USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections: containing I. The Reformation in France; the rise, progress and destruction of the Huguenot Church. Vol I > Part 28
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ECCLESIASTICAL.
CHAPTER III.
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
THE first church in Woodstock was organized about the year 1690. There had been religious services, commencing with the arrival of the first planters, but no settled minister or church organization.
The Rev. Josiah Dwight was their first settled minister; the exact date of his settlement is not now known. The records of this church during the pastorate of Mr. Dwight are lost to the society. It is supposed that when he left the church he carried away with him these records, the covenant, and other papers belonging to this organization.
Furthermore, there is a deficiency in their later pro- ceedings. Through some dissatisfaction among its mem- bers, a division of this church occurred in the year 1759 ; the party which withdrew took with them the remaining re- cords to this date, organized a church at Muddy Brook the same year, and styled themselves "The First Congregational Church of Woodstock."
A similar occurrence took place in the Muddy Brook church, in the year 1831.
There arose some difficulty among its members concerning the location of a new meeting-house, when a part withdrew, who, imitating the example of their predecessors, laid hands
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upon these records and formed a church at the village corners now known as North Woodstock, and who it is supposed now hold them in their possession.
The pastorate of Rev. Josiah Dwight continued with this people about thirty-seven years. Most of this long connection proved satisfactory, both to the pastor and the society, until near its close, when some unfortunate and unhappy affairs induced the pastor to ask for a dismission. This request was granted by the church, September 27, 1726. A council was called, November 16, 1727, to hear the existing com- plaints. The allegations made by the church, were, rashness of speech, a want of meekness and patience, and furthermore, a habit of speculating in wild lands at Killingly ; and, as fur- ther alleged, not without loss of his reputation for truth and veracity.
Mr. Dwight denied the allegations as to misrepresentation about the lands at Killingly, but confessed rashness, want of patience and meekness, under provocation.
It appeared furthermore, that Mr. Dwight had made some departure from the strict observance of church discipline, as established by the Cambridge platform, which was agreed upon by a general synod of the Congregational ministers of New England, in the year 1648 .*
He was not alone at this time in the desire for a revision and more liberal construction of the plan of church gov- ernment.
By the terms of the Cambridge platform, associations of ministers and churches in separate organizations were not recognized. No discussion relating to change of church disci- pline or organization of churches was permitted, except at the general assembly of all the churches.
At a council held at Boston in September, 1662, the form-
* See Mather's Magnalia, vol. II, p. 153. This synod was held at Cambridge, Massachu - setts, September 30, 1648.
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ing of separate associations of churches was favored. The old class of ministers opposed all innovations, and, being in majority, held strictly to the Cambridge platform.
The venerable Thomas Hooker,* the founder of Hartford, and a leading minister in the colony of Connecticut, did not favor fully the strict church government as had been con- ducted by the leading clergymen of Massachusetts. He favored the frequent assembling of neighboring ministers, and a plan of consociations. Had he lived at the time of holding the council in 1662, he would, no doubt, have opposed the strict government of the churches as established by the Cam- bridge platform.
A question arose in the General Assembly of Connecticut regarding greater latitude in the membership of churches and baptism.
In the year 1664, that court resolved,
"That understanding by a writing presented to them from several persons of this colony that they are aggrieved, that they are not enter- tained in church fellowship; this court, having duly considered the same, desiring that the rules of Christ may be attended, do commend it to the ministers and churches in this colony to consider whether it be not their duty to entertain all such persons who are of an honest and godly conversation, having a competency of knowledge in the princi- ples of religion, and shall desire to join with them in church fellow- ship, by an explicit covenant; and that they have their children bap- tized; and that all the children of the church be accepted and accounted real members of the church; and that the church exercise a due Chris- tian care and watch over them; and that when they are grown up, being examined by the officer in the presence of the church, it appear in the judgment of charity that they be duly qualified to participate in that great ordinance of the Lord's Supper, by their being able to examine themselves and discern the Lord's body, such persons be admitted to full communion."+
* Rev. Thomas Hooker was born in Leicestershire, England, in 1586. He came to Boston, New England, 1633, was settled over the church at Cambridge the same year, and, with 100 others, removed, settled, and founded Hartford in 1636. He died, July 7, 1647, aged sixty- . one years.
t See Trumbull's Connecticut, vol. I, chapter 13, p. 326.
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The secretary of the colony was instructed to send a copy of this resolution to all the ministers and churches in the colony.
The majority of the churches were at this time opposed to what they called " The Half-Way Covenant."
" They imagined that such a latitude in baptism and admission of members to communion, would subvert the very design for which the churches of New England were planted. They required full commu- nion ; those only were admitted in most of the churches who made a public relation of their experience, by which they gave satisfaction to the church of their repentance, faith, and sincere friendship for the Redeemer."
" Great care and strictness was had in the examination of ministers who were to be ordained, their knowledge of the doctrinal points in theology was tested, and their ability to defend Christianity and its doc- trines. They must give evidence of their spiritual birth. None were ordained or installed over any church until after they had been admitted to its full communion and fellowship."
Notwithstanding the firm ground here taken by a majority of the ministers, there was a growing tendency towards a more lax state of church discipline ; and finally, in 1696, the princi- ple which was attempted in 1664, by the General Assembly, which was called "The Owning of the Covenant," was now by some of the churches adopted.
This explicit covenant, as recommended by the Assembly, , was, in substance, as follows :
" We do solemnly, in the presence of God and this congregation, avouch God in Jesus Christ, to be our God, one God in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and that we are, by nature, children of wrath ; and that our hope of mercy with God is only through the righteousness of Jesus Christ, apprehended by faith; and we do freely give up ourselves to the Lord, to walk in communion with him, in the ordinances appointed in his Holy Word, and to yield obedience to all his commandments and submit to his government; and whereas, to the great dishonor of God, scandal of religion, and hazard of the dam- nation of many souls, drunkenness and uncleanness are prevailing amongst us, we do solemnly engage before God this day, through his grace, faithfully and conscientiously to strive against these evils and the temptations leading thereunto."
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This covenant differed in some respects in different churches ; in some churches the explicit covenant was to be subscribed and owned annually, especially by the younger members.
This mode of gaining church membership soon became quite common in the churches in Connecticut, and thus mem- bership became more general and a large portion of the chil- dren were admitted to baptism.
The practice of requiring a relation of religious experience, and of requiring full communion, was continued in but few churches ; but where this was required the number of children that received baptism was small.
This was under a state of things which was the passing from the order of the old ministers, who were among the founders of the colony, to that of a new class of people, the former ministers having now passed away.
At the close of the seventeenth century the religious affairs of the colony were much disorganized, which led many of the most considerate ministers to attempt some general plan for reorganization of the churches under one uniform system of government, and also to provide, within the limits of the col- ony, a system of better education for the ministers who were to succeed to the head of the churches.
With this object in view, a movement was made in 1698 for founding a college in Connecticut, by Rev. James Pier- pont, of New Haven, Rev. Samuel Andrews, of Milford, and Rev. Samuel Russell, of Branford. In 1699 ten of the prin- cipal ministers of the colony were agreed upon for 'a board of trustees. In 1700 these gentlemen met at New Haven, and formed themselves into a society, to consist of eleven minis- ters, including a rector or president. They had another meet- ing the same year at Branford, and there laid the foundation of Yale college.
This act was as follows : each of the trustees gave a nun- ber of books, which at the time they declared were for the
:
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founding of a college. About forty books were thus given at this meeting for this object. The trustees took posses- sion of these books, and appointed Rev. Samuel Russell, of Branford, the librarian.
Donations of money and books to considerable amounts soon came to the hands of these trustees, and in October, 1701, the General Assembly incorporated them, and granted a charter for the college, vesting them with all necessary priv- ileges and powers for the government of the sanie.
At this time it was agreed that the college, for the present, should be located at Saybrook. The charter ordained that the corporators should consist of ministers only.
The plan of the college government was very formal and minute ; the design was to imitate the Protestant colleges of France.
To be under the supervision of the synod of the Connecti- cut churches, which was the condition of all the French Prot- estant collegiate institutions.
As it was the principal design of the college to promote the power and purity of religion, it became necessary now to es- tablish a uniformity in the government and discipline of all the churches in the colony, and to require the religious exer- cises of the college and doctrinal faith to correspond. To do this, it was determined to adopt a platform of faith and disci- pline suitable for promoting the designed object of the college.
To effect this object, the General Assembly of May, 1708, passed an act requiring the ministers and churches to meet and form an ecclesiastical constitution. This act required the ministers in each county to assemble and choose two or more of their number to meet in convention at Saybrook, in Sep- tember of that year, and there to agree upon a form of eccle- siastical discipline, to be offered by them to the General Assembly at their session at New Haven, in October follow- ing, to be considered of and confirmed by them.
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This convention having met and considered the subject referred to them, made report in manner following :
"In compliance with an order of the General Assembly, May 13, 1708, after humble addresses to the throne of grace for divine presence, assistance, and blessing upon us, having our eyes upon the word of God and the constitution of our churches, we agree that the confession of faith owned and assented unto by the elders and messengers as. sembled at Boston, in New England, May 12, 1680, being the second session of that synod, be recommended to the honorable General As- sembly of this colony at the next session for their public testimony thercunto, as the faith of the churches of this colony."*
Then follows the heads of agreement and platform of church government embraced in fifteen articles, which took the name of "Saybrook Platform " from having been framed and agreed upon by the ministers assembled at that place, on the 9th of September, 1708.
The confirmation of the General Court held at New Haven, October, 1708, was in the words following :
"The reverend ministers, delegates from the elders and messengers of this government, met at Saybrook, September 9, 1708, having prc- sented to this assembly a confession of faith, and heads of agreement, and regulations in the administration of church discipline, as unani- mously agreed and consented to by the elders and churches in this gov- ernment, -this assembly doth declare their great approbation of such a happy agreement, and do ordain that all the churches within this gov- ernment that are or shall be thus united in doctrine, worship, and disci- pline, be and for the future shall be owned, acknowledged, and estab- lished by law; provided, always, that nothing herein shall be intended or construed to hinder or prevent any society or church that is or shall be allowed by the laws of this government, who soberly differ or dissent from the united churches hereby established, from exercising worship and discipline in their own way according to their conscience."
Notwithstanding the Savoy confession was adopted as the faith of the Connecticut churches, yet, by adopting the heads of agreement, with respect to soundness of judgment in
* This was the Savoy Confession, with some small alteration. See Trumbull's Connecti- cut, vol. I, p. 509.
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matters of faith, it was sufficient that a church acknowledge the Scripture to be the Word of God, the perfect and only rule of faith and practice, and own either the doctrinal part of those commonly called the articles of the church of England, or the confession or catechisms, shorter or longer, compiled by the assembly at Westminster, in the year 1643 (being a revision of the articles of the church of England by a united body of the Protestant ministers of that country, Presbyterian, Congregational, and Episcopal ; a result of the overthrow of the government of Charles I, and the rigid government of the English church, by the Revolution of 1640), or the confessions agreed on at Savoy, to be agreeable to the said rule.
The corporation, having now obtained a confession of faith adopted by the churches and legislature of the colony, now adopted it for the college, and the trustees and officers, upon their induction into office, were required to give their assent to it and to the Westminster confession* and catechisms.
Such was the state of religious affairs at this time in New England ; there was far more reliance placed upon the dog- mas of theology then than at the present time.
Dogmatical controversy was carried on with far greater bit- terness of feeling, and questions in theology were more fre- quently discussed in the pulpit.
This was a transition period from severe Puritanism to modern religious freedom. Dogmatic rules and regulations began to be regarded as less important, and a higher regard was placed upon individual opinion and rights ; the result of which is the entire freedom of religious opinion and worship, of the present day.
The people of Woodstock, when their first church was
* See Neal's Puritans, vol. II, Appendix No. VII and No. VIII. Also, see Neal's, vol. 1, chap. II, pp. 457-463; tlie assembly of divines at Westminster, and their action in forming the Westminster confession. The heads of agreement here referred to, as adopted in Con- nectieut, were those adopted in England, in 1692, by the Presbyterian and Congregational churches there.
1
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established, were strong adherents of the early Puritan faith and church discipline ; and it is probable, by the best evi- dence obtained, that the Rev. Mr. Dwight inclined to a more lax form of discipline.
It appears that Mr. Dwight removed from the town, and died, about ten years after his dismission, in the year 1736.
Their second minister was Rev. Amos Throop, settled in 1727.
During his pastorate the church adopted, June 4, 1727, the new form of admitting persons to communion, by the new order of things, as before related : the owning of the covenant in order to baptism.
This new covenant was a departure from the specialties of the articles of Calvinistic faith, which, it is believed, are at this time regarded by the Congregational church, as essential to admission and baptism.
Rev. Mr. Throop died, September 7, 1736, after a pastor- ate of about ten years. His remains and place of interment are with his departed people, and noted by a visible memo- rial stone at the present time.
Soon after the death of the Rev. Mr. Throop, a day of fasting and prayer was held preparatory to the selection of a successor.
The call was made to a Mr. Hovey, but its acceptance was declined.
On the the 28th of October, 1736, Rev. Mr. Whittlesey was called, and a committee appointed, December 23, follow- ing, to inquire into his principles concerning church govern- ment. Mr. Whittelsey was from Connecticut, while, at this time, Woodstock remained a Massachusetts town, and he de- clined answering the questions proposed. There was quite a difference of sentiment among Congregationalists at this time in all matters of religious faith, and it is probable that the Woodstock people, by their adherence to the half-way cove-
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nant, which now had become quite general, were determined upon a minister who favored this new form.
Mr. Whittlesey declined the call; and, on the 28th of March, 1737, the Rev. Abel Stiles of New Haven, was in- vited to preach on probation. He accepted their invitation, June 23, 1737. It appears he conformed to the require- ments of the church in its government. But subsequently to the dissatisfaction of many in the church, it appears he departed in some respects from the principles upon which he was settled.
At a church meeting on the 27th of December, 1757, it was unanimously resolved, that it would not be for our own peace and edification for Rev. Mr. Stiles to be dismissed, but the contrary.
But, in September, 1758, the question was put, at the society meeting, whether they would grant a suitable sum of money for Rev. Mr. Stiles' salary, when it was passed in the negative. His salary being cut off, much feeling was expressed on the subject by opposing parties and by the pastor.
A serious division in the church was caused by this action'; and it appears that a majority were not only opposed to the continuance of this minister as their pastor, but earnestly de- sired a change.
In January, 1759, a request was made by the society to Mr. Stiles to state upon what terms he would resign his pastorate. He having given his terms, they were accepted, but not with- out a separation of the friends of the minister from the church and society.
The pastor and his friends now organized a new church at Muddy Brook, and, as before related, took with them the church records, and proclaimed themselves the original church.
The feeling existing between the party that withdrew and those who continued with the old church at South Woodstock,
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was reconciled through the interposition of Rev. Mr. Leonard, in 1766, then pastor of the first church.
A conciliatory letter was addressed by him to the Muddy Brook church, at the request of the old society, which was re- plied to, accompanied by resolutions of oblivion of past doings, and expressions of a desire for future friendship.
This society, after Rev. Mr. Stiles left in 1759, remained without a settled minister until 1763, at which time Rev. Abiel Leonard received an unanimous call to become their pastor.
By a vote of the society, he was offered £200 settlement money, and £80 salary.
Of twelve churches invited to take part in the ordination of Rev. Mr. Leonard, only one, that of Killingly, was of Con- necticut. But six churches were represented on this occasion ; and it proved most conclusively, that, notwithstanding this town had now been united politically with Connecticut about fifteen years, yet her affiliation and sympathy was most en- tirely in religious faith and discipline with her old associates of Massachusetts.
There appears to have been introduced a new covenant, which was signed by Mr. Leonard at this time, which is with- out date, but its bearing is strong against the Saybrook plat- form, which is another evidence of their continued adherence with Massachusetts.
It appears that, in 1769, during the ministrations of Rev. Mr. Leonard, the society commenced the change from the old mode of congregational singing to the modern form of sing- ing by a choir. This attempt to modernize the singing was strongly opposed, and did not fully attain until the year 1775.
In May, 1775, Mr. Leonard was appointed chaplain to the Third Regiment of Connecticut troops, commanded by General Israel Putnam, by the General Assembly of the colony at the request of General Putnam. The church, at his request,
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granted him leave of absence, and he soon joined his regi- ment before Boston. He addressed the regiment at Prospect Hill, followed by an appropriate prayer.
In April, 1776, the society was requested by letter from Generals Washington and Putnam to continue Rev. Mr. Leonard's leave of absence.
The letter is as follows :
" To the Church and Congregation at Woodstock:
" Mr. Leonard is a man whose exemplary life and conversation must make him highly esteemed by every person who has the pleasure of being acquainted with him.
"It, therefore, can be no surprise to us to hear they are loth to part with him.
" His influence in the army is great. He is employed in the glorious work of attending to the morals of a brave people who are fighting for their liberties-the liberties of the people of Woodstock-the liberties of all America.
" We therefore hope that, knowing how nobly he is employed, the congregation of Woodstock will cheerfully give up to the public a gen- tleman so very useful. And when, by the blessing of a kind Providence, this glorious and unparalleled struggle for our liberties is at an end, we have not the least doubt but Mr. Leonard will, with redoubled joy, be received in the open arms of a congregation so very dear to him as the good people of Woodstock are.
"This is what is hoped for-this is what is expected by the congrega- tion of Woodstock's sincere well-wishers and very humble servants,
" GEORGE WASHINGTON, " ISRAEL PUTNAM.
" Head-Quarters, Cambridge, "24th of March, 1776."
The society voted to continue Mr. Leonard's leave of absence, and he continued in the government service as chaplain until 1776, when he was suddenly dismissed by General Washing- ton, for reasons not known. His chagrin and mortification, as has been supposed, induced him to commit suicide on his way home. He has been described as a man of good figure, an accomplished gentleman, and a fine pulpit orator.
In the year 1779 the Rev. Ephraim Lyman was unanimously
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called by this church, with the offer of £200 settlement, and £70 salary, with twenty cords of fire-wood annually. He was known to be a firm adherent of the Cambridge platform, which was a good recommendation with the sound Puritan faith maintained at Woodstock.
In 1814 an examining committee was, for the first time, appointed in this church, to question candidates for commu- nion. In 1815 this church, after an opposition of more than one hundred years, gave in its adherence to the Saybrook platform, and joined the Connecticut consociation.
Rev. Mr. Lyman continued his pastorate to 1824, a period of forty-five years, when he was dismissed. He died in 1835, at the age of eighty-three years. His remains rest near the scene of his labors.
In 1826 Rev. T. S. Clark received a call from this church, but declined acceptance.
Rev. R. S. Crampton was settled in 1827, held the pas- torate about two years, and was dismissed in 1829. His adherence to Freemasonry was the principal cause of his dismission. He had the reputation of a man of ability and a sound preacher. He was afterwards an agent of the Ameri- can and Foreign Christian Union in the State of New York several years.
In 1830 this church voted that they would not receive into this church any person who was a member of the Masonic institution, but, in 1837, it was unanimously withdrawn.
Rev. W. M. Cornell was settled in 1831, and dismissed in 1834. He then practiced as a physician in Boston.
Rev. Otis Rockwood was settled in 1834, and continued as pastor to 1843. He removed to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was without any pastoral charge. Mr. Rockwood's labors here were much favored ; many members were added to the church ; by the revival of 1842, forty joined as members.
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