USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Contributions to the ecclesiastical history of Essex County, Mass., 1865 > Part 27
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The ninth decade, from 1841 to 1851, presents little of special interest upon which we need to dwell. It was not, as a whole, a period of mark- ed revivals, nor was it one of great declension. In 1850, five churches were again blessed with a special work of grace, whose additions for that year were respectively, twenty-nine, forty-nine, fifty, sixty-two, and sixty-seven.
The last decade, from 1851 to 1861, will be memorable for the revival of 1858, if for nothing else. With four or five exceptions, all these churches shared richly in that precious work of grace, receiving during that year more than seven hundred additional members, a larger accession than they had in one year during the entire century, or since 1728. Seven churches received more than fifty each, and ten more than forty each. It was emphatically, among us, a year of the right hand of the Most High, and the record of it forms an illuminated page in our history.
From this hasty survey we see enough to warrant us in saying, that, as a whole, the condition of these churches, during the latter half of the century, has been vastly better than during the former half; and my own conviction is, that, in respect to numbers, and purity, and efficiency, they have not for considerably more than a hundred years, if ever, stood so well as they do to-day. Let us thank God, and take courage.
They have at present an aggregate membership of about thirty-five hundred.
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THE CHURCHES OF ESSEX NORTH.
ANCIENT CUSTOMS.
Let me now allude to some of the customs which prevailed among these churches in olden times, and which seem to have sufficient historic interest to justify their mention in this discourse.
When a man had been elected to the pastoral office by any church, he had to transfer his church relation to that church, and become a regular member of it, before he could be ordained, or installed, as its minister. He was often formally received into fellowship by the church when assembled for his ordination services. This practice was in accordance with what was deemed by the fathers an important principle of Congre- gationalism, viz., that the minister is only one of the brotherhood, called to occupy an official position, and, like every other member, is under the watch and care of the church, and subject to its discipline. A church sometimes employed a man to preach for them temporarily, and to perform all the duties of pastor, without requiring him to be- come a member ; but he could not be ordained until he had united with the church over which he was settled. The church in Rowley employed a Mr. Jeremiah Shepard, son of the godly Shepard of Cam- bridge, to preach for them three years, who was not even a pro- fessor of religion ; and in whose piety, in 1674, after a year's trial, they had not sufficient confidence to admit him to their communion and fel- lowship, even though Mr. Phillips, the teacher, after examination, had recommended him as a suitable candidate for church membership. This, however, was an exceptional case; although at a later day, and during the Whitfield excitement, it was openly affirmed by some, that there was nothing wrong or inconsistent in having even unconverted men in the ministry.1 But the general doctrine of our fathers was, that a man must not only be a Christian and a member of a church, but also a member of the particular church that wished his services, before he could become its spiritual teacher and guide. The North Church in Newburyport early passed the following vote : "That this church will not invite any person to preach for them as a candidate, who will not consent to take up his connection with the church to which he belongs and connect him- self with this church." The doctrine now held by some among us, that a minister should be subject to the discipline, not of the brotherhood, but
1 Dr. Charles Chauncey in his " Seasonable Thoughts" says, -"But that this" (conversion) "is necessary to their being true ministers, we nowhere find in the word of God." p. 244. "'Tis indeed a downright popish principle, to make the efficiency of ordinances depend on the unknown secret holiness of the administrators of them." p. 246.
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of his peers only, (as if all were not peers, who are one in Christ Jesus !) was repudiated by the early fathers, as un-Congregational and unchristian.
In former times the churches severally claimed, and sometimes exer- cised the right and power to ordain and dismiss, or depose their own ministers. Usually, in such matters, as an act of Christian courtesy and fraternal communion, the aid of a council of neighboring churches was sought ; but occasionally a church dispensed with such aid, and fell back on its inherent right to manage its own affairs in its own way, account- able only to the Great Head. Thus in 1670, the first church in New- bury, being in a divided state, the party claiming to be the church proceeded to suspend their pastor, Rev. Mr. Parker, from the pastoral office, so far as respects the administration of the ordinances, and matters of government; but consented that as " a gifted brother," he might preach for them if he pleased." The church in Rowley, in 1782, settled the Rev. Mr. Bradford as their pastor, without the aid of any council. In like manner the Fourth, or Prospect St. Church in Newburyport, settled their first pastor, Rev. Mr. Milton. The validity of such inde- pendent church action was never questioned ; the only question was, whether it was courteous and expedient.
Our Puritan ancestors were so excessively jealous of the forms of the English and Romish churches, that they would not permit the Scriptures to be read as a part of the public Sabbath service, except for exposition. The practice was regarded by them as "an improper conformity to the hierarchical service, and qualified by the opprobrious name of dumb reading."1 These scruples gradually abated with the lapse of time; and the public reading of the word of God on the Sabbath was just beginning to be introduced into the churches in this vicinity, when this Association was formed. The First Church in Newburyport, May 20, 1750, "Voted, nemine contradicente, that the Scriptures be read in public on the Lord's Day." The First Church in West Newbury voted, April 15, 1769, that "it is agreeable that the Scriptures be read in public."
Three of the churches in this vicinity, viz., the church in Ipswich, the church in Rowley, and the First Church in Newbury, during their early history, had two settled ministers at the same time, the one called Teacher, and the other Pastor. . The distinctive work of these two officers is thus defined by the Cambridge Platform (chap. vi. § 5) : " The pastor's special work is, to attend to exhortation, and therein administer a word of wisdom ; the teacher is to attend to doctrine, and therein to administer a word of knowledge; and either of them to
1 Palfrey's Hist. New Eng., Vol. II. p. 42.
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administer the seals of that covenant, unto the dispensation whereof they are alike called ; as also to execute the censures, being but a kind of application of the word; the preaching of which, together with the application thereof, they are alike charged withal." The offices of pastor and teacher long since became merged in one; and the shoulders of a single modern minister are deemed broad enough to bear the burden, now greatly augmented, which the fathers thought sufficient for two of their strongest men.
The Sabbath services were much more protracted in former times than at present. The sermon usually ran on till the sands of the hour- glass, which stood upon the pulpit, had run out once, and often twice. If any of the hearers became drowsy, or inattentive, a gentle tap from the tithingman's pole served to quicken their interest, and fix their attention upon the preacher. And it is within the memory of persons now living, that good men, to relieve the fatigue of long sitting, or to guard against falling asleep, would often rise, and stand for a while during sermon- time. The slamming of the seats also - which were hung on hinges, and upturned in prayer, making a noise like a volley of fire-arms - must have conduced more to wakefulness than to devotion.
The Puritan theory of singing as a part of public worship was, that it should be congregational rather than choral. The fathers did not believe in worshipping God by proxy, nor in musical exhibitions in the sanctu- ary, by a few professional performers, for the entertainment of the con- gregation. They believed that all the people should praise God with heart and voice. But their correct theory failed in practice, because they neglected to provide the means of popular musical instruction ; and at the beginning of the eighteenth century, this important part of public worship had fallen into a deplorable state. "The congregations through- out New England were rarely able to sing more than three or four tunes. The knowledge and use of notes, too, had so long been negleeted, that the few melodies sung became corrupted, until no two individuals sang them alike. Every melody was 'tortured and twisted' (embellished?) ' as every unskilful throat saw fit,' until their psalms were uttered in a medley of confused and disorderly noises, rather than in a decorous song." 1 At this stage of affairs, a few good men undertook the work of reforming church music. Two of the ministers of Essex North were among the earliest and most efficient promoters of this reform. In 1714, Rev. John Tufts, then recently settled over the Second Church in West Newbury, published a small musical work entitled "A very plain and
1 Hood's Hist. of Music in New England, p. 84.
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easy Introduction to the Art of Singing Psalm-Tunes ; with the Cantus, or Trebles of Twenty-eight Psalın-Tunes, contrived in such a Manner as that the Learner may attain the Skill of Singing them with the great- est Ease and Speed imaginable. By Rev. Mr. John Tufts. Price, Gd., or 5s. the duz." This little book was " a great novelty, it being the first publication of the kind in New England, if not in America." 1 It passed through at least eleven editions, somewhat modified and enlarged, the number of tunes being increased to thirty-seven. Several of the latter editions were bound up with the Bay Psalın-Book.2 Rev. Mr. Symmes, pastor of the church in Bradford, published three works in aid of the reformatory movement ; the first in 1720, entitled, " The Reasonableness of Regular Singing, or Singing by Note. In an Essay to revive the true and ancient mode of Singing psalm-tunes according to the pattern of our New England psalm-books, the Knowledge and practice of which is greatly decayed in most Congregations. Writ by a Minister of the Gospel. Perused by several Ministers in the town and country, and published with the approbation of all who have read it." The second was published in 1722, entitled, " Concerning Prejudice in Matters of Religion ; or, an Essay to show the Nature, Causes, and Effects of such Prejudices, and also the means of removing them." The third was pub- lished in 1723, entitled “ Utile Dulci ; or, a Joco-Serious Dialogue con- cerning Regular Singing. Calculated for a particular town (where it was publicly had on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 1822), but may serve other places in the same climate. By Thomas Symmes, Philomusicus."
The reform in church music thus begun by Mr. Tufts, and carried on by Mr. Symmes and others, encountered violent opposition. In many places, the excitement ran high, and most disgraceful scenes of strife and bitterness were witnessed. Says Mr. Symmes : " A great part of the town (Bradford) has, for nearly half a year, been in a mere flame about it." The argument of some of the opposers was, " If we once begin to sing by rule, the next thing will be to pray by rule and preach by rule, and then comes popery." , But the reformers gradually won the day. Singing societies were formed, the members of which would naturally take a leading part in the Sabbath singing; and at length this service passed wholly into their hands. This, I believe, is the origin of choir singing, which, however, was not generally introduced into our churches until after the formation of this Association.8 It was the displacement of
1 Coffin's Hist. of Newbury, p. 186.
2 A copy of the eighth ed., thus bound, published in 1731, is in the Historical So- ciety's library, Boston.
3 " Hence the origin of choirs in this country. They grew out of circumstances. Those who had sung together, who thought and felt alike upon the great subject that
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a greater evil by a lesser evil ; and among the hopeful signs of the times, I joyfully recognize a manifest and growing tendency to displace this lesser evil by that true congregational singing which seems so congenial with the whole spirit of our ecclesiastical polity, and which is unques- tionably, where the people, by musical culture, are prepared for it, most conducive to true spiritual worship in " the service of song in the house of the Lord."
The expense of supplying the sacramental elements was usually de- frayed by a tax levied annually on all the members of the church, or, in some instances, on all the male members only. On the records of most of the older churches may be found entries of votes like this, passed by the First Church in Salisbury : "May 25, 1733, voted by the church, that every communicant pay 2s. apiece to the deacons for a supply of the Lord's Table." The wine and bread remaining after the communion, were usually given to the minister. The Second Church in West New- bury voted, Oct. 18, 1731 : " When there is a considerable quantity of wine left, the deacons are to take care of it; but when there is but a small quantity left, then it is to be given to the pastor. What bread is left after each and every communion, is to be given to the pastor."
It was customary for churches, where many families lived too great a distance from the meeting-house to go home at noon, to make provision whereby the intermission might be a season of spiritual improvement, rather than of idle gossiping and sinful amusement. Thus the church in Byfield, Newbury, appointed several men " to tarry at the meeting- house by turns, and read some suitable discourse between the public ser- vices, for the benefit and edification of such as tarry at noon." A simi- lar arrangement was made by the church in Georgetown, from 1766 to 1779, and by other churches in the neighborhood.1
The churches formerly were accustomed to observe days of fasting and prayer much more frequently than at present. Usually, on such
had for years agitated almost every congregation in New England, would be very apt to seek each other on the Sabbath, and thus form a choir at once. Schools, too, had their influence in grouping the best singers, and uniting their influence and voices in the songs of the temple. And the very spirit of opposition to regular singing which had for many years existed, and which did exist for many years afterwards, being deeply seated in ignorance and prejudice, had its influence in banding together those who had been so long and so virulently opposed. While there was much con- certed action, there is no mention made of a regular choir, having separate seats, in any church, for thirty or forty years ; and they certainly did not become common until near the time of the American Revolution." -Hood's Hist. of Music in New England, pp. 179-80.
1 In Prince's Christian History, Vol. II. p. 97, we find an account of a like provision made by the church in Middleboro' for several years prior to the revival of 1741.
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occasions, several neighboring ministers were invited to be present, and participate in the services. The old " Ministers' Meeting," an associa- tion formerly occupying a portion of the ground now occupied by the Essex North Association, on one occasion voted that their regular bi- monthly meetings should, for a year, be changed into fasts, to be observed in connection with the several churches to which they would come in order. In connection with these fasts, the churches often solemnly re- newed their covenant. The Third Church in Newbury (now First in Newburyport) . voted, Dec. 7, 1727, " That, once a quarter, the church will meet and renew their covenant." Sometimes, in thus renewing their covenant, all the members of the church held up the right hand, to give to the transaction more of the sacredness and force of an oath.
Social religious weekly meetings for conference and prayer, like those now regularly held in connection with almost all our churches, were not known a century ago. Still, meetings of a somewhat different character were established and maintained by some of the churches. In the rec- ords of the Third Church in Newbury, under date of Dec. 7, 1727, we find the following : "The church met, and, after prayer, voted that Wm. Titcomb, Stephen Greenleaf, Joseph Morse, Wm. Johnson, Nathan Hale, Edward Emerson, Eleazer Hudson, should be joined with the Rev. Pas- tor and the hon'd Justices belonging to this church, to represent the church at a meeting to be held once a month, and consider what may be for the good of the Town in general, especially the churches in it, and more particularly our Church and Precinct ; the choice to be renewed once a year. N. B. The other churches in Newbury have proceeded in the same method, and upon the same design. God grant success to us in this affair, and, by his Holy Spirit, lift up a Standard against vice and prophaneness, and revive dying religion among us."
Such societies were common in other parts of the country. The idea of them seems to have been imported ; for in Prince's Christian History, vol. 1, p. 109, we read of Rev. Mr. Danforth, of Taunton, in 1705, that, " having seen some printed accounts of the Methods of Reformation in Old England, in imitation thereof (after earnest prayers to God for suc- cess), obtained of several Inhabitants of the Place (that were noted for sobriety and zeal against sin) to meet with him once in each month, to consult what might be done to promote a Reformation of Disorders there."
Besides this monthly society, there were, in connection with the Third Church in Newbury, several societies of young men, which held stated meetings for prayer and religious improvement. There is a record of six such societies existing there in 1741, and a list of the names of those belonging to them, and of the persons at whose houses they statedly met.
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The number of members were : fifteen, seventeen, seventeen, twelve, ten, six, - seventy-seven in all, certainly a large number of young men to be enrolled by one church for such a purpose.1 It does not by any means follow that all these young men were Christians, and members of the church in full communion. It is within the memory of some now living, that such societies or meetings were established for young men who were not professors of religion, exclusively, and, in some instances, with the special design that, by participating in the exercises of such meetings, they might be aided and encouraged in maintaining worship in their families." It is to be feared that now, instead of there being non- professors who conduct family worship, there are too many professors who have no domestic altar.
I now proceed to speak, more at length, of a few things of vital inter- est, connected with the history of these churches, which could not be duly considered in our rapid chronological review.
PARISH LAWS AND MINISTERIAL SUPPORT.
At first, both in the Plymouth and in the Massachusetts Bay Colonies, ministerial support was provided for by the voluntary contributions of the people, made weekly or monthly in the church at the close of the Sabbath services.2 The ministers themselves favored this voluntary system. "I have seen a letter," says Gov. Hutchinson, "from one of the principal ministers of the colony, expressing some doubts of the law- fulness of receiving support in any other way." 3 And Gov. Winthrop says, that Mr. Cotton, in a sermon from 2 Kings 8: 8, "taught that
1 Such societies, including all classes, were formed in many places. They appear to have differed from the prayer and conference meetings of our day chiefly in this, - that they had a constitution, or certain rules, which those belonging to a particular so- ciety signed, and they only were expected to attend the meeting. The Rev. Mr. White, of Gloucester, giving an account of a revival among his people in 1744, says : "And.in our Parish, there have since been formed no less than nine distinet Societies, of Young and Old, Male and Female, Bond and Free (for one of them is a Society of Negroes, who, in their meetings, behave very seriously and decently. They have been greatly impressed. One of them gave a very satisfying account of his experi- ence, and was taken into church fellowship. Most of them entered into Covenant, and were baptized themselves, and also their issue), who meet, several of them, twice in a week, to pray and sing, as well as to read Books of Piety, and the rest once a week. And the younger say their Catechism to the Head of the meeting. And sev- eral sermons have been preached unto them." - Prince's Christian History, vol. 2, p. 44.
2 Lechford's Plain Dealing, Mass. Hist. Coll., 3d S., Vol. III. p. 78.
3 Hist. Mass., Vol. I. p. 376.
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when magistrates are forced to provide for the maintainance of minis- ters, then the churches are in a declining condition," and "that the minister's maintainance should be by voluntary contribution, not by lands, revenues, or titles." 1
In Boston, and some other places, "this method was kept up for con- siderably more than a century."2 The following extract from the records of the Third Church in Newbury, under date of Jan. 9, 1733, imply that it was then employed by that church. "The church was excited to do their duty with respect to the contribution for the support of public worship, which lately has failed of its sufficiency." It was continned in the First Church in Ipswich, till 1763.3 But in many towns, this purely voluntary system, at an early day, failed to secure the requisite amount ; all persons not being willing to contribute their fair proportion ; and some of the churches soon began to "be beholden," as Lechford says, "now and then to the General Court, to study ways to enforce the maintainance of the ministrie." 4 The church in Newbury was one of the first to seek and receive such legislative aid. In 1637, only two years after the church was formed, the General Court enacted as follows: " Whereas, it appeareth unto this court, that the inhabitants of Newbury are indebted to divers persons near the sum of sixty pounds, which hath been expended upon public, and needful occasions, for the benefit of all such as do, or shall, inhabit there, as building houses for their ministers ; and whereas such as are of the church there, are not able to bear the whole charge, and the rest of the inhabitants there do, or may enjoy equal benefits thereof with them, it is, therefore, ordered that the freemen of said town, or such of them as upon public notice shall assemble for that end, or the greater number of them, shall raise the said sum of sixty pounds by an equal, and proportionable rate of every estate, as well of such as are absent, as of those that are dwelling there present ; and for default of payment shall have power to levy the same by distress and sale thereof, by such persons as they shall appoint ; and the same being so collected, shall satisfy said debts, and if any remainder be, the same shall be employed upon other occasions of the town.5 By such special legislation the difficulty was at first met. But increase of Quakers and Anabaptists, and others who were unwilling to aid in supporting Congregational ministers, led to the enacting of general
1 Journal, Vol. I. p. 355.
2 Palfrey's Hist. New England, Vol. II. p. 39.
3 Rev. Mr. Kimball's Sermon on Leaving the Ancient Church, p. 14.
4 Mass. Hist. Coll., 3d S., Vol. III. p. 78.
6 Mass. Colonial Records, Vol. I. p. 216.
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laws on the subject. The first was in 1646, to this effect, that in each town every inhabitant who shall not contribute, proportionably to his ability to all common charges, both civil and ecclesiastical, shall be com- pelled thereunto by assessment, and distress to be levied by the consta- ble." 1 This law appears to have originated with the Commissioners of the United Colonies, who, in 1644, recommended that each colony order " That those that are taught in the word in the several plantations be called together, and that every man voluntarily set down what he is willing to allow to that end and use " (the support of ministers). "And if any man refuse to pay a meet proportion, that then he be rated by authority in some just and equal way."2 The design was to encourage and supplement the voluntary system. But the difficulty continued to increase, and, in 1654, the General Court appointed, "a commission to investigate the matter," which resulted in the passage of an order that the county courts be empowered to assess upon any town which neg- lected to support the ministry, a sum sufficient to make up the defect, "and the constable of the said town to collect the same, and to distrain the said assessment upon such as shall refuse to pay."3 The same year (1654), the Plymouth Colony enacted a law authorizing the magistrates to " nse all gentle means to upbraid delinquents, and giving them discre- tionary power to use compulsory means with such as "resist through plain obstinacy against an ordinance of God." In 1657, a more strin- gent law was passed, levying a tax on all in each town who " refuse to clear their part with the rest of the church or town in the due main- tenance and support of the ministry, this law to be in force only to them, but not unto others that do their duty."4 Thus, we see how reluctant our fathers were to give up the voluntary principle of ministerial sup- port, and that they resorted to forced taxation only to supplement the imperfect working of their favorite method. But their descendants, as we shall see, were quite as reluctant to give up the compulsory method, when once fully established, and return to the voluntary system.
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