USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > North Brookfield > Confession of faith and covenant of the First Congregational Church in North Brookfield, Mass., with a catalogue of the members, etc. May, 1867 > Part 1
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Gc 974.402 N778n 1851429
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01105 1551
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THE D2844634.6
CONFESSION OF FAITH AND
COVENANT
OF
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL_CHURCH 1st. IN
NORTH BROOKFIELD, MASS.
WITH A CATALOGUE OF THE MEMBERS, ETC.
May, 1867.
THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY CHICAGO
CAMBRIDGE: WELCH, BIGELOW, AND COMPANY, PRINTERS TO TIIE UNIVERSITY. 1868.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/confessionoffait00unse 12
2057654.6
1851429
THE
CONFESSION OF FAITH AND
COVENANT
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN'
NORTH BROOKFIELD, MASS.
WITH A
CATALOGUE OF THE MEMBERS,
ETO.
May, 1867:
THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY CHICA.
CAMBRIDGE: WELCH, BIGELOW, AND COMPANY, PRINTERS TO THE UNIVERSITY. 1868.
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
BEFORE a parish was organized or a church formed in that part of the original town of Brookfield which . now constitutes the town of North Brookfield, the en- terprise of building a meeting-liouse was commenced. The frame of the house was raised in 1749.
The Second Parish in Brookfield, now known as the First Congregational Society of North Brookfield, was organized March 29, 1750. The Church, now called the First Congregational Church of North Brookfield, was organized, under the title of the Second Church of Christ in Brookfield, May 28, 1752. The town of North Brookfield was. not incorporated until 1812.
The Church did not at first adopt any Articles of Faith, but was organized simply on the basis of a Cov- enant. There were 48 members present at the organ- ization, - 26 males and 22 females. There were 28 others who seem also to have been numbered with the original members, - 8 males and 20 females, - mak- ing a total of 76.
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PASTORS.
REV. ELI FORBES was ordained and installed as Pastor of this Church June 3, 1752, and was dis- missed at his own request March 1, 1775. Pastorate, 22 years and 9 months.
Rev. JOSEPH APPLETON was ordained and installed as Pastor October 30, 1776. He remained in office until his death, which occurred July 25, 1795. Pas- torate, 18 years and 9 months.
Rev. THOMAS SNELL was ordained and installed as Pastor June 27, 1798, and remained in office until his death, May 4, 1862. Pastorate nearly 64 years.
Rev. CHRISTOPHER CUSHING was installed as Pastor September 17, 1851. He was relieved of the duties of the office May 1, 1867, that he might enter upon the Secretaryship of the American Congregational Union, but still retains the pastoral relation.
DEACONS.
THE Deacons of the Church have been as follows : -
John Cutler, chosen Dec. 26, 1753. Resigned June 26, 1754. Died March 25, 1766.
Jason Bigelow,
Samuel Gould,
June 26, 1754.
Reuben Hamilton,
Aug. 30, 1764. Resigned 1785.
John Bacon,
Oct. 3, 1766. Died
Benj. Adams, Jr.,
Feb. 18, 1779. Resigned May 16, 1806.
Samuel Haskell, 66
1784.
Died
Nov. 15, 1820.
Walter Walker,
May 16, 1806. Resigned April 3, 1834.
Humphrey Gilbert, " Sept. 9, 1810. April 18, 1813.
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John Rice, chosen May, 1814. Resigned 1820.
Tyler Batcheller,
Sept. 15, 1820.
Sept. 8, 1850.
Joseph A. Moore,
Barnet Poland,
April 3, 1834. Died Feb. 24, 1864.
Lyman Bush,
«
Resigned Sept. 28, 1854.
William P. Haskell, " Nov. 2, 1854.
Levi Adams,
Died Aug. 11, 1860.
Calvin W. Nutting, " Feb. 28, 1861.
Thomas Snell, Jr., April 4, Resigned Jan. 26, 1865.
William L. Poland, “ March 2, 1865.
The whole number of Deacons, 19.
REVIVALS.
THERE have been eight special Revivals in the re- ligious experience of this Church.
In the autumn of 1816, resulting in an addition to the Church by Profession of 40.
In 1818, with an accession of 26.
In the winter of 1826- 27, adding 20.
In 1831, increasing the membership 46.
In 1852,
105.
In 1856,
66 17.
In 1858,
66 66 33.
In 1864, 66
37.
The Sabbath School originated with a Bible Class held by the Pastor in 1817, and was organized in the spring of 1818.
The Confession of Faith and present Covenant of . the Church were adopted May 16, 1827. The Eccle-
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siastical Principles and Rules of the Church, the Stand- ing Rules, and the Address in the Form of Admission, were adopted July 26, 1860.
The first meeting-house was occupied until the close of 1823.
The present meeting-house was dedicated January 1, 1824. Remodelled in 1842. Lengthened twenty feet and beautified in 1853. Rededicated January 18, 1854. The Clock on the Tower was presented to the Parish by Dea. Tyler Batcheller in 1856.
The Chapel was built in 1854. Hon. William Ap- pleton of Boston, son of the second Pastor, gave to the Parislı, in 1859, $5,000 to furnish a Pastor's Library ; and the Chapel was raised to a second story in 1860, to accommodate the Appleton Library.
The Church took a high stand on Temperance as early as 1833. It has never had occasion to call an Ecclesiastical Council to aid in its discipline.
The entire number of members of the Church, from its organization to the present time, is 1,291.
The number of members in the Church January 1, 1868, was, - Males, 103; Females, 175. Total, 278.
[In anticipation of the preparation of a larger work, giving the history more in detail, the present Cata- logue is made to include only the present members.]
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ECCLESIASTICAL PRINCIPLES AND RULES.
Rights of the Church. - This Church is indepen- dent, so far as relates to its internal organization and the regulation of its affairs.
It is amenable to no other ecclesiastical body, except by its own consent, or according to regular and estab- lished Congregational principles. With these excep- tions, it controls the admission, discipline, and removal of its members according to its own understanding of the Word of God.
Connection with other Churches. - This Church will extend to other Evangelical Congregational Churches, and receive from them, that fellowship, advice, and assistance which the law of Christ requires. It will extend the usual rights of Communion, and practise the usual transfer of members, according to its own convictions of duty. In deciding whether a given church is evangelical, it regards it proper to consider the position of said church on moral duties as well as on doctrinal belief, and it claims the right to connect, · with a letter of dismission and recommendation of one
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of its members to a given church, a remonstrance against any inconsistency of which it may deem said church to be guilty.
Admission and Transfer of Members. - The Church will examine all applicants for admission. It will grant dismissions, for good cause, to its members in regular standing, on their application in writing, and recom- mend them to the fellowship of other churches. All . such applications to be referred to the Examining Com- mittee when presented, to be reported upon at the next succeeding meeting of the Church.
Members of this Church, removing their residence from this town to another, where there is a regular church of our own denomination, shall request a dis- mission within one year, or give a satisfactory reason for not doing so to the Examining Committee.
It is expected that members of other churches, who may wish to commune with this Church for more than one year, will request a dismission from their respective churches, and an admission to this Church, unless they give satisfactory reasons for delay to the Examining Committee.
Rights of Members. - Every member has a right to church privileges, unless forfeited by misconduct ; and when thus forfeited, he can be deprived of them only by regular process. No proceedings shall be had against a member, except upon a complaint made in
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writing, stating explicitly the charges. The presenta- tion of such complaints shall in all cases be first made to the Examining Committee, who shall, upon sufficient cause, prefer charges before the whole Church ; and in case the Committee refuse so to do, the complainant may nevertheless, if he insists upon the charges, pre- sent his complaint to the Church. When a member is accused, he shall be seasonably furnished by the Ex- amining Committee, or by the complainant, with a copy of the complaint, and shall have a full hearing. While the trial is pending, the accused is expected to abstain from participating in the Lord's Supper.
No vote of censure shall be passed upon any mem- ber, except by the concurrence of a majority of those brethren present at a regular meeting.
Duties of the Church and its Members. - It is the duty of the members to attend such stated meetings as are appointed by a vote of the Church, unless provi- dentially prevented.
Any member having cause of complaint against another should immediately seek to have it removed in a Christian manner, the directions given in Matthew xviii. 15, 16, being our guide, especially in cases of per- sonal offence. Any member wishing to withdraw from this Church, and to unite with another, should signify his wishes and his reasons, and apply in a proper spirit to be first released from his obligations to this Church. Any other mode of withdrawal will be deemed irregu-
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lar and censurable. And this Church holds itself bound to grant, when properly sought, to its members in regular standing dismissions and recommendations to churches, not only of our own, but of any other Evangelical denomination.
Censurable Offences. - This Church considers im- moral conduct, breach of express covenant vows, a refusal to bear one's full proportion in supporting the Gospel, neglect of acknowledged religious or relative duties, and avowed disbelief of the Articles of Faith to which the members have assented, as offences subject to the censure of the Church; and that the sale or use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage, and the holding and treating of our fellow-men as prop- erty, are to be classed among cases of immoral con- duct.
Censures. - The censures inflicted on offenders are private reproof, public admonition, suspension from Church privileges or excommunication,. according to the aggravation of the offence; and, in case of ex- communication, notice thereof, and of the offence on which it is based, shall be given from the pulpit on the Sabbath.
Permanent Officers. - The permanent officers of this Church shall be the Pastor or Pastors and Deacons.
To the Pastor pertains the office of Moderator.
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It shall be the duty of the Deacons to preside in the absence of the Pastor, in rotation, to assist in the ad- ministration of the Lord's Supper, to distribute the charities of the Church, and to aid the Pastor gen- erally in the spiritual care of the flock.
Annual Officers. - At the annual meeting for busi- ness the following Officers and Committee shall be chosen, to hold their offices for the ensuing year, and until others are chosen in their stead : -
A Clerk, who shall keep all the records of the Church ; a Treasurer, who shall take charge of all moneys belonging to the Church and received at be- nevolent contributions, pay all bills and appropria- tions as voted by the Church, or as directed by the Deacons in their official capacity, and render his ac- count of all receipts and expenditures at the annual meeting ; and an Examining Committee, of which the Pastor and Deacons shall constitute a part, who shall examine all applicants for admission, and present in writing a report of the names of such as they approve.
It shall be the duty of the Examining Committee to report to the Church, at the annual meeting, the names of such members as shall have removed from the town; where they are, so far as may be known ; the length of time they have been out of the town ; together with any other information which they may possess in relation to them, and which they may deem .it important to communicate. It shall also be their
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duty to seek to reclaim the wayward, and bring to the notice of the Church, by complaint, the cases of such as may be guilty of public offences and are thus made the proper subjects of discipline.
[As respects the duties of the Examining Com- mittee, see also Special Vote, adopted June 2, 1861, p. 15.]
STANDING RULES.
1. ALL meetings for business shall be opened with prayer.
2. The annual meeting for the choice of officers and standing committees shall be in January, at such time as the Examining Committee shall appoint. The Examining Committee shall also have authority to call special meetings for business whenever they may judge it necessary.
3. All standing committees and annual officers shall be chosen by ballot.
4. Candidates for admission are to stand propounded to the Church for at least two weeks ; and notice shall be given to the congregation of such as are expected to make a profession, at least two weeks previous to their admission.
5. Candidates for admission from the world, having been approved by the Church, shall become members by public profession, and by signing our Confession of Faith and Covenant. Candidates from other Churches, having been approved, shall become members by pub- licly entering into covenant with this Church, and by . signing our Confession of Faith and Covenant.
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6. The Lord's Supper shall be celebrated on the first Sabbath of January, March, May, July, September, and November. The admission of members, together with the celebration of the ordinance, shall constitute the service of the afternoon. A preparatory lecture shall be given on the Friday preceding the communion.
7. There shall be a monthly meeting of the Church for the transaction of business, devotional exercises, and conference.
8. The necessary expenses of the Pastor, when called to attend ecclesiastical bodies, shall be de- frayed by the Church.
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SPECIAL VOTES.
MAY 10, 1861.
Resolved, As a general principle of duty, that dancing, as a social amusement, card-playing, and theatrical entertainments, should be. discountenanced by Christians.
Resolved, That it has ever been our view, that for a member of this Church to identify himself with balls, public dancing assemblies, habitual card-playing, or theatres, is a violation of our " express Covenant vows," wherein we solemnly promise " to strive as much as" in us "lies for the gospel peace and purity " of this Church, and to " walk with its members in Christian " " circumspection " and " sobriety," and to abandon " the sinful pleasures and amusements of the world."
JUNE 2, 1861.
Voted, That, when this Church is to be represented on an Ecclesiastical Council, it shall be the duty of the Examining Committee to nominate a Delegate ; - and that when the Delegate who has been elected by the Church subsequently finds it impossible to attend the
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Council, if the Church has elected no substitute, and there is no further opportunity for the Church to act in the case, the Examining Committee and the Dele- gate shall be authorized to appoint a substitute.
OCTOBER 29, 1863.
Voted, That an annual subscription shall be taken up in the month of January in behalf of the American Home Missionary Society ; in. May, for the Anierican Missionary Association ; and in September, for the Am- erican Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
Voted, That the money contributed at the Monthly Concert of Prayer for the conversion of the world, in the months of January, April, July, and October, be devoted to the American Home Missionary Society ; in February, May, August, and November, to the Am- erican Missionary Association ; in March, June, Sep- tember, and December, to the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
APRIL 13, 1865.
Voted, That this Church will devote the afternoon of one Sabbath in the month of May, hereafter, to an Anniversary of the Sabbath School.
FORM OF ADMISSION.
ADDRESS.
BELOVED FRIENDS : -
You have presented yourselves before God and this assembly, to make a solemn confession of your religious faith, and to take upon yourselves the bonds of the everlasting covenant.
We trust that you have duly considered the nature of the professions you are about to make, and of the engagements into which you are about to enter. They are of the most solemn import, involving your highest interests for time and eternity.
But be not disheartened. If you sincerely desire to be the Lord's, and exercise humble faith in him, he will give you the grace and wisdom which you need, and finally receive you to his everlasting kingdom.
You will now attend to the
CONFESSION OF FAITH.
I. We believe that there is but one GOD, the Creator, Preserver, and moral Governor of the universe; a Being of infinite power, knowledge, wisdom, justice, goodness, and truth ; the self-existent, independent, . and immutable Fountain of good.
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[Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Tim. i. 17. - He that built all things is God. Heb. iii. 4. - Great and mar- vellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty ; just and true are thy . ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify. thy name ? for thou only art holy. Rev. xv. 3, 4.]
II. We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by inspiration of God ; that they are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, and. for instruction in righteousness ; and that they are our only rule of doctrinal belief and religious practice.
[God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fatliers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spo- ken unto us by his Son. Heb. i. 1, 2. - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Tim. iii. 16. - We have also a more sure word of prophecy ; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts. 2 Pet. i. 19.]
III. We believe that the mode of Divine existence is such as lays a foundation for a threefold distinction in the Godhead, - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and that these three are one in essence and equal in power and glory.
[Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Mat. xxviii. 19. - The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Cor. xiii. 14.]
IV. We believe that God has made all things for
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himself ; that known unto him are all his works from the beginning ; and that he governs all things accord- ing to the counsel of his own will.
[The Lord hath made all things for himself. Prov. xvi. 4. - Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. Acts xv. 18. - In whom [Christ] also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. Eph. i. 11.]
V. We believe that the Divine law and the prin- ciples and administration of the Divine government are perfectly holy, just, and good; and that all rational be- ings are bound to approve them.
[Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Rom. vii. 12. - The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. Ps. cxlv. 17. - The Lord reign- eth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitudes of isles be glad thereof. Ps. xcvii. 1.]
VI. We believe that God, at first, created man in his own image, in a state of rectitude and holiness ; and that he fell from that state by transgressing the Divine command in eating the forbidden fruit.
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[So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him. Gen. i. 27. - God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. Eccl. vii. 29. - But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it : for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Gen. ii. 17. - And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. Gen. iii. 6.]
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VII. We believe that, in consequence of the apos- tasy, the heart of man, in his natural state, is destitute of holiness, and in a state of positive disaffection with the law, character, and government of God, and that all men previous to regeneration are dead in trespasses and sins.
[Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. Rom. v. 12. - We have before proved both Jews and. Gentiles, that they are all under sin. Rom. iii. 9. - The carnal mind is enmity against God : for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh 1 . cannot please God. Rom. viii. 7, 8.]
VIII. We believe that Christ the Son of God has made atonement for sin ; that he is the only Redeemer of sinners ; and that all who are saved will be alto- gether indebted to the grace of God for their salva- tion.
[Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given him- self for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. Eph. v. 2. - Neither is there salvation in any other : for there is none other name under heaven given among men, where- by we must be saved. Acts iv. 12. - For by grace are ye saved, through faith ; and that not of yourselves : it is the gift of God. Eph. ii. 8.]
IX. We believe that, although the invitations of the Gospel are such that whosoever will may come and take of the waters of life freely, yet the depravity of the human heart is such that no man will come to Christ, except the Father by the special and efficacious influences of his Spirit draw him.
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[And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. John v. 40. - No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. John vi. 44.]
X. We believe that those who embrace the Gospel were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, that they should be holy and without blame before him in love ; and that they are justified and saved, not by works of righteousness which they have done, but according to the mercy of God, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.
[According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love : Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. Eph. i. 4, 5. - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost ; . . . . That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Tit. iii. 5, 7.]
XI. We believe that those who cordially embrace Christ, although they may be left to fall into sin, will nevertheless be brought to repentance, and will be kept by the power of God through faith unto sal- vation.
[And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. John x. 28. - Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto. salvation. 1 Pet. i. 5.]
XII. We believe that watchfulness over the life,
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holy meditation, a conscientious attention upon public, family, and secret worship, together with the steady practice of righteousness, truth, sincerity, and charity, and of sobriety, chastity, and temperance, are the in- dispensable duties of every Christian.
[For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Tit. ii. 11, 12. - Be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among your- selves. 1 Pet. iv. 7, 8. - Praying always with all prayer and sup- plication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all persever- ance and supplication for all saints. Eph. vi. 18. - Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith ; prove your own selves. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. - But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret. Mat. vi. 6. - But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Josh. xxiv. 15.]
XIII. We believe that there will be a general resurrection of the bodies both of the just and of the unjust. 1
[The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the res- urrection of damnation. John v. 28, 29. - And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Dan. xii. 2.]
XIV. We believe that all mankind must one day stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, to receive a just and final sentence of retribution according to the deeds done in the body ; and that at the day of judg-
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ment the state of all will be unalterably fixed ; and that the punishment of the wicked and the happiness of the righteous will be endless.
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