USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Wilbraham > Historical address, delivered at the centennial celebration of the incorporation of the town of Wilbraham, June 15, 1863 > Part 9
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Mr. Willard did not remain to see this glory ; for the parish voted, 1793, one year previously, " that solely considering the state of the parish and Mr. Joseph Willard's health," a dismission of the Rev. Joseph Wil- lard from the relation of pastor to this parish take place, " on condition that he relinquish his salary for half a year." Mr. Willard did so and left. For three years the parish was without a pastor, experimenting with candi- dates, which resulted in the call and ordination of Mr. Ezra Witter, August 16, 1797. He was a man of learn- ing, had a large library for those days, and received many scholars from neighboring towns, some of whom
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he fitted for college. He was a farmer, also; and his farming did not aid him as a pastor among his peo- ple, as they thought, and he was dismissed, April 11, 1814, after a ministry of seventeen years. The society prospered, however, under his ministrations. The meet- ing-house was repaired, a bell purchased, hung, and rung in 1802, the first Sabbath bell of the " Mountains."
There was, however, during this and the previous pastorate, and the years intervening, much " trouble " with the Baptists and Methodists. Sometimes, the taxes of the members of these societies are abated; some- times not. Sometimes, it is voted "to exempt Metho- dists and Babtes and all other denominations, who have obtained certificates, from taxation." Then taxation of all without respect of persons is resorted to. These heretics would conscientiously or obstinately come into parish-meeting and vote, and disturb, thereby, the peace of Zion; so it is voted that the Methodists and Baptists shall not vote. But they did not obey. The " moderate Calvinist," and peacemaker generally, Rev. Joseph Lathrop, D. D., of West Springfield, preached a most ac- ceptable sermon to them, it would seem, in the winter ,of 1794, for the parish raise a committee to present him thanks " for his Ingenius and pertinent Sermon," and " to request a copy for the Press," and that " they de- liver one Book to Each Family in the Parish."
In spite of the good doctor's ointment, the sores multiplied and grew more inflamed. Suits were com- menced for taxes. Piety was evidently giving place to
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pluck on all sides. Even the jail-doors were opened long enough to aid and gratify the spirit of martyrdom. Goods were seized; sometimes worthless articles were placed in the way of officers to ensnare and mortify them. Sometimes, the heretics would come into parish meeting in such a body as to outvote the orthodox, as in 1819, when Augustus Sisson was chosen moderator, and Abel Bliss, Jr., clerk. Compromises were attempt- ed ; but like all compromises, they had in them the ele- ments of their own destruction. The controversy wore itself out and expired by a change in the fundamental law of the land.1
Attempts were made during the four years subsequent to Mr. Witter's dismissal, to settle another minister. But it is evident that the liberal and exclusive elements in the parish itself were working more actively and rendering any agreement upon a pastor more and more difficult. Two ministers were called, Mr. Joel Fairchild and Mr. Calvin Colton, but neither accepted. A special effort was made to secure Mr. Colton ; and the church caused a paper to be drawn up in which the evils of controversial, sectarian preaching are deprecated, and a desire expressed that their pastor should confine his. teaching on controverted points to the language of in- spiration, or not to speak upon them at all. They re- quested a committee to present the paper to Mr. Colton expressing their confidence that, as he had "in a good measure conformed himself to that rule " thus far, "he would increase more and more in that and all other
1 Appendix Z.
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divine graces which tend directly to the harmony of the church and the prosperity of Zion." Mr. Colton declined, however. Whether the graces expected were not attractive to him, or their acquisition impossible, does not appear, and Mr. Ebenezer Brown was called, Dec. 16, 1818, by the parish, 47 for, 17 against; by the church, 21 for, 4 against. The parish were evidently not satisfied, and 28 voted against paying the council. Mr. Brown's pastorate was a turbulent one, for the man's foes were they of his own household. The Methodists and Baptists had rest. It is hoped they en- joyed their repose more than they did the old society's quarrels. Society and church were both tossed and rent. Mr. Brown ruled so firmly that his throne crum- bled under him, and the society well-nigh was lost by his attempt to save it. In 1821, three years after his settlement, the parish lost twenty tax payers, and granted their rates amounting to $139.84. The church is constantly harassed with cases of discipline and coun- cils, nearly twenty pages of the record being occupied with such painful troubles. It became evident that the method adopted with refractory members would neither convert nor restore them, and, July 5, 1827, Mr. Brown was dismissed. A greater part of those who had left the parish and the church returned, and apparent peace again visited Zion. From this time to the close of the century, 1863, or thirty-six years, there have been four pastors, one of whom was connected with
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the church nineteen years. The Parish Ministry Fund is now eight hundred and fifty dollars.
The old meeting-house was first repaired, and then after its third period of service, it was removed again, not to shelter worshippers, but beasts, and a new church was erected on the spot where it stood. The old par- sonage house of the "worthy Mr. Mirick," and the old meeting-house, which stood by it for almost half a cen- tury, both served the hospitable purpose of housing and sheltering beasts after they had rendered good service to man. The parsonage, some years since, by its own decrepitude, and the assistance of a storm, escaped viler uses which it foresaw near at hand. The old meeting- hou e, now a livery stable, still stands near the new one, the "ranging timber" of Hitchcock, Brewer, and Steb- bins as sound as when they dragged it up " Wigwam Hill."
It is time that I turn to the South Parish. My story will be short; for the records of the first nine years are lost, and there were few wars and rumors of wars of which history is made.
The parish was incorporated, June 11, 1782. Previ- ous to this, however, there had been preaching in the place. In the summer season, the services were held under the oak-trees, which some of us remember as standing behind the church half a century afterwards. In the winter, they were held in private houses. Capt. Paul Langdon had the meeting-house ready to raise in June, 1783. I suppose I am safe in saying that there
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is no person present in this crowded audience who was present at the raising, except our respected President, whose mother carried him in her arms to the spot when he was nine months old ; and a noble boy he was. The house was placed in the street, nearly opposite the pres- ent residence of Mrs. Aaron Warren, much to the an- noyance of the town and the comeliness of the village ; and several attempts were made to remove it before the present generation purchased the site where it now stands, remodelled and convenient, and pleasant to look upon.
For ten years, it was a mere shell, rough-boarded on the outside, with board windows, with no seats but rough slabs and boards, and a box of the same rude material for a pulpit; the timbers of the walls and roof were all exposed, and the swallows built their nests and raised their young on the beams and rafters, over the heads of the congregation. In 1793, £246. 15s. were appropriated to finish the house and "see it glassed." A church was organized in 1785, and Rev. Moses Warren was ordained pastor September 3, 1788, when the church contained sixty-five members. His settlement was £150, and his salary was £58, 14s. ($ 188.33), one-half to be paid in commodities, and twenty-four cords of wood yearly. The wood was usually taken by the lowest bidder per cord, in lots of from four to six cords. It is not to be supposed for a moment that his parishioners would bring to their pastor either short measure or poor wood, yet it was
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found convenient in 1816 to commute the wood for money, and about thirty dollars seem to have been thought a just equivalent.
Seating the meeting-house was a cause of offence to many persons, and caused so much dissatisfaction, as also the raising of Mr. Warren's salary by taxing the polls and estates of the members of the parish, that an attempt was made, 1796, to raise money and remove rivalry and jealousy, by selling the pews to the highest bidder for choice for one year, provided the sum realized by the sale should be sufficient to cover parish expen- ses. At the first sale a sufficient sum was not realized, and it was declared void. At the second sale several persons who bid at the first sale were outbidden, or did not bid at all, and for some reason took no pew. This method was accordingly laid aside, and not re- vived till within a few years. The old method of seat- ing, with all its irritations, was again resorted to and continued till 1829. Attempts were made to remove the meeting-house out of the road, in 1817, 1822, 1824, but in vain; the parish refusing to do it at their ex- pense, and individuals not succeeding in raising money to do it at theirs. They did, however, in the last year, succeed in raising money by subscription to paint and shingle it; and in 1838, the parish voted that, if no ex- pense to the parish, individuals might remove the meet- ing-house to where it now stands, and it was done. By a subscription among all the inhabitants of the parish, a bell was put into the tower, and for the first time the
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mountains around that beautiful valley echoed to the tones of the church-going bell, in the sacred stillness of Sunday morning.
Some cases of discipline arose in the church, some foolish, some painful ; yet compared with churches gen- erally, it may be said that the brethren lived in peace. The inroads of other denominations caused some diffi- culty in levying taxes; and as members left to join other societies, the pressure of parish expenses made the members feel restive. But generally it may be said that a commendable degree of good-will prevailed, and the wounds were soon healed which offences had made. It was wise not to open the meeting-house to everybody, on their asking for the key, and it was not often refused, if ever, when application was made in a suitable manner to the proper authorities. No marked seasons of religious interest occurred during Mr. War- ren's ministry till 1822. In the summer of that year, Rev. Asahel Nettleton, a famous revivalist, who was preaching as an evangelist in Somers, where there was a great awakening, came into the place, and by his in- strumentality, sixty-two persons united with the church in October; and in November, thirty-one more; in all, ninety-three additions. Other subjects of the revival joined other churches, so that the whole number of con- versions was over one hundred. Mr. Warren continued his ministry till his death, February 19, 1829, in the seventy-second year of his age, and the forty-first of his ministry. He had baptized four hundred and sev-
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enty-eight adults and children. He was the only man the parish knew as a minister. He was identified with all the interests of religion and education ; and by his encouragement and instruction, no less than fourteen young men of his parish were fitted for college. He published but one sermon, that on the death of Mr. Abdiel Loomis, about 1800. He was a good man, meek, modest, scholarly, devout, - not a popular preacher. His style of writing was free from boldness and imagi- nation, and his manner of delivery was quiet almost to tameness; yet not seldom the good man's lips trembled and his tongue faltered when he spake of " righteousnesss, temperance, and judgment." Of un- sullied integrity, of unchallenged piety, of sincere and unquestioned humility, he
" Allured to brighter worlds, and led the way."
The Rev. William L. Strong, of Somers, preached his funeral sermon, February 23d. He says of Mr. War- ren, " He was peculiarly a man of prayer. His breth- ren in the ministry will long remember with what eagerness he entered upon those seasons of prayer, and other devotional exercises, which were sometimes observed in their meetings for mutual improvement. As a minister of Christ, Mr. Warren discharged his duty with fidelity. *** In his intercourse with his people, they will bear me out when I say that he was most kind and affectionate. In his pastoral visits, and his visits to the sick and dying, he commended himself
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to the conscience. * * * In respect to his qualifications for the ministry, he always spoke with diffidence. So impressed was he with the greatness of the work, and with the high qualifications requisite to discharge suc- cessfully the duties of the sacred office, that he was often heard to say, that if he could have anticipated the labors and trials and difficulties he was to realize, he should scarcely have dared to be a minister. But it pleased God to employ him in his church, and we believe he has been enabled so to demean himself as to magnify his office. Nor has he been left with- out a witness that his labors were approved of God. The approach of death did not fill him with alarm. When nature was nearly exhausted, he bade farewell to his family and friends, and fell asleep, and we doubt not became an inhabitant of that world which the Saviour has gone to prepare for all his people." 1
From the death of " The Good Man," Rev. Mr. War- ren, 1829, till the present time, 1863, thirty-four years, there have been six pastors over the society. The longest pastorate was eight years and six months, and the shortest eighteen months. For two years a stated supply was employed. Of these pastors, it would not be wise to make any special remarks, as their service is of too recent date to admit of the calm judgment of history. It may be said, however, that the immediate successor of Mr. Warren, Rev. Mr. Clarke, who ten years since went to his reward, little under-
1 Appendix AA.
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stood the temper of the parish, and the gentle spirit of his predecessor. The consequence was, as in the case of the Rev. Mr. Brown of the North Parish, contention and division, which culminated in the unharmonious dismission of Mr. Clarke in three years. The wounds were seven years in healing, even under the ministra- tions, a portion of the time, of that saintly man, Rev. Ebenezer R. Wright.
The parish is as prosperous as can be reasonably ex- pected, where, with so small a population, there are two other prosperous societies also. The whole number of persons admitted to the church from its commence- ment, down to February 2, 1862, is 488; of these, forty-eight were admitted in the spring of 1861, when there was no settled pastor, by Rev. Messrs. Doe, Almon, and Underwood. The Ministry Fund is now nine hundred and fifty dollars.
To a thoughtful friend of Zion it seems a calamity that evangelical Christians, so called, who admit the Christian character of the members of their different churches, cannot agree to unite their means in the sup- port of one society, and thus economize means, and strengthen both the brotherhood and religion. They could thus afford to sustain a pastor, without disagreea- ble self-sacrifice, who would command by his talents the respect, and enlighten by his scholarship the minds, of the community. No people can be lifted from the murkiness of superstition, and the narrowness of sect,
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but by one who stands high above them in generous manhood and large culture, as well as fervent piety.
Sunday schools were opened in town about forty years ago. The scholars mostly committed hymns and verses from the Bible, which were recited to their teach- ers, or rather hearers, for very little instruction was given. At a later period, question-books were intro- duced, and information was given by the teachers. Pre- miums were offered at first to those scholars who com- mitted the greatest number of verses, thus by inflaming the worst passions, - jealousy, rivalry, envy, - vio- lating the spirit, to obtain the letter, of Scripture. At an earlier period, the "Assembly's Catechism " was learned in the public schools, and the minister was accustomed to go in once a month, on Saturdays, and hear the children recite it. Sometimes, the children went to the meeting-house or to the minister's house, on Saturday afternoon, and recited it there to him. These were great occasions to the little folks. It is not to be supposed that they understood the awful mys- teries unfolded in the words which they repeated. They did understand, however, that they were, in this exer- cise, reciting what was sacred, and reverent feelings arose under the influence of unmeaning sounds.
The public schools in town were not forgotten in the contentions and anxieties which followed the Revolu- tion. Though embarrassed with debt, and burdened with taxes, our fathers understood that knowledge was one of the corner-stones of the republic. There were
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but two school-houses in town at the close of the Revo- lution, - one on the street near the present Congrega- tional meeting-house ; the other east, on the middle road, on the mountain ; both in the North Parish. The school-districts had done what they could, probably, to erect school-houses, but they were too poor to do much, or to undertake much, and the town came to their aid in 1791, and appropriated £100, to be divided among the districts in proportion to the money they paid into the treasury, and this was to be assessed in a tax by it- self. This appropriation was continued for three years.
To elevate the tone of education, and give better op- portunities to those who were aspiring for more instruc- tion, the town appropriated, in 1792-3, £12 each year, " to the School District in which lives Samuel F. Mer- rick, Provided they keep a Grammar School six months from the present time and the Inhabitants of the whole town have Liberty to send scholars to said School, said School to be under the direction of the selectmen." The town furthermore voted " that the scholars of such parents as did not furnish one quarter of a cord of wood cut fit for the fire before the first of January, should not be taught at school, and if any teacher violated the rule no order should be given for wages." A vote was also passed about this time that there should be no " work " done in the schools. The teachers " boarded round," remaining at cach house where there were scholars, from three to twelve days. This system was continued down to a recent period, - into my own days
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of school-teaching, and perhaps since. It was a great occasion, for the children especially, to have the school- master come to their house to board. The goodies were to be arranged in tempting richness and abundance upon the table. If not the fatted calf, the fatted pig was killed, and the last trembling chicken was sacrificed to honor the guest. With what bewitching grace of mingled fear and delight would the little girl, her face all rosy with modesty, her eye sparkling with expecta- tion, stammeringly, half-curteseying, half-hesitating, an- nounce to you the thrilling news that all things were now ready, and that " mother wants you to come and board to our house next week." And when you gave the welcome reply, " I shall be happy to go," how lightly and jocundly she bounded away to announce the news to the envious group of her companions! From that night on, what a stir was under that roof! The candlesticks are scoured, the andirons put in order ; the best bed, which had not been occupied for half a year, perchance, overhauled ; the best knives and forks taken out of their quiet resting-place and polished; the baby's dresses looked after and ironed out; in short. there was a universal brushing up and smoothing down of the whole premises. Especially did Jemima experi- ment on the possibility of an unaccustomed curl or crimp in her auburn hair. And when the time came for the master to make one of the household, how many benedictions did he pronounce on the extra rye- and-indian bread; the luscious sparerib ; the smoking
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cakes; and above all on the sweet, darling baby ! And with what earnest importunity did the proud mother insist upon his taking one more piece of the cake redolent of the molasses coating, and making refusal impossible by insinuatingly announcing that Jemima made it! Ah, these were halcyon days, - the elysium of schoolmasters !
Books were less abundant than food, and in spite of the town vote, days would sometimes pass without wood; or the wood . would defy the power of fire. Green pine did not make good kindling; white birch did, but went out when your expectations were highest. The school-houses were poor, cold, inconvenient. Yet I cannot agree with some of the opinions uttered re- specting the generosity of our fathers to the schools. They gave more of their poverty than we give to-day of our abundance for the same object. Money was hard to get, but labor they could furnish. They could work on the roads, but not in the school-room. They will appear generous to the schools when we consider their condition. From 1790 to 1799 inclusive, the town appropriated $3496.96, for educational purposes. From 1831 to 1840 inclusive, the town appropriated, for the same purposes, $7,200, only about twice as much, after a period of forty years of thrift, and reck- oning the income of the surplus revenue, amounting to $82 annually. Our ancestors have no reason to be ashamed of their appropriations for schools. Poor as their schools and their school-houses were, they denied
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themselves as many comforts as we do to keep the torch of knowledge burning.
Our schools have been constantly improving. A geography with an atlas was introduced as early as 1820. Dabol superseded Pike ; and Smith, Dabol. It is only in very recent times that boys generally have been rash enough or bold enough to study grammar and geography, or girls hardy and courageous enough to study arithmetic. I remember the first boy who was presumptuous enough to venture on fractions ; and I remember the one who did all his sums by proxy. compensating for the work by drawing ships, at which he was an adept, on his substitute's slate. I believe I was myself the first person who taught Colburn's Intel- lectual Arithmetic in town; it was in 1828. Never. probably, were the public schools in better condition than to-day. Gradual improvement has marked them from the beginning. There is yet, however, abundant room for improvement, and you will make it. This year you pay seventeen hundred and forty-two dollars for the support of your schools, in the midst of a terri- ble civil war, while only twenty years ago, in 1840, in a time of profound peace you paid not half as much, - only eight hundred dollars. Onward ! the path grows brighter and brighter. Posterity will be more grateful for nothing yon leave them than for good public schools. Without intelligence, piety degenerates into superstition, and power becomes satanic.
Besides the public schools, there have always been
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men in town who have taught private schools, where better instruction was given. They were the worthy ministers, who knew that piety without knowledge is superstition. Mr. Witter, of the North Parish, was a scholar. Mr. Brown had a grammar school. Mr. War- ren, of the South Parish, had scholars till his death ; and Elder Bennett not only had private scholars, but sometimes taught a publie school. By these means, the children of the town were enabled to obtain a very re- speetable education without leaving its limits. Acad- emies were opened in Springfield and Monson, and some of the most thrifty and earnest sent their children abroad. In 1826, however, the necessity and desire ceased, for this academy was founded, by the self-saeri- fice and persistent labors of Calvin Brewer, Abel Bliss, Abraham Avery, and others. They were not ashamed to accept the day of small things. A regenerated tavern was made a boarding-house, and that building,1 only half-finished. for want of funds, was dedicated as a school-house by Wilbur Fiske, the principal. Would you know the result ? Look around you. How has the little one become a thousand ! Twice burned to ashes, the boarding-house has risen like the fabled Phoenix in renewed strength and greatness, till she now invites her children, from ocean to ocean, to walk around her and number her towers ; and princely merchants from Boston to the Golden Gate lavish on her their treasures. Bish- ops, Presidents and Professors of Colleges and Theological
1 The speaker pointed to the old academy building.
That Chachlunk. Ing" Springfield Me
WESLEYAN ACADEMY_ WILBRAHAM, MASS. FOUNDED, 1824.
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