, they were of course great sticklers for the consociation, and for the Presbyterian construction of its powers ; and then it was that the "new light"' party in New Haven were so deeply aggrieved, because Mr. Noyes and the Church had declared this Church to be under the Saybrook Platform, that Messrs. Cook, Bellamy, and other new light ministers, for that one reason, proceeded to organize them into a separate and independent Church,-a Church in which the original prejudice against consociations is alive and vig- orous at this day. In 1759, when by the change of parties the "new lights" were no longer a minority, they in their turn had become strict upholders of the Presbyterian con- struction of the Platform ; and then it was that Mr. Noyes and Mr. Whittelsey, the colleague pastors of this Church,
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were by a vote of the consociation condemned "as disorderly persons and not fit to sit in any of our ecclesiastical coun- cils," so that this Church has been for eighty years as effect- ually alienated from consociations as the other. Thus the Presbyterian construction of the constitution having been tried on all sides both actively and passively, has in the pro- gress of time been pretty generally abandoned ; consociations have learned that if they are to do any good, nay, if they are to have any being, it must be as Congregational councils, and not as Presbyteries. The spirit of Congregationalism, such as Congregationalism was when Thomas Hooker and John Davenport and the synod at Cambridge were its ex- pounders, prevails throughout the Churches of Connecticut, and with perhaps a few exceptions, throughout the ministry.
Mr. Dana being introduced to the pastoral office in such circumstances, was of course a man of suspected orthodoxy. Probably his theological views when he began to preach, were those which in that day were becoming prevalent in the region about Boston,-views which there, in the course of one or two generations, beginning with opposition to the extravagances and enthusiasm of the revival, and growing into opposition to what was called bigotry and superstition, ripened into Unitarianism. It is commonly reported how- ever, that as he advanced in the ministry, his opinions on the great points of Christian doctrine became more sound, and his feelings more evangelical. However this may be, it is certain that as the ministers and Churches of Connecti- cut began to be better acquainted with him, and to recover from the fright occasioned by the extraordinary manner in which he was settled, they were constrained to recognize him as a man of great talents and learning, of great judg- ment and prudence in the management of affairs, of great fearlessness and conscientiousness in performing what he conceived to be his duty, and of eminent public usefulness. And when the "old light" and "new light" parties were superseded by parties founded on the differences between the " old divinity" and the new, Dr. Dana, who at an early age
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