USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > Semi-centennial of Center Congregational Church and Society, Haverhill, Mass., with a Historical discourse > Part 1
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Go 974. 402 H29hac 1851603
M. L.
REYNOLOS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01115 2540
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4484
SEMI-CENTENNIAL
OF
CENTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
{ AND SOCIETY,
HAVERHILL, MASS.
WITH A
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE,
BY THE PASTOR, REV. HENRY E. BARNES.
TO WHICH IS ADDED A HISTORICAL APPENDIY.
SEPT. 30, AND OCT. 1, 1883.
THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY CHICAGO
HAVERHILL, MASS. : C. C. MORSE & SON, BOOK AND JOB PRINTERS, AND STATIONER".
1884.
1851.603
1:
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D Haverhill, Mass. Center Congregation.1
284439 church.
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SHELF CARD
.3 Semi-centennial of Center Congres- tional church and society, Haveral. . Mass. , with a historical discourse, the pastor, Rev. Henry D. Barne .. which is added a historical append: x. Sept.30, and Oct. 1,1883. Haverhill, Mass. , 1884.
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At a meeting of Center Congregational Church, Oct. 4, 1883, it was
Voted ; "That the thanks of this Church be tendered to our pastor, Rev. Henry E. Barnes, for his able, valuable, and eloquent sermon, preached on the occasion of the semi-centennial anniversary of the Church and Society, and that a copy of the same be requested for publi- cation, together with such other historical papers presented as may be deemed desirable."
A committee of the Church and Society, consisting of the pastor, Dea. Ezra Kelly, Hlazen M. Chase, Wm. II. Underhill, Charles E. Kelley, John M. Poor, and Thomas J. Taylor, was appointed to carry the above vote into effect.
ATTEST : JOIIN CROWELL, Clerk.
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
Walk about Zion, and go round about her : tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces ; that ye may tell it to the generations following .- Psalms, 48: 12, 13.
These words state with considerable precision the aim we must have in our semi-centennial services. To gather, with fidelity, fifty years history of this christian church and ecclesiastical society, is to heed somewhat literally the injunction of the text as now properly applied.
It is a pleasing, if not easy task. By this memorial occasion we make mention of our gratitude to God and to his people, our spiritual ancestors, and "tell it to the generation following," as we " number the towers." " mark well the bulvarks," and " consider the palaces" of this " Zion " for fifty years known as the Center Congregational Church and Society.
A half-century in the life of a church whose faith and polity came over in the Mayflower, is comparatively a brief period. We do not, therefore, show an over- estimate of this occasion by any elaborate arrangements or services. And yet the history has great interest both in itself and in its relation to nearly two centuries of previous history.
In the year 1833, on the 28th of Angust, an ecclesi- astical council convened at the house of Mr. E. (. Ames, " in compliance with letters missive," and organ- ized the " Center Congregational Church."
The Society was organized a few months before.
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Up to that time the First Parish Church numbered ninety-one. Of these, eighty-nine were the original men- bers of Center Church.
The First Parish Church began its existence in 1645. Consequently the first church in this town was really reorganized in 1833 under the name of Center Church, while the parish only, continued its original organiza- tion.#
A paragraph of Mr. Hosford's re-dedication discourse, preached in this house after it had been enlarged and rebuilt in 1860, truthfully and attractively states the case. It is as follows :
" The civil law gives to another church and society in town the venerable name of First Parish ; but we claim to bear the image and to inherit the spirit of the carli- est christian church of this town. Whenever this claim is questioned, we propose, in order to its settlement, a dogmatic duel, in which the rival claimants shall take and swallow in good faith, article by article, the Assem- bly's catechism ; and the party who soonest eries out with the pains of dyspepsia, shall thenceforth abandon all right to the honored name."
But what was the cause of the re-organization?
Courage and sacrifice were requisite for effecting it. This city of 20,000 inhabitants was then a village of a little more than (3000,) three thousand. Long, wide streets, now thickly populated, or occupied by fine busi- ness establishments, were then open country, through which ran a main highway or two and various lanes. The population of this State' was a little more than one-third of what it now is. The population of the United Statest and territories was bnt 13,090,000, one- fourth of what it now is. The original members of this church, therefore, could not have conceived the possibility of the growth since achieved as a stimulus to their en- terprise.
* Leri Lincoln was Governor.
!Andrew Jackson was President.
#Has since been Unitarlan.
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They left the house where their fathers had worshiped. Though owning more than twice as many pews in that honse as did those that remained, * they gave up all claim to what had been theirs by personal ownership. They re- linquished all right and title to the benefit of that am- ple provision. f made by their fathers, for the preaching of that truth which they loved. Beginning anew, as a church they were "out of house and home."
All this deprivation was involved in their becoming the Center Church. They worshipped for several months in different places-for a time in Summer Street Church, then in the First Parish Church, and a while in Acad- emy Hall. They secured the lot on which this build- ing stands, laid the cornerstone June 28th, 1834, and in a few days more than six months later, dedicated their house of worship with appropriate services. En- ergy, promptness and liberality on the part of those original members, are manifest from the facts. The lot was purchased of Messrs. David and John Marshy at a cost of $1400, and the cost of the building is said to have been eight thousand dollars.
I reenr to the question, " What was the cause of this movement ?" The answer of some written and much unwritten history is, " The controversy that resulted from the uncompromising orthodoxy of Rev. Dudley Phelps, pastor of First Parish from 1828 to 1832." The answer covering all the facts is, -This controversy was the occasion, not the cause. The cause was not in a given controversy, or a given man, but in deep convic- tions and positive ideas which must have their opportu- nity in church life. These convictions were such as swayed great multitudes of people under the preaching of Drs. Withington, Perry, Braman and Dimick, Dr.
*Sec Rev. J. Whittlesey's address at laying of corner stone in 1:31.
The First Parish Fund of about $13,000.
Chase's History of Haverhill.
S Not given by them, as tradition has had It.
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Lyman Beecher, Dr. Wisner and Mr. Finney, in the great revivals of the years 1830-1-2. Such revivals were the revival of opposition to the doctrines which the "giants in those days" preached. That opposition had been greater or less for a long time in the minds of many in First Parish. It was developed and found open expression during the period of revivals, culminated under Mr. Phelps' preaching in the action of the parish dismissing him from the pastoral charge, and had its final result in the re-organizing into the Center Church of those who were not willing to give up the doctrines which Mr. Phelps preached, whatever they thought of his manner of preaching them. Not the orthodoxy of Mr. Phelps, the "ultra angular and puguacious type of orthodoxy," as Dr. D. T. Fisk of Newburyport calls it,* was the cause of the movement which we now com- memorate, but honest, religious convictions ; honest, we trust, in those who remained, as well as in those who came away. "Good Deacon LeBosquet," let his name be honored, was one of the two members of the church who remained, and was something of a hero in so doing.
It cannot be amiss for me to quote from the admirable address delivered by Mr. Whittlesey, the first pastor, at the laying of the corner-stone of this building, June 28, 1834. " What mean ve that ve have left the holy and beautiful house where your fathers worshipped ? Not surely because the place was too straight for you. There was, there is still, abundance of space for your- selves and your children. Why, then, retire from a spot once deemed so sacred, once endeared by a thousand fond recollections ? Why sustain the toil, the expense of erecting an edifice here when so large a portion of another house of worship is already yours? May I pre- sume to give the answer for yon ? Yon mean that you cannot find it in your hearts to give up the Bible, either "Ecc'T history of Essex Co." p 238.
I Refers to fact of their owning so many pews in the old house.
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in whole or in part, and adopt any system of human philosophy which gradually undermines its divine anthor- ity, divesting it of its redeeming influence and its prae- tical power. Yon mean that you desire to have the very gospel of which the Lord Jesus Christ is the au- thor ; which Apostles prized above life, and martyrs bled for; which reformers restored from Papal corruptions, and the Puritans were ready to sacrifice their earthly all to maintain ; which sustained our Pilgrim fathers amid the privations, the toils, the dangers of this waste howling wilderness, and led them on each returning Sab- bath to make the forest re-echo with their hymns of lofty cheer ; which has spread abroad blessings rich and . numberless over the land of the Pilgrims unto this day : which has purified the hearts and poured heavenly hope into the breasts of thousands of their descendants; this very gospel, and not another, you desire to have preached to yourselves, and to your children." Thus, with real eloquence, and with delightful Christian spirit, does the first pastor state canses the blessed effects of which we enjoy. To his words, as they apply today, we say, Amen.
The council that organized the church settled the first pastor, Rev. Joseph Whittlesey, on the same day. His actual labors continued three years and six months, ter- minating at the end of that period, "owing to domestic affliction." He was not dismissed until more than a year later. His labors were earnest, conscientious and successful. In a letter written five years ago he refers to his ministry in modest, self-depreciatory terms, but says, "My wife's ministry was eminently successful among you." To this statement, those who remember her will assent. Mr. Whittlesey had a three years pas- torate in Stonnington, Conn., before coming here, and one of the same length in Berlin, Conn., after leaving Haverhill, but on account of poor health has not been
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in a pastorate since. He is still living at the advanced age of eighty-six. His address at laying of corner- stone and his sermon at the dedication were printed in one pamphlet by the request of the church.
So far as we know, there is no one living of the eighteen pastors and delegates, representing niue churches, who constituted that first Comeil.
Honored names are in the list, some of whom are familiar to us through tradition .- Rev. J. P. Cleaveland, who gave the right hand of fellowship, Rev. L. F. Dim- mick. Rev. Milton Badger, Kev, Gardiner B. Perry, who gave charge to pastor, Rev. Mr. Phelps, who gave address to people, and Rev. J. H. Linsley of Boston, who preached the sermon. Of the original members of the church seven besides the pastor are living, -Mrs. Samuel Chase, Dr. Moses Nichols and wife, Dragon E. T. Ingalls, Miss Harriet M. West, Miss Mary Bootman and Miss An Osgood. Of these, Mrs. Samuel Chase only remains a member of this church, the others having taken letters of dismission. Of those passed into the skies, we "tell" some of the " towers " of this " Zion." when we record. the names of Dea. Samuel Chase, Dea. Ezra C. Ames, elerk for several years before he was deacon, Messrs. David and John Marsh, Gilman Parker, first superin- tendent of the Sabbath-school, James Gale, many years clerk and the first one the church chose. Thos. R. Appleton, * also for some time clerk, Moses Gale, Isaac R. Howe and others, besides the wives, daughters and sisters of many of these, who were among Haverhill's "chief women." Within twenty years from 1833, fifty of the original members died.i.
Under the date, July 26, 1838, there appears in the records in clear, bold hand-writing, the signature, . J. II. Martyn." He was a clergyman, supplying the pulpit. *Father of Thos. H. Appleton, present parish clerk.
"The first one who died was Mr. Robert Marsh, killed at the ' raising " of the end fice," July 10, 1831.
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at that time and temporarily acting as clerk. He is remembered as a bold, dramatic, controversial preacher who secured large audiences. He received and ac- cepted a call to become pastor. There is no record in our books of the calling or of the proceedings of the Council which convened to take his settlement into con- sideration. But unwritten history establishes facts enough for our present purpose. After a long session the Council voted it not expedient that Rev. J. H. Martyn be installed. For various reasons there was a strong and respectable minority in the church who in the council opposed the installation. There is no record attainable of the date of this council. Mr. Martyn's last entry in our book is dated Dec. 20, 1838. As a result of the division of sentiment, Mr. Martyn officiated, no council being called, in the organization of another church, constituted of several members of Center church and of the Baptist churches, numbering twenty-eight persons. This was May 15, 1839 and the name of the organization was " The Union Evangelical Church." For eleven years it stood alone, Mr. Martyn remaining about two years, and several other pastors succeeding him in that time. The church. at its own request, was recognized by council May 15, 1850, as Congregational. and called Winter St. Church. On account of difficul- ties arising within the church that would not down, it was disbanded in 1860 and its property sold to the Free Baptists who still hold and use it. "During its brief existence of twenty-one years this church was useful in many ways. Its work was pioneer, missionary work. Its history has bright pages along with dark ones.". Center Church received forty from the disbanded church. and those who survive are among our valued mem- bers.
On March 28, 1839, the church voted unanimously to invite Mr. E. A. Lawrence to become pastor. Mr. Lau- *Ecc 'T history of Essex Co. p. 231.
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rence responded, accepting the call April 20th, of the same year, and was ordained pastor May 8th.
The record of the ordination does not include all the names of those constituting the Council, only the names of those who had parts in the public exercises. Rev. Dr. Woods of Andover preached the sermon. Of this Coun- til but one is known to be living, Rev. A. J. Sessions, then settled in Salem, Mas., who opened the exercises by invocation and reading of Scriptures. The pastorate of Mr., afterwards Dr. Lawrence, was a prosperous one. The young minister in his first pastorate had great en couragement from an interesting revival with which the church was blessed in 1840, forty persons coming into the church as the fruits. In the five years of this pas- torate one hundred and fifty-one were received into the church. Mr. Lawrence was dismissed, at his own request. June 12, 1844, and made an honorable record during the rest of his life. He had one or two pastorates, was Pro- fessor in Hartford Theological Institute, then East Wind- sor, for many years ; was one of the Great Peace Commis- sion at Geneva ; travelled extensively abroad, and in his later days has written considerably for the press. He passed away peacefully at his home in Marblehead on the fourth day of the present month, aged 74; a man of winning spirit and mamers, a candid theologian sa faithful pastor, a ripe scholar, a wise, profound and safe teacher. whose long and useful life was devoted to the service of the Master."*
On the 21st of May, 1845, Mr. B. F. Hosford hav- ing received a unanimous call March 25th, was or lained pastor of the church. He, like Mr. Lawrence. began the work of the ministry here, the other pastors having been previously settled elsewhere. His pastorie was the longest of any. continuing eighteen sens. Until the year 1859, a united, harmonious people, under Mr. · Memoria words voted as expression of the clutch Sept. 9, Iss, No record of the Co well in our books, BEE. G. W Kelley was Stube.
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Hosford's wise leadership, did effective work. Many were the special tokens of the Divine favor. In 1858 the church shared. in the wide-spread revival blessing of that year, much to its spiritual and numerical advantage. Fifty came into the church on confession-a number larger by twenty-five per cent, than in any other year of our history. During the whole eighteen years the church received two hundred and sixty-five to its mem- bership. The blessed effects of such a pastorate contin- ue. Twenty years are gone, and the name of Hosford still grows precious here. We, who never saw the man. honor and revere the name, so fragrant with delightful memories among those who knew him well. His earthly immortality is secure in this church and society. Ile was a rare man ; his " clay was porcelain :" he was keen like a Damaseus blade, not like a brier : or, as one has better expressed it, "he was a genins, with a pen like a Damascene blade, and the spirit of a seraph, tempered with a dash of earth." Dr. Withington, now living at the age of ninety-four, in his tribute to Mr. Hosfor. written in 1864, says: " He was constantly gaining on his friends and his people; and the more you knew him, the greater was your confidence in his sincerity and worth." Dr. Withington, at the close of this tribute. characteristically says. "Yes, brother, the tears were drops of pity, thy smiles gleams of wisdom."
Two storms swept through the church and society dur- ing this gentle, Strong man's pastorate: the storm of war for the Union, and the storm of divided sentiment upon the question of re-building the church edifice. of erecting a new one. Much as those times "tried men's souls " the gentleness and strength of Mr. Hosfond lived in both the storms, though his eyes were closed in death before the war storm was over.
Nature is noisy when it rends, silent when it produces. Many of us have often heard the echoes of the rend-
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ing in 1859, when division of sentiment in the old church resulted in the formation of another church* and the building of a new edifice, f while we rarely hear mentioned the productive months of 1858, when revi- vals were stirring the land. This is natural; the one was noisy, and the other comparatively silent. But rending, serious and grievous in itself, often brings greater productiveness in the result. In that year ( 1859) one hundred members of this church withdrew, after, at their own request, being regularly dismissed, organized "The North Church," proceeded to build a commodious edifice, and installed a pastor; who has been "in and out" these twenty-three years, loved and honored, among an enterprising, growing people. These results were realized before the summer heat of 1860$ had begun to wane.
Meanwhile what is the "rent" mother-church doing ? Distressed, indeed, by the rending, but not dissolved, " cast down but not destroyed." Before the winter cold of 1860| was waning, a re-constructed, enlarged house of worship, the cost of the work being $11,000, was on this site ** re-dedicated, the dear pastor Hosford (not hav - ing accepted a call said to have been offered him by the daughter-church ) preaching a masterly discourse. What do we see now, not quite a quarter of a century later? Instead of one church, with a membership of three hundre i and eighteen, we have two churches, in formal and friendly fellowship, with an aggregate membership of seven hundred and thirty-seven. If and each house of worship occupied every Sabbath by a larger con- gregation than assembled in the one in 1559. The mother is proud of her radiant daughter, and the
*North Church organized March 3), 1839.
Dedicated Feb. 15, 1460.
fRev. R. H. Seeley, D. D.
SAng s.
IJan. 27.
** For the enlargement, the land was donated by Mrs. G. W. Kelley.
If Membership of Center Jan, 1, 1883, 316; of North, 391.
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daughter respects and reveres her honored mother. The resulting productiveness gives us cause of gratitude to God, however hand the rending Was to bear. If none will deny that the wrath of man was evident at the time of the rending, none call deny that in the productiveness the Lord hath made that "wrath to praise Him."
In 1861 the war-storm was in full blast in the nation's sky. With that came distress for this church and its pastor. Here was sharp division of sentiment. On both sides men were unreasonable, taking counsel of fear and of passion. This church and its pastor, Mr. Hosford. stood firmly for liberty and the Union. Personal friends were estranged. Some of the pastor's strongest friends were opposed to the war. He never flinched. He prayed for the success of our armies, and preached with no uncertain sound. Be it said to his credit, and to that of his friends differing from him in political views, their friendship continued.
But in this excellent pastor's case, "the sword was too sharp for the scabbard." His active mind, and earn- est heart wrought great good but over-taxed his not stalwart physical powers. His pen was a busy one. He wrote much for our religious papers and periodicals, and published two books besides sermons and addresses. The sore trials incident to his experiences during the period from 1859 to 1863, contributed their part to the break- ing down of his health, and although the church gave kim a year's leave of absence, consumption gained rap- idly its fatal hold. He was dismissed Oct 20, 1563, and on Ang. 10, 1864, the third pastor of this chinch entered into rest. " God's finger touched him and he slept."
In February 1863, Rev. T. T. Manger was engaged to preach six months. He continued ten months as supply, received and accepted a call to become pas-
"For the first time in the history of the chinch, so far as recorded, female with bers voted by request of the male members, when this call was made.
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tor, and was installed Jan. 6, 1864. Rev. J. H. Means, D. D., of Boston preached the sermon. Mr., now Dr., Munger had been nearly five years a pastor in Dorches- ter. He took a position here of peculiar difficulty. In ad dition to the hundred members withdrawing in 1859 a score and a half of others soon followed, still more depleting the membership.
The Nation's war-storm was then at its height. The dear old loyal church was attracted to Mr. Munger, in part because of his outspoken loyalty. His call to the pastorate, it is freely admitted, turned on patriotism more than on theology. He made many publie utter- ances (seldom on the Sabbath) ringing with Union sen- timent. On all proper occasions he prayed for the suc- cess of our armies. This is not more to his credit than to that of the church and society who stood unflinch- ingly in support of his course, though to do that cost them what churches and societies prize all too highly -- money and social influence-in the withdrawal of men strong in both, who did not sympathize with the pastor's free expression of his sentiments. All honor to both pastor and people ! After Peace spread her wings over the war-worn Republic in 1865. the people continued faithful work under Mr. Manger's lead, and the whole period of his labors was but two months less than seven years. During this pastorate eighty-five persons were added to the membership. Mr. Munger was dismissed Dec. 14th, 1869. Two months before he requested at dismissal the church unanimously passed resolutions re- newing expressions of confidence in him. In his letter of resignation he refers to the fact that another field of labor has opened to him, and among other pleasant things says, "The love and respect and confidence which the body of the church has ever shown to me, and the warm personal friendships formed in the church and congregation are still stronger bonds which. though they
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may seem to be severed, I hope will never be broken in reality." Mr. Munger has continued to be well known in the churches, and has become prominent in the country as the author of two books, " On the Threshold," and the "Freedom of Faith," in the latter of which he has shown himself to be, perhaps, the best exponent of the so-called " New Theology."
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