USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Pittsfield > First Church of Christ in Pittsfield, Mass. : proceedings in commemoration of its one hundred and fiftieth anniversary, Feb. 7th and 8th, 1914 > Part 1
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01100 2018
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The Meeting Houses of 1761, 1793 and 1853
FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST in PITTSFIELD MASSACHUSETTS
PROCEEDINGS IN COMMEMORATION OF ITS ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY FEBRUARY 7TH AND 8TH 1914
Sun Printing Company Pittsfield
1231199
T HE COMMITTEE IN CHARGE OF THE PUBLICATION OF THIS BOOK WISH TO EXPRESS THEIR THANKS TO THOMAS ALLEN, EsQ., OF BOSTON, FOR HIS KIND PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THE MINIATURE PORTRAIT IN WAX OF THE REVEREND THOMAS ALLEN,
WHICH IS HERE PRINTED FOR THE FIRST TIME.
Good 2.5 c
INTRODUCTION
At the Annual Meeting of the First Church on January 8th, 1913, the Pastor spoke of the fact that the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the or- ganization of the Church was only a little more than a year away, and that a committee might well be appointed to have general charge of preparations for the observance of this occasion. Accordingly, it was voted that he be authorized to name such a committee. Three members of the general com- mittee which served at the time of the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Anniversary, Mrs. Franklin K. Pad- dock, Miss Elizabeth D. Davis and Mr. Henry A. Brewster, were appointed as members of the new committee, and also the following children of the other three members of the former committee: Miss Elizabeth W. Hinsdale, Mr. William L. Adam and Mr. Thomas F. Plunkett.
On February 5th this general committee for the One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary held its first meeting and elected the Pastor as chairman and Mr. Plunkett as secretary. Subsequent meetings were held on March 27th, May 7th and December 3rd. The details of preparation for the Anniversary were turned over to the special committees on finance, in- vitations, entertainment of guests, supper, pageant, decorations, music, portraits, ushering, and program, the names of whose members are given at the end of this book. These various committees performed their duties with remarkable energy and diligence.
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Attractive invitations were engraved bearing the pictures of the three meeting houses which the Church has had; and about twelve hundred of these invitations were sent out to descendants of the early settlers, of officers of the Church and Parish, and of members of the Church during the past one hundred and fifty years, living outside of Pittsfield. A surprising number of such persons were found; and their answers gave evidence of much joy in being thus remembered and made mention of many sacred recollections. It was evident that this Church has always had a wonderful hold upon those mothered under its roof. Invitations were also sent to all absent members of the Church and Parish, to members recently dismissed, and to all clergymen and others who have had close con- nection with this Church. In addition to these, in- vitations were sent to the five colleges to which min- isters of this Church have gone to become their presidents, namely, Bowdoin, Amherst, the University of Texas, Lafayette, and the University of Michigan ; also to Williams College, and to professors in the An- dover, Yale, Hartford and Union Theological Semina- ries ; also to the presidents of the seven Congregational benevolent societies, to the Massachusetts Congrega- tional churches west of Worcester, to the Congrega- tional churches and ministers of Berkshire County, the ministers of all the churches in Pittsfield, and to many others. As it was impossible to send separate invita- tions to the descendants of the families of this Church living in Pittsfield, special invitations were prepared for each church in the city, which were read from their pulpits, and were also printed in the daily papers. Thus it was hoped that all would be reached who were in any way connected with the Church or inter- ested in it. The response to these invitations exceeded
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all expectations. Somewhat more than a hundred per- sons came from outside of the County to attend the exercises of the Anniversary. A considerable number were accredited representatives of churches in West- ern Massachusetts.
The weather, both on the Saturday and on the Sunday, was favorable, being cold enough to seem seasonable and yet not severe. The program began on Saturday afternoon, February seventh, the exact date of the Anniversary, with a public meeting in the Church at three o'clock. The Church was beautifully decorated with evergreens and yellow genista, and be- hind the pulpit, a single large white lily. Along the gal- lery rails were hung the wooden shields bearing the names of the eight foundation men which were used at the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Anniversary, and beside the pulpit stood a tablet on which were inscribed the names of the past ministers of the Church. The Pas- tor presided. The meeting was opened by the singing of the hymn "Let children hear the mighty deeds, Which God performed of old," (St. Martin's). This was follow- ed by the reading of the One Hundred and Fifteenth Psalm by Rev. Addison Ballard, D.D .; and prayer was offered by Rev. Charles J. Palmer of Lanesbor- ough. The three historical papers and the Poem, which appear elsewhere in this book, were then read, name- ly : a General Sketch of the History of this Church, by Dr. Henry Colt; The Origin, History and Significance of the New Year's Sunrise Prayer Meeting, by Miss Julia W. Redfield; An Appreciation of the Ministry of William Vail Wilson Davis, by Judge Charles L. Hibbard; and the Poem, by Mrs. Augustus McK. Gifford, read by her brother, Mr. Harold Stearns Davis. The exercises were closed with the singing of the hymn, "O God, beneath Thy guiding hand,"
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(Duke Street), and the benediction by Rev. Payson E. Pierce of the South Church.
At six o'clock supper was served in the Church Parlor for the specially invited guests from out of town, the ministers of the Pittsfield churches and their wives, the Deacons of this Church and their wives, and the members of the General Committee on the Anniversary. More than a hundred persons enjoyed the delicious meal which had been prepared. At seven o'clock, it had been intended to have the informal speeches made at the tables; but on account of the large number who were anxious to hear them, it was decided to have them given in the Church. The speakers were President Harry A. Garfield, LL. D., of Williams College, Rev. Henry G. Smith of Northamp- ton, Henry M. Humphrey, Esq. of New York, and General Morris Schaff of Boston. Following this meeting there was given at half-past eight o'clock in the Sunday School Room a Pageant of the history of the Church, arranged and directed by Miss Mar- garet MacLaren Eager. On account of the wide in- terest aroused by this event of the program, it was found necessary to limit the attendance to members of the congregation of the First Church and their specially invited guests. This restriction, unfortunate- ly, kept away many persons who would have been glad to come; but on the other hand had the happy result of making the atmosphere of the production much like that of family theatricals ; and the informal- ity and simplicity of the Pageant, in these circum- stances, added to its effectiveness. The audience was exceedingly sympathetic and appreciative.
On Sunday, the eighth, the first of the three ser- vices began at half-past ten o'clock. The order was as follows :
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Sentences of Holy Scripture
Hymn-"All people that on earth do dwell" (Old Hundredth) Invocation and Lord's Prayer
Responsive Reading-Psalm 145 Gloria Patri
Offering
Scripture Lesson-Ephesians 3:14-4:16
Duet and Chorus-"I waited for the Lord" (from the Lobgesang), Mendelssohn
Prayer-by Rev. Raymond Calkins, D. D., Minister of the First Church in Cambridge
Hymn-"O God of Bethel, by whose hand" (Dundee) Sermon-by Dr. Calkins.
Prayer
Hymn-" Our God, our hope in ages past" (St. Anne) Benediction
At twelve o'clock special exercises were held in the Sunday School. The Superintendent, Mr. William A. Whittlesey, presided, and the singing was led by Mr. Frederick T. West of Chicago, a former super- intendent. An informal talk on the history of the School was given by Mr. William L. Adam, the As- sistant Superintendent. Through an unfortunate in- advertence no stenographic report of Mr. Adam's remarks was taken, so that his address can be re- produced in outline only. He began by referring to a recent fire on North Street opposite the site of the fire of 1868 in which the records of the Parish were destroyed. Partly on account of this loss, it is im- possible to tell precisely when the Sunday School was started, but it must have been about the year 1816; so that, Mr. Adam went on to say, "If we should have a birthday cake for the Sunday School on this platform, to-day, there would be ninety-eight candles
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on it!" The life of the school in later days was vividly sketched ; and the whole of the address was greatly en- joyed by the large number present, whether more by the children than by the elders it would be hard to say.
In the afternoon, in accordance with the ancient custom, a communion service was held at three o'clock, the sermon being preached by Rev. Charles G. Burd of Columbia University, Assistant Minister from 1908 to 1910. The deacons officiating were Messrs. James Jacobs of the Second Church, George Shipton of the South Church, W. Erving McArthur of the Pilgrim Memorial Church, Alphonse C. Bouteiller of the French Evangelical Church and Alexander Kennedy and William D. Goodwin representing the First Church. The order of the service follows :
Hymn-" For all the saints, who from their labors rest" (Sarum)
Prayer
Responsive Reading-Psalm 84
Scripture Lesson
Anthem-"Rock of Ages"
Dudley Buck
Sermon-by Rev. Charles G. Burd of Columbia University Words of Invitation
Hymn -- "Jesus, Thou joy of loving hearts" (Hesperus) The Communion
Hymn-"Bread of the world, in mercy broken" (Eucharistic Hymn)
Benediction
On Sunday evening the closing service consisted largely of music. The South Gallery was filled by a chorus of seventy-seven voices, and the Church was crowded to overflowing. The order was as follows :
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Organ Prelude-Allegretto, from the Lobgesang
Mendelssohn Chorus-" Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy house " Torrance
Invocation and Lord's Prayer-by Rev. Thomas Nelson Baker of the Second Church
Hymn-"Angel voices, ever singing" (Angel Voices)
Organ Interlude-Andante, from the Fifth Symphony Beethoven
Soprano Solo-"With verdure clad " ( from The Creation) Mrs. W. W. Mears Haydn
Responsive Reading-Psalm 95:1-7 ;- led by Mr. Paolo L. Abbate, missionary in charge of the Italian Congrega- tion
Gloria Patri
Organ Interlude-March and Chant Seraphique (In Me- moriam) Guilmant
Scripture Lesson-Ephesians 1:15-23; by Rev. René Elsesser of the French Evangelical Church
Chorus-" Te Deum" in B minor Dudley Buck Prayer-by Rev. Warren S. Archibald of the Pilgrim Me- morial Church
Bass Solo-"O holy Father, Who watchest over us" Widor Mr. Anthony Reese, accompanied by Mr. Carl Escher on the violin
Address-by the Pastor
Chorus-" God hath appointed a day" Berthold Tours
Organ Interlude-"Angelus " Arcadelt
Hymn-"I love Thy kingdom, Lord" (State Street)
Prayer
Organ Postlude-" Hallelujah Chorus " Handel
(for which the Congregation rose)
Benediction
The Memorial Portrait Gallery in the prayer room of the Parish House was open throughout Satur- day and Sunday; and was viewed with interest and delight by all. It included some three hundred por- traits of former ministers and members of the Parish. A complete list will be found in the Appendix.
The Reverend Thomas Allen 1799
GENERAL SKETCH
OF THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
By DR. HENRY COLT
Twenty-five years ago it was the great privilege of many of us to listen to an historical address on the founding of this church by the Rev. Jonathan L. Jenkins. That address, so accurate in its historical details, so vividly portraying the tremendous sense of obligation to which the founders of the church felt themselves bound, the felicitous style of the writer, the intense feeling in the delivery, the delineation of the character of the men who were responsible for the establishment of the church in the wilderness, the wonderful tribute paid to the different pastors under whose guidance the church grew and thrived, remains preeminently the most noteworthy of the several papers which were read on the occasion of the anni- versary of the founding of this church.
It would be most presumptous in me to even at- tempt to bring before you any new or original ma- terial concerning the early history of the town and church, as the subject was so thoroughly and carefully presented twenty-five years ago. I can do no better than to briefly and liberally quote from what Dr. Jen- kins and others brilliantly and accurately gleaned from Pittsfield's history in its relation to this church and parish, and take no shame in so doing.
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Three years ago we celebrated the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Pittsfield, and to-day we celebrate the founding of its first church. You will remember possibly that in 1741 this township was originally owned by three men,-John Stoddard, of Northampton, Jacob Wendell, of Boston, and Philip Livingston, of Albany. They were to see to it that this land was to be settled upon by families in accordance with the provisions of the grant of the land from the General Court to the Town of Boston from whom the three gentlemen above-named secured their title.
Settlers came in slowly; some departed not liking the country or thinking it too exposed to Indian depre- dations, and it was not until 1761 that the town was duly incorporated.
The compulsory support of religious worship was imposed by Massachusetts upon those who settled the townships. In Smith's history of the town he says : " Whatever evils attended the compulsory support of religious worship, perpetuated under circumstances to which it was not applicable, it worked little but good to those upon whom its requirements rested, while it was essential to the future of Massachusetts that her Puritanism should be preserved incontaminate. Not to dwell upon its direct and palpable influence in pre- venting that deterioration of morals and manners in- cident to all frontier life, the attention to religious in- stitutions, which Massachusetts plantations were for- bidden to postpone, was of unbounded benefit in securing rapidity and amity of municipal organiza- tions, in elevating the tone of local sentiment and by investing the new abode, however rude its cabins, with the sanctity of home." In accordance, therefore, with the instructions laid down for them, in 1761, the early
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settlers petitioned that a suitable building should be erected for church purposes. Several disagreements arising, however, between the settling proprietors and the actual settlers as to the size of the meeting-house, the cost, the number of pews, the building itself was not completed until 1770. It stood immediately in front of this present church; "a plain, angular build- ing, forty-five feet long, thirty-five wide and twenty feet post; two stories high, with roof peaked after the ordinary, modern style; covered with rough, un- painted clapboards, with square windows, and, in the middle of the south, east and west sides, doors of the same Quakerish pattern; without belfry, portico, pilas- ter or bracket ; the ugly little barn-like structure about to be consecrated by words and acts for freedom as bold, as pure, and as ardent as any that were ever spoken or done in American history." With the dif- ficulties arising in the building of the first meeting- house, there were difficulties also in calling and settling a minister, theological rather than pecuniary.
There were several probationers, but it was surely a fortunate circumstance that Mr. Thomas Allen of Northampton was invited to preach as a probationer, December the 9th, 1763. The formation of the church as such was duly inaugurated by a meeting of "a number of members belonging to different churches at the house of Deacon Crofoot." This was on the seventh of February, 1764. At the meeting at Deacon Cro- foot's house there were present besides those ready to undertake the church formation, Rev. Samuel Hop- kins of Stockbridge and Rev. Ebenezer Martin of Becket. A Confession of Faith and a Covenant were drawn up, and signed by eight male members, " who then and there united so as to form a church of Christ in this place."
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The eight names signed to the Covenant and Ar- ticles of Faith are: Stephen Crofoot, Ephraim Stiles, Daniel Hubbard, Aaron Baker, Jacob Ensign, William Phelps, Lemuel Phelps, Elnathan Phelps. At the cele- bration of the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Anniver- sary, Mr. Robert W. Adam read a most interesting paper upon the lives of these men, called the Founda- tion Men; it would be beyond the province of this sketch to dwell upon their lives here or elsewhere, as Mr. Adam has so thoroughly and delightfully por- trayed their connection with the town and church. Dr. Jenkins says these men were found "to serve as Foundation Men, a happy use of Lord Bacon's term. We recall and honor these men to-day. We write their names on shields and hang them in the House of the Lord." Of the Creed and Covenant Dr. Jen- kins again says, "of the original Covenant no man need be ashamed. Let me read its close. 'We do now publicly espouse and engage in the cause of Christ in this town,-promising to be faithful in the same, and to endeavor to promote it in all proper ways, es- pecially seeking to recommend our holy religion to all by our strict and constant practice of justice, good- ness, temperance, sobriety and godliness.'" It was something in the beginning of a town's career to have even eight men, confederated together for such an end. Of the ministers who were present he says, " No bishops living then or since, or before or now, could impart more apostolic grace to an infant church."
Soon after this meeting this record is found :-
Pittsfield, Mch. 6, 1764.
The Church of Christ in Pittsfield this day met at the house of Deacon Crofut and unanimously made choice of Mr. Thomas Allen to settle with them in the work of the Gospel Ministry.
Attest : STEPHEN CROFUT, Moderator.
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" It was the province of the Church to select the minister, of the town if it approved to ratify the choice, and fix the salary, and of the Proprietors of the sixty lots, to provide the 'settlement ' or outfit of the pastor-elect." Therefore at a meeting at the house of Deacon Crofut, on the fifth of March, 1764, the town concurred in the choice of the Church of a pastor, Mr. Allen, and tendered him "a salary of £60 per annum, to be increased £5 yearly, until it should reach £80 which was then to become his stated stipend."
Let me quote Mr. Allen's letter of acceptance :-
To the People of Pittsfield :
Dear Brethren :- Your invitation of me to settle among you in the gospel ministry, I have received by your committee chosen for that purpose; and I appre- hend I have duly considered the same. In answer to this, your invitation, I would say that having sought divine direction, taken the advice of the judicious, and duly consulted my own judgment, I cannot but think it my duty to accept: and, accordingly do now declare my cordial acceptance of the same. I take this oppor- tunity to testify my grateful sense of your respect, shown in that unexpected good agreement and harmony that subsisted among you in the choice of one less than the least of all saints to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Nothing doubting but that at your next meeting you will freely grant forty to fifty cords of wood an- nually, or as much as you shall think sufficient, and some small addition to my settlement, either by grant in work, or whatever out of generosity by subscription or what- ever way you please. I now stand ready to be introduced to the work whereunto I am called, as soon as a con- venient opportunity shall present itself.
These from your affectionate friend,
THOMAS ALLEN.
Pittsfield, March 20, 1764.
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In April Mr. Allen was ordained. There were present Rev. Jonathan Ashley of Deerfield, Rev. Tim- othy Woodbridge of Hatfield, Rev. Samuel Hopkins of Great Barrington, Rev. Thomas Strong of New Marlborough and Rev. Adonijah Bidwell of No. I (now Tyringham). "The whole," says Mr. Allen's record, " was carried on with decency and order." The sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Hooker of Northampton, who had been Mr. Allen's preceptor in his divinity studies. On January 7th, 1765, at a meet- ing held for that purpose it was voted: "That James Easton and Josiah Wright sustain the office of Dea- cons in this Church," thus completing the church equipment.
The tribute which Dr. Jenkins pays to this epoch- making Christian endeavor is well worth repeating in its entirety, so forceful and illuminating is it in its literary excellence and in its appeal to the reverence of heroic ideals. He says, " Simplicity has its own severe and impressive grandeur. It is no mean story of worthy exploit, that of the Jesuits in Canada, with pictures, crosses, processions, altars, vestments, chant- ing. I witness all and allow it exceeding virtue: but more and truer grandeur has that scene which we have been looking upon, wherein men, plain men, self- moved and self-sufficient, convenanted with one an- other to serve Christ and maintain His cause here in the wilderness and sought and secured approval by truly apostolic men. The scene has no brilliance of color, no movement of chant or processional, but has a simplicity, seriousness, that makes it sure of being immortal; forever appealing to men with increasing force, as men rise into the life of ideas and of pure feeling."
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Thomas Allen, the first minister of this Church, was born in Northampton, January 17, 1743. He was educated at Harvard where he graduated in 1762 with high honors. His son, the Rev. William Allen, writes that his "father was of middle height, and slen- der, vigorous and active, of venerable gray hairs in his age, of a mild, pleasant, affectionate countenance ; hospitable to all visitors and always the glad welcomer of his friends. He was very honest and frank and had a keen sense of right and wrong and as he lived when high questions were debated, it is not strange that those whom he felt called upon to oppose should have sometimes charged him with indiscreet zeal: but he cherished no malice and his heart was always kind and tender." The history of this man's life is well known: serving his people as pastor for forty-six years, a patriot, a militant churchman, preaching the Gospel and commanding a body of patriots in the march to the battle of Bennington, a believer in liberty and holding his church and people together in the stormy times of the Revolution. The home of Pitts- field's first minister was just east of St. Stephen's church, and in the original grant of land to Mr. Allen, the boundaries of this tract extended northward nearly to Orchard Street and to the eastward. " It included one hundred acres for himself, another one hundred acres adjoining was set aside for the minister's sup- port." It is interesting to know that the minister's lot included the land of the present parsonage on East Street. When we remember what the name of Allen has meant to this town and church, it seems almost a sacrilege that the site of the home of the first minister of this church should be thrown upon the market for commercial purposes. Mr. Allen died at the age of sixty-seven, February 1Ith, 1810. Toward the end of
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Mr. Allen's pastorate, serious discord arose in the church, due in the main to bitter political differences, and the tide of feeling became so strong that a separa- tion of the church into two distinct bodies resulted. Many of the wealthier members of the church seceded and united themselves to form what was called the Union Parish.
To preside over this church the Rev. Thomas Punderson of New Haven was called in August, 1809, and on the twenty-fifth of October was duly installed. Three months after Mr. Punderson's installation, Rev. Thomas Allen died. In Smith's History of Pittsfield it states that the solemn tolling of the bell announced to all within its sound that Thomas Allen had passed away. "Of many - whether they had adhered to, or become estranged from him in later conflicts, there were few in whose hearts that solemn knelling, as it came to them through the darkness, did not waken the most tender and thrilling memories."
On August 10, 1810, the First Church chose Rev. William Allen to succeed his father as its pastor; and the parish concurring, he was duly installed.
The Union Parish decided to build a separate meet- ing-house and it stood where the South Congregational Church now is on South Street. " It was a neat, taste- ful and convenient structure, with rather a graceful spire, and was supplied with a bell. After the re- union of the parishes it served a good purpose as a lecture- and school-room."
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