USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Contributions to the ecclesiastical history of Essex County, Mass., 1865 > Part 26
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The church in Georgetown was formed, or became a distinct Baptist church, in 1784. It had, however, a previous history, antedating even that of the church in Haverhill. "As early as 1754, individuals in the Second Church in Rowley " (now Georgetown) "became dissatisfied with the preaching of their pastor, and withdrew from the ordinances, and ultimately from the church ; and, with others, principally from Row- ley, Bradford, and Newbury, sustained worship by themselves."4 These " Separatists " did not profess to be of a different denomination from that of the churches they had left, and for a number of years employed Con- gregational ministers to preach for them, and, but for the obstacle which the old parish law threw in their way, would undoubtedly have become a permanent Congregational church. At length, in 1781, they became a "branch " of the Baptist church in Haverhill, and, in 1784, a distinct church. Present number of members, ninety-three.
The First Baptist Church in Newburyport was formed in 1805, and now has a membership of one hundred and thirty-one. In 1846, a por- tion of it withdrew, and formed the Second or Green Street Baptist
1 Coffin's Hist. Newbury, p. 135.
2 Backus' Hist. of the Baptists, abridged ed., p. 184.
3 "His ardent manner and Calvinistic sentiments, which at that time were scarcely known in that vicinity, drew together considerable numbers from neighboring parishes. It was not known that he was a Baptist." - Mass. Hist. Coll., 2d series, vol. 4, p. 151.
4 Gage's Hist. Rowley, p. 38.
1
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THE CHURCHES OF ESSEX NORTH.
Church in Newburyport, which has a membership of eighty-three. A Baptist church was formed at Ipswich in 1806, was rent asunder in 1816, and the two parts expired, one in 1817, and the other in 1823. A church, was formed at Amesbury Mills in 1821, and now has a member- ship of three hundred and eleven.
The Second Baptist Church in Haverhill was formed Jan. 31, 1821, and has a membership of eighty-nine.
The church in Rowley was formed in 1830, and has a membership of eighty-seven.
A church was formed at South Amesbury in 1849, and has a member- ship of eighty-three.
The Third Church in Haverhill was formed in February, 1859, and has a membership of about one hundred.
UNITARIANS.
The principal facts relative to the only two Unitarian churches have been given in another place.1
In 1830, there was a nucleus of Unitarianism in Ipswich, but no church, I believe, crystallized about it, and it soon disappeared. About the same time, a like experiment was made at Amesbury Mills, with a like result.
Dr. Eaton, of Boxford, during the latter part of his ministry, was a member of the American Unitarian Association ; but the church never became Unitarian, and, in 1846, settled a thoroughly Orthodox man as colleague and successor of Dr. Eaton.
CHRISTIANS, OR CHRISTIAN BAPTISTS.
A church of this denomination was formed in Haverhill April 9, 1806, which declined after a few years, and was reorganized in 1823, and now has one hundred and sixty-five members.
In 1808, a church was formed in Ipswich, which continued several years, and became extinct.
A church was formed in Salisbury in 1820; present number of mem- bers, one hundred and sixty.
A church was formed in Newburyport in 1820, which now reports four hundred and ninety members.
The " Tabernacle Church " was formed in Haverhill in 1843.
1 Page 235.
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OTHER DENOMINATIONS.
METHODISTS.
There are seven churches of this denomination within the bounds of this Association, viz. :
One in Ipswich, present membership 267
175
Two in Newburyport,
84
One in Byfield, Newbury,
62
One in Groveland,
66
28
One in Salisbury,
137
One in Haverhill,
UNIVERSALISTS.
This denomination has, in this vicinity, eight societies, which sustain preaching the whole or a part of the time ; but whether distinct churches exist in connection with these societies, I am unable to say. The societies are located as follows : one in Newburyport ; one at Amesbury Mills ; one in West Amesbury ; one at Haverhill ; one in North Haverhill ; one in Georgetown ; one at Rowley ; one at Ipswich.
FREE-WILL BAPTISTS.
They have three churches : one at Amesbury Mills, organized origi- nally at South Hampton, N. H., in 1830, and reorganized at Amesbury Mills in 1849, with about one hundred and fifty members ; and two in Haverhill, - one organized in 1859, with about thirty members, and one organized in 1860, called the " Randall Church," with about fifty members.
SECOND ADVENTISTS.
They have one church in Newburyport, organized Dec. 18, 1848, with seven members ; now has eighty-three.
ROMAN CATIIOLICS.
They have one church in Newburyport, with fifteen hundred com- municants ; and one in Haverhill, with one thousand communicants. Public services are held twice a month at Amesbury Mills and West Newbury, and occasionally at Ipswich and West Amesbury.
248
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THE CHURCHES OF ESSEX NORTH.
NUMBER OF SETTLED MINISTERS AND LENGTH OF PASTORATES.
We now return to the churches of our own order. These thirty-one churches have had one hundred and sixty-nine settled ministers. Four of them had a pastorate of over sixty-years, - and twelve of them a pastorate of over fifty years, among the same people. Sixty-nine of them retained the pastoral relation till death, and their bodies await the resurrection beside those of their loved and loving flock. The average length of the pastorate, exclusive of the present incumbents, has been about twenty and a half years; inclusive of the present incumbents, about nineteen years. Changes in the pastoral office have been much more frequent during the last fifty years than previously ; though not so frequent as in some other parts of New England. Several of our churches never learned how to dismiss a minister; while some have never learned how to bury one.
ANNUAL ADDITIONS TO THE CHURCHES.
Of the spiritual state of these churches previous to 1761, I can only speak in a general manner. The accompanying table 1 of additions from year to year, commencing with 1701, furnish nearly all the data I have to reason from. According to this table, the growth of these churches was less during the first quarter of the last century, than during the second quarter. From 1720 to 1730, was the period of greatest increase. The years 1727 and 1728, were remarkable for the large accessions to nearly all the churches then occupying this field. Several received more than a hundred each, in a single year. The First Church in Haver- hill received one hundred and ten in the months of November and De- cember, 1727. The entire first half of the century, was a period of great growth compared with the last half. The additions to the church in Bradford from 1700 to 1751, were four hundred and eighty-six, and from 1751 to 1801, one hundred and eighty-one. The additions to the First Church in West Newbury for the first half of the century, were six hundred and four ; for the last half less than one hundred - (the Records are imperfect). To the First Church in Newbury for the same periods, respectively, five hundred and twenty-six, and fifty-eight were added. Taking these churches as a fair sample of the whole, the increase in
1 See Appendix.
249
WHITFIELD AND TIIE GREAT AWAKENING.
numbers was from eight to ten times as large, during the first, as during the last half of the 18th century.
WHITFIELD AND THIE GREAT AWAKENING.
It may be thought that one reason why fewer were added to the older churches during the last half of the century, was the formation of new Congregational churches. But the fact is, that while twelve new churches of our order were formed between 1700 and 1750, only three such churches were formed between 1750 and 1800. Nor can this disparity be accounted for by the greater encroachment of other denomi- nations, during the latter of the two periods, for they had just the same number of churches formed, viz., two, in each period. Is it said that the Great Awakening, in connection with Whitfield's labors, explains the matter? But the truth is, the Great Awakening produced no "great awakening " in most of these churches. Whitfield preached in nearly all these towns, but in most of them, in the open air, the meeting-houses being closed against him, and generally with no very marked results. In Newburyport and Ipswich, there was more good fruit of his preach- ing than in all Essex North besides. Not more than five or six of the pastors of these churches are known to have favored at all the move- ment under Whitfield,1 while several of them are known to have been earnest opposers of it. The names of eleven of them appear, sub- scribed to a letter dated Dec. 16, 1744, from "Two neighboring Asso- ciations," and addressed to the " Associated Ministers of Boston and Charlestown !" sharply remonstrating with them for admitting Whitfield to their pulpits, and countenancing him in his work.2
When, on one occasion, Whitfield was preaching in the open air at
1 Attached to "The Testimony and Advice of an Assembly of Pastors of Churches in New England, at a Meeting in Boston, July 7, 1743, occasioned by the late happy revival of religion in many parts of the Land," are the following names of pastors of churches in Essex North : Rev. Nathaniel Rogers of Ipswich; Rev. Jedediah Jewet of Rowley ; Rev. James Chandler of Georgetown (then Rowley); Rev. Sam- uel Bachellor of West Haverhill. - Prince's Ch. Hist., Vol. I. p. 164. Rev. Moses Hale of Byfield (Newbury), also favored the revival. - Prince's Ch. Hist., Vol. I. p. 382.
2 Their names were as follows :
" Rev. Caleb Cnshing of Salisbury; Rev. John Lowell of Newburyport ; Rev. Elisha Odlin of Amesbury ; Rev. Samuel Webster of Salisbury; Rev. Joseph Par- sons of Bradford ; Rev. Wm. Balch of Groveland (then Bradford) ; Rev. Wm. Johnson of West Newbury; Rev. John Cushing of West Boxford; Rev. Thomas Barnard of West Newbury ; Rev. Edward Barnard of Haverhill."-Great Awakening, p. 345.
32
250
THE CHURCHES OF ESSEX NORTH.
Haverhill, a letter was handed him from the Congregational ministers of the town, remonstrating with him for preaching there, and requesting him to withdraw. At the close of his sermon he read the letter to his hearers, and added, "Poor souls! they shall have one more sermon for this. I appoint a meeting here to-morrow morning at 6 o'clock," and he had a meeting, and preached accordingly.
The churches, with a good degree of unanimity, stood by the pastors in this opposition to Whitfield and the Great Awakening. There were, however, in almost every church, a few who fully sympathized with that movement and its promoters ; and became very restive under the oppo- sition. In some instances they withdrew, and, as we have seen, ulti- mately formed churches of different denominations. In other places they caused much trouble, and became subject to the discipline of the church. Whether, in view of some of the uncharitable speeches and unwise doings of Whitfield, and the irregularities and extravagancies which, in many places, attended the revival, we can now look leniently upon this opposition, or must pronounce it wholly unjustifiable and un- christian, - certain it is, that it was very general in this region, and that these churches did not, like so many other churches in New England at that period, receive large numerical increase. 1 The additions from 1725 to 1730, were quadruple those from 1740 to 1745, though, during the latter period, the revival in Boston and Northampton, and other parts of the State, was at flood tide. The additions during this period were by no means small, yet they scarcely exceeded those of the average of periods of five years, from 1700 to 1750. During that whole half century, these churches were, at least outwardly, prosperous and grow- ing in numerical strength.
It seems, however, extremely doubtful whether that was the highest
1 Rev. Caleb Cushing of Salisbury says, in a letter dated Oct. 4, 1742, "The times are now very much like those of the last century, when so many New Lights and new doctrines and corrupt crrors threatened to overrun the country. Indeed, the many trances, visions, and dreams and wild extacies and enthusiastic freaks and phrensies, which have abounded in some places, have cast a great damp on the work, and much cooled the fiery zealots, and we hope God will in mercy prevent the growth of those errors which seem to be creeping in apace (as Enthusiasm, Antinomianism, Familism, Deism, Quakerism, &c.), and spare his people, and not give his heritage to reproach, &c. But whatever design the adversary may have against these churches by these unaccountable extravagancies and wild commotions, yet I hope God, who can bring good out of evil and light out of darkness, will overrule all these things for the revival of religion, awakening both ministers and people, and the further growth and establishment of his church in the truth, and not to suffer blind zealots, nor men of corrupt mind, to proceed any further, when their folly shall be manifest to all men."
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DECADAL REVIEW OF THE CENTURY.
type of piety which then prevailed in this region; and whether the number of true conversions, even proximately, corresponded to the num- ber of additions to the churches. During the latter part of that period especially, it is manifest, that in the ministry there was a material de- parture from the high doctrinal standard of the early fathers, and that Arminianism, or an exceedingly diluted Calvinism, was, in many, if not most of the pulpits, the staple of preaching; and that religion had come to be regarded, to a great extent, as something outward and formal.
Works, rather than faith in Christ, - ordinances, rather than inward renewal by the Holy Ghost, - were put in the foreground. It would not be strange, therefore, if many gained admission to the church who only " had a name to live, while they were dead." But, beyond a certain point, doctrinal error loses the power to make even formal Christians; and so we find that from 1745, the additions to these churches became fewer and fewer for more than a score of years, until the table is almost a blank. There were exceptions, but take the churches as a whole, this was true of them. In 1761, when this Association was formed, they were, spiritually, at a low ebb, although a few signs of a reaction already began to appear, not the least hopeful of which was the formation of this body, which at the outset included the most orthodox and evan- gelical element in the ministry of Essex North.
DECADAL REVIEW OF THE CENTURY.
We will now rapidly glance at the general condition of these churches, during the century which the history of our Association covers, dividing it into decades.
ยท The first decade, from 1761 to 1771, was a time when our Zion had reason to mourn. In addition to the untoward influences at work which have already been mentioned, were those arising from the disturbed state of public affairs. The French war did not close till 1762. Three years after, the Stamp Act passed ; and the colonial troubles that preceded the great Revolutionary struggle engrossed the attention of all classes of people. Whitfield's final visit to this region was in 1769 and 1770, but was attended with no marked results ; and in the latter year, Sept. 30, this remarkable man rested from his labors, at Newburyport where he was expecting to preach on the day of his death, and where his bones lie entombed.
The second decade, from 1771 to 1781, was, like the preceding period, a time of political excitement and spiritual declension. In almost no part of the country did the people enter more zealously into the great
252
THE CHURCEES OF ESSEX NORTH.
War of Independence than in the towns around the mouth of the Merri- mac. Nor, with a single exception, did the ministers fail to encourage them in their noble and patriotic work. But there was one royalist, or tory - I regret to say it - in the ministerial ranks of Essex North, - Rev. Benjamin Parker, pastor of the church in East Haverhill ; though his toryism - I am almost glad to say it - ultimately caused his dismis- sion. During this decade, the additions to the churches were very few.
But they were fewer still during the third decade, extending from 1781 to 1791 ; the same adverse influences as before being in operation, and intensified. In respect to growth, this was the darkest period in the whole history of these churches. In 1788 and 1789, however, three or four of them enjoyed a season of reviving, and were considerably en- larged.
The fourth decade extends from 1791 to 1801. The political war is ended, but a theological war has begun. Hopkinsianism is beginning to be felt as a power in this vicinity ; represented, as it is, by three such stalwart men as Spring, Parish, and Woods. Moderate Calvinism and Arminianism must needs be disturbed by this new vital and vitalizing force. The churches are aroused to scrutinize more carefully the doc- trinal views of their pastors ; and when a pulpit is vacated by the re- moval of an Arminian, or a semi-Arminian, it is somehow pretty sure to be filled with a man of a more Orthodox stamp. There begins to be more of what is called "metaphysical preaching," - which means, more discriminating and logical and pungent preaching. The fruits of the change will in due time appear.
The fifth decade extends from 1801 to 1811. In Newburyport, a re- vival, which began the previous year, marked the opening of this period. It was most powerful, in connection with the Fourth, or Prospect Street Church ; the present pastor of which has recently said that the influence of it "extended over this whole community, and seemed to mould the characters of scores of God's children in this city for eternity."
In 1806, a revival of considerable power, extending into the following year, was enjoyed in Bradford, "by which the languid graces of the church were quickened, the fundamental doctrines of the gospel brought into greater prominence, and the pastor himself converted to more evan- gelical sentiments, and a more spiritual life." A few other churches were not wholly left without cheering tokens of the Spirit's special pres- ence. This was not, however, eminently a revival period ; but it was made memorable by two important events intimately related to the inter- ests of religion at large, and to the religious history of Essex North. I refer to the founding of Andover Theological Seminary, and the institu- tion of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. In
253
DECADAL REVIEW OF THE CENTURY.
1807, two parties - one in and around Andover, composed of moderate Calvinists, and the other in and around Newburyport, composed of Hop- kinsians, each ignorant of the movements of the other - had formed the plan, and taken the preliminary measures, for the establishment of a seminary for the study of theology. Had these plans been carried out we should have had two seminaries, - one at Andover, representing low, or moderate Calvinism, and the other at West Newbury, representing high, or Hopkinsian Calvinism. But the two parties, becoming acquaint- ed with each other's designs, after much negotiation, effected a union by the adoption of a compromise creed, or platform of doctrine, and the result was one well-endowed seminary, - an institution in which the churches of our denomination in this vicinity, and throughout our land, have a most vital interest ; an institution which has done and is doing a noble work in behalf of sacred learning and evangelical religion. Two sons of Essex North,1 members of Dr. Spring's congregation, gave to this institution more than $200,000. Rev. Leonard Woods, pastor of the Second Church in West Newbury, and a member of this Association, was elected the first professor to fill the chair of Didactic Theology.
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was in- stituted at Bradford in 1810. Foremost among its originators and early patrons were men from this vicinity. The second band of missionaries which it sent out were ordained at Newburyport in 1815, and sailed from that place. The wives of two of the first missionaries were mem- bers, one of the church in Bradford, and the other of the church in Haverhill ; and their names - Harriet Newell and Ann Judson - are everywhere familiar and cherished names among the friends of missions. Such are some of the links which connect the early history of this great Missionary Board with the religious history of Essex North.
The sixth decade extends from 1811 to 1821. During this period, five or six churches enjoyed seasons of refreshing which added materi- ally to their strength. But the most noteworthy thing in our history for this decade is the fact that we were so little affected by the great Unita- rian controversy that was then beginning to drive the ploughshare of division through the churches of the Commonwealth. It was a time of comparative peace and quietness in this whole region. A higher tone of doctrine was becoming generally prevalent ; and a recuperative pro- cess was silently going on, without stirring up hostile elements, and producing those scenes of painful strife and division which were wit- nessed in so many places.
1 Wm. Bartlett, Esq., and Moses Brown, Esq.
254
THE CHURCHES OF ESSEX NORTH.
The spirit of active benevolence had an unusual development also during this period. And the American Tract Society, formed in 1814; the American Education Society, formed in 1815; and the Massachu- setts Domestic Missionary Society, formed in 1818, were all largely in- debted to the ministers and churches of Essex North for their origin and early success.
The seventh decade, extending from 1821 to 1831, was one of marked interest, especially the latter portion of it. On April 30, 1828, the Essex North (then called Essex Middle) Conference of Churches, was formed at Newburyport. Fifteen churches were represented in that initial meeting. The present number of churches, connected with the Conference, is twenty-five. At first its meetings were semi-annual, in April and October, and were held one day only. Since 1837, they have been annual, held in October, and for several years each meeting has continued through two days. The Conference, in its Articles of organ- ization, pledged itself to "exercise no ecclesiastical authority," and I believe it has faithfully adhered to the pledge. It has been a bond of union, and a means of fellowship among these churches, and has, in many ways, contributed to their spiritual prosperity.
Sueli bodies, if not peculiar to our denomination, are eminently con- genial with our simple ecclesiastical polity. They illustrate the free, spontaneous, and efficient working of our system of Congregationalism, in distinction from Independency on the one hand, and from Prelatic and Presbyterial forms of government on the other hand. They have long been known to our Puritan churches. Something like them, seems to have existed almost from the first settlement of New England. As early as 1641, the General Court of Massachusetts Colony, which then assumed a paternal control of all ecclesiastical matters, passed the follow- ing vote, or law, viz., "The elders of churches and messengers have liberty to meet monthly, quarterly, or otherwise, in convenient numbers, and places for conference consultations about Christian and church ques- tions and occasions, provided that nothing be concluded and imposed by way of authority, from one or more churches upon another, but only by way of brotherly conference and consultation."
The closing years of this decade ushered in that great Revival, which was so extensive and powerful throughout New England and the Mid- dle States, from 1830 to 1834. As early as 1827, several of the churches began to feel the incoming tide. During this year the church in Bradford received fifty-four to its communion, and the church in West Haverhill, twenty-nine. But 1831 was the year in which the interest became deep and general. Almost every church then received very large additions. The same was true of the three following years. And thus while trac-
255
DECADAL REVIEW OF THE CENTURY.
ing with wonder and delight these marvellous displays of divine grace, we pass into
The eighth decade, from 1831 to 1841. The largest number added to these churches in one year was in 1832. The "four days' meetings" were a marked feature of that revival. These were held in many of the towns in this vicinity, and eminent preachers from abroad were called in to aid in conducting them. Some evils doubtless grew out of them, but certainly they were attended generally with most happy results ; and with the wisdom gained from the experience of that period, is it not worthy of serious consideration ~ whether a somewhat similar agency could not now, occasionally, be employed with advantage ? Should a measure, so honored of God at that time, be wholly and forever cast aside, because it has sometimes been abused? In this age of intense worldliness, is not something of the kind sometimes needed, to arouse the attention of men, and hold it continuously to the great doctrines and facts of religion? Though the interest, in a measure, began to subside in 1834, yet some of the churches were greatly blessed in 1838, 1839, and 1840.
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