USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Brief history of the First Church in Plymouth, from 1606 to 1901 > Part 6
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The seceders applied to the General Court for in- corporation as the Third Congregational Society in Plymouth, pleading the inadequacy of one church to meet the needs of the town, (the second church being at Manomet) and their inability to co-operate with their late co-religionists through lack of agree- ment and sympathy.
The charter was granted, and in 1802, Deacon John Bishop with his fellow-seceders were incor- * Records of the First Church.
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porated as a distinct society. Before taking steps to erect a church building they petitioned the town The Third Church for a lot on Training Green. A committee was appointed to of Christ in Plymouth 1801. take the matter into considera- tion and to report. After de- liberation, they decided, in view of the contemplated sale of the whole of Training Green, that it was inexpedient at this time. "To comply with the request of the applicants by grant- ing a lot, for the purpose mentioned, would in the opinion of your committee, not only preclude the Town under whatever circumstances, it may be, from opposing the prosecution of that object; but would sanction the separation of a small number of persons, on principles which do not appear to be substantial and well-founded. If religious societies are to be split up into divisions, merely for a variance of sentiment in certain polemic speculations, about which the greatest and best men in all ages of the Christian Church have differed, each Christian must consecrate his own dwelling, as his sanctuary, for scarcely two of the best informed Christians can be found precisely to agree on every controversial point." *
A church was erected on the westerly side of Training Green, and the Rev. Adoniram Judson was settled as the first pastor. Later on, two churches sprung from the new society, one at Eel River in 1814, and the Robinson church in 1830.
* Town Records vide Hon. W. T. Davis's Ancient Landmarks of Plymouth.
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Creed, or no Creed?
On the 5th of May 1870, the name of the Third Church was changed to " The Church and Society of the Pilgrimage," and a Church Manual was printed, which appropriated all the ministers and deacons of the First Church down to 1801, and set up an unwarranted claim to be the first and oldest church in America, although on the 14th of No- vember of the same year, the Church of the Pil- grimage adopted new Articles of Faith, with a new covenant, and rules of government.
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CHAPTER IX. Back to the Past.
T HE Creed of 1795, the real cause of dis- sension in the First Church, still remained to be dealt with. That had been the apple of discord in the community, and would remain a disturbing factor, unless some action was taken upon it. A creed in such a church, and with such a history, was a dangerous anachronism. The creed in question was a strongly Calvinistic statement of faith, and was intended to rule out of fellowship, all who could not subscribe to it. Its fundamental propositions were in substance the following.
I. The apostacy and total depravity of human nature by sin.
2. Salvation purchased by the atoning blood of Christ.
3. The absolute necessity of regeneration by the supernatural agency of the Holy Spirit. The sovereignty of divine grace in the conversion of sinners.
4. The true and proper deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the only meritorious ground of justification before God.
5. Eternal happiness for the elect : eternal misery for the rest.
The Pilgrim Fathers may have believed these dogmas, wholly or in part, but they never put them into a creed, or made belief in them essential to
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Christian fellowship. The simple covenant still in use at the First Church satisfied their requirements.
It is, therefore, not surprising, that after the death of Dr. Robbins, the community rebelled against the new instrument, and quietly resolved to get rid of it; and on the 9th of July 1820, "a meeting was called to consider the expediency of altering the terms or conditions of becoming members of the church, and enjoying Christian privileges, in order to render them more conformable to the require- ments of the Gospel, more agreeable to apostolic practice, and more in accordance with the usage of this church for 175 years. It appeared that in 1795 a departure from the ancient usage of the church was introduced by adopting a written creed or con- fession, which was thought to be a condition of ad- mission to Christian ordinances, and not promotive of the increase and prosperity of the church. That it was, in fact a departure from the practice of this church from the time of our forefathers, and from the first principle of Protestantism - which is a suf- ficiency of Holy Scripture for all the purposes of faith and practice. Instead, therefore, of continuing to make a public acknowledgment of this creed, a condition of enjoying Christian fellowship and com- munion in future, it was voted unanimously to re- turn to the former practice of this church, in this respect, and adopt the covenant made use of by the church previous to the year 1795.
It is interesting to observe, how both parties to
* Records of the First Church.
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this controversy, those who accepted the creed, and those who rejected it, appealed to Scripture, and especially to the Gospels, in support of their con- flicting opinions. Both claimed to be evangelical. The triumphant majority stoutly held, that neither the creed itself was scriptural, nor the use of it. Its dogmas were not known, when the earlier scriptures were penned; and not until many cen- turies after the death of Jesus and his apostles did theological belief and conformity to opinion become a condition of discipleship, or of enjoyment of Christian ordinances.
Once again, the old Church stood out in splendid isolation, and beneath an open sky, without any ecclesiastical affiliation or dogmatic bonds. Its faith was as great as ever, its teachings were unim- paired, its ordinances were intact, its work was un- restricted, and its first principles were in the way of fulfilment. It was still in spirit and in truth, the Church of the Pilgrims, the pure shrine to which the children of the ancient fathers gathered for worship.
That the controversy ended as it did, was due in large measure, to the tact, urbanity, and refinement of Dr. Kendall. He was by nature and habit, free from the passions and prejudices which heat and disturb less finely tempered minds. Strength and sweetness were so blended in his character, that the tempests of the soul, in which other men delight, and which so often lift them from their feet, left him serene and firm. The passing disturbance soon sub- sided, and the two churches settled down to their
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separate functions, the Church of the Pilgrimage priding itself upon its loyalty to Calvinistic teaching, so far as the spirit of the age would permit it to do so; and the First Church adhering to the principles of non-subscription to creeds and articles, and open- ness to more scientific knowledge of Scripture and religious philosophy, in accordance with the true spirit of Protestantism and the practice of the Pil- grim Fathers ; the former remaining in the Congre- gationalist body, the latter becoming more liberal, and finally joining the Unitarian movement, which at that time, differed but little from the advanced wing of modern Congregationalists.
On the 10th of April 1831, the last religious ser- vice was held in the old Meeting-House, which had stood for eighty-seven years. D' Kendall preached from the text Haggai II, 3. " Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? And now do you see it ? " It was decided to take the edifice down, and to build another, larger and more in keeping with the improved taste, and broader out- look of the times. The new building was in course of construction about eight months, and on the 14th of December 1831, was dedicated to "the worship and service of God." The opening sermon was The Fourth Meeting- House 1831 preached by the Rev Dr Kendall, from Ezra VI 16. " And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy." The
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sermon dealt among other things with the unique catholicity of John Robinson and the Pilgrim Fathers, and with the desire of their heirs to per- petuate the same liberality and freedom from re- ligious persecution. " May these sacred walls" said he, " never reverberate with licentious opinions, the shouts of fanaticism; nor the denunciations of bigotry." The new building was a handsome and commodious structure, for the place and the time, and like the one which preceded it, was the gather- ing-place of descendants of the Pilgrims, who met on different occasions, to express their veneration for the forefathers. Its walls echoed to the voices of many famous men, who continued to do honour to the founders of the republic, on the spot which their fame had glorified ; and among the regular at- tendants at the services there, were many families claiming direct descent from the Pilgrims.
The church maintained its ancient ordinances, and continued to participate in the ordination and installation of ministers of other Congregational churches. Narrow restrictions were removed from the administration of Baptism and the Lord's Sup- per, in which Christians of any name or creed were permitted to participate. As early as 1804, Bap- tists, Congregationalists, and Episcopalians, partook of communion in the Church. The Records relate that on the 12th of October 1804, Joanna Winslow and Mary Warren, Episcopalians of Scituate, sought permission to join in the communion of the First Church, and their request was cordially received and granted.
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On the 15th of June 1837, a meeting of the parish was held, to consider the best means of further promoting the prosperity of the church, and it was voted unanimously to adopt the following profession and declaration, " Believing the Scriptures of the Qld and New Testaments to contain the word of God, and to be the only and sufficient rule of faith and practice ; it is my (or our) sincere desire and purpose of heart, in professing this belief, in joining this church, and partaking of the ordinances of the Gospel, by the aid of his grace-to live by the faith of the Son of God, and thus to walk in all his commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blame- less." It was made optional with the applicant, to manifest his or her assent to this profession, either in public, or to the pastor, in private, and by so doing, the person was received, and declared to be, a member in full communion with the church. " This form being so much in harmony with the simplicity that was in Christ, and so conformable to the primitive practice of the church, it is hoped and believed will tend to remove from the minds of sincere and devout persons, every reasonable objection against joining the church, and availing themselves of the satisfaction and benefit of enjoying the Christian ordinances. May this harmonious pro- ceeding of the brethren, be followed by the favour and blessing of the great head of the Church, and result in the prosperity of our spiritual Zion." *
It was to be expected that the liberal attitude of * Records of the First Church.
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the church would lay it open to some popular mis- representation. The denial of Calvinistic theology was equivalent in the minds of illiterate persons, to the rejection of Scripture, and all the more so, after the society had formally affiliated itself with the Unitarians, although D' Channing and the leaders of the Unitarian movement regarded the dogmas of the trinity, man's natural depravity, and atonement by blood, not only as unreasonable in themselves, but unscriptural. The point upon which the early Unitarians were wont to lay stress was the un- scriptural character of the dogmas, against which they protested. The time had not yet come, when they were to take other and broader ground, and to maintain, that doctrines which were intrinsically and logically unbelievable were not to be accepted, whether in the Bible or out of it. For the moment, they were willing to use the weapons of the Refor- mation, and to contend for the Scriptural basis of their beliefs. They were met with persistent mis- understanding and abuse from people, who would not, or could not see, that the issues at stake were to be settled by learning and fair judgment, and not by passion and prejudice, and that a man might believe or deny dogmas without being morally the better or the worse. Speculative opinions were impersonal things, and he might be a good Trini- tarian, or a good Unitarian, without in any degree gaining or losing caste as a Christian. There was no moral merit in affirmation, and no culpability in denial. The questions at issue between the churches
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were to be settled by critics and scholars, and not by appeals to ignorant zeal and prejudice.
There were good Christians in the world, and in the church, long before dogmas were promulgated, or creeds were invented. The old First Church was pledged by its history to this truth, and was among the earliest communities to recognize the fact, which is fast becoming a simple truism, that Christianity is a type of life, and not a collection of opinions : discipleship to the great master of the art of living, and not scholarship in a theological academy. It is a temper and disposition of the mind and heart, which may exist under this doctrine or that, under one name or another. There is some portion of it in every church, and no church con- tains the whole of it -a beautiful truth which is doing so much to efface the lines between the sects, and to bring people together, who despite their inevitable differences of belief, ought to live in one fold, and under one shepherd.
No one was better able to illustrate and champion this return to the primitive simplicity and inclusive- ness of the First Church, at the opening of the nine- teenth century, than D' Kendall. He was a man of generous and dispassionate judgment, of inflexible integrity, of gentle and kindly affections. His very presence rebuked passion and disarmed prejudice, and opponents might challenge his opinions, but could not dispute his Christian character. His preaching and pastoral work won for him the es- teem and love of his own people, and of others not
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of that fold. He became identified with the best life of the town, and endeared himself to citizens gener- ally, by his readiness to serve them in any capacity within his power.
After he had been pastor for thirty-eight years, the congregation, with that kindness and courtesy which always marked the treatment of its minis- ters, persuaded him to accept the aid of an associate pastor. The Rev George W. Briggs, of Fall River, a graduate of Brown University, and a young minis- ter of great promise, was invited to take this posi- tion. He accepted the call, and George W. Briggs was installed on the 24th of 1838 May 1838. The appointment was satisfactory, since there was very much in common between the two ministers. For fifteen years, they worked together in brotherly harmony, the elder always giving his full sympathy and support to the younger, and the latter regarding his senior with something like filial respect and affec- tion. "I look back through all those years " said D' Briggs, in 1859, " to find my memory thronged with precious and beautiful remembrances of un- varying kindness. I can recall no word or look; I do not believe that he could recall a thought, which was not worthy of a father's love towards an unduly valued child. I relied upon his loving interest as upon the daily sunlight. In that relation, at least, he seemed incapable of a selfish or jealous thought. He turned the hearts of his people toward me, and never held them back."* In 1853, D' Briggs re-
* Sermon on Dr Kendall, March 20th, 1859.
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signed his pastorate to take charge of the First Con- gregational Society in Salem. His resignation was accepted with deep regret by the parish, which em- bodied its feeling in a resolution containing the fol- lowing words "We shall ever cherish a grateful recollection of the harmonious relations which have existed between yourself and the parish for fifteen years, and our best wishes and prayers attend you in your new field."
The effort to find a suitable successor to Dr Briggs was not an easy matter. M' Henry S. Myrick, a graduate of Harvard was appointed May the 19th 1853, but the connection was dissolved April 8th 1855. The Rev. G. S. Ball was installed on March Ist 1856, but his relation with the parish ceased in April 1857.
At last, the Church was fortunate enough to secure the services of the Rev. Edward H. Hall, son of Rev. E. B. Hall D.D. of Providence, and a graduate of Harvard. He accepted the call in December 1858, and was duly installed.
His ministry opened at a time Edward H. Hall when the anti-slavery forces 1858 were gathering for battle. The war of words which had pro- ceeded with increasing bitterness for some years was about to ripen into a momentous conflict. Lincoln and Douglas were champions in opposite camps, and their debates, which were both numer- ous and ably conducted, prepared the way for a clear understanding of the issues which were being
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forced upon the country. " There is no way " " said Lincoln " of putting an end to the slavery agitation amongst us, but to put it back upon the basis where our fathers placed it,- no way but to keep it out of our new territories - to restrict it forever to the old States where it now exists. Then the public mind will rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction."* The other way was to recognize slavery as part of the economic and industrial order, to allow it to remain where it was, and to prevent its extension over other States.
In the midst of this agitation, the venerable pas- tor who for nearly sixty years had been a tower of strength to the church, and had gone in and out among his people as a beloved friend and helper, was called to his rest. He died on the 17th of March 1859, in the 90th year of his age. During twenty- one years of his ministry, there had been several associate pastors, but he preached occasionally, until the last year of his life, and preserved unimpaired the confidence and affection, which had sustained him through an exceptionally long and pleasant pastorate. " The funeral services were held in the Church, on the afternoon of Sunday the 20th, and all the churches and places of business of the town were closed, in token of the general feeling of re- spect and affection throughout the community." f
National events were moving with great rapidity, and converging to a crisis; and when in April 1862,
* Lincoln-Douglas Debates, page 155.
t Records of the First Church.
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in consequence of the open Rebellion of the Southern States against the United States Government, lovers of union and liberty gathered around the national flag, the First Church and its minister, were as loyal as their predecessors had been in Revolutionary times. Minister and people threw themselves heartily into the conflict. On the 28th of August 1862, Mr Hall announced that he had been elected Chaplain of the 44th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers, and had resolved to accept the appointment. "At this time," he wrote, " when all our duties lie in one direction, and when each one is called upon to render what service he is able, to the great cause, I feel sure that you will approve of my decision to accept the place."
An informal meeting of the Parish was held at the church, on the 31st of August, and the follow- ing resolutions were adopted unanimously : -
" That it gives us sincere regret, that the minis- terial relations of our pastor with this people are dis- turbed, and that we are to lose the ministrations of . one so able, devoted, and affectionate, and whose labours have for us, been so valuable and inter- esting.
That we appreciate the motives, and respect the convictions of duty, which prompt him to devote his strength and best efforts to the sacred cause of our country, at this season of affliction and peril.
That it is the unanimous desire of the Parish, that the pastoral relations of M' Hall with the people shall remain unbroken ; and that the Parish Com-
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mittee be instructed to request him to withdraw his resignation, and to offer him leave of absence for nine months."
The resignation was withdrawn, and arrangements were made for the supply of the pulpit, during the absence of the minister. Throughout six months of this absence the pulpit was supplied by the Rev : Charles W. Buck.
In answer to the call of duty, the pews were in no respect behind the pulpit. Then, and afterwards, quite a number of the young men of the church, volunteered to serve their country in the war, and upheld the traditions of the community.
On June the 28th 1863, the pastor resumed his con- nection with the church, and received an enthusiastic welcome from his parishioners and friends.
It will be remembered, that at different periods in the history of the church, attempts were made to modify the original covenant, to meet the fluctua- tions of changing opinion. Not one of the changes made, was in any respect an improvement upon the original, and it is a remarkable illustration of the liberality and foresight of the ancient fathers, that more than 250 years after the first covenant was formed, the church should hark back to it, as to the ideal bond of Christian fellowship. A church meeting was held, to consider this matter, on Sunday Dec: 20th 1863, and it was unanimously resolved, to go back to the primitive covenant of the church, (vide Church Records Vol. I page 4).
It may be worth while to notice at this point,
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the slow and imperceptible change, which at this time was creeping over the churches, in no way affecting the fundamental principles of congrega- tionalism, but tending more and more to make membership a simple question of owning or renting
pews. The ruling elder and his authority had long since ceased to be. Deacons were rapidly giving way to parish committees. Baptism and the Lord's Supper, the observance of which was once so indis- pensable to communion, and the neglect of which was accompanied with reproofs and penalties, had become optional, like attendance at public worship. The era of ecclesiastical authority in Congregation- alism was drawing to a close. The churches were in the way of becoming democratic corporations consisting of groups of people, with little in com- mon as to religious belief, and owning pews or sit- tings, which might be occupied by the proprietors themselves, or rented to others, and which were sometimes owned by absentees who had become members of other churches, or had given up going to church altogether, but apparently enjoyed the right to a voice and a vote in the affairs of a church, in which they had ceased to have any other interest. Congregationalism was making its appeal to the re- ligious instincts of its adherents, to the honour and enthusiasm of its people, and was willing to do so, despite the fact that its principles were liable in the hands of non-religious men to misuse and abuse.
The First Church harmonized the largest liberty with the warmest religious enthusiasm, and its affairs
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continued, as of old, to be directed by men who re- mained in its fellowship, and attended its services, because they enjoyed its religious privileges, for themselves and their families.
On Saturday June Ist 1867 the Rev : E. H. Hall resigned the pulpit, and shortly after settled in Worcester. His resignation was accepted with sin- cere expressions of regret.
In October 1869, a call was given to the Rev: Frederick N. Knapp, who graduated from Harvard College in 1843, to enter the Divinity School, and afterwards settled at Brook- Frederick N. Knapp line. He left Brookline in 1869
1855, on account of ill- health. On the 21st of July 1861, he joined the Sanitary Commission, becom- ing Assistant Secretary to the Eastern Division, and Superintendent of the Special Relief Department. " He was the personal friend of General Grant and President Lincoln, and when Grant visited Plym- outh, he made M' Knapp's house his stopping-place. While in the Sanitary Commission, fifty thousand wounded and sick soldiers passed through his hands, and received aid from him. After the war, he de- voted a year to writing a history of the Special Re- lief Department of the Commission, and its war work. In 1866, he became principal of a military School at Eagleswood, N.J." * His ministry in Plymouth afforded scope for his scholarly attain- ments, and for the manifestation of a generous and
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