USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > Book of the First Church of Christ, 1854 > Part 3
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The additions to the church during the ministry of our respective pastors, have been as follows :
Original Members, 20
In Rev. Mr. Thacher's ministry about 466
" Mr. Conant's 66 86
66 Mr. Barker's " 247
Mr. Paine's to settlement of Mr. Eaton, 72
66 Mr. Eaton's, 61
Mr. Putnam's, 128
7
Uncertain,
1087
We have no record of the additions in the ministry of Mr. Palmer, or Mr. Fuller.
SINGING.
It appears from the records of the parish and of the church, that the choristers were chosen by the church, and that their choice was usually concurred in by the parish. Here is one of their votes: - "The easterly precinct of Middleborough, Sept. 18, 1732, voted, in reference to the singing of psalms in the congregation, that the precinct concur with the church so far as to appoint their pastor, Mr. Thacher, to set the tunes of the psalms in the time of public worship, so long as he shall find it for the peace and satisfaction of the church and congregation." Since in our day the singers, as a choir, have managed the singing themselves and chosen their own choristers. Once the parish and church voted against the introduction of musical instruments, but of late years no order has been taken in the church or society on the subject, and the singers bring in such instruments as they think proper, and appoint their own choristers.
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PASTORAL POWER.
As a specimen of manners, one hundred and fifty years ago, it may be mentioned that Dr. Palmer was much and late at the tavern ; and when he left for home quite late on one occasion, some person met him near the door and " drubbed him soundly with a cane." It was soon generally known, and considered to be well deserved, and that such a mode of correction was very proper, and Mr. Thacher was much commended as an energetic corrector of morals. It seems to have been taken for granted that he administered the correction, and that he was the proper person to administer it.
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THE ORDER OF THE CHURCH.
The order of the church from its beginning has been, and continues to be, strictly Congregational, in accord- ance with the platform of John Robinson, and the practice and discipline of the churches of the Pilgrims ; the prominent features of which are, self-government, independence, open communion and free toleration. We choose our own officers, and depose them when there is just cause, receive, dismiss, and excommunicate members by vote of the whole church, yet not without advice of neighbor churches when it is desired by the pastor and brethren ; never, however, regarding such advice as authoritative. We esteem the government of the church to be wholly of a moral and not of a coercive character. No pastor or elder has ever inter- posed to control or embarrass the action of this church.
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We have had no hostility against other churches. We have never, as a church, refused occasional communion with members of other churches of good standing, nor have we refused to dismiss a member to another church when such member has desired it for better edification. We do not censure for mere opinion; advocacy of heresy and immorality are subjects for disciplinary action, but the first and second private interviews are to be had before the offence is told to the church. We claim to be built upon the testimonies of the prophets and the apostles, Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone. Our articles of faith are instruments used to ascertain that the members all agree, but delinquents are to be tried by the Bible and its truths ; and although every body is allowed to read the Scripturs and inter- pret them for himself, yet in trials for heresy, the inter- pretation of the church must prevail.
We have never had any Ruling Elders in this church. There is not much in a name. We have a standing com- mittee to advise and act in all cases in which such offices were, by the platform, authorised to act. It was a decided principle of Robinson that the Elders should advise, but not rule without the consent of the church, and this principle is, that in which Congregationalism chiefly differs from Presbyterianism.
The church has an annual meeting for business on the last Friday of every returning January, when the Stand- ing Committee and Treasurer are to be chosen, and also committees to advise in respect to the public charities, and who also are to take the responsibility of the religious meeting in their districts. But any matters relating to the duty or welfare of the church are also attended to at that meeting.
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Although the deacons, by law and usage, are the treasurers of the church, we have a special treasurer to receive the small contributions which the exigencies of church state require; but the treasurer makes no dis- bursment without the direction of the church or the advice of the deacons or pastor or both.
The church considers it to be the duty of every several member of the church to "lay by," as God prospers him, and according to his ability, (of which he is expected to judge carefully and conscienciously,) for church purposes, the support of the pastor and the Lord's table, and also for such objects of general benev- olence as the church shall, from time to time advise, the manner of the collections all to be under the advice of the committees.
Contributions to the Board of Foreign Missions have always, since its establishment, been taken up in this church, either by collections in the meeting-house, or by collectors appointed to visit the people, and also at the district meetings as monthly concerts.
The concerts are to be held on the first Monday of every month, but may be held a day before or after when notice to that effect shall be given from the pulpit, and collections are always taken at these meetings.
The sacrament of the Supper is administered on the first Sabbath of every second month, beginning in January ; and at the close of the communion service a collection is taken for the support of the table, and such other calls as may be responded to by the church as a body. The standing committee will, as far as practica- ble, visit such persons among us as have religious hopes, with a view of their becoming candidates for admission to the church, but more especially they will be present
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at the parsonage house on Friday, two weeks preceding the sacrament, to converse with those who are candidates for admission. If approved, the candidates are to be propounded two weeks before reception to the com- munion. The lecture preparatory to the sacrament is preached in the vestry on Friday before the sacrament.
Members who change their residence and settle in dis- tant places are to take letters testimonial and unite with some church where they reside; and members of other churches coming to reside with us are expected to bring letters testimonial from their churches, with a view of uniting with this church ; and on presenting such letters they are to be admitted as members by vote, and a copy " of the Book of the Church" is to be given them for their information before admission. By Congregational usage, letters testimonial are discredited, in case of change of residence, if not presented within a year from the time of such change. This church admits the right of every church member of good standing to claim such letters when he conscienciously believes that he can be better edified in another church ; and good standing is to be implied if nothing appears on the records of the church to the contrary.
It appears by the records of the church that, after the early deacons were chosen, there was a solemn in- duction of them into the office by ordination. Such has not been the modern practice ; and this church con- siders that ordination, or the laying on of hands with prayer, though a very proper, and sometimes a very im- pressive ceremony, and of apostolic example, is yet not a divine institution, not commanded, and may lose its solemnity by being made too common. In the case of the choice of pastor, the church thinks it should not be
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dispensed with, not only the primitive example, but the manifest solemnity and good effects should cause it to have a place in the order of Christ's house.
This church considers that our order requires that the pastors, on becoming such respectively, are to be subject to the discipline and watch of the church, and before ordination are to be admitted into full communion; and such has been the usage of this church, although the records do not always show that it was done. Mr. Fuller's admission is recorded, and the restoration of Mr. Palmer shows that he had before been a member ; that Mr. Thacher was also a member is clear from the baptism of his children before his wife became a member. It is recollected, if not recorded, that all our ministers, for seventy years past, were so admitted, and all the ten ministers who belonged to this church, on their settle- ment, had recommendations to become members of the church over which they were ordained pastors. John Cotton writes that he was present at the ordination of Mr. Conant, and that he was received into the church before he was ordained.
PASTORS.
1. SAMUEL FULLER .- Mr. Fuller " was educated for the ministry, and came in with the first settlers of the town as a religious teacher, as well as one of the twenty- six purchasers." The Plymouth church did not permit its members to remove unless provision was made for their religious instruction. Having had his house burnt by the Indians, as the other settlers had, he returned to
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Plymouth with them till the war ended, and then re- turned with them to Middleborough, and continued his ministry till a church was gathered, and soon after died. His whole ministry must have exceeded twenty years. The tradition is, that he was a sober, grave, industrious, enlightened, and self-denying minister. He was buried on " the Hill," the burial ground provided by the pro- prietors at the first location of the proprietary, and the legal title to the land is still in them. But the town and proprietary were so nearly identical that their proceed- ings are recorded in the same book. The following inscription is on the stone set at his grave : -
" Here lyes buried ye body of ye Rev. Samuel Fuller, who departed this life Aug. ye 17th, 1694, in ye 71st year of his age. He was ye 1st minister of ye Church of Christ in Middleborough."
Mr. Fuller was the son of the pilgrim, Samuel Fuller, a celebrated surgeon and physician, to whom both the Pilgrims and Planters of Massachusetts were much indebted for his success in treating the diseases of the new settlements. He died in 1633, and his will is recorded with the " Old Colony Records," and printed in the Genealogical Register, Vol. 4, p. 33. In this he orders certain of his estates to be sold and the proceeds to be applied to the education of his two children, Samuel and Mercy, and another portion he devises to Roger Williams, "if he would accept the same, having heretofore once declined to accept it." The New England Memorial says, " He was deacon of the church, and for- ward to do good in his place, and much missed after God removed him out of the world."
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The children of Rev. Mr. Fuller were Samuel, b. 1659, . Mercy, Experience, Elizabeth, Hannah, John, and Isaac. Samuel settled on a paternal estate in Rocky Nook, Kingston, where are still some of his descendants. Mercy married Daniel Cole; Experience, James Wood ; Eliza- beth, Samuel Eaton, and Hannah, Eleazer Lewis. John and Isaac settled in what is now Halifax, then Middle- borough, where there are numerous descendants.
THOMAS PALMER.
He is supposed to have been a native of Plymouth, and brother of William Palmer of that place, as the town voted to pay for the removal of his goods from Ply- mouth to Middleborough. There was much opposition to his settlement, and at last, they of the opposition, seem to have been taken by surprise, when, after several years preaching, he was ordained in May 2, 1702. The opposition continued, and council after council was held, until his deposition was advised as has been stated. He seems to have been a rash, headstrong man, and the charges of intemperance made against him seem to have been well sustained. Having been restored to the church, as has been mentioned, it is pleasing to have ground for hope that he died a good man. He had a numerous family, the most of whom died young. "The Morey estate " descended from him to the daughter who married a Cheney, and from her to Mrs. Morey. He lived upon it all his life. The house was a kind of gar- rison, and built like the old meeting-house with "two ridge poles and four gable ends."
His children were Thomas, who died, aged 24; Zuri-
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shadai, died aged 18, 1719 ; Sarai, died at 2 ; Job, died at 25; John, died 1709. Samuel was pastor of the church in Falmouth. Elizabeth married Cheney. James in- herited a large estate south of Plymouth road, near W. S. Eddy's, which he greatly embarrassed by his negli- gence as collector in the time of the troubles, when the " Old Lights " assessed a great tax and compelled James to pay it, though he could not collect it. His two sons, James and Zurishadai, sold the old estate and removed to Vermont.
There is a stone at his grave in the parish burial ground, and another loose one in the wall. That in the wall has this inscription :
" All ye that pass along this way, Remember still your dying day, Here's human bodies out of sight, Whose souls to - have took their flight, And shall again united be In their doomed eternity."
It is not known why there were two. The memento is the same on each. "Dr. Thomas Palmer who died, June 17, 1743, aged 70." His wife Elizabeth, died April 17, 1740, aged 64.
REV. PETER THACHER.
A tract has been printed by the church, and distribu- ted in the parish, which gives a very full account of this venerable "man of God." He was born, October 6, 1688, in Milton ; his father, of the same name, being the pastor of the church there, and his grandfather, Thomas, minister in the Old South Church in Boston, and his
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great grandfather, Peter, a Puritan minister in Salisbury, England. He graduated at Harvard College in 1706. He began his ministry here in September, 1707, and was chosen pastor, June 30, 1708, before he was 20 years of age, and after arriving to 21, was ordained, Nov. 2, 1709. January 25, 1711, he married Mary, daughter of Samuel Prince, Esq., then of Rochester, and sister of the Rev. Mr. Prince, of the Old South Church, Boston, and by her had ten children, nearly all of whom became members of the Church. One of his daughters, Mary, married Nathaniel Foster, and some of her descendants are settled here; two of the children died here, and the others all removed. Mr. Thacher had an excellent library, was a hard student, a laborious pastor, and a sound preacher. He died April 22, 1744, and was entombed, as was afterwards Madam Thacher and Samuel Thacher, his son, in a family tomb in the parish burial ground. The house in which Mr. Thacher lived was burnt February 3, 1780. The names of his children were Peter, Oxenbridge, Samuel, John, Thomas, Mary, Susannah, Mercy, Thedora, and Moses. Peter was forty years pastor of the church in Attleborough, useful and beloved. Mary married Nathaniel Foster, and Susan- nah married Samuel Tucker, of Milton; Mary married Rev. Mr. Shore, of Southbridge. Madam Thacher was a grave, intelligent, and exemplary matron, for many years a great help to the church, and lived to a good old age. She died 1771, aged 84.
REV. SYLVANUS CONANT.
He was a descendant of the celebrated Roger Conant, who was with the Plymouth Pilgrims in 1623, and
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removed to Salem. He was born in 1720, and gradua- ted in 1740 at Harvard College. He was the son of Lot Conant, the son of Nathaniel, who came from Beverly and settled in Bridgewater before 1690. He began his ministry here September 9, 1744, was called to be pas- tor October 1, of the same year, and was ordained March 28, 1745. He continued his ministry, at first, at the house of Madam Thacher, and after the new meet- ing-house was built, (which was the same year,) in that house till his death, which was of the small pox, Decem- ber 8, 1777. He was buried with eight of his parishion- ers in a field of one of them, Mr. John Smith, by the road side, near Otis Soule's. The following are their names : Zechariah Eddy, Widow Rhoda Smith, Joseph Smith, Bethia Smith, William Soule, Sarah Reading, Hannah Love, all between 5 and 18, December, 1777.
The following is the inscription on the stone set at the head of his grave : -
" Memento Mori. IN MEMORY OF REV. SYLVANUS CONANT,
MINISTER OF THE FIRST CHURCH IN MIDDLEBOROUGHI, WHO DIED OF SMALL POX, DEC. 8, 1777, IN THE 58TH YEAR OF HIS AGE, AND 33D OF HIS MINISTRY.
So sleep the souls, and leave to groan, When sin and death have done their worst, Christ hath a glory like his own, Which waits to clothe their wasting dust."
The character of Mr. Conant has before been noticed, both as a preacher, an exemplary Christian, and a pri-
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vate gentleman, and his great success in conciliating and uniting the church and people. He was successively the husband of three wives, who were much esteemed, but left no children. His memory is still dear to some of our people.
One of his wives united to this church in 1758 by letter from the church in Norwich, Connecticut, and died in 1759, aged 28 years, and was interred in the parish burying ground. There is a stone also in the parish burying ground commemorative of his death.
EXTARCT OF A MONODY BY REV. S. CONANT ON THE DEATH OF HIS WIFE.
" 1 What voice is this I hear from yonder grave That charms my listening ear - awakes my love ? Sure ' tis some heavenly guest, inviting me to rest On my Redeemer's breast, - come from above.
2. My willing soul attend without delay, And th' heavenly dove descend to point the way To soft retire and shade, amidst some silent grade, And be my light and aid, lest I should stray.
3. Welcome sweet solitude, now I'm alone, Let nothing here intrude, no damp be thrown To quench the heavenly fire of love that doth inspire My heart with warm desire : Lord hear my groan.
4. To see thy lovely form is all my aim, And meditate thy grace and charming name. Oh ! bless my longing eyes from yonder lofty skies With light, that I may rise and sing thy fame.
5. My heart with sweet surprise is drawn away, A captive to the skies, when I array My ardent thanks to bring, unto my heavenly king, Whose praise I long to sing in endless day.
6. One thing the muse implores before she goes From those delightful bowers of soft repose ; Lord, guide me in the way through life to yonder day, Where joy without decay, and pleasure flows.
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When Rev. George Whitfield preached among us, he met Mr. Conant near the meeting-house not long after his ordination and asked him how the work prospered on his hands; Mr. Conant was desponding and said, " who is sufficient for these things." On entering the pulpit, Mr. Whitfield announced his text, "I am this day weak, though crowned king," and preached with great power.
All the successive wives of Mr. Conant were greatly esteemed and beloved by his people, and of exemplary piety.
Mr. Conant preached a sermon at Plymouth in com- memoration of the landing of the Pilgrims, Dec. 22, 1620, which has been printed, as was also a sermon on the death of his wife. These attest the excellency of his preaching, as have also those who sat under the " droppings of the sanctuary" when he preached.
REV. THOMAS WELD.
This minister is sometimes numbered among the pastors of our church, but is scarcely entitled to that honor. He was a graduate of Harvard College in 1723, and his residence seems to have been in Boston. On the death of Mr. Thacher in the spring of 1744, there were one hundred and fifteen male members in the church. Ninety-nine of them invited Mr. Conant to preach to them on probation, but the parish only permitted him to preach in their house one half day, and he preached for several months at the house of Madam Thacher. But his friends " built him a house." He was called by
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the church to settle among them, but the parish peremp- torily refused to concur in the call. In the meantime, the parish had applied to Mr. Weld, and he had preached to them and the sixteen members of the church ;"the minority had given him a call to settle, and the parish concurred in the call. The church protested against his installation, but he was in- stalled October 2, 1745, Mr. Conant having been ordained the March before. He continued to minister to them in the old meeting-house till January 8, 1749, when the question was put in parish meeting, "whether they would dismiss Rev. Thomas Weld from the pastoral office, and he was then dismissed by a great majority of votes." The church was requested to join in the measure, and the meeting-house doors ordered to be shut against him. The reason of this abrupt proceeding does not appear. The church having passed a similar vote, March 18, the parish again passed the same vote, and agreed to join the church in calling a council to complete his dismission, giving leave to Mr. Weld to join them in the call. No doubt the council judged his dismission advisable. He, however, brought his action in Boston for his salary and put his people to much trouble and expense in defending it. He lost his case, and " brought his petition of review." Something must have been recovered, for March 26, 1759 the precinct " voted to pay to the parishioners who had discharged the execution of the administrators of Mr. Weld against the parish ; to Jacob Thompson £38 6s. 2d, to Seth Sampson and John Miller £16 2s. 11d, and to William IIarlow and John Miller £8 6s. 6}d., besides £5 Ss. paid to Ignatius Elms." There was great embarrassment in paying the parish expenses, and the
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same year the parish, " by vote, sold unto David Sim- mons the old meeting-house for the sum of £13 6s. Sd, exclusive of the pews and the pulpit."
ELIJAH PACKARD,*
May 1, 1753, a Harvard graduate of 1750, was called to settle with this church (the minority) and parish. It does not appear that he responded to the call. He preached twenty-one Sabbaths for which they paid him £16 16s., and this is the last account of that meeting, although many parish meetings were afterwards held to wind up their affairs. After about two years negocia- tion, the parish, which had been divided into two societies by law of -, 1747, was re-united by law of 1754, and settled down peaceably under the ministry of Mr. Conant, having just before petitioned general court, " that no presentment might be made against them for being destitute of a minister until the precinct is in a better condition to settle one."
REV. JOSEPH BARKER.
After the death of Rev. Mr. Conant, the church and people became greatly interested in the preaching of Mr. Abraham Camp, a graduate of Yale, 1773. In 1778 they invited him " to spend the winter with them," and in December, " Voted to give him a call on probation,"
* He was settled in the ministry at Plymouth, and afterwards went to Marlborough. His native place was Bridgewater.
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and in February following, unanimously invited him to the pastoral office. He answered doubtfully, and requested that the votes of the sisters might be taken. In November, 1780, the church again called him to the pastorate by vote of twenty-two to five. It was said that his high favor of "woman's rights" caused the opposing votes. Mr. Barker was recommended by Rev. Dr. Emmons, and was then sent for to Blanford where he was preaching. He was a graduate of Yale, 1771, and was admitted as master at that and several other colleges ; was unanimously called to the pastorate, August 9, 1781, and ordained December 5, of the same year. His ministry continued till his death, July 5, 1815, except while he was in Congress, he having been a member of that body in 1805, 1806, 1807, and 1808. In his absence the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Azel Washburn, Rev. Simeon Doggett, and Rev. Mr. Robin- son, of Westborough. Rev. James Davis was with us in 1807.
Mr. Barker preached a century sermon one hundred years after the organization of the church, in which many of the historical records are taken notice of, and the character of our pastors given, which was printed at the time ; also, a sermon on the death of Dea. B. Thomas, in which his life and character are very graphically drawn. He was buried in the parish burial ground.
Mr. Barker was considered an able, sound and ortho- dox preacher of the Hopkinsion school, and much respected by his people. Those who had lived under the ministry of Mr. Conant, thought there was in Mr. Barker a strong contrast between the two in pastoral
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visitations, and cheerfulness, and condescention out of the pulpit ; but there was very little complaint. His studies were unremitted, and he brought "beaten oil" into the sanctuary. He was an able sermonizer, of which a volume of his sermons in print give decisive evidence. He was twice married; his first wife was Eunice Stebbins, of Longmeadow; a lady of great cheerfulness, economy, and piety, and much esteemed by all the people. She died October 6, 1809, aged 49, much lamented. He had by her seven children : William, a graduate of Brown in 1808, James, also a graduate there in 1814; William died at Andover Seminary in 1809; Joseph, who has a family and lives in the parish ; Stephen; Eunice, who married Elkanah Doggett, and lived in Chicago, and has recently de: ceased ; Elizabeth, unmarried, and lived with her sister, and Mary, who died in childhood.
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