USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Canton > Canton Baptist memorial : being a historical discourse delivered before the Baptist Church in Canton, Mass., at the celebration of their fiftieth anniversary, Wednesday, June 22, 1864 > Part 7
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Eighteen hundred and fifty-one was the world's year of peace. The nations had forgotten for a while their feuds, and employed the universal respite from bloodshed in assembling industrial congresses, and forwarding the healthful enterprises of science and religion. Many a faltering good cause found its opportunity in that silent jubilee, when the dial-hands of the nineteenth century, still pointing to noon, seemed to wait for God's people to invoke a future of better things ; and per- adventure this little church partook the general benediction of the year, and began from thence the ascending way to a surer prosperity. Such a hope now dwelt, though feebly, in the bosoms of the members; and an outline of the church's history, published in the Minutes for 1850, closes with some words of encouragement. The church and pastor labored
* After this date, many matters of interest, formerly recorded in the church-book, will be found in the society-records.
9
66
CANTON BAPTIST MEMORIAL.
[1851-3.
Sixth Revival.
Ordination of Mr. Ford. Open Communion.
together harmoniously, and ere long their hearts were cheered by the conversion of souls.
Bro. Ford was ordained here on the 25th of September, 1851; Rev. Isaac Smith, now of Foxboro', preaching the sermon ; and Rev. George W. Sampson, now Dr. Sampson, of Washington, presenting the right hand of fellowship. Rev. Jeremiah Chaplin, since of Newton, gave the charge to the can- didate; and Rev. Silas Ripley offered the ordaining prayer. Other parts in the service were borne by Revs. Thomas Driver, J. W. Olmsted, Alfred Colburn, and George Tucker. Sharon, Foxboro', West and East Dedham, Jamaica Plain, Randolph, and East Stoughton, supplied the ordaining council.
In March, 1852, the minds of so large a number in the church became exercised in favor of open communion, that the following resolution was drafted and presented : -.
" Regarding a compliance of our Saviour's command, to 'believe and be baptized,' requisite for admission to his table, we see no just reason why all such persons as have a good standing in any evangelical church, in obedi- ence to such requisition of our Lord, should not be admitted to his table, to celebrate with us the gospel ordinance of the Lord's Supper. Therefore
Resolved, That this church, hereafter, give the following invitation at their communion service : 'All baptized believers in good standing in any evan- gelical church are invited to a seat with us at the Lord's table.'" (181)
This resolution was adopted " unanimously ; " (182) but the majority, finding afterwards that a minority (probably not present at its adoption) were dissatisfied with this change, after a kind and temperate discussion at the next monthly meeting, consented to a reconsideration, and the matter was left where it had been before the vote.(183) Any future mem- ber, curious to know how well this church deserves a "liberal " reputation, can have to think that it was avowedly an open- communion church just twenty-eight days and twenty-eight nights.
In the months of March and April, twelve were baptized ; and before May, 1853, eight more. Bro. Ford's pastorate was in the main a pleasant one. though, like that of all his predecessors, brief. His name will ever be connected in the
1
£
David R. Ford
67
CANTON BAPTIST MEMORIAL.
1853-5.]
Repairs, &c.
Ford Resigned.
Russell twelfth Pastor. Organ.
memory of the church with her sixth revival. A few cases of discipline became necessary during his stay here, and one was excluded as unworthy ; but the church had received strength again, and was able to hold her own. The ladies of the society enlisted with special energy, replenished the baptismal ward- · robe, and improved the interior of the meeting-house at an expense of nearly seventy dollars .*
Failing health obliged Bro. Ford to resign towards the close of his third year; and in November, 1853, he was dis- missed from his charge.
David Barnes Ford was born in South Scituate, Nov. 10, 1820; fitted for college in Hanover Academy, in that place ; and graduated at Brown University in 1845. He studied theology at Newton, and was Hebrew tutor there after his graduation in 1848. He now resides in South Scituate, and supplies the pulpit of the First Baptist Church in Marshfield. Since leaving this place, he has published several articles in the "Biblotheca Sacra," "Christian Review," and "Boston Review," and translated, jointly with Professor Hovey, Perthe's "Life and Times of John Chrysostom."
Rev. PHILEMON R. RUSSELL was the next pastor. He was settled here in April, 1854; having previously supplied the pulpit for several weeks. He found the church numbering ninety-six members, and labored among them three years, · going much from house to house, and exhorting them to fidelity and good works.
It was during his pastorate that the society procured the organ which now stands in the choir .¡ This was purchased in the spring of 1855, chiefly through the enterprise of the ladies, who persuaded the society to obtain it, and raised the necessary funds by subscription. Mr. E. L. Holbrook, of East Medway, was the builder.
Philemon Robbins Russell was born in Bath, Me., March 10, 1807; was hopefully converted in 1826, and, after prepar-
* Rec. Ladies' Benevolent Soe., vol. ii. pp. 7, 10.
t In that time, also, the fence was built in front of the meeting-house (1855).
1
68
-
CANTON BAPTIST MEMORIAL.
[1858-61.
G. W. Hervey settled.
His Birth, Education, &c.
ing for the ministry under private tuition in his native town, he was ordained in Winchester, N.H., in 1831. According to the records, he received five into the church by baptism dur- ing his ministry in Canton. He now resides in Lynn .*
After remaining destitute of a pastor about six months, dur- ing which time Bro. George Howell + preached here sev- eral times as a candidate, the church called and settled Rev. GEORGE W. HERVEY. He supplied them ably with the minis- try of the word, from early in January, 1858, to the 1st of July, 1861, baptizing in that time sixteen. While he preached here, the church sent out one young minister, Rev. Oliver P. Fuller, now of Centreville, R.I. He was not licensed herc, having been connected with another church during his studies in Middleboro' and Providence ; but his home was here, and the brethren and sisters here from time to time gave him aid and encouragement. The 11th of February, 1859, was made the pleasant occasion of a presentation to this young brother of a purse of sixty dollars by Mr. Hervey, on behalt of the church and society, and of a handsome watch by the ladies. It was also during Bro. Hervey's pastorate that the church purchased its new communion-service.
George Winifred Hervey was born in South Durham, N.Y., Nov. 28, 1821. Converted while studying law, he turned his attention to the ministry, and was licensed to preach in 1842. He began his collegiate studies at Madison University, and was graduated from Columbia College, Wash- ington, in 1847, subsequently receiving the master's degree from the University of Rochester. He was ordained in April, 1850, by the Amity-street Baptist Church, in New York City, and settled successively at Upper Middletown, Conn., and Hudson, N.Y., prior to his pastorate in Canton. He spent the year 1856 in European study and travel. He is the author of two works on practical ethics, the one entitled " The Prin- ciples of Courtesy," and the other, "The Rhetoric of Conver- sation," published by Messrs. Harper & Bros. The latter
* Visited Canton and preached, March 26, 1865.
f Since become an Episcopalian, and now preaching in Waltham.
# Rec. Ladies' Benevolent Soc., vol. ii. p. 43.
PB. Rupell
69
CANTON BAPTIST MEMORIAL.
1861-2.]
A. F. Mason supply.
Church Remodelled. Dexter supply.
work has been republished in London. He has also published a sermon preached by him in this place, Jan. 4, 1861, entitled " Liberty a Cloak of Maliciousness," and several articles in the " Christian Review ; " one on "Congregational Singing," an- other on "Hereditary Depravity," translated from the Ger- man, and another entitled "Spurgeon as a Preacher." Bro. Hervey is at present doing the work of an evangelist in and near New-York City.
After an interval of three months, during which time differ- ent preachers occupied the pulpit, - Rev. W. H. Watson, of Natick, coming once to administer the ordinance of baptism, and Bro. Chapin H. Carpenter,* the missionary, supplying here once or twice from the seminary at Newton, -- Bro. . A. F. Mason + began to labor here in the ministry, and con- tinued with the church until July, 1862, preaching and bap- tizing. The church signified their desire that he should re- main with them a year from that date; but he declined, believing that the providence of God called him to another field. During his stay here, the church received an accession of six to its membership.
The question of altering and repairing the meeting-house was voted upon this year ; and, after considerable discussion in church and society, it was determined to begin at once, and carry through the contemplated work before the times grew harder. Accordingly, in the spring of 1862, the repairs were commenced, and carried vigorously forward through the sum- mer, until, on the first Sabbath in October, Bro. Samuel K. Dexter, a young student at Hamilton, who had preached to the people in the chapel during his vacation, held the first service in the remodelled church.
It proved fortunate that this work was accomplished so soon, as, otherwise, it might have been delayed till the house was too old to be repaired. The distress felt from the war to-day precludes the possibility of any extraordinary outlay for years to come.
* Son of Rev. Mark Carpenter (p. 49), and now in Rangoon.
t Since of New-York City.
70
CANTON BAPTIST MEMORIAL.
[1863-4.
Cart supply.
T. Brown settled.
Sacred Music of the Church.
Among other alterations, the old bell hung in 1839 was ex- changed at this time for the cast-steel one which now langs in the belfry.
In November of this year, Rev. A. W. Carr began to supply the pulpit; and, on the 9th of December, the church extended him a call. This call he ultimately declined, although at first he gave the people some encouragement to expect him; and in March, 1863, Rev. THERON BROWN, the present pastor, came here by unanimous invitation, having supplied the church most of the time since the middle of January.
Theron Brown was born in Willimantic, Conn., April 29, 1832. He indulged a hope in Christ in the winter of 1850-51, and turned his attention to the ministry. His preparatory studies were pursued at the Connecticut Literary Institution in Suffield; at Yale College, where he took his degree in 1856; at the Theological School on East Windsor Hill; and at New- ton Theological Seminary, from which he was graduated in June, 1859. On the 15th of December in the same year, he was ordained over the Baptist Church in South Framingham, having preached more or less as a licentiate of the First Baptist Church in New Haven, Conn., since the fall of 1856. During the winter and spring of 1861-62, he spent another term of study at Newton, and subsequently, up to the commencement of his pastorate in Canton, was engaged chiefly in writing for religious journals.
I have purposely omitted to make any particular mention of the sacred music of the church, reserving what facts I found respecting that interesting department of its worship for a special notice at the end.
The ancient town of Stoughton, which included the present Canton, was the cradle of the New-England middle-age psalm- ody,- that strange, quaint, minor mode, with its " down-up" time and its complicated " fugues," whose most characteristic specimens are now preserved, and performed only as musical curiosities.
Theron Brown
71
CANTON BAPTIST MEMORIAL.
1774-1814.]
Early Canton Psahody.
First Singers in the Church.
" Portland," and " Sherburne," and " Bridgewater " and " Lenox," and " Windham " and " Lebanon," and " China " and "Majesty," and " New Jerusalem" and the " Easter Anthem," were all born upon this soil; and the familiar Canton names of Capen and Tilden and Tolman and French and Dickerman and Belcher appeared ninety years ago on the list of the singing- class of William Billings the composer, and were famous more or less in the old time, in the Stoughton Musical Society or Old Club.
The members of both the Canton choirs belonged, most of them, to the Old Club. It was an age of musical enthusiasm, when this church was young; and there were few in the town who could sing, that were not, or had not been, connected with the popular singing-school of Squire Dunbar, the " king of singers."* So familiar were the carly members of this church with the old-fashioned music,t that no note-books were used in their meetings for seven years. Among them were several brethren and sisters, whom God had gifted in no mean degree with the talent of song. They loved the ancient, plaintive lays of Billings and Swan, and Holden and Reed, and Maxim and Edson and Belcher; and few ever sung them better than Friend Crane and Deacon Tilden. Upon them devolved the
* The old singers' list, to which reference has been made, bears date 1774, the year before the battle of Lexington. The Stoughton Musical Society was formed on the 5th of November, 1786. Samuel Tolman was the first leader. - Histor. and Ge- nealog. Reg., vol. xiv. pp. 252, 53.
The following verses of Rev. Mather Byles (exactly rendered into the music of " Consonance, an Anthem ") describe very well, even without the notes, the style of psalm-singing which prevailed largely in New-England church worship from the Revolution through the first quarter of the present century: -
" Down steers the BASS with grave majestic air, And up the TREBLE mounts with shrill career : With softer sounds, in mild, melodious maze, Warbling between, the TENOR gently plays; But if the inspiring ALTUS joins its force See, like the lark, it wings its towering course. From the bold height, it hails the echoing bass, Which swells to meet and mix in close embrace. Through different systems all the parts divide : By music's chords, the distant notes are tied ; And sympathetic strains enchanting wind Their restless race till all the parts are joined : Then rolls the rapture through the air around In the full, magic melody of sound."
72
CANTON BAPTIST MEMORIAL.
[1814-21.
Early Singers.
First Choir and Chorister.
duty of " starting the tune " in the days of the school-house meetings ; and though the assembly was never so small, and even if no minister was present, there was sure to be no lack of song-worship provided they were there. Their children in- herited much of their tunefulness, and many of the voices were youthful that sung when the gallery of the old meeting- house was first opened for divine praise.
The first notice of a choir appears immediately after the dedication of that meeting-house, when Oliver Hayden, a singing-master of Stoughton, receives an invitation to lead the singing.(27) Saving a tuning-fork and pitch-pipe, no instru- ments were used in that old-fashioned orchestra. The feelings of many of the congregation were against such artificial aids to worship; and indeed, when the whole force was mustered together, and the spirit of praise was fully on, there was little need of them. Wonders of melody were achieved when the four families of Belcher, Tucker, Tilden, and Crane, each a choir in itself, met, with all their combined strength and diver- sity of musical gifts, to sustain their several parts in one grand tune. Clifford Belcher * was the first chorister. He took the place at an early day (Hayden being only an occa- sional leader, and never residing in the place), and continued in it nearly twenty years. There was no disputing his claim to be leader. The splendid tenor of his voice rang above the rest like a trumpet. Clara Crane and her sisters Sarah and .Julia, Caroline and Roxy Blackman, Ruth Houghton, Abigail Tilden, Ruth Mckendry, and Caty Tucker, carried along the treble and counter-tenor like a chime; and the clear notes of Elisha Crane, and the leader's two sons Daniel and Clifford Belcher, most musically bore their part in the harmony. There too, Abner Tilden, and Samuel Tucker with his son Elias, and Ezra Tilden with his son Lemuel, came in in excellent time and tune ; and the deep, rolling bass of Friend Crane, poured along underneath, and through and through the song, mixing itself with the melody, and still sounding as distinct as the
* Clifford Belcher was a nephew of Supply Belcher, author of one of the old music- books, and also of several pieces in the Stoughton Collection.
£
73
CANTON BAPTIST MEMORIAL.
1821-37.]
Friend Crane's voice.
First Hymn-book. First Note-books.
cornet stop of an organ. They who heard his wonderful voice will never forget it in life, and his surviving fellow- . singers are never weary of talking about it. It is even said that his widow, by virtue of a sense peculiar to her own faith, hears at this day the grand tones of that now silent voice singing from beyond the grave the ancient anthems and psalms.
The first hymn-book of the Baptist choir was the original, unexpurgated edition of the " Psalms and Hymns " of Watts. Prior to this, an old collection, entitled " Hymns for the Use of Christians," had been in use in the meetings of the Baptists. This book has already been referred to (p. 5) as containing the hymns which expressed so appropriately the early situation and circumstances of the church. It was a queer miscellany, comprising some of the proudest and some of the poorest efforts of devotional rhyme. "My Soul's full of Glory," " Oh, when shall I see Jesus ?" "Let Thy Kingdom, Blessed Saviour," " How Tedious and Tasteless the Hours !" " Come, all ye Christian Pilgrims," and the ancient favorite from the pen of Dr. Baldwin, " From whence doth this union arise ?" are specimen hymns of this collection, familiar once to the proscribed Baptist worshippers as household words.
No note-books were in use before the meeting-house was built, such old tunes only being sung as dwelt in the people's memories : afterwards, for ten or twelve years, the choir sung out of the " Bridgewater Collection" and the "Village Choir." A vote of the church in July, 1832, authorizing the purchase of " six hymn-books and six singing-books for the use of the singing," refers probably to the latter book. At the time the old meeting-house was abandoned, they were singing from the "Washington Harmony." In May, 1837, it was voted to " purchase one dozen hymn-books and one dozen singing-books for the use of the choir." By this time, the singers had com- menced the use of "Winchell's Watts;" and this is most likely the hymn-book referred to in the purchase.
As the younger generation came on, there began to be a demand for instrumental music. The movement to procure
10
74
CANTON BAPTIST MEMORIAL.
[1836-41.
Bass-viol and violin.
Elias Tucker chorister. H. Bird's singing-school.
this was, at first, stoutly withstood by a few; but the many prevailed, and, before the church left the original house, a violincello was procured, and committed to the skilful hands of Capt. Elisha Crane, the son of Friend .*
Not long after the commencement of worship in the new house, a double-bass-viol was purchased ; and, in the spring of 1841, the ladies presented the choir with a violin.+ Elias Tucker played upon the first, and the smaller instrument was performed by Clifford Belcher, jun. By this time, the most strenuous opposers of instrumental music were dead; but there remained a few who felt their old repugnance revive at this reinforcement of stringed melody, and bestowed upon the new instruments the undignified designation of " fiddles."
Elias Tucker succeeded chorister Belcher in the duties and honors of the leadership. He came in at about the time of the great musical revival in the town. For a series of years, the singing had greatly deteriorated in the churches, till there seemed likely to be none, after the old natural voices were gone, to maintain the excellence of the ancient choirs.
Feeling deeply the desirableness of restoring an interest in sacred music, committees from all the religious societies met in 1840, and voted to request Mr. Lowell Mason to re- commend to them a suitable teacher.
.
Mr. Mason recommended Horace Bird, who was at once en- gaged to come to this place and establish a singing-school. The effect was soon apparent in the improved quality of the singing in the Baptist and other churches. Mr. Bird's school was thronged. He labored here nearly two years, and com- pletely revived the musical enthusiasm of the old time ; and, at this day, he has the credit of making nearly all the old singers who are at present in the town. It is at least truc, that he made a good part of the singers in the present Baptist choir. # Elias Tucker was one of his pupils. He was made leader in 1840, and has continued until now, through sunshine
At first, this bass-viol was owned by Friend Crane; but in September, 1841, he presented it to the church. -- Ch. Rec. p. 125.
t Rec. Ladies' Benevolent Soc., vol. i. p. 14.
# June, 1864. For the changes since then, see p. 76, note.
75
CANTON BAPTIST MEMORIAL.
1841-51.]
Instruments dispensed with.
New Tune-books. Dea. Crane.
and through storm, faithful to the interests of the choir, until he has grown a veteran in the service. Andrew Lopez, the assistant chorister, also a pupil of Mr. Bird, has held his office for an equal term, and assisted the singing with distinguished ability.
After a time the double-bass-viol and violin grew tiresome, and were pronounced out of date. The violin was carried away, and its huge, three-stringed companion was condemned to stand silent in the corner of the gallery until the summer of 1849, when it was sold for the trifle of eighteen dollars and a half.
For five or six years prior to 1850 or thereabouts, the choir sung, after the old fashion, having no instrumental music. Then the small seraphine,* now standing in the chapel, was carried in, and used more or less till the organ was set up.
Meanwhile, the tune-books had several times been changed. The "Boston Academy " succeeded the " Washington Har- mony," and was in turn succeeded by the " Modern Psalmist." Then came the " Carmina Sacra," which holds its place yet as a sort of standard, always supplying a good tune when the lighter collections that lie on the gallery railing fail to furnish the leader with the proper music for the minister's hymn.
The interest felt by Deacon Crane in the choir continued unabated till his death, nor did his voice ever fail. Even dur- ing his last sickness, when he invited, as he loved to do, his fellow-singers into his room to sing him over the good old tunes, his round, rich bass would involuntarily break in, and continue, unshaken by his threescore years and ten, in perfect harmony to the close. One chief object in his provision for building a chapel was, as he told them when they stood around his bed, to secure to the choir a better place to meet and prac- tice in .¡
In the summer of 1851, the "Psalmist," our present church hymn-book, was procured, nor has the time quite come to supersede it. About the same time, Mr. E. W. Bray, a mem-
* Purchased by Deacon Capen.
f Deacon Crane died March 27, 1847, aged seventy. His last words were, " I want rest."
-
76
CANTON BAPTIST MEMORIAL.
[1855-64.
Organ and organists.
New Tune-books.
Descendants of the old choir.
ber of the society, presented the church with a set of the " Cantica Laudis." -
The twelve-stop organ now in the loft was built in 1855, by subscription, at a cost of about five hundred. and fifty dollars. Miss Julia Crane, since Mrs. George Ames, a grand- daughter of Friend Crane, who had played some time in the choir upon the old instrument, was the first organist. After her marriage, in 1856, the organ was played by Miss Eveline Knaggs, now Mrs. A. F. Mason. She continued until the end of the year 1862, when, on her removal from Canton, Miss Clara Lopez, daughter of the assistant chorister, took the organist's place, and still retains it .*
Besides the " Cantica Laudis," since the introduction of the " Carmina Sacra," the choir have used more or less the " Mod- ern Harp," the " Bay-State Collection," the " Psaltery," and the "Harp of Judah."
For a chapel hymn-book, the " Christian Harp " was pro- cured in 1856, and succeeded in 1861 by the "Sacred Lyre," which is still in use.
It is interesting to find two members of the choir of fifty years ago still represented in the singers' seats. Five of our present choir are descendants of Ezra Tilden and Samuel Tucker. May the new be in more respects than one.the chil- dren of the old; and, when the time shall come for this choir and congregation to stand before the great white throne, may the voices of the first and last that sung or shall have sung the praises of God here, be lifted in eternal jubilee, where fifty years are but the twinkling of an eye, and a thou- sand years are as one day ! ;
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