USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Dudley > An anniversary discourse, delivered at Dudley, Massachusetts, March 20, 1853. With topographical and historical notices of the town > Part 2
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During the period of my ministry here, seventy- four persons have been admitted to the fellowship of the church, principally by profession ; and during the same period forty-eight members have died or been dismissed, leaving an increase of twenty-six. Though there has been no season of revival among us, in the technical sense of that term, yet there have been occasional appearances of increased atten- tion to religion, and two marked periods, as evident " times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord ; " -- one of them bringing into the church, on the same Sabbath, sixteen members ; and the other, on two Sabbaths, fourteen. To this statement I may add, that there has been a gradual increase of attention to the use of the appointed means of grace,
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with less desecration, and an improved observance of the Lord's day ; and withal a growing attach- ment, union and mutual confidence among the members of the church and society. So that, with a few exceptions, we may be said to be a united people ; and notwithstanding a prevailing coldness and lamentable inactivity and want of zeal in many, it should be gratefully acknowledged that the church was never in a better state of communion and fel- lowship; and the church and society never in a better condition to act together in harmony. This consideration, together with the financial state of the society, which was never better, fully reconciles me to the thought which the occasion naturally suggests, that, as a people, you must soon be called to seek another pastor and teacher, or become as sheep without a shepherd.
My age, and the loud warning given me during the last summer, of my approaching earthly end, compel me to make this announcement ; and I make it to-day with great satisfaction, in view of your united condition as a religious society, and of the bright prospect of your being able, in due time, to procure for me a colleague, or successor, who will be a pastor after God's own heart, to come in and go out before you-to lead you into green pastures and by still waters-to feed the sheep and lambs of the flock-to win souls unto Christ, and gather into his church the elect of God. How soon you may be called to act on this subject, or how soon you may think it wise to take the first steps
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'and adopt the incipient measures in this business, it becomes not me to say ; nor do I feel prepared to give any definite advice. But at the approaching annual meeting of the society, I intend to throw the question fully open before you, and leave it, under God, to your wise and deliberate decision .* It is not my intention, however, to urge the consideration of the subject upon you prematurely ; nor do I in- tend to shrink from duty, or refuse to labor in the vineyard of the Lord, while I have any strength of body or mind for the holy and delightful service. But I shall not, and " I would not live alway ;" nor am I willing to stand in the way of a more efficient laborer, or become a clog to the chariot wheels of the gospel among you. I had rather step out of the way, or stand aside for a little while, to behold the work of a fresh laborer, and see the salvation of God before I die.
But whether I may be able to preach for a longer or a shorter period, or whether you may think it wise, or not, to begin immediately to look for another pastor and teacher, I embrace this oppor- tunity-possibly the only one which may be granted me-of addressing you, as if this were my farewell discourse, my last salutation, with my last counsel and advice.
But before I do this, permit me again to say a few words concerning myself ; and if what I shall say should seem to you to savor too much of egotism,
* See Note D.
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or even of glorying, you will, I trust, bear with me ; provided that I glory only in the cross of Christ, in the grace of God. I have lived a great while in the world, and have never been inactive. I have said much and done much. But whether what I have said and done be accounted, in man's judg- ment, good or evil, is to me of little moment, if God forgives the evil and approves the good, and I be found justified freely by his grace, through the re- demption that is in Christ Jesus. Of one thing I am sure, that I have desired to learn and do the will of God-to ascertain what is true, and to speak the truth as it is in Jesus ;- to preach his gospel faith- fully, as it lies spread out in the Bible ; and to do what I could to promote the glory of God in the salvation of men.
Yes, and of another thing I feel equally sure ; and that is, that I have been greatly blessed by my Heavenly Father, through the whole course of a long life and protracted ministry ; blessed with an unusual measure of health, and a firm and even vigorous constitution ; blessed with strong powers for action and keen susceptibilities for enjoyment. All along I have indeed had trials and occasional dis- appointments and afflictions ; but I have had grace given me to meet and bear them, and have always found them working together for good-" mercies in disguise." I was blessed in childhood, having pious parents, who early devoted me to their cove- nant God in baptism ; who gave me early religious instruction, and with faithful, and yet tender care
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and authority, watched over me, and restrained me from open vice and immorality ; and who endeav- ored, by precept and example, to fulfill their cove- nant engagements, and " train me up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." I was blessed in my youth by having opportunity furnished me to obtain a liberal education, and thus to become qualified, in some humble measure, by the grace of God, for the desired and glorious work of the ministry. I have been blessed, greatly blessed, through the whole course of life in my domestic relations. I have been blessed, not indeed with wealth and abun- dance of this world's goods, but with a " com- petency vital to content"-with everything needful for food and raiment, sufficient to preserve me from the cares and distractions and temptations of riches on the one hand, and extreme poverty on the other. I have been blessed, especially and above all, by the renewing and sanctifying grace of God-with carly grace and continued grace- grace sufficient for me-sufficient to lead me to an early consecration of myself to his service, and a timely consecration to his service in the ministry, and sufficient to render me happy in that service, and enable me to look forward with hope to a blessed and glorious immortality. Yes, and I can say, and I desire to say it, with gratitude to Him from whom all blessings flow,-I can say, to-day, this happiness in the service of my God and Saviour, is not diminished, and this hope remains unshaken as ever, and even brighter and firmer than ever. Yes, with the exception of a single phrase,
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in which the apostle Paul speaks of his warfare, as a faithful soldier of the cross, I can adopt the lan- guage of that aged Apostle and say, "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand ;- I have finished my course ; I have kept the faith ; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the right- cous Judge, shall give me at that day ; and not to me only, but unto all them also, that love his ap- pearing." Yes, without omission or reserve, but with a humble sense of dependence on divine grace, I can adopt that other strong language of assured hope, uttered by the same Apostle, and say, " I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord." Surely, therefore, I may with propriety here set up a monumental stone, and inscribe upon it, EBEN- EZER ; for hitherto hath the Lord helped me : Bless- ed be his name !
In closing this discourse, I have a few words of exhortation and counsel to address to the church and society, collectively and individually ; but before I do this, I must request the choir to sing the fol- lowing
MOTETT.
"Go not far from me, O God ; Cast me not away in time of age ;
Forsake me not when my strength faileth. O let my mouth be filled with thy praise,
That I may sing of thy glory, all the day long."
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And now, in closing my remarks, I do not forget, nor would I fail to acknowledge with gratitude, that I have generally been treated with kindness, by the members of this church and society-by you all, my brethren and friends, during the whole time of my pilgrimage among you. In this respect, I think, I have been distinguished among my brethren in the ministry. For although all, who are faithful in the service of Christ, are called to labor and endure hardness, and even taught to expect, that they shall suffer more or less of persecution for his sake ; yet, in my case, the labor has been sweet, and the endurance comparatively light, and the suffering of reproach not very great, either from scoffers or un- believers. If, however, in any case unkind words have been spoken to me, or reproachful language used concerning me, let it all be forgotten ; for, I am sure, by me it is all forgiven. On the other hand, if I have uttered language of censure and severity, to any man, or against any man, further than truth and frankness and charity even demand- ed, I sincerely lament it, and hope to be forgiven by Him who looketh on the heart, and to whom a contrite spirit is always an acceptable sacrifice.
And now, my brethren and friends, by way of application, let me exhort you to take courage, and continue steadfast in the Apostles' doctrine, and united in your efforts to maintain the ordinances of Heaven, and the preaching of the gospel among you. For your own sake, for your children's sake, and for the sake of the generations which are to
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follow, make provision for the continued, stated preaching of the gospel of Christ ; though it should require strenuous effort and even some sacrifice, fail not, I beseech you, to make the requisite provision for securing and maintaining an able and faithful minister of the New Testament. None other, I am persuaded, will meet your demand, or supply your wants. You can never be satisfied with mere hor- tatory preaching. You cannot live on milk alone. No, you must have the strong meat of the gospel, properly dressed and decently served up, or you will hunger and famish and die. You must have, for your minister, a scribe well instructed unto the kingdom of heaven-a man whose mind is thor- oughly disciplined by education and well furnished with Biblical and general knowledge. And you must so provide for his support, that he may be able to pursue his studies without distracting cares, and to give himself wholly to his appropriate work. And this, I am persuaded, you can do and will do ; pro- vided you resolve, one and all, to put your hands to the work, to which you are called as a church, and for which you are associated as an ecclesiastical society.
It is true, there are many things here calculated to discourage the faint-hearted ; but they may all be overcome by resolution and united effort, under a firm reliance on the promised blessing of Him, who said to his primitive church, and still says to every collection of true believers, " Fear not, little flock ; for it is the Father's good pleasure, to give you the
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kingdom." It is true, many of your enterprising young men, as they come into active life, remove from you in pursuit of business, and settle in some place more inviting and congenial to their taste or fancy. But the same thing is true of almost every agricultural community in New England. Those who remain, therefore, must be encouraged to come forward and fill the places of their fathers, as they descend to the grave. It is true, likewise, in these times of change and easy removal from one place to another, some substantial inhabitants and good Christians occasionally go out from you. But others come to occupy their places ;- perhaps, in some cases, not so good, and in others, even better. Should these changes, therefore, as they have some- times been allowed to do, discourage you ? Every- where they are taking place, and must be expected. You must willingly give up those that go, and cheer- fully and kindly receive those that come-must receive them " for better or for worse," and in all cases make the most of them that you can. Re- cently you have gained by these exchanges, and I doubt not that you will gain more and more; for the tide of healthful emigration has evidently turned, and, by and by, under the blessing of Heaven on the persevering labors of an able and faithful pastor, aided by the prayers and united efforts of the breth- ren, its influence will be seen in its bearings on your strength and courage.
You cannot, indeed, at least during the present generation, expect much acquisition of strength from
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other denominations of associated Christians. Nor should you attempt to make mere proselytes in name, in opinion, or profession even. Proselytism is a miserable business. It finds no place among enlightened and well-instructed Christians. It is inconsistent with the very genius of Congregational- ism, which allows no restraint to be laid upon liberty of inquiry or liberty of conscience-nor permits the interference of any assumed, uninvited, ecclesiastical power. Each Congregational church and society is independent, asking advice when it pleases, and following it when it chooses ; adopting its own con- stitution, making its own by-laws, and standing upon its own platform, built " according to the pat- tern shown in the mount," as modified and described by the Great Ilead of the church. Thus leaving every man free to choose his own religion, it wisely forbids everything like proselytism. Do not attempt, therefore, to make proselytes, nor encourage your pastor to do it .* But may you and he attempt only to win souls unto Christ. And for this labor there is room enough among you. The missionary field around you and in the midst of you is large, and already white unto the harvest. Go out, therefore, with your pastor, into the highways and hedges- go with him as he goes among those who now dese- crate the Sabbath, neglecting the house of God and the means of grace and salvation ; and strive to bring them under the sound of the gospel, and pray, while
* See Note E.
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he preaches, that the gospel may take effect in their hearts, and redeem them from the power and con- demnation of sin .* Thus will you strengthen your church and society on earth ; thus will you bring a revenue of glory to God ; and thus will you give joy to the angels and glorified spirits in heaven.t
But however this may be, and whatever may become of the multitudes among you and around you, who now forsake the assembling of themselves together for public worship, and neglect all the ap- pointed means of grace ; you may rest assured, if you do your duty and unitedly strive to promote the cause of truth and advance the Redeemer's king- dom, that you will be blessed. Yes, the blessing will come upon you and your future pastor, which was expected by a prophet of olden time, when he said, " Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious !" Strive, therefore, my brethren, to cultivate and maintain a spirit of union and peace, that you may act together, and be strong for the work assigned you. Let the cords of love be drawn closer and closer, and strive together for the faith, for the piety, for the brotherly love, which the gos- peł enjoins. Above all, take heed that you do not discourage one another, but let every one say to his neighbor, " Come, let us go up to the mountains and bring wood, and build the house of the Lord, that he may be glorified."
But, while I thus address you collectively, as a
* Sce Note F.
+ See Note G.
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society, I remember that men are not to be judged in masses, but as individuals ; and that each one will be called to give account of himself to God. I must, therefore, add a word of exhortation to you as individuals, as accountable beings, hastening to " the judgment of the great day."
My aged friends, with you I fully sympathize, in the immediate expectation of that day. The Judge standeth at the door; death is at hand, and after death cometh the judgment. Most of you, I trust, are prepared for the summons, and waiting patiently till your change come. But O, if any are yet un- prepared, and have no good hope through grace, let them no longer delay-let mercy, even at the eleventh hour, be sought, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and repentence toward God. " Seize the kind promise while it waits, nor lose the blessing by delay."
My friends of middle age, in active life, with you, too, I heartily sympathize. Having with you and even before you, borne the heat and burden of the day, I know something of the cares and labors and trials of life, which now press upon you. Yes, and I know, that by the grace of God they can be borne. O, be not surfeited by these cares, nor overcome by these trials and temptations. Live above the world, while you are in it. Use the world as not abusing it. "Trust in the Lord, and do good ; and verily thou shalt be fed." If you have found and obtained " the pearl of great price," be therewith content ; if you have not, seek with all diligence till you find
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it ; and then go and sell all that you have and buy it. Thus, and thus only, will you be happy in living for the glory of God and the good of your fellow- men-happy through life, and blessed forever.
My young friends, with you I have not yet lost all sympathy. For I was once young ; and I re- member the vanities and temptations of youth. I remember, too, the joys of youth-joys promised to all, who carly seek the Lord. Some of you, I trust, have done this-have chosen that good part which can never be taken from you-have found the peace and blessedness of believing and obeying the gospel. O, that I could hope that this were the case with you all ! O, that I could hope even, that it would be the case with you all ! O, that I could, before I die, see you all earnestly inquiring what you must do to be saved, and behold you all pressing into the kingdom of heaven, and rejoicing in the salvation of God ! My young friends, once more I beseech you to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteous- ness ; and once more, I repeat the gracious promise, that all things requisite for happiness shall be added. So may you glorify God while you live, and best answer the great end of living ; and so may you, sooner or later, die in peace, and be forever with the Lord !
Finally, my hearers, let us all prepare to meet our God. You heard what I said concerning my own hope, and perhaps some of you thought the language too strong. I know that there is such a thing as the false hope of the hypocrite ; I know, too, that
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there is such a thing as the presumptuous hope of the unbeliever ; and I know that they will both be cut off, like the spider's web, and perish together. But still I hope ; for I know, also, that there is a hope for believers, which purifieth and entereth into that within the vail-which endureth, and will prove an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast. I know, moreover, that those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ with all the heart, and obey his gospel with all the soul, may have this enduring hope, which never maketh ashamed-this blessed hope, even in the hour of death. My brethren, we may all have it. You will all have it, when you have that faith which works by love, purifies the heart, and overcomes the world. Then will you have strength given you, as your day is. Then will you find grace sufficient for you, sufficient even in a dying hour. Then will you, with the sweet Psalm- ist of Israel, and with multitudes who have followed him to the bright world of promise and glory, be able to look up to your God and Redeemer, and say, " Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil ; for thou art with me ; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." AMEN.
APPENDIX.
NOTE A .- PAGE 7.
The precise time when the Congregational Church in Dudley was organized, cannot now be ascertained, as there are extant no records of the church during the ministry of the first pastor. It is probable, however, that it was organized some time in the course of the year 1732, the year in which the town was incor- porated. For, as appears from the town records, the inhabitants immediately took measures to procure a religious teacher, and maintain public worship ; and in a vote of the town the following year, reference is made to an action of the church, as then exist- ing. Indeed, the preamble to the Act of the General Court, in- corporating the town, implies, that the petition for the Act, by the first settlers, was founded on a desire to enjoy the privileges of public worship, and maintain the preaching of the gospel to themselves and their families. The preamble commences thus : " Whereas there are many inhabitants, already settled on a tract of land lying between the towns of Woodstock and Oxford, who, together with others on the south-west part of Oxford, [now Charlton, ] are very remote from any place of the public worship of God, and are very conveniently situated for a township, and have petitioned," &c.
The first person who received a call to settle in the ministry, in the town, was Mr. ISAAC RICHARDSON. And though an eccle- siastical council was called for the purpose, yet, for some reason not stated in the town records, and not now known, the proposed ordination never took place.
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The first settled minister, as pastor of the church here, was the Rev. PERLEY HOWE, who was ordained June 12, 1735, and dis- missed in 1743. He was. from Killingly, Connecticut, and was graduated at Harvard University, 1731.
Rev. CHARLES GLEASON, the second pastor, was ordained October, 1744, and died May, 1790. Ile was from Brookline, Massachusetts, and was graduated at Harvard University, 1738.
Rev. JOSHUA JOHNSON, the third pastor, was installed Decem- ber, 1790, and dismissed May, 1796. Hle was from Woodstock, Connecticut, and was graduated at Yale College, 1775.
Rev. AmEL WILLIAMS, the fourth pastor, was ordained June 12, 1799, and dismissed March 16, 1831. He was from Rayn- ham, Massachusetts, and was graduated at Brown University, 1795.
Rev. JAMES HI. FRANCIS, the fifth pastor, was ordained Ang. 21, 1831, and dismissed June 26, 1837. He was from Weath- ersfield, Connecticut, and was graduated at Yale College, 1826.
Rev. WALTER FOLLET, the sixth pastor, was installed Novem- ber 2, 1837, and dismissed September 28, 1841. He was from Williston, Vermont, and was graduated at Middlebury College, 1825.
Rev. JOSHUA BATES, the seventh and present pastor, was in- stalled March 22, 1843. He was from Cohasset, Massachusetts, and was graduated at Harvard University, 1800.
NOTE B. - PAGE 8.
It has been suggested to me, that this statement is calculated to leave a wrong impression concerning the design of alienating the right of property in the meeting-house, in 1833. The design was, as explained to me, not to divert the appropriate use of the house, or deprive the society of the benefit of that use, but sim- ply to raise money to liquidate the debt of the society, (which then amounted to the sum of 82,000, or more,) in such a man- ner, as to prevent any such diversion of the house by placing it in the hands of attached members of the society, who were wil- ling to advance money for the purpose, and nominally receive
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shares in the house as their security. "The design was unques- tionably good, as the generosity of the proprietors subsequently showed. But the plan did not work well. It seems to have induced some to withdraw from the society altogether, and to have alienated the affections and weakened the attachment of others. It certainly created a spirit of discouragement, and pro- duced an apprehension of further alienation, in my mind, as soon as I learned the fact, that a deed had been given in 1833, and the transfer of the property confirmed by vote of the society in 1842. But the readiness and noble generosity with which the proprietors relinquished their private rights, and re-deeded their shares in the house to the reorganized society in 1843, removed from my mind the first unfavorable apprehension. Indeed, the whole transaction, in connection with the present financial state of the society, will, I doubt not, exert a favorable influence on its growth and stability. For now any young man in town, as he comes to the age of majority, and any other legal voter who desires to worship God, may, according to the by-laws of the society, become a member by simply signing the constitution, and thus may entitle himself to an interest in the house, and sceure to himself the privilege of voting in all the legal transac- tions of the corporation.
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