USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Contributions to the ecclesiastical history of Essex County, Mass., 1865 > Part 2
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1 A Centennial Discourse, preached at Rowley, Oct. 15, 1861.
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MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATIONS.
are evidently to lay foundations which will meet the approbation of the Divine Spirit. With our Fathers the great interest was the Church. As yet the State was not, only as it existed in the Church. And it has been well said by that diligent and filial student of Puritanism in New England, the late Dr. Joseph S. Clark : "Any intelligent person who will look at the facts, will see that it was not the Church allying itself to the State, but a State growing out of the Church, which occasioned the seeming jumble of ecclesiastical and civil affairs - a condition of things almost inevitable, while the great interests of religion, as centered in the Church, were about the only subjects requiring legislation, and while the State, as such, was in its nonage. And when the two, in subsequent time, became distinct, as we now see them, the thing which actually hap- pened was not a divorcement of the Church from the State, but an elim- ination of the State from the Church. This fact must be borne in mind, or we shall never come to a right understanding of our fathers or their institutions."
MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATIONS.
With a work of so vast proportions, and of so vital interest on their hands, it was necessary that the early clergy of New England should confer often together. It is not surprising, therefore, that we find the following in the journal of Gov. Winthrop, under the early date of 1633: " The ministers in the Bay and Saugus did meet once a fortnight at one of their houses by course, where some question of moment was debated."
These ministers were Rev. Messrs. Skelton and Higginson of Salem, Maverick and Warham of Dorchester, Wilson of Boston, Philips of Watertown, Weld and Elliot of Roxbury, Bacheller of Lynn, and James of Charlestown.
At this time there were but seven or eight churches in the Bay, and but ten in what is now the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The custom of ministerial Associations (for such the meeting referred to by Gov. Winthrop seems to have been), runs back almost to the first settlement of New England. They were, however, viewed with distrust, and were thought to endanger the liberties of the churches.
" Mr. Skelton," says Gov. Winthrop in his journal, " the pastor of Salem, and Mr. Williams, who was removed from Plimouth thither (but not in any office, though he exercised by way of prophecy), took some exception against it, as fearing it might grow, in time, to a presbytery, or superintendency, to the prejudice of the churches' liberties. But this fear was without cause; for they were all clear in that point, that no church or person can have power over another church; neither did
2
10
HISTORY OF ESSEX NORTH ASSOCIATION.
they in their meetings exercise any such jurisdiction." 1 In 1641-42. Letchford, in his Plain Dealing. says, "of late, divers of the ministers have had set meetings to order church matters ; whereby it is conceived they bend towards Presbyterian rule." In 1643, there was an assembly called at Cambridge of all the pastors in the country, some fifty in all. " The principal occasion," of which, says Gov. Winthrop, " was because some of the elders went about to set up some things according to the presbytery, as of Newbury, etc. The assembly concluded against some parts of the presbyterial way, and the Newbury ministers took time to consider the arguments," etc.
This jealousy of ministerial power was early excited : and, perhaps for this reason, these ministerial meetings were for some years discontinued.
Thomas Shepard of Charlestown,2 in 1672. speaks of them as belong- ing to former days. "Again there might be seen," he says, " ministers and ministers cleaving together in way of communion ; nothing that was difficult, or questionable, or weighty, or new, or that had an influence upon the whole, but they were wont to consult with one another : as I have heard from divers of the ancient ministers of Christ now with God, and, when I was a child, I observed in my father's house, if there hap- pened to be some misunderstanding at any time, it was reasoned out placidly, and still ministerial communion was maintained; and these things are known unto hundreds yet living, that they may remem- ber the ministers' meetings in the several towns by course, - at Cam- bridge, Boston, Charlestown, Roxbury, etc."
That these meetings were discontinued would appear also from the statement of John Wise of Ipswich, in his work of caustic satire, " The Churches' Quarrel Espoused," published in 1710. He says : "About thirty years ago, more or less, there was no appearance of the associa- tions of pastors in these colonies, and in some parts and places there is none yet."
The facts then appear to be these : The early clergy of New England. from a desire for mutual consultation and social converse, were naturally brought together at stated times. These gatherings were of a purely social and religious character, and wholly unexceptionable. But some of the clergy of New England were avowed Presbyterians, as Thomas Parker of Newbury and his kinsman and his colleague, James Noyes, also .John Woodbridge of Andover; and others, like Samuel Stone, the colleague of the famous Thomas Hooker, had Presbyterian tendencies. These facts, together with the jealousy of ministerial power in our churches, led
I Gov. Winthrop's Journal, Nov. 1633, Vol. I. p. 117.
" Cong. Quart., Vol. II. 204. A. H. Quint.
.
11
MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATIONS.
to a discontinuance of these meetings, perhaps as early as 1645 or 1650. Near the close of the seventeenth century, or very early in the eighteenth, these meetings were revived in a still more systematic form, and with a decided ecclesiastical character. In the first instance they were purely indigenous, and arose from the peculiar circumstances of the carly clergy. The revival of the associations1 may be traced to Rev. Charles Morton, minister of Charlestown. 'Mr. Morton came to New England in 1686. probably bringing with him the records of an Association once existing in Cornwall. England. Such a manuscript volume is now in the library of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
An association of the ministers of Boston and vicinity, meeting at Cam- bridge, was formed in 1690, and doubtless at the suggestion of Mr. Mor- ton. The first record is in his handwriting, and bears the date of " Oct. 13, 1690, at Charlestown." This is in the volume just referred to. The rules adopted, were, with some additions, those of the English association.
The first nine signatures to these rules are those of Charles Morton, James Allen, Michael Wigglesworth, Joshua Moody, Samuel Willard, John Bailey, Nathaniel Gookin, Cotton Mather, and Nehemialı Walter. As the result of their deliberations a small work was published 1699, entitled "Thirty Important Cases, Resolved with evidence of Scripture and Reason. [Mostly] By several pastors of adjacent churches, meeting in Cambridge, New England. [With some other memorable Matters] Now Published for General Benefit, in Boston, in New England. Printed by Bartholomew Green, and John Allen. Sold at the Book- sellers' Shops. 1699."
There is an advertisement in this work written by Cotton Mather. In this he tells us that the number of members then belonging to the associ- ation was seventeen ; that the meetings were held in the library of Har- vard College, on the first Monday of every month, except the three win- ter months ; that many cases of discipline, or of conscience, were referred to them for advice from all parts of the country ; and that as the same question was frequently submitted to them by different churches or per- sons, it was thought best to publish their most important recorded deter- minations; together with the reasons for them.
After citing many of the propositions discussed by this body in the 5th Book of his Magnalia, Cotton Mather concludes :
Having so often produced the propositions voted by an assembly of ministers at Cambridge, for the explanation of our platform, 'tis not here, amiss, on this occasion, to give some history of that assembly.
Know, then, that according to the advice of Mr. Hooker, who about a week before he fell sick of his last, let fall these words: " We must agree upon con-
I See art. by A. H. Quint, Cong. Quart. II. 203.
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HISTORY OF ESSEX NORTH ASSOCIATION.
stant meetings of ministers, and settle the cónsociation of churches, or else we are utterly undone;" it has been the care of the ministers, in the several vicin- ages throughout the most part of the country, to establish such constant meetings, whereat they had informed one another of their various exercises, and assisted one another in the work of our Lord : besides a general appearance of all the ministers in each colony, onee a year, at the town, and the time of the General Court for elections of magistrates in the colonies. These meetings have not all obliged themselves to one method of proceedings, in pursuing of mutual edifica- tion ; some do still fast and pray together, and speak in their turn to a proposed subject, much after the manner of the great Grindal's lectures, then held in the congregation of that pastor, to whose house they adjourn, and confer awhile to- gether on matters of concernment ; but one of these meetings is regulated by the following orders :
It is agreed by us, whose names are under written, that we do associate our- selves for the promoting of the Gospel, and our mutual assistance and furtherance in that great work.
In order thereunto -
I. That we meet constantly, at the College in Cambridge, on a Monday at nine or ten of the clock in the morning, once in six weeks, or oftener, if need be.
II. That in such meetings, one shall be chosen Moderator, pro tempore, for the better order and decency of our proceedings, which Moderator is to be chosen at the end of every meeting.
III. That the Moderator's work be :
1. To end the meeting, wherein he is chosen, and to begin the next with prayer.
2. To propose mattters to be debated, and receive the suffrages of the brethren.
3. To receive, with the consent of the brethren, the subscriptions of such as shall join with us; and keep all the papers belonging to.the association.
4. To give and receive notices, and appoint meetings upon emergent occa- sions.
IV. That we shall submit unto the councils, reproofs, and censures of breth- ren so associated and assembled, in all things in the Lord. (Eph. v. 21.)
V. That none of us shall relinquish this association, nor forsake the appointed meetings, without giving sufficient reason for the same.
VI. That our work in the said meeting shall be :
1. To debate any matter referring to ourselves.
2. To hear and consider any cases that shall be proposed unto us, from churches or private persons.
3. To answer any letters directed unto us, from any other associations or persons.
4. To discourse of any question proposed at the former meeting.
It was probably from this body that the sixteen proposals came, Nov. 5, 1705, which mark an important crisis in the history of our churches. These proposals contemplated great changes in our polity, and were noth- ing less than an attempt by certain ministers "in and about Boston " to unsettle the platform of these Congregational churches. The attempt was utterly defeated by Rev. John Wise of the Chebacco Parish, Ipswich - now Essex - in a pamphlet entitled, "The Churches' Quarrel Espoused."
That this was not the only association, appears from the fact that the " Proposals " were drawn up and put forth for the consideration of " the several associated ministers in the several parts of the country." Mr.
18
MINISTERS MEETINGS.
Wise thus characterizes these " Proposals " :- " They seem a conjunc- tion of all the church governments in the world, and the least part is Congregational ;" - " the spectre or ghost of Presbyterianism ; " - " something considerable of prelacy ; " -" something which smells very strong of the infallible chair."
The " Proposals " came to a speedy death in this Commonwealth, and in the larger part of New England, but the associations increased in number and strength.
MINISTERS' MEETINGS.
The first . Association of which we have any authentic records in the valley of the Merrimac, was formed at Bradford, June 3, 1719. The following are the -
ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT FOR THE REGULATION OF THE SOCIETY.
It is Agreed by us, whose Names are underwritten, yt We do Associate our- selves for the promoting the Gospel, and our mutual Assistance and furtherance in that great work ; in order thereto :
I. That We meet the -
Third Wednesday in April at Mr. Symmes' ;
Third Tuesday in May at Mr. Brown's ;
Third Tuesday in June at Mr. Barnard's ;
First Tuesday in August at Mr. Hale's :
Second Wednesday in Sept. at Mr. Rogers' ;
Third Tuesday in October at Mr. Phillips';
Last Tuesday in November at Mr. Tufts' ;
Annually. And if any of the Meetings be Diverted by an Extraordinary Providence or public Solemnity, that we meet ye Week following.
II. That in such Meetings One shall be chosen Moderator, for the time being, to continue till the next Meeting.
III. That the Moderator's Work be :
1. To appoint meetings upon emergent occasions.
2. To Propose Matters to be debated.
IV. That we Submit unto the Counsels, Reproofs, and Censures of the Brethren so associated and Assembled in all things in ye Lord. (Eph. 5: 21 )
V. That none of us relinquish this Association, nor forsake ye appointed Meeting without giving sufficient reason for the Same.
VI. That Our Work in the said Meeting shall be -
1. To begin and end the meeting with Prayer : the Person at whose house We meet to begin with Prayer; and the Person at whose house it is to be next to End with Prayer.
2. To Give our Answer to Such Question, or Questions, as shall be pro- posed at the preceding Meeting.
3. To hear and consider any Cases that shall be laid before us.
VII. That at our Table-refreshments We Content ourselves with Two Dishes.
THOMAS SYMMES, MOSES HALE, JOHN ROGERS, SAMUEL PHILLIPS, JOHN TUFTS, JOHN BARNARD, JOHN BROWN.
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HISTORY OF ESSEX NORTH ASSOCIATION.
These articles were evidently copied from those of the Association formed " at Charlestown, in N. E., Oct. 13, 1690."
The record of the first meeting is as follows :
A. D. 1719. August 4. At a Ministers' Meeting at the Rev. Mr. Moses Hale's, at Byfield, present the
REV. MR. SYMMES,
..
6.
IIALE,
.6 'PUFTS,
..
.. BROWN.
This Question was answered. seil : " What is the Duty of Ministers and Churches with respect to their Adult Baptized non-communicants ?" It was Answered in this Agreement, scil : "That the Pastors and Churches owe unto their Adult Baptized non-communicants. An Instruction in the Laws of our Lord Jesus ; an Admonition upon scandalons Violation of those Laws; and, upon incorrigibleness in Evil, an open Rejection from all Ecclesiastical Priv- ileges."
This is the only record for 1719. There are but two meetings recorded in 1720, and both are of a similar character. No meeting is recorded in 1721, and only one in 1722. In 1723, it was " agreed to turn the Ministers' Meetings this year into days of fasting and prayer." . This arrangement was carried through in the respective congregations - there being preaching in the A. M. and the P. M.
The business at the meetings of this body, was generally to consider and resolve cases of difficulty ; - of which there was a numberless amount. But this routine is sometimes broken.
October 20, 1824, at Mr. Tufts.' Spent the Day in Fasting and Prayer in private, principally to implore the Compassion, and Aids, and Direction of Heaven, for ourselves and other Ministers in the Country, under their difficult and distressing circumstances, by reason of a short and scanty Maintenance. Mr. Symmes gave us a Sermon on these Words, Job xxi. 4 : As for me, is my complaint to man ?
1725. August 17. Proposed that every one should take notice of any thing remarkable in his Reading or Conversation, and communicate it to the Associa- tion for their Mutual Edification.
1726. June 21 Discoursed of a Fast because of the great drought, and agreed at length to meet at Byfield for that end, the next week on Wednes- day, June 29. unless Providence should prevent us by sending a plentiful rain this week.
1731. April 20. Proposed to turn some of our meetings at least into Fasts, to bewail the Declension and other Judgments of the present times, and implore a blessing on our Ministry, more especially as to the rising Generation. And to begin at Haverhill. Mr. Phillips and Tufts to preach ; Mr. Barnard and Parsons to pray.
Nearly all the meetings for the years '31 and '32 were turned into days of fasting and prayer.
1735. June. Our conversation turned chiefly upon Mr. Fiske's case, and what had been transacted this Year at the Convention, and upon the Accounts we had received of the uncommon concern which prevailed in the inhabitants of the County of Hampshire and Places adjacent, for the Salvation of their Souls.
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MINISTERS' MEETINGS.
1735. July 15. Agreed to ripen our thoughts upon the Platform, and par- ticularly upon that part of it relating to the Consociation of Churches.
1735. October. 21. Discoursed of things relating to the work to be done on the next Day, the Gathering a third Church in Haverhill, and endeavored to prepare matters for it. Considered a covenant which Mr. Brown had drawn up for that occasion ; and assigned to each, that was to officiate, his part. [This determines the date of the founding of the Church in West Haverhill.]
In 1741, June, the Association was divided by the following votes :
1. Voted, that this Association shall be divided.
2. Voted, that Mr. Barnard, Parsons, Balch, Cushing, Jr., Barnard, Jr. together with Mr. Johnson and Mr. Chandler, if they shall desire it, be one of the associations into which this association be divided.
3.' Voted, that Mr. Phillips, Mr. Cushing, Sargent, Baily, together with Mr. Brown, Batcheller, and Flagg, if they desire it, be the other of the associa- tions into which this association be divided.
4. Voted, that the meetings of each association for the time to come be upon the second Tuesdays of the months in which each association shall amongst themselves agree to have them.
5. Voted, that there be a general meeting of both associations once a year, at the time and place which shall be agreed upon at the preceding general meeting : and that the General Meeting to be agreed on, be appointed one year in one association and another year in the other - and if any accident shall prevent a General Meeting, then that association in which said General Meeting was to have been, shall, among themselves, appoint another day, and seasonably invite the other association thereto.
6. Voted, that the next General Meeting be on the second Tuesday in September, 1742, at the house of Mr. James Cushing.
7. Voted, that the book belonging to this association before the division be kept still for the use of both associations in their General Meeting, and that a clerk be chosen for said General Meeting.
8. Voted, that Mr. Parsons be the clerk for said General Meeting.
9. Voted, that this association be from this time divided, in Consequence of the vote first mentioned.
In consequence of this arrangement, we have no records of the meet- ings of these associations from June, 1741, to May 14, 1745. Nor is there any record of a general meeting. This is the more to be regretted as it was the period of special excitement with reference to Mr. White- field. The first visit of this distinguished preacher to New England was in 1740. He arrived in Boston, Sept. 18, and proceeded east as far as York, Maine, and then west to Northampton, and completed his tour on the 1st of December.
Two weeks after Mr. Whitefield left New England, Rev. Gilbert Ten- nent made a similar tour of about the same length. Opposition, if it existed, was either concealed or ineffectual. Mr. Prince, in his Chris- tian History, says, alluding to this stage of the revival : " And thus suc- cessfully did this divine work, as above described, go on. without lisp, as I remember, of a separation either in this town or province, for above a year and a half after Mr. Whitefield left us, namely, the end of June, 1742 ; when the Rev. Mr. Davenport of Long Island, came to Boston.
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HISTORY OF ESSEX NORTH ASSOCIATION.
The excesses of this preacher in denunciation soon aroused a powerful opposition, and two great factions were formed which divided the minis- ters of New England." In the Merrimac Valley, some pastors sided with, and some, against, the new movements.
The Ministers' Meeting, of which we have been speaking, united with a neighboring Association in sending a letter, dated Dec. 26, 1744, to the Associated Ministers of Boston and Charlestown, relating to the admis- sion of Mr. Whitefield into their pulpits. This letter, signed by the members of these Associations, or the larger portion of them, together with the action of the Cambridge Association, advising, in answer to his request, one of their own members, was published. The pamphlet is in the library of the Boston Athenaeum. (B. 583. Traets.) Of the first Association the names are Caleb Cushing of Salisbury, Joseph Whipple of Hampton Falls, John Lowell of Newbury, Paine Wingate of Amesbury, Jeremiah Fogg of Kensington, Nathaniel Gookin of North Hampton, Elisha Odlin of Amesbury, Peter Coffin of Kingston, William Parsons of South Hamp- ton, and Samuel Webster of Salisbury.
Of this association we know nothing except its existence and member- ship at the time referred to. Of the ten signatures, five are names of pastors within the geographical bounds of the Essex North Association. Of the five churches represented by these pastors, two have become extinct, viz., East Salisbury and Sandy Hill. One has become Unitarian, viz., the First Church of Newburyport ; one is feeble, Rocky Hill ; and one, that of West Amesbury, is now full of strength and vitality.
Of the second Association the names are as follows :
Jolın Barnard, North Andover ; Joseph Parsons, Bradford ; William Balch, Bradford (now Groveland) ; James Cushing, Haverhill (North Parish, Plaistow) ; Christopher Sargent, Methuen ; William Johnson, Newbury (now Second Church, West Newbury) ; John Cushing, Box- ford West; Thomas Barnard, Newbury (now First Church, West Newbury) ; Edward Barnard, Haverhill Centre.
We find in this list the names of pastors belonging to both parts of the Ministers' Meeting, from which we infer that they still consider themselves one.
The names of the body, not attached to the letter, are James Chandler, Samuel Phillips, Samuel Batcheller, Ebenezer Flagg, and Abner Bailey. Nine of the members signed the letter, and five did not. Those who signed were all opposed to Mr. Whitefield ; and those who did not were supposed to be his advocates. Messrs. Phillips and Chandler seem at this time to have withdrawn from the body, as their names do not again appear upon the records. It is noticeable, also, that all who joined the Association after 1745, were either decided Arminians, or moderate Cal- vinists. These were John Tucker of Newbury, William Symmes of
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HISTORY OF ESSEX NORTH ASSOCIATION.
North Andover, Elizur Holyoke of Boxford, Jonathan Eames of Newton, N. H., Samuel Williams of Bradford, Thomas Cary of Newburyport, and Jonathan French of Andover.
There is evidence that from the time of Mr. Whitefield's second visit onward, there was a well-understood division among the pastors in this region. The opponents of Mr. Whitefield were strongly in the majority in the Ministers' Meeting - consequently those who joined that body were in sympathy with them.
About this time the two parts of the Association came together.
RECONSTRUCTION.
At a Ministers' Meeting at Mr. Sargent's, May 14, 1745.
Several of the Association which had for some years past resided on the north side of the river, but since eeased, appearing desirous of uniting with us again, it was put to vote, " Whether those gentlemen of the two Associations present shall be re-united ?" passed in the affirm. The gentlemen and the Rev. Messrs. Flagg, Batcheller, Bayley. The Rev. Mr. Parker of Haverhill, having desired to be admitted into the Association, voted in the affirm. Voted, that the Rev. Mr. Barnard of Newbury, be clerk of the Association. At this meet- ing there were present Rev. Messrs. Barnard, Parsons, Balch, Cushing, Sar- gent, Cushing, jun., Barnard, jun., Barnard, tertius.
The Ministers' Meeting continued its regular sessions down to August 10, 1773. The record there closes abruptly. During the first part of its existence, from 1719 to 1744, a period of twenty-five years, there is no division of sentiment noticeable: but in the last part, from 1744 to 1773, a period of twenty-nine years, it is evident that a change had taken place in the views of a majority of its members respecting the duties of practical religious life. No fast or season of special prayer was observed by the body after 1745. No questions of vital interest were discussed, but the whole time of the sessions seems to have been taken up in hear- ing statements of difficulties and giving advice.
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