USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > Half century discourse, delivered November 16, 1828, at Concord, Massachusetts > Part 2
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In this fearful situation, provision was scarce and poor. Repeatedly they had reason to fear perishing with hunger, at least those who were more feeble and helpless. (For the truth of these statements, I
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shall soon adduce authorities.) Yet with all these difficulties our fathers had to contend. They trust- ed in God, and they were delivered. Some of them were rich and of honourable descent, had lived in affluence, and never known hardships and privations of this kind. But the love of God, and the love of religious and civil liberty induced them to undertake and to endure such extreme hardships and dangers. O religion, how mighty thy influence ! how invinci- ble thy power ! Let it affect our hearts to realize, that we are enjoying, in peace and plenty, the fruits of their toils and sufferings,-yea more, of their holy prayers and tears !
But what have we done or thought that can be considered a proper return to the memory of our sainted fathers and mothers, and to their God and ours ? Who has been and is now thankful for what God has done for us by the instrumentality of our pious ancestors ? He is thankful, who, remembering the days of old, and the fathers before whom the sav- ages were driven out, and for whom the Lord wrought wonders, does like them devoutly worship and obey the God of his fathers,-does sanctify the sabbath day,-observe conscientiously relative duties, and does believe and follow Jesus Christ ; not he who merely rejoices with a loud voice, and expresses his gladness by feasting.
I come now to historical facts and particular characters. But here I have to lament the loss and the omission of records. I shall give but a general sketch of the civil history of this town, and leave to other hands and younger eyes many things that are
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interesting to this people, and that might gratify reasonable curiosity .*
This town was incorporated, as a plantation, Sept. 3d. 1635, by an act of the General Court of the then province, sitting at Newton. The Indian name of the place was Musquetequid. The town was fairly purchased of the natives, and payment was made to their entire satisfaction. The tract of land first purchased was six miles square, the centre being very near the spot where the meeting house now stands. Additions were afterwards made by grant or purchase.
The first settlers of this town were very careful to possess a fair title to the soil. They were not only just, but generous. Piety and righteousness marked their transactions, and proved that they " feared God and regarded man." Before the sava- ges and the world they exemplified the religion of the Gospel, the love of which induced them to en- counter innumerable hardships in this then dreary wilderness. They suffered extremely, both from want and fatigue, and endured with singular patience and firmness the greatest difficulties and "sorest labors that ever any people with such weak means have done." As has been observed, it was a tedi- ous journey from Cambridge to Concord: it was through a dismal wilderness, without any road, abounding with brush, briars, and swamps, so that
* It is understood, that a very accurate history of the local situation and civil affairs of this town, is now in preparation by a Gentleman, who has been indefatigable in his researches after interesting facts and proper materials.
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not only their clothes, but their flesh was torn, and their strength sometimes exhausted. It was ex- tremely difficult to procure comfortable food. Scarce- ly ever did they enjoy such as would now be count- ed tolerable. Compared with them, the poorest of us "fare sumptuously every day." And yet, how little do we think of those destitute pilgrims, who endured hardships that we might live at ease,-who fasted that we might feast,-who mourned that we might rejoice,-who served God in the desert that we might worship him in a pleasant and populous country !
Our fathers had little else to eat than alewives and shad, indian corn, meal and water, pumpkins and squashes, and sometimes a little wild meat. They had given up their earthly treasures and comforts for those of religion and heaven. But the Lord our God was with them ;- he protected and fed them in a wonderful manner. It may be said of them as of ancient Israel, that they were made to know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, doth man live. Ye opulent and delicate, could you live one year, one week, as did our an- cestors, for the sake of religion and conscience ?
In the infancy of this town, it was remarkably protected from the often enraged savages. It is ra- tionally supposed that the full satisfaction which the Indians received, when they sold the land, rendered them more peaceable towards the inhabitants. But especially did the God of his praying people of this place lay his restraining influence on the aborigines.
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. While other settlements round about were greatly disturbed,-their houses burnt, men, women, and children killed and scalped, and others carried into captivity, dreadful as death, no attack was made on this town, and only three persons killed by the Indi- ans within its bounds.
The authorities, which I offer to confirm these statements, are Dr. Mather's Magnalia, Johnson's Wonder-working Providence of Zion's Saviour in New-England, and Hubbard's Narrative of the Indian wars. Some other records show that these authors are substantially, though not perfectly correct.
Omitting to quote farther from the Discourse above mentioned, and many things more suitable for com- mon history than a sermon, (which history I have understood is already commenced,) I shall attend to the affairs of the church. Here, also, we are desti- tute of records during the ministry of the four first pastors. We are able, however, from other histor- ical sketches, to trace with certainty the succession of ministers, and that of deacons since the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Bliss .* Our church records begin with the settlement of the Rev. Daniel Bliss. By him it is recorded that, "in the year 1636, the Rev. Peter Bulkeley, the Rev. John Jones, Maj. Simon Willard, and others, brethren and members, came to this town and erected themselves into a church."t
* The names of the deacons, prior to the church records, are left for the history above mentioned, which, it is expected, will be not only correct, but entertaining and useful.
t Thus it appears that the church was gathered in the year after the purchase and incorporation of the town.
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This agrees with the author of Wonder-working Providence who mentions the coming of the same men, about the same time, to this place. And it is confirmed by Dr. Mather's account of the Rev. Peter Bulkeley. To me it seems due to the memory and character of that truly great and good man, here to quote from Dr. Mather a considerable part of his Biography of the first minister of this town,-the first adventurer and principal purchaser of this then wilderness, now pleasant and fruitful town. I shall be excused for dwelling on this character, not only because we are furnished with materials, but because we are more indebted to the piety, enterprize, and labours of Mr. Bulkeley, than to any other individu- al adventurer. All were worthy, and merit a grate- ful remembrance, but this man excelled, and is worthy of double honour.
Of the Rev. Peter Bulkeley* it is written by Dr. Cotton Mather in his Magnalia, that " He was de- scended of an honourable family in Bedfordshire ; where for many successive generations, the names of Edward and Peter were alternately worn by the heirs of the family. His father was Edward Bulkeley, D.D. a faithful minister of the Gospel. He was born at Woodhil, (or Odel) in Bedfordshire, January 31, 1582. His education was answerable to his original ; it was learned,-it was genteel, and which was the top of all, it was very pious. At length it made him a Bachelor of Divinity, and Fellow of St. John's College in Cambridge : the college whereinto he
* The proper name is Bulkeley ; but Dr. Mather uniformly spells it Bulkly.
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had been admitted, about the sixteenth year of his age; and it was while he was but a junior bachelor, that he was chosen a fellow. When he came abroad in the world, a good benefice befel him, added unto the estate of a gentleman, left him by his father ; whom he succeeded in his ministry, which one would imagine temptations enough to keep him out of the wilderness.
" It was not long that he continued in conformity to the ceremonies of. the church of England; but the good bishop of Lincoln connived at his non-con- formity (as he had done at his father's), and he lived an unmolested non-conformist, until he had been three prentice-ships of years" [{ suppose 21] " in the ministry. Towards the latter end of this time, his ministry had a notable success, in the conversion of many unto God." But soon after this time, under Archbishop Laud, "complaints were made against Mr. Bulkeley, for his non-conformity, and he was therefore silenced. 'To New-England therefore he came, in the year 1635; and there having been for a while, at Cambridge, he carried a good number of planters with him, up far into the woods, where they gathered the twelfth church, then formed in the colony, and called the town by the name of Concord .* Here he buried a great estate, while he raised one still, for almost every person whom he employed in his husbandry. He had many and godly servants, whom, when they had lived with him a fit number of years, he still dismissed them with bestowing farms upon
* Winthrop's Journal, which is more correct, reckons it the thirteenth church. Mather appears to blend the gathering of the church and incorporation of the town.
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them, and so took others after the like manner, to 'succeed them in their service and in his kindness."
The same author goes on to say of Mr. Bulkeley that, "he was a most excellent scholar,-that he endowed the library of Harvard College with no small part of his own," that "he was therewithall an ex- cellent christian,-an exact sabbath-keeper,-an ex- ample many ways worthy to be imitated by every one that is called a minister of the Gospel,"-and that " his first sermon [meaning in this place] was on Rom. i, 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ. Moreover, by a sort of winning, yet prudent familiari- ty, he drew persons of all ages to come and sit with him, when he could not go and sit with them .- Such was his pious conduct that he was had much in reverence by his people. And the observance which his own people had for him, was also paid him from all sorts of people throughout the land ; but especially from the ministers of the country, who would still address him as a father, a prophet, a counceller, on all occa- sions." It is farther stated by Dr. Mather, that " upon his importunate pressing a piece of charity, disagreeable to the will of the ruling elder, there was occasioned an unhappy discord in the church of Concord ; which yet was at last healed, by their calling in the help of a council, and the ruling elder's abdication. Of the temptations which occurred on these occasions, Mr. Bulkeley would say, He thereby came, 1. To know more of God. 2. To know more of himself. 3. To know more of men. Peace being restored, the small things in the beginning of the church there, increased in the hands of their faithful
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Bulkeley, until he was translated into the regions, which afford nothing but concord and glory ; leaving his well fed flock in the wilderness, unto the pasto- ral care of his worthy son, Mr. Edward Bulkeley."? Dr. Mather has recorded many more things of Mr. P. Bulkeley, particularly his then highly esteemed trea- tise of the gospel covenant,-his dying charge to New England, &c. I will now notice only his mar- riages, family, death, and epitaph. " His first wife was the daughter of Mr. Thomas Allen of Golding- ton : a most virtuous gentlewoman, whose nephew was the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Thomas Allen. By her he had nine sons and two daughters. After her death he lived a widower eight years, and then married a virtuous daughter of Sir Richard Chit- wood ; by whom he had three sons and one daughter. Age at length creeping on him, he grew much afraid of outliving his work." And he wrote an Epigram in Latin, on the subject. "He was ill, as well as old, when he writ those verses; but God granted him his desire. He recovered, and preached nearly two years after this, and then expired, March 9, 1658-9, in the seventy seventh year of his age."
The Epitaph on his tomb-stone is somewhat enig- matical, but very expressive of his character. It is in Latin, and as follows,-
" Obiit jam qui jamdudum obierat Bulkelæus : Nec patriam ille mutavit, nec pene vitam : Eò ivit, quo ire consuverat, et ubi jam erat." In English, thus,
" Bulkeley is now gone, who had long since gone ; nor hath he changed his country, nor scarcely his life : thither he has gone, whither he was wont to go, and where he already was."
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And must it be added, in truth, that this inscription is not to be found in the grave yard,-that no stone de- signates the spot where this distinguished saint was buried or entombed ! If the spot can be ascertained,* (which is probable,) I would that at least a plain block of granite should there be placed, with his name indelibly inscribed.
Mr. P. Bulkeley was succeeded in the ministry by his son, the Rev. Edward Bulkeley, who was first settled at Marshfield, Ms. We are not informed when he was installed, but have reason to believe, it was soon after the death of his father. He was born and partly educated for the ministry in Eng- land ; and died in this town, Jan. 2, 1695-6. Dr. Mather calls him the worthy son ; and this is all the character of him I have been able to obtain. It ap- pears, however, from some accounts, that he was an infirm man, lived to be old, and some years longer than he could preach. Dr. Mather classes him with those "young scholars, whose education for their designed ministry, not being finished, yet came over from England with their friends, and had their edu- cation perfected in this country, before the College was come unto maturity enough to bestow its laurels."
The Rev. John Jones, who came here with the first company, as colleague with Mr. P. Bulkeley, left this place, with a part of the settlers, in a few years after planting themselves here; and Mr. Jones therefore is not reckoned as one of the ministers in succession.
* There is reason to believe that the three first ministers, viz. Peter Bulkeley, Edward Bulkeley, and Joseph Easta- brook, were laid in the same tomb
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The Rev. Joseph Estabrook was born at Enfield, in England, and graduated at Harvard College, in 1664. He was ordained colleague with Mr. Ed- ward Bulkeley ; the year I cannot say. He died, May 23d, 1711; his age is not ascertained. We know little more of him than that he was a man of distinguished piety and very respectable abilities. He was accounted faithful and his praise was in all the churches.
The Rev: John Whiting was ordained in May, 1712, and continued in the ministry upwards of twen- ty years ; his pastoral relation was dissolved before he died. He was some time a tutor in Harvard Col- lege,-was a gentleman of learning, and possessed a large estate ; his monument still remains.
'The Rev. Daniel Bliss was ordained, March 7th, 173S. He was born at Springfield, Ms. and educat- ed at Yale College, New Haven ; he was a Calvinist in his sentiments, and very zealous in preaching and conversation. He was a man of respectable talents, of ministerial gifts, and of commanding manner and eloquence in preaching.
At the time of his ordination, the church consisted of SO members ;- a number of them belonged to those sections of the town which are now Lincoln and Carlisle. During his ministry of about twenty-five years, 290 persons were admitted to full communion, and 1424 baptized in this church. He was very ac- tive and laborious in his profession, -wrote his ser- mons in characters,-and often preached without notes, or wrote only the heads, or scheme of the ser- mon. Under his ministry there were two periods of
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great religious excitement, or revival. And it is be- lieved that a goodly number of those, then awaken- ed to religious consideration, became true penitents and sincere christians.
Some few years after Mr. Bliss' ordination, a number of his people, and most of the neighbouring ministers, became dissatisfied with his religious sen- timents, and with his conduct in going into other towns to preach, at the invitation of individuals, without the consent of the ministers of those towns. Complaints and charges were brought against him by a number of the church, who were supported by others in the town .* These things are mentioned in the church records. In this state of affairs, a new church was formed, authorized by the neighbouring ministers, with which a small part of the people joined, and had preaching and worship by themselves. They did not build a meeting-house. It was customary, in those days, to count the cost, and to collect a sufficient so- ciety before building a church. There were then no charitable funds to assist feeble churches. I am in- formed, by a respectable lawyer, that there was a law of this then province, that "no persons should build, or appropriate, a house for religious worship without the consent and . vote of the town." Laws
* There are reasons, which seem to me sufficient, for not bringing particularly to view, in this discourse, the difficulties that subsisted, and the councils repeatedly called for advice during the ministry of Mr. Bliss and Mr Emerson. Besides, it would swell this pamphlet to an unreasonable size. In a future day, some useful facts may be collected from the exist- ing records of the church.
THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY CHICAGO 1
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and customs have very much changed. The new so- ciety, however, did not long continue, and gradually returned to the old church and society. Mr. Bliss died, May 11th, 1764, aged 49; and his monument has been kept in repair.
The Rev. William Emerson was ordained Jan. 1, 1766. He was born at Malden, where his father was pastor, and graduated at Harvard University in 1761. He was a gifted, eloquent, and popular preacher. His ardent love for his country, involved in a distressing war, prevailed over the tenderest ties of social, domestic, and pastoral connexions. That love must have been strengthened by the firm belief of duty and the hope of greater usefulness, or it had not been so invincible. He left his endeared fam- ily and beloved people, Aug. 16, 1776, to join the army at Ticonderoga, in which he was appointed chaplain. On his return he was arrested by sickness, and died, October following, at Rutland, Vermont, aged 33. His premature death must be viewed a striking instance of human frailty, and an affecting proof that "God destroyeth the hope of man." Mr. Emerson was distinguished for his ministerial talents, social disposition, love for his country, for human happiness, and immortal souls; his rising character promised extensive usefulness. Alas! that star, to which nature and grace had given peculiar lustre, fell untimely ! His body lies in the place where he finished his course; and this town have erected a handsome monument to his memory, on the burying hill.
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Under Mr. Emerson's ministry, almost eleven years, 66 persons were admitted to full communion, and 506 were baptized. Soon after his settlement difficulties arose in the church. Some blame was attributed to the pastor, but, it is believed, unjustly, by those well acquainted with the origin and pro- gress of the matters of controversy. Several councils were called in to hear, and to give advice; but the difficulties were not healed, until they were swallow- ed up and buried in the commencement of the Revolutionary war. Peace and harmony being re- stored, the pastor and church thought proper to re- new their covenant with God and one another in a public manner. Accordingly, on the 11th of July, 1776, a day set apart for fasting and prayer, a cov- enant was signed by a large majority of the male communicants, 43 in number. Afterwards, 19 others, chiefly new members, signed the same covenant. Several of the members lived in Lincoln and Car- lisle : those in Lincoln continued their connexion with this church until their death. But there were a few of the church who did not join in this transaction, nor put their names to the covenant. This solemn obligation is too long to be here inserted; it is on file with the church records. How many the church consisted of, when Mr. Emerson died, is not as- certained. I find no list of members, except of those males who signed the covenant. I well recollect several of the church, whose names are not among the signers. If, then, we reckon the males at 6S, and add the usually larger number of females, we may suppose the whole were about 150.
I come now to the commencement of the ministry of your present pastor, who is the seventh minister of this town in regular succession.
'Taking the charge of this flock of our Lord was to me very solemn and interesting. I did not covet nor eagerly embrace the opportunity. The greatness of the work, in a place so conspicuous and populous, caused trembling and hesitation. Although an in- vitation was given by the church the first of June, 1778, and I supplied or preached here from that time, yet I did not give my answer of acceptance, till the September following. In reference to that time and the early part of my ministry, I can feel- ingly adopt the words of St. Paul; * " and I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trem- bling ;" and as he elsewhere says, " in many tears." But I have been sustained, far beyond my early expectations, by the good and merciful providence of God, which I admire and adore.
Previous to my ordination, and at that and other times, I endeavoured unreservedly to devote myself to God in the work of the Christian ministry. It was my ardent desire to be an able, faithful, and success- ful minister of Christ. How I have performed the duties of my office it does not become me to say. I was then, and ever since have been, sensible of the very great disadvantages sustained by the interruption of my collegiate studies, and by numerous impediments to the acquisition of theological knowledge, occasion- ed by the Revolutionary war, and the unexampled
1 Cor. ii. 3.
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depreciation of the paper currency of our country. If those disadvantages have been in any measure re- paired by redoubled exertions, God is both witness and judge; he gave the disposition and the strength, and to Him be the glory.
The venerable P. Bulkeley commenced his preach- ing here from the words, " I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ." The first sermon of your present pastor was from I Cor. ii, 2. " For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified." That sermon I have repeated to you. It ever has been, and still is my undeviating endeavour and resolution to preach according to the import and design of those words. In respect to the leading and essential doctrines of the Gospel, I know not that my sentiments are materially changed. On searching the scriptures, it may well be supposed, that I have gained some further light, and acquired a better understanding of them. The manner of ex- pressing my ideas also may be different. But I am not sensible of having departed in any degree from the doctrines properly called the doctrines of grace. The doctrine of three equal persons in one God, I do not call a doctrine of grace, or of the Gospel. We do not find it taught in the Gospel. Whether it be true, or not, it is not written in the inspired scrip- tures. The doctrine was first taught by fallible men. There were some in the Apostles' days, who had em- braced christianity, and yet " had not so much heard whether there were any Holy Ghost."* Surely they
* Acts. 19-2.
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had no idea of the doctrines of the Trinity. At first it was matter of conjecture, of inference, and then of opinion and controversy, and underwent a variety of changes and modifications ; and it did not receive its modern shape and character, till hundreds of years had passed away .* No wonder that men should be long shaping and fixing a doctrine not expressly re- vealed, and which could be known only by express revelation from God ; and especially when there was so much revealed evidently to the contrary. The time will not admit a full expression of my belief on this subject. But I have uniformly believed and preached that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah, the only and all-sufficient Saviour of sinners, owned, anoint- ed, and authorized by God as his Son, whom he sent into the world for the great purpose of instructing and redeeming sinful men, of declaring his will, dis- playing his disposition, righteousness, mercy, and whole character, and of mediating between God and his intelligent creatures ; and that he was endowed by the Father with all divine powers requisite to the accomplishment of the great work assigned him. I believe that he comes to us in the name and author- ity of God, and that therefore we owe him reverence and honour, love and obedience; and also that the time and manner of his invisible existence, the extent of his dignity, and all the relations he sustains to- wards God and the universe, " no one knoweth, save
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