USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Mendon > Centurial history of the Mendon association of Congregational ministers, with the Centennial address, delivered at Franklin, Mass., Nov. 19, l851, and biographical sketches of the members and licentiates > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23
5. For the preserving of Peace and Unity; by giving an account one to another of our Publick Actions, when it is orderly Desired, In order to our Strengthening one another, in our Regular Administrations, Especially by our concurrent Testimony against Persons justly censured.
6. By Seeking and accepting of Help, and Good Advice when Given, and by Affording our Help, best Counsel, and Advice, to each other when the case shall require it. More Especially in the four following cases. 1. In case of Divi- sions and contentions, when the Peace of any of the Conso- ciated Churches is Disturbed, (Acts 15 : 2.) 2. In cases of more than ordinary Importance; as the Ordination and Deposition of Elders, and the like. 3. In case of Difficult Questions and Controversies that may arise, (Acts 15 : 2.) 4. In case That in any one of our Consociated Churches there should subsist Mall-administrations, Errors, or Offences that remain unhealed, we will be ready to Afford and receive help one from another, for the Healing and removing such Offences, and for the Rectifying such Administrations.
7. By Admonishing One Another when there shall be need and sufficient Reason for it, Especially in such a case as Mall-Administrations, Errors, and Scandals shall continue to subsist in a particular church, after Good Advice given ; and if after a first Admonition administered by a Parti- cular church of the Consociation, and a second Admonition Dispensed by a superior Number of the Consociated Churches, the said offending church shall remain, We will then, if the whole Number of the Consociated Churches, or the Majority of them regularly convened, by their Pastors
5
50
HISTORICAL APPENDIX.
and Delegates in council, shall Judge necessary, Procede to the Sentence of Non-communion with said church or Peccant Party Therein, agreeable to what is Declared in the 15th chap. of the Platform of Church Dicipline, Sec. 2, Partic. 3d.
POSTSCRIPT.
To Prevent any misunderstanding of the Design of the Consociation of these Churches, or of the true Intent and Meaning of any one of the above-Mentioned acts of commu- nion, we Declare as Followeth.
1st. That Neither the above scheme in General nor any one of the acts of communion in Particular, is so to be under- stood in the least to Prejudice the Power of Government in any Particular Congregational Church, for we apprehend according to the first Proposition in Answer to the 2nd Question of the General Synod assembled in Boston, 1662, That every church or Particular Congregation of Visible Saints in Gospel order being furnished with a Presbytery, at Least with a Teaching Elder, and walking together in Truth and Peace, hath received from the Lord Jesus, full Power and authority Ecclesiastical, within itself, Regularly to administer all the Ordinances of Christ, and is not under any other Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction whatsoever, (Mat. 18 : 17, 18.) And that the Consociation of Churches is not to hinder the Exercise of this Power, but by counsel from the Word of God, to Direct and strengthen the same, when it may be Done upon Just and Sufficient Reasons.
2nd. It is the Proper work of the Pastors and Delegates of the Consociated churches, when assembled in council, to Debate and Determine controversies of faith, and cases of Conscience, to clear and Hold forth from the Word of God Holy Directions, for the Holy Worship of God, and Good Government of the Church, and to bear witness against mall-administration and corruption in Doctrine or Manners,
51
POSTSCRIPT.
in a Particular Church; and to give Directions for the Reformation thereof, but not to administer church censures, in a way of Discipline, to the Prejudice of the Power of Government, or Privilege, of any Particular Church.
3d. For the ascertaining the Rights and Powers of the Bretheren in the Ecclesiastical council when convened, it is agreed that the Power of the order of Delegates in voting shall be full equal, to that of the Pastors, And that the Majority of Delegates, as well as the Majority of Pastors or Elders shall be Judged Necessary to constitute a valid act of the Council. [And that the Eldership and Delegates from each church, be they one or more, to have Equal power with othr Churches in Every act of the Consociation.] Added 10 May, 1757.
[1. That this Association in their Proposal to their sevl chhs of Forming into a Consociation, would be understood as having in View, That ye Assemblie's Catechism and N. England Confession of Faith be regarded as Scriptural, and what we are all agreed on in point of orthodoxy.
2. As the mutual Edification of these chhs, (the End of the Consociating,) cannot be Expected but in the way of Xtian Liberty, and to guard agst all Lording it over God's Heritage, We Propose yt in case any Particular Consociated chh or chhs shall in Process of Time apprehend their Relation wt the Consociation, no longer to their Edi- fication, They may (Regularly or Formally desireing it) be Dismissed, or otherwise, their Desires being thus Signified, Dismiss themselves.] Added 20 Sept. 1757.
N. B. It is Proposed that if the churches manifest their concurrence by vote with the above written Proposal for a Consociation of Churches, That they chuse their Delegates, to stand for one year and no Longer, and so annually, and that they stand ready to Repair to the Place that shall be appointed, when they shall be notified of the time for their
52
HISTORICAL APPENDIX.
convening ; and when the said Delegates shall be Elected, that the Pastors of the Several churches notify the Moderator of Mendon Association, in order to their being convened and . formed into Council.
JOSEPH DORR, DAVID HALL, NATHAN WEBB, AMARIAH FROST, ELISHA FISH, DAVID THURSTON.
. Sutton, Nov. the 17, 1756, at a Meeting
of the Mendon Association.
Nothing occurs in any subsequent records in relation to consociation of churches. The subject of a conference of churches has been often up for consideration, but none was ever formed, because many of the members were so con- nected elsewhere.
GENERAL ASSOCIATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.
THE action of this body in relation to the General Asso- ciation of the State, may be next alluded to.
A communication from the Brookfield Association, dated March 22, 1802, was received, proposing the subject of forming a State Association, and inviting correspondence. Whereon it was " voted, 8 June, 1802, to choose a committee to repair to Northampton, to meet the committees of other Associations, agreeably to proposals. Rev. David Sanford - and Rev. Samuel Austin were chosen as committee." Both these gentlemen attended the preliminary meeting at North- ampton, July 7, 1802. The consideration of their report was deferred from October 1802, until October 1803, when, " the minds of the Association being taken, whether they will accede to the proposal made to them, and send two
53
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
delegates to the convention next June, the vote passed in the negative." The motion of Rev. Dr. Lyman of Hatfield in the Convention of Congregational Ministers, May 30, 1804, to enlist that body in a general movement to the same end, and which was by vote of convention referred to the district associations, was also rejected by this Association. The subject again came up in 1807, by a letter from the scribe of the General Association, when the same vote of refusal was repeated. So the matter rested until April 1841, when a vote of union was passed. The reason of this long hesitancy may be found mainly in the following sentiment, and in deference to him who uttered it.
" Associationism leads to Consociationism; Consociation- ism leads to Presbyterianism; Presbyterianism leads to Episcopacy ; Episcopacy leads to Roman Catholicism ; and Roman Catholicism is an ultimate fact."
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
THE attitude of the Association in respect to other public movements, benevolent organizations, etc., will be best shown by the various resolves passed at different times. Those on record are given in the order of the dates of their adoption. The more important are copied verbatim.
Nov. 17, 1756. " Upon our information that a donation given to Bellingham Church is alienated to another use, - We the Associated Pastors of Mendon Association, Do Judge, that all such donations for sacred use ought by no means to be in such manner improved as to give just scandal to any ; but Rather, considering ye dissolved state of said chh, be re- posited in ye hands of ye next Heir of ye Donor to be in Reserve : and for ye use of wh it was originally Designed wn yr shall be occasion.
Oct. 2, 1792. " Voted, as the opinion of this Association, That no man ought to be approbated, as a School-Master,
5*
54
HISTORICAL APPENDIX.
unless he promises to pray in his school every day, and to teach his scholars the Assemblie's Catechise once every week.
Jan. 19, 1795. Association highly approved of and adopted " Prest. Edwards' newly revived plan for a general concert in prayer ;" and a lengthy letter, expressive of their cordial union, was addressed to Rev. Walter King.
May 29, 1799. A proposition from the Boston Associa- tion for a convention to consider the increase of infidelity and immorality, - approved, and three delegates chosen.
June 13, 1809. Association agreed "to catechise the children under their care," and " recommend to heads of families, in their respective congregations to take pains to instruct their children in the use of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism." The same vote was substantially repeated in 1824.
Oct. 31, 1826. " Voted that it be the rule of this Associa- tion, that no ardent spirits be presented at their meetings."*
* This vote was passed at Seekonk, on the suggestion of the follow- ing incident.
The host of the Association, Rev. J. O. Barney, went into Provi- dence on the day previous to the meeting, to procure the due assort- ment of spirits which immemorial usage had made an important part of his preparation. He accomplished his errand, and at sunset com- menced his return, with an extra choice variety of liquors, - as it was his first meeting, - densely packed in a large basket in the back of his wagon. As he was abstractly driving, in forgetful haste to reach home, the loud laughter of some men upon the staging of a new house in the outskirts of the city, broke up his reverie, and suggested to him the risk of such unbecoming speed. Instantly thinking of his freight, he looked behind, and lo ! fragmentary jugs, demijohns, and bottles, were dancing in and out of the basket, and a ruby stream of wines, brandies, and cordials was allaying the excited dust of the pebbly street ! What was to be done ? Should he go back and replenish, or take it as a Providential hint, and go on ? The late hour decided him to proceed, and state the calamity to the venerable body when they assembled. He did so, and they took the hint, and promptly banished the side-board
55
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
In 1829, votes were passed commending the Massachu- setts Missionary Society, and making the Association an auxiliary.
Aug. 16, 1831. " Voted, that this Association, not being an ecclesiastical body, and having no jurisdiction over the churches, cannot consistently give advice to any church or number of churches, as such, in relation to any difficulties under which they may labor."
April 28, 1835. A committee on the conversion of Papists reported, that " as the Romish priesthood have almost un- bounded influence over the Catholic population, the first thing to be attempted towards their conversion, is to weaken this powerful influence of the priests."
Aug. 18, 1835. Resolved, -" That the members of this Association feel it to be their duty to act as agents for the benevolent societies of the day, in their own congregations ; and thus to do what they can to relieve these societies of the necessity of sustaining agents to plead their respective causes within their bounds." A copy was transmitted to the secretaries of the above-intended societies ..
Nov. 21, 1837. Voted, "That every member of the Association feels the object of the Seaman's Friends' Society to be important, and will do what he consistently can to aid the friends of said Society."
April 24, 1838. Resolves respecting the American Peace Society.
1. Resolved, -That this Association view with deep con- cern the prevalence of the war spirit in this and in other lands, and deem it highly important to pursue all judicious measures to check and eradicate that spirit.
2. Resolved, -That, although we are not prepared to
from their meetings. This was the year in which Dr. Beecher preached his six sermons on intemperance, and the American Temperance Society was organized.
56
HISTORICAL APPENDIX.
deny the right of self-defence, we highly approve the great object of the American Peace Society, to discourage war, and promote the cause of Peace.
3. Resolved, - That we recommend it to every brother in this Association, to preach, at least once in each year, on this important subject.
Oct. 18, 1842. Similar resolves were passed respecting the Sabbath, and the American and Foreign Sabbath Union.
Dec. 19, 1843. Was passed a resolve of sympathy and aid for the Western Reserve College.
March 18, 1845. On an unfinished report of a committee on Congregationalism, appointed at Boston, May, 1844, the Association adopted the following result of their deliber- ations : -
-" We are agreed that a reassertion of the principles of the Cambridge Platform, with such alterations as shall adapt them to the churches of the present age, is a very desirable object. But there is, as it seems to us, a real discrepancy between the Report and the Platform in respect to several very important principles. For instance, in proposing to make the decision of ecclesiastical councils binding, the Report goes beyond the Platform, and adopts a most im- portant principle which is not recognized in that instrument, and which, in our view, is entirely inconsistent with its most prominent features. The Platform admits of Lay-ordination, but the Report proceeds upon the principle that ordination is exclusively the work of ministers.
Though we believe that, as a general thing, it is best that Ministers should ordain Ministers, and this they can in all ordinary cases do, even if the right belongs to the church ; yet we think it important that, in a system of rules for the government of the churches, this right of theirs ought to be recognized, as it is in the platform. If the churches have a right in all cases to exclude appeals from their decisions in reference to their offending members, as the Report admits ;
57
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
it can be neither duty nor good policy to establish a perma- nent and uniform tribunal, beyond the power of the churches, which shall virtually take this right out of their hands. To constitute by agreement a tribunal, to which every member of a church is understood to have the right of appeal from its decisions in every case, and to make the decision of this tribunal binding, is to remove the power of discipline from the body in which Christ has placed it, and to give individ- uals a power which Christ never gave them. If the church place the right of decision in respect to the discipline of its own members, beyond their control, they are liable in certain cases, to be obliged to acquiesce in wrong decisions and in decisions which they know to be wrong. We see not how this is consistent with the responsibility which rests upon them as the depositaries of all Ecclesiastical power.
A minister ought, in our view, always to be a member of the church of which he is the Pastor, and, like other mem- bers, subject to its discipline for all immorality, crime or here- sy. We think his own church is a suitable body to try him ; although they ought as a general thing to seek that instruction and advice in so important matters which are to be obtained from an Ecclesiastical council. We do not think that, in any case, the minister has the power of suspending the action of the church, in opposition to the will of the majority. It is his prerogative to decide all questions of order, and his decision is binding until an appeal is'taken from it to the whole body and by them reversed. We are happy to agree with the authors of the Report on the general inutility of exparte councils. We think they do more hurt than good. But as we do not consider Ecclesiastical councils, when called to act with respect to the affairs of a particular church, a judicial, but only an advisory body, we are not prepared to adopt, in full, the language of the Report respecting them. We ad- mit " that there are some things in the Platform of a subor- dinate character which cannot at the present day be carried
58
HISTORICAL. APPENDIX.
into practice, and some defects which it is important to sup- ply." We need no ruling Elders in distinction from th ose who preach, and we do not believe that the Bible makes any distinction between officers of this class. It is our opinion that the rules of church discipline, found in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew are applicable to public as well as pri- vate offenses. If this be not a direction respecting the treat- ment of public offenses, we have none in the New Testa- ment for this class. Besides any offender, whether his crime be public or private, is more likely to be gained by being first approached in a private, affectionate manner, than he is to be at once arraigned before the whole church, and made the subject of public censure. In the process of dealing with offenders given in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew, there is a display of Divine Wisdom so obviously adapted to touch the feelings of the human heart, and win over a fallen brother, that we cannot believe its advantages were designed to be confined to private offenses alone.
We believe that the act of Excommunication may, for pru- dential reasons, be occasionally delayed for a short time after the offender is proved guilty of an offense of sufficient mag- nitude to cut him off from the church ; and that, during this delay, it would be improper for him to come to the commun- ion ; but suspension, as a punishment to be inflicted upon a member, or as the final act of the church in any case, is un- known in the scriptures, and obviously unauthorized by the great Head of the body .-
In the above remarks, we express to you the views of a large majority of our association. In respect to some of the points involved, there are a few contrary minds.
April 8, 1845. " Resolved, that we regard slavery in the Southern States as a great sin ; a violation alike of the great principles and the spirit of Christianity, and that it becomes us, as members of the same great christian family, to remonstrate with our brethren at the South in regard to this sin of op-
59
HOME MISSIONS.
pression : " and urge that the General Association correspond with Southern Ecclesiastical bodies on the subject.
Aug. 12, 1846. Voted " that the Am. Protestant Society, aiming as it does, in the spirit of love, to convert the Roman- ists of our land to the Gospel of Christ, by the dissemination of light and knowledge, is worthy of the confidence, prayer and charities of christian benevolence."
Jan. 12, 1847. A plan of action was adopted respecting agencies of benevolent associations ; according to which the claims of the various benevolent societies were placed each under the special care of one of the members, to be present- ed by him whenever requested within the bounds of this body. The plan was adopted as an experiment for a single year. The following year the plan was dropped, and each pastor was left to adopt his own arrangements.
Aug. 13, 1851. A resolution was passed condemning the use of Tobacco as highly pernicious.
Some other votes of a temporary or local application, have been omitted in this summary.
HOME MISSIONS.
The subject of Domestic Missions has ever had a strong hold upon the sympathies of this association : and not without reason. Of the little group of FOUR who originated the Mass. Miss. Society, two were members of this body. Mrs. McFarland notes the fact in these words. " During Election week in May 1799, a number of ministers [Dr. Spring, Dr. Emmons, Mr. Sanford and Father Niles, as they called him] came to my mother's and requested the use of that room to consult together about forming the Mass. Missionary Society. They met four or five times during the week, and then re- solved to form the Society."*
* Memoirs of Mrs. McFarland, p. 179.
1
60
HISTORICAL APPENDIX.
Dr. Emmons, then in the strength of his influence at home and abroad, was the first President. The first secretary, Dr. Austin, was a member of this body. Of the first two Mis- sionaries sent out, Jacob Cram was its Licentiate, and David Avery a member.
In 1797, two years before the existence of the State So- ciety, the Association virtually resolved itself into a tempo- rary missionary organization, by voting to supply South Men- don, then destitute, one Sabbath each, gratis.
Similar votes have been frequently passed in respect to other destitute parishes. In 1800, a committee examined " the religious state of the people " in Cumberland, Smithfield and Patuxet, R. I., and the association voted to preach once each gratis in the first mentioned place. In 1805, again preached in turn in South Mendon. In 1810, Blackstone was similarly favored with pulpit ministrations. In 1824, committees were chosen to confer with the Rhode Island Domestic Miss. Soc'y, and with the people of Greenwich respecting their 'waste places.' In 1830, the church in Canton was gratuitously supplied.
PUBLICATIONS.
The first publication issued by the Mendon Association, of which any record is made, - and the largest single work they have issued, - is entitled " Evidences of Revealed Religion."
The preliminary steps were taken at a meeting of the As- sociation at Holliston, Oct. 11, 1796, in the following votes :
I. That it is desirable that Mendon Association should publish upon the Evidence of Divine Revelation, with some strictures upon Deistical writers.
The parts were assigned as follows :
I. The need and importance of a Divine Revelation. By Rev. John Robinson, of Westboro.
PUBLICATIONS. 61
II. The Spirituality of the Bible. By Rev. David San- ford of Medway.
III. Miracles. By Rev. Nathaniel Emmons of Franklin.
IV. Prophecies. By Rev. Caleb Alexander of Mendon. V. Strictures upon Deistical Writers. By Rev. John Crane of Northbridge.
At an adjourned meeting, Northbridge, Jan. 10, 1797, the parts were read to the Association : and it was voted to issue them in a volume. Each member in favor of the vote, shared equally in the expenses and profits of the publica- tion. The work of publishing was committed to. Rev. Messrs. Alexander, Dickinson and Crane.
A Sermon by Rev. Dr. Emmons, preached before the As- sociation at Upton, Oct. 13, 1813, was published by vote and at the expense of the body. Four hundred copies were printed and circulated. The discourse is the same as appears in his published works, Vol. IV., Sermon xxXIV., entitled " The Law of Paradise."
A sermon by Rev. Nathaniel Howe, founded upon John 1 : 31, and preached before the Association at Foxboro', Oct. 5, 1819, was also published by vote of the Association.
The subject of issuing a monthly periodical was introduced to the Association at their meeting in Oct. 21, 1823, by a communication from Mr. Barnum Field, Providence, R. I., then publisher of " The Christian Visitor." A committee of conference reported upon the subject, and the result was a vote to issue a prospectus for a separate magazine. As all the members did not second this movement, or wish to be involved in the responsibility of such an undertaking, the imprimatur read as follows : " The Christian Magazine ; By members of Mendon Association," rather than, " By Mendon Association." Yet the agency of the body in the existence of " The Christian Magazine " extended thus far, that they voted to publish it and chose the Editors. The members individually contributed to its columns and its sub-
6:
62
HISTORICAL APPENDIX.
scription list at their pleasure. The work appeared January, 1824, under the Editorial Supervision of Rev. Messrs. J. Ide, C. Park, and E. Fisk : and was continued four years, extend- ing to four volumes.
Several tractates, essays and biographic notices of mem- bers read before the Association at different times, have been kindly published in the Boston Recorder and New England Puritan, and other religious papers. These articles may be regarded as generally expressing the views and feelings of the body upon the topics so presented.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION.
In the following list of questions, the date of their adop- tion for discussion is added, as a suggestive guide to their im- portance. Those marked with an asterisk were assigned to some one member to write upon. The remainder were dis- cussed orally.
1794. June 3d. * Whether the soul after death, does or does not sleep during the intermediate state ?
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.