USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Mattapoisett > Articles of faith and covenant, revised and adopted by the Congregational Church in Mattapoisett, Mass., April, 1858 > Part 1
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Gc 974.402 M42m 1847543
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01145 6008
11
ARTICLES OF FAITH
AND
COVENANT,
REVISED AND ADOPTED
BY THE
Congregational Church,
IN
MATTAPOISETT, MASS.
APRIL, 1858.
THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY CHICAGO
NEW BEDFORD : EVENING STANDAED STEAM PRESS. 1858.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/articlesoffaithc00unse_8
1847543
The "SECOND CHURCH IN ROCHESTER," now the Con- gregational Church in Mattapoisett, was organized in July, 1736, and has therefore been in existence one hundred and twenty-two years. The original members were dismissed from the " Church of Christ in Rochester," then under the pastoral care of the Rev. Timothy Rug- gles, and were in number, sixteen as follows : Moses Barlow, John Hammond, Thomas Dexter, Nathan Ham- mond, Thomas Clark, Jabez Hammond, Benj. Hammond, Jr., Constant Dexter, Samuel Dexter ; Mary Hammond, Hannah Dexter, Mary Bowles, Lydia Bowles, Priscilla Hammond, Alice Clark, Thamsen Tarden.
The Pastors of the Church from its organization have been as follows :
Rev. Ivory Hovey, ordained 1740, dismissed 1768.
Rev. Lemuel LeBaron, ordained 1772, deceased 1836, in the 90th year of his age and 65th of his ministry.
Rev. Asahel Cobb, ordained colleague 1826, dismissed 1830.
Rev. Thomas Robbins, D D., ordained colleague 1832, dismissed 1844.
Rev. Isaiah C. Thacher, ordained 1844, dismissed 1849.
Rev. Wm. L. Mather, ordained 1851, dismissed 1855.
Rev. Charles Livingston, installed 1856, left 1857. Rev. William L. Parsons, called 1858.
The Deacons of the Church have been :
Joseph Barlow, chosen 1742 Thomas Tobey, chosen 1791 Nathan Tupper, 1742 Isaac Bowles, 1807
Constant Dexter, chosen " a few years after."
Nathan Cannon, 1821
A. B. Hammond, 1825
Ezekiel Clark, chosen 1757 Nathan'l A. Crosby, " 1829
Timothy West, 1781 James Cannon, 1858
Elisha Shearman, " 1791
4
ARTICLES OF FAITH.
1st. You believe in the existence of one God ; Father, Son and Holy Ghost; who is infinite, eternal, and un- changeable, in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.
Deut. 6: 4 ; Matt. 28: 19 ; 2 Cor. 13: 14; 1 Pet. 1: 2; John 1: 1, 3, 14; Heb. 1: 3, 8, 10; John 20: 28.
2d. You believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by Divine Inspiration, and contain the only perfect rule of faith and practice.
2 Tim. 3: 16; 2 Pet. 1: 21; 1 Cor. 2: 13; Gal. 1: 8, 11, 12; Matt. 22: 29; Isa. 8: ; Rev. 22: 18, 19.
3d. You believe that man has fallen from the state in which he was originally created, and is by nature entirely destitute of holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
Rom. 5: 12, 18, 19; 7: 8 ; 8:7; 3: 9, 12; Eph. 2: 1, 3 ; Jno. 5: 42; 3:3; Gen. 1: 26, 27; Eccl. 7: 29 ; Psa. 51: 5.
4th. You believe that an Atonement has been made by the Lord Jesus Christ, so that Repentance and Faith are now the conditions of salvation.
1 Tim. 1: 15 ; 2: 5; Luke 24: 46, 47; Matt. 26: 28; Rom. 3: 25; 5: 8; Heb. 9: 22; 1 Pet. 1: 18, 20 ; 1 Jno. 2: 2 ; Rev. 5: 9.
5th. You believe that none are qualified for the en- joyments and employments of heaven, until they are created anew by the agency of the Holy Spirit.
John 3: 3. Fully shown by the references above.
6th. You believe that those who are thus born again in Christ Jesus, will increase in holiness and persevere unto salvation ; that there will be a general Resurrection and a future Judgment; and that the finally impenitent
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5
will go away into everlasting punishment, and the right- eous into life eternal. Thus you believe.
Prov. 4: 18; Phil. 1: 6; Rom. 8: 30, 38, 39; John 6: 39; 10: 27, 29 ; 1 John 2: 19 ; John 5: 28, 29; 1 Cor. 15: Acts 17: 31; 2 Cor. 5: 10; Matt. 25: 31, 33, 34, 41, 46 ; Rom. 14: 10, 12 ; Mark 3: 29 ; Matt. 26: 24.
COVENANT.
Acknowledging your infinite obligations to be the Lord's, you profess your desire, in sincerity of heart and with a deep sense of your unworthiness, to lay hold on His everlasting covenant.
You now publicly give yourself up to God, as your Father, your Redeemer, your Sanctifier. Depending on Divine Grace for assistance, you hereby solemnly bind yourself to glorify Him in Jesus Christ, by a faithful dis- charge of the duties of Sobriety, Righteousness and God- liness, and by a diligent observance of all His command- ments and ordinances. You particularly engage to walk with this Church, watchfully avoiding whatever is op- posed to purity, peace and love ; and faithfully attending the Public Worship of the Sanctuary, the Sacraments of the New Testament, the needful Discipline of His King- dom, and all the sacred Institutions of the Gospel ; as becomes the followers of Christ. All this you do, rely- ing on the blood of the everlasting covenant for the par- don of your sins, and beseeching the Glorious God to prepare and strengthen you to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight. Thus you believe and promise.
6
FORM OF ADMISSION.
Upon such promises and engagements, we, the mem- bers of this Church, now (rise to) receive you to our communion, and declare you entitled to all its privileges. We welcome you to fellowship with us in the blessings of the Gospel ; and, on our part, covenant to watch over you, and to seek your edification, so long as you continue among us.
And now, beloved in the Lord, be it ever remembered, that you have come under solemn obligations from which you cannot escape. Wherever you go, whatever external relations are changed, these vows will be upon you ; they will follow you to His bar, and abide with your soul forever. May the Lord guide and sustain you ; the Lord bless you and keep you ; the Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you ; the Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace. Amen.
TRANSFER OF MEMBERSHIP.
By a standing regulation, all persons are expected to present their letters of recommendation from sister Churches, when they have communed with us for the term of one year. And members of this Church re- moving from the place are required to obtain a formal dismission within a year from the time of such removal.
.
7
CATALOGUE
OF THE PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH.
Atsatt, 'John
Crosby, Lucy F.
Atsatt, Laura
Clark, Nathaniel
Austin, Eunice B.
Clark, Susan M.
Barstow, James
Clark, Helen M.
Barstow, Wilson
Coleman, James
Buell, Edward,
Coleman, Harriet N.
Bacon, Benjamin
Cathaway, Sarah
Barstow, Nathan H.
Cross, Franklin
Beales, Charles
Cross, Catharine L.
Barstow, Rebecca
Cowan, Jesse II.
Bowles, Catharine
Cowan, Annie H.
Bacon, Mary
Dexter, Leonard
Barstow, Mary
Dexter, John
Briggs, Lois
Dexter, Mary S.
Beals, Martha C.
Dexter, Susannah
Bowles, Sarah D.
Dexter, Hannah J.
Bowles, William T.
Dexter, Cynthia
Brown, Adaline S.
Dexter, Mooers R.
Bowles, Matilda J.
Dexter, Mary Ann
Buell, Marietta
Dexter, Mary A.
Bowles, Sophia F.
Dexter, Martha M.
Buell, Clarissa
Dexter, Rachel
Cannon, Eliakim
Davis, Mary E.
Cannon, James
Eaton, Susan M.
Cannon, Watson,
Freeman, Seth
Cannon, David H.
Gorham, Jabez
Cannon, Arvin
Gorham, Mercy
Cannon, Mary
Gorham, Albert H.
Cannon, Deborah
Gelatt, Deborah
Cannon, Elizabeth L.
Hammond, Amittai B.
Cannon, Sarah Ann
Hammond, Leonard
Cannon, David H.
Hammond, Rebecca
Cannon, Minerva
Hammond, Lucinda
Cannon, Ettie H.
Hammond, Nathaniel
Cannon, Susan C. B.
Hammond, Nathaniel H.
Cannon, Susan
Hammond, Joseph J.
Crosby, Nathan
Hammond, Noah
Crosby, Prentiss
Hammond, John M.
Crosby, Nathaniel A.
Hammond, Rebecca H.
Crosby, Mary H.
Hammond, Mary A.
Crosby, Sarah
Hammond, Mary
Crosby, Louisa
Hammond, Mary E.
Crosby, William K.
Hammond, Priscilla
Crosby, Jacob
Harlow, Adaline
Crosby, Malvina
Howland, Rowland
Crosby, Lorena
Howland, Grace E.
8
Howland, Bathsheba Howland, Weston Howland, Rhoda E. Howes, Deborah Hamblin, Mary W. Hamblin, Mercy S. Handy, Phebe W.
Harlow, Sylvia A.
Sturtevant, Charles H.
Holmes, Heman G.
Hyer, Oliver W.
Hall, Abner
Hall, Anna
Sears, Peter C.
Hall, Lidora
Snow, Stephen
Hathaway, Isaac B.
Snow, Anna
Jones, Melintha
Snow, Wyatt
Jones, Mary Angie
Jenny, Elisha C.
Jenny, Roxanna
King, Matilda E.
Snow, Susan A.
Snow, Abbie H.
Landers, Nancy A.
Lawson, Elias
Southworth, Rhoda
Shaw, Margaret
Lawson, Elizabeth A.
LeBaron, Frederick
Shaw, Sarah
Sandford, Edward C.
LeBaron, Eliza
Mayhew, Matthew
Mayhew, Roby A.
Matthews, Mary,
Tinkham, James W.
Merithew, Silence
Tinkham, Jane C.
Mayhew, Elizabeth
Taber, Laura A.
Washburn, Ezra L.
Meigs, Alice
Washburn, Lucy B. White, Minerva
Parsons, Lucy A.
Winston, Orsamus
Pope, Nancy P.
Winston, Lizzie R.
Pierce, Henry N.
Weed, Stephen
Purrington, Mary
Weed, Elizabeth
Rogers, Judith Rogers, Mary
Westgate, Mary B. Welch, John
Rogers, Sarah S.
Robinson, Benjamin F.
Rounseville, Phebe V.
Randall, Drucilla Smith, Solomon
Smith, John Smith, Jane F. Sturtevant, Samuel Jr. Sturtevant, Noah C. Sturtevant, Hannah Sturtevant, Sophronia H.
Sturtevant, Mary F.
Sears, Sarah Sears, Isaiah
Sears, Amelia B.
Snow, George D.
Snow, Levi M.
Snow, Emily F.
Landers, Thomas C.
Snow, Sarah S.
Lawson, Eleanor
Shaw, Thankful
LeBaron, Hattie W.
Sparrow, Alice C. Taylor, Lucy C.
Tinkham, James H.
Meigs, Sarah J.
Mitchell, Lydia P.
Welch, Martha
Welch, Ardelia Willfong, Mary C.
Young, Lois
P.E K
N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA
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