USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Gathered in 1707 : a history of the First Congregational Church, Braintree, Massachusetts, 1707-1957 > Part 11
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"The Frst Congregational Church of Braintree would hereby put on record its deep and sincere appreciation of the contribution of Dr. Ernest Bent to the Church through his interest in the music.
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"From his first coming to Braintree many years ago he has given generously to this part of the church work as singer, as choir director and as a member and chairman of the Music Committee. He has been most generous in the use of time and thought in promoting in every way the success of the musical program.
"The value of this service so unstintedly given cannot be measured. Our pastors have greatly appreciated it; our organists have relied upon it and the reputation of our church for good music has been due in no small measure to the cooperation of Dr. Bent."
Although this was directed to Dr. Bent, the same could be said of many, many others who have given of their time and talent with the result that the First Congregational Church has maintained its repu- tation through the years for the finest type of music both at the regular Sunday services, and also in special musical programs given at Easter and Christmas, and on other occasions.
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CHAPTER 7 POUNDS, DEBTS AND DOLLARS
"Thou hast been faithful over a few things .. . "-Matthew 25:21
"1710: That Mr. Hugh Adams be yearly and every year while he continues to perform the whole work of pastor among us sixty pounds premium, 1/2 in money as it commonly passes from man to man in trade; 1/2 in good provision at money price; one half to be paid at half year's end, and other on or before year's end." This method of paying a minister his salary, half in provisions, and the whole in arrears, seems very strange to people living in this twentieth century. But it was common practice in the 18th century as was the practice of having the minister sign a receipt for his money. When Rev. Samuel Niles was being considered as the second minister and a "settlement" was being voted on, a vote was taken as to the way of voting "whether by papers or uplifted hands, or by division of ye people," (in this instance "papers" won) and the voting resulted in a "60 pound settlement for Rev. Niles."
This settlement of 60 pounds yearly was not enough so the Parish voted 20 pounds additional in 1718 and in 1726 voted a "free contri- bution" for the pastor, once a quarter. Later, in addition to "a contri- bution every Sabbath in March for the pastor" he was given "the improvement of 25 acres of land adjoining to Joseph Adams and Josiah Faxon, providing he put a fence around it." The value of money having depreciated, in 1733 it was requested that a committee confer with Reverend Niles as to whether "the amount he was getting would still buy as many of the household necessaries as it did when he first had come because of the decrease in value of paper money." The committee reported that Reverend Niles would accept double his salary and he wished it paid quarterly. Later, it was voted to give him a £50 raise in addition to his yearly salary of £80. The yearly expense of the Church in 1734 was £217, 8 shilling of which £150 were for the minister.
The term "annual meeting" was not used until 1737 when the first meeting of the year was referred to as "the anniversary precinct meeting." The "year" referred to above was changed in 1752 as follows: "Here take notice that as the year did use to begin the 25 day of March now by Act of Parliament, the year begins the first day of January."
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The terms "old tender" and "new tender" and "bills of credit" appear in the votes for the minister's salary, and apparently months would elapse between his paydays for in 1756 it is noted "that a box be held out every Lord's Day for a contribution for the minister as he sometimes receives no money from the treasurer for some months." The first mention of "dollars" or "hard money" was in 1758 when the first collector was chosen who was instructed to collect half the tax for the new church building and for this he would be paid $4. "Provisions being dear" in 1761, an additional $20 was voted for Rev. Niles.
When a new minister was being considered in 1762, a fast day "to seek direction and assistance of God in settlement of a new min- ister" was held, and a "Sunday contribution for the support of preaching was collected, each person marking his own paper money for which he will be credited, otherwise considered 'freely' given." Mr. Weld, who had been preaching on probation, was voted £200 as settlement in addition to his salary of £80 a year - £100 to be paid at end of first year, and the other £100 at the end of second year. It cost £25, 1 shilling, 10 pence to hold the ordination of Rev. Weld, and Thomas Faxon was paid £11, 4 shilling for "boarding Mr. Weld and the other ministers." By 1775, his salary has been increased to £100 yearly "pro- vided he continue in the ministry among us." But this amount was not enough and Rev. Weld complained "that the times are difficult and his family under uncommon circumstances" and £300 were assessed on the inhabitants of the Precinct to pay his debt and support his family. In reply, Rev. Weld sent a "memorial expressing his wish that the Precinct would supply him with such necessaries of life for him and family as he should ask for rather than a nominal sum of money as the times are now uncertain."
A new method of collecting the yearly tax was tried with some success in 1781 - "all who pay their tax within one month to the collector or to Rev. Weld to receive 8 pence abated on every pound, otherwise they pay in full." Freeholders were first mentioned in 1782 and also "to choose all such Precinct officers for the year as the 'law of this state' directs'." Another method of collecting was the practice of bidding on the job of collector, a practice started in 1784. In 1811, it was voted "to let out the collection of $900 for the support of the gospel and other expenses to the lowest bidder, giving bonds to the satisfaction of the assessors. Capt. Isaac Dyer was the lowest bidder at 31/2 cents on the pound and was chosen collector."
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THE SANCTUARY OF THE CHURCH BUILT IN 1857
E
A Gift of Dawn Jonathan To the Second Church of Christ in Bruntree Muy
TANKARD (CIRCA 1760 BY SAMUEL BURT) CHALICE (LONDON 1617) TWO OLDEST PIECES OF CHURCH SILVER NOW ON LOAN TO FINE ARTS MUSEUM, BOSTON
About 1820, additional funds were collected by the sale of pews which had become available, originally sold in the new Meeting-House of 1759. These pews brought varying amounts - $7.50, $6.25, $5.271/2, etc. A "committee to settle with the treasurer" was appointed yearly "to examine and settle the accounts of Mr. John V. Arnold, the present treasurer, whose accounts were found to be rightly cast, well vouched and that there is now due to said treasurer the sum of $41.51. That there appears from the records five orders drawn by the Assessors amounting to $23.02 not yet brought in or settled. The whole tax for the year 1819 remains unpaid into the treasury."
Dr. Storrs' salary was $336. in arrears in 1821 and in 1823, in an attempt to see that he was paid in full, it was voted "to pay Rev. Storrs his salary by the 10th day of May and if money is not paid in to the treasurer, he is to borrow same. In 1824, the Parish voted to "defend David Holbrook, Esq., their collector, from all expense and harm which he should sustain by an action brought against him by Ezra Penniman for trespass in collecting his taxes for the year 1821-22, he legally performing his duty." The discount on the early payment of taxes was raised to 3 percent in 1825; in 1827, the discount was 11/2 percent and the collector would have 3 percent for collecting the remainder due after May 1st.
Dr. Storrs' salary was in arrears many times during the years of his ministry. One year, trees in the Church owned wood lot were cut and sold as cord wood to help "repay Dr. Storrs salary for the past year." "As no such suggestion has been made and as the times continue to press heavily on all classes of society, and as I wish to share the burdens no less than the joys of my people, I have concluded to say to you that for the current year, that is, the year ending May 10, 1843, I shall cheerfully accept seven hundred dollars instead of the $800 voed me." Thus wrote Dr. Storrs in 1843.
In 1865, when infirm in health and feeling that his work was too arduous for him, Dr. Storrs wrote a long letter to the Church requesting an assistant or a three months' vacation and offered "that half my lawful salary will be cheerfully relinquished, if desired, trusting in God to supply all my needs." To this letter and as the result of subsequent conferences, the following concluding paragraph is written into the record book of that period, and is classical in its wording: "If both propositions are rejected than things must remain as they now are. Our Pastor will continue to discharge his ministerial duties according to his ability until "The Pitcher be broken at the fountain and the wheel
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at the cistern,' but necessarily the best interests of the Parish will languish. Parochial visits must soon cease, the chambers of sickness will be neglected, the youth who for so long a period have received the kind instruction of a beloved pastor will remain shepherdless, our members decrease and religion decline."
The first four buildings erected by the First Church were partially, if not wholly, financed by selling pews, sometimes by auction and sometimes by outright sales. Many pewholders sold their holdings to Others for one reason or another. The earliest pews were built by the people "who were granted liberty for pews in convenient places in the Meeting-House, and those to whom pews are granted shall sit in them when they are completed." The whole town was taxed for the cost of the early Meeting-Houses, and after the Church was built, additional money was raised by a proportionate tax on the pews.
Probably the strangest financing was in connection with the pews in the 1830 and 1857 buildings. Eventually, pews became available as life-time owners died or moved away and the Assessors did not want the ownership to fall into the hands of strangers, and a meeting of the Church voted that the Assessors were to buy them back. At the next meeting, it having been determined that the treasury had no money for such transactions, the assessors were instructed to mortgage the Church to secure money to buy back the pews. The condition of the sale of pews for the 1857 building, which realized $15,000., contained the clause "no pew will be altered in any manner without the consent of the Parish and the cushions and carpets are not sold but belong to the Parish for the use of the occupants."
"Assessor's Reports" in printed form began to appear in 1885 and are even more revealing than reading the record books, and the first one contains this statement: "The financial outlook of the Parish was certainly most deplorable. To go on with a debt as large as that transmitted to us, which must only be increased by the close of another year, was a situation certainly unpleasant. ... After weeks of perse- vering labor the full amount of the past year's debt, $829, was obtained and has since been collected." They proposed abolishing the pew tax and by soliciting weekly offerings from everyone in the Parish more money would be received and the number of contributors would be increased, which plan resulted just as they expected - in 1887, the Assessors reported "under the old pew tax the amount collected came from 70-80 persons, and now we have no less than 150 regular sub- scribers." This system worked well for three years but each year
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was less successful and finally in 1892, the Assessors went back to a modified tax on the pews.
The Assessors' Report of 1894 undoubtedly expressed the hopeful opinion of all Assessors or Trustees everywhere, then and now: "Probably the financial exhibit of the Parish will never be satisfactory until the receipts equal the expenditures."
From the time of its organization until 1916, the Church and Parish of the First Congregational Church were two separate units. The Parish carried the load of the expenses, the treasurer's report of the Church being concerned with contributions to missions, the various charities to which the Church contributed, special collections taken, etc. Whenever matters were proposed which affected both the Parish and Church, separate meetings were held and separate votes were taken and one announcement of the result was made. The list of members (who were added or removed simply by the asking) of the Parish was a great deal longer than that of the Church (whose members were proposed, examined thoroughly as to beliefs and qualifications, pro- pounded and then received.) In 1833, the Church and state were separated by law and thereafter a church did not make civil affairs its concern, and vice versa.
At a meeting of the joint Church and Parish in May 1916, the necessary steps were taken to become a corporation, and on June 5, 1916, The First Congregational Church of Braintree was incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts "for the purpose of establishing and maintaining the public worship of God, in accord- ance with the principles and doctrines of the statement of faith adopted by the National Council of Congregational Churches at Kansas City in the year 1913 and having complied with the provisions of the Statutes of this Commonwealth in such case made and provided, as appears from the certificate of the Standing Committee of said corporation, duly ap- proved by the Commissioner of Corporations and recorded in this office."
Much of the financial history of the Church has been well de- scribed in the articles written by the ministers since 1916, and printed elsewhere in this book. There have been lean years and financially brighter years; when financial burdens have exceeded contributions and indebtedness has resulted, the problem has been handled in business-like fashion. A great deal of credit is due to the tireless efforts of trustees and finance committees who have worked to keep the First Congregational Church on a sound, secure footing, whenever possible.
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In January 1945, the last mortgage was paid off through the generosity of Peter Ness who left the Church $2,000. This mortgage, originally $6,000 (in the '20's), had been reduced to $4,500 and since 1932 had been held by the Congregational Church Building Society. Unexpected repairs on the Church property, the devasting effects of the stock market crash and its aftermath of depression, and an apathy on the part of subscribers had made it impossible for the Trustees to pay the last $3,000. In June 1948, a "debt of honor" in connection with the note held by the Congregational Church Building Society was paid. Since that time, there has been no indebtedness, a reserve fund has been built up to over $2,000. and the future looks promising for this solvency to continue.
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CHAPTER 8 SEXTONS AND CEMETERIES
". . . How shall be take care of the Church of God?" - I Timothy 3:7
At the fourth meeting of the newly formed precinct, in 1709, "12 shillings were voted to the sexton for 'sweeping ye meeting houfe and keeping the key'" and thus began almost 250 years of sexton's duties at the First Congregational Church. Ringing the bell was added in 1714, thus proving that not only did the Church have a bell on its first Meeting-House but the duty of ringing the bell was delegated to the sexton, in order that its use might be controlled. Although the minister's salary remained more or less static for many years, the sexton's salary was increased from 12 shillings in 1709 to 35 in 1731 and 50 shillings in 1735 when it was voted to engage "some meek person who would keep the Meeting-House clean and in the winter season, the horse block be cleared of snow and also paths made from them to the doors of the Meeting-House and ring the bell."
The reason for including cemeteries in a chapter with sextons is obvious when the records reveal that in 1716 the Parish bought a "burying cloth" for 5 pounds and the care of the cloth was added to the sexton's duties. No description of the cloth is given but from the references to its use, it is surmised that it was stored at the Church and was taken to the home of the deceased to be placed under the rough hewn, homemade box to protect the surface of the table in the home. Records of a church in a neighboring town describe the use of a burying cloth as a drape over the "working pallbearers" who carried the casket from the home to the cemetery while the "honorary bearers" walked along with their hands on the casket to guide it. The burying cloth or "burial cloth" as it is sometimes called was in frequent use and the purchase of several is noted in the records most of them costing about four or five pounds.
In 1746, for five pounds yearly, an additional duty was added to the sexton - "to take care of the basin and to bring water as occasion shall be." Tolling the bell was spelled out in the records of 1766 as follows: "Toll the bell after the sun an hour high the morning of a funeral to give notice, and on Sundays, first bell 9, second bell at 10:15; intermission at noon, 1 hour for 3 winter months; 2 hours, 3 summer months; other months, 11/2 hours." The first mention of
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wages in "hard money" was in 1781 when the sexton received $10. In 1783, two sextons were hired. One received $6 for ringing the bell on the Lord's Day and at Lectures and all public occasions and funerals; the other received $4 for sweeping the Meeting-House and shoveling the snow from the steps of the Meeting-House door and at the horse- block and "in the garret of the House when the snow drives in by storms."
The practice of "bidding off" the job of sexton was first recorded in 1792 and continued for many years. "Silvanus French to take care of their Meeting-House the current year and sweep the Meeting-House once a month and after any Town Meeting and that he shovel the snow from the steps of the Meeting-House doors and at the horseblock and in the garret of the house where the snow drives in by storms and that he ring the bell on the Lord's Day and at funerals and at Public Occa- sions and to have the above at seven dollars and a quarter of a dollar as he bid it off." By 1814, it was voted that the duty of sexton which is recorded on the Town Book be taken off and recorded on the Parish Book in much the same wording as above, with the added duties "toll the bell at funerals and carry the burying cloth to the house where the funeral is to be from, and dust the seats and pews, and provided the person who undertakes the business shall not comply with the above conditions he shall not be entitled to more for his service than the town shall vote him next month." The next year he was ordered to "attend Sabbath evening services to see that good order is maintained."
The whole picture of the Church in the early days of its history can almost be visualized from the duties of the sexton and the way improvements increased his labors. Apparently, stoves were added to the 1759 Church in the early 1800's since "the additional duty of taking care of the stove" was added at that time with instructions "to make the fire when it is needed and to keep the door closed when it should be." As the Meeting-House was altered, so were the duties - "keep the snow clear from the door and piazza and a passageway to the several sheds, also to take care of the hearse and hearse house."
The hearse was owned by the Church and kept on the Church property in a shed but no description is given of it but its use is specifically spelled out:
"For the use of the Hearse by other than the Parish and those who contributed to building the same the following prices to be charged for the purpose of keeping the Hearse in repairs:
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When used in Town 2.00
When used to go out 3.00
To Forest Hills and like distances 4.00
Mount Auburn
5.00
and the Hearse is not to be let without the sexton goes with it."
"All monies received for the use of the hearse shall be paid into the treasury of the Parish" according to another vote. Just as there is no description of the hearse, no mention is made of a horse or horses to draw the hearse but the sexton was instructed to "keep the harness oiled and clean" and see that the sheds were kept in "proper condition." The hearse and shed were still in existence as recently as 1906 when a motion was passed to appoint a committee to dispose of them.
Another listing of the duties of the sexton was even more specific "clean the dirt from the seats and keep all the cobwebs from the windows and other parts of the House, dusting the House twelve times a year and oftener if required by the Assessors, the cushions to be raised once a year and turned before sweeping." While the parsonage was so near the Church, "a path to the Parsonage must be cleared. In cold weather the fires are to be made on Saturday morning and shall be attended to and not allowed to go out through the night," for all of which the sexton in this case, Jacob L. Fogg, received sixty dollars a year.
In 1814, the sexton's duties included digging graves for which he received the following amounts in addition to his wage of $15. a year:
"Ten years of Age - $1.00 Over ten and Under 21 - $1.50 Over 21 years - $2.00"
Not always accurate in spelling, the duties were nevertheless specific - "the first bell is to be 'wrung' 10 minutes and the second bell five minutes and five minutes between 'wringing' and tolling." And frequent admonition was given - "If sexton's job is not done to the acceptance of the Parish, they are to deduct from his salary (in this case $20.00 per year)."
The Church bell, just as the clock is today, was considered a public service for summoning the town in case of fire, disaster or any public occasions. Many people are familiar with the long bell rope that hangs down into the back of the Old Ship Church in Hingham in full view of the congregation. It is not recorded where the bell
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rope was located in the old Church buildings but it was not too in- accessible for on more than one occasion "depredations upon the bell" were a matter of serious attention at Parish meetings. Finally, it was voted that "the bell should not be rung before sunrise in the morning on political occasions" and "the sexton is to attend to ringing the bell himself."
It is unfortunate that no specific details were given of the early bells. As mentioned before, the first bell was used in 1713 when its ringing was added to the sexton's duty. Yet, not until 1714 did the meeting consider buying a bell (the first one to cost 24 pounds, which money was later voted to finish the Meeting-House, instead) when it was voted to "raise 9 pounds to pay for the new bell." In 1723, there was considerable discussion about "finishing the tarit or bellfree to make it tight, or pull it down" and it can be assumed that the bell hung in the belfry. In 1750, a "bell of 400 weight" was voted on and no further mention is given except when the 1830 Church was being built, there was much debate concerning the belfry and who had the custody of the bell while it was out of the tower. Whether or not a newer bell was ever installed is not recorded, but the following quota- tion from an article in the "Braintree Bee" after the disastrous fire in 1912 is worth quoting:
"The clock stopped at 4:10. When the church tower fell, the big bell landed within the walls while the metal top fell toward Stedman Avenue. It jarred the earth and threw up an immense volume of smoke and sparks, but after it fell everybody was relieved as there wasn't much left standing. The bell is partially buried in the ruins and badly cracked."
The bell was retrieved and shipped to Cincinnati, Ohio where E. W. VanDuzen Company recast it and it hangs in the tower today, along with the Jackson chime bells.
It was not many years ago that one of the duties of the sexton, or custodian as he is now called, was to unlock the buildings and to see that everything was properly locked up for the night. "Keeping the key" has been a duty since the first recorded meeting and in the vault is a very large heavy key, nearly five inches in length, which is simply marked "key to the old church." Whether or not this belonged to the building of 1857 or an older one is not known but its size and weight would eliminate any possibility of a lost or misplaced key.
For many years, the sexton shared in the responsibility for the upkeep and use of the cemetery or "burial ground" across from the
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Church as "the superintendent and sexton (in 1865) to have charge (of the burial ground) and they are instructed to forbid all burials in the Burial Ground except in places not heretofore occupied by the dead."
Dependance French, Sam Bass and Joseph Allen were appointed a committee in 1713 "to make inquiry concerning a burying place, where it may be had, of whom and at what price," and thus in 1716, a burying place was purchased for 10 pounds, and Mrs. Elizabeth Niles, wife of the Rev. Samuel Niles, was "the first buried in this burying ground" as the inscription on her stone reads. A stone wall was erected in 1747 after it had been measured and "found" and in 1783 "Mr. Christopher Thayer was permitted to do the work of fenceing the burying place with a stone wall" and in return for the privilege he was permitted to feed "nothing bigger than calves thereon."
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