USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections: containing I. The Reformation in France; the rise, progress and destruction of the Huguenot Church. Vol I > Part 29
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In the the year 1844 Alvan Peake, a descendant of one of
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the founders of this town, deceased, leaving a devise to the deacons of this church in perpetuity, amounting to about fif- teen hundred dollars, the interest to be devoted to the main- tenance of preaching the Gospel in this parish.
The successor of Mr. Rockwood was Rev. Jonathan Cour- tis. He was invited in November, 1845, with a request to know his views on the subject of slavery.
He declined the invitation in this form, believing it no part of the duties of a pastor at Woodstock to discuss the question of slavery ; and furthermore, whatever might be his sentiments upon the slavery question, they not being any part of his duties or professional requirements, did not concern the mem- bers of this congregation.
In December, the call being renewed independently, he accepted, and soon entered upon his duties, and continued with satisfaction to his people till 1852, when, being attacked by paralysis, he resigned his office, but made this parish his home. Over twenty were admitted to this church during his ministry.
In 1853, in November, the same council that dismissed Mr. Courtis ordained the Rev. Henry M. Colton, who remained pastor here till January, 1855, when he was dismissed. Mr. Colton then removed to Middletown, Connecticut, and there opened a family boarding-school.
This society now for a number of years supported worship by supply. The Rev. Lemuel Grosvenor, was the principal reliance; he began his services in 1856, and remained here about ten years.
In a thanksgiving discourse delivered the 24th of Novem- ber, 1859, he gave an historical sketch of this church, from the time of its first organization to this date.
Although brief, it was a labor of much research, and is an interesting production. This sketch is indebted to this work of Mr. Grosvenor for many dates and facts.
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Following Mr. Grosvenor came the Rev. J. H. Lyon; the exact time of his services is not ascertained. His successor, Rev. N. Beach, was the minister here in 1869.
The old custom of retaining ministers during life or their ability to serve, ended here with the pastorate of the venera- ble Ephraim Lyman.
The wisdom of the change is not a question that requires discussion in gathering facts which the past has disclosed, but to leave that inquiry for each student of history to decide, without bias.
The former mode gave the minister and people a better knowledge of each other, and it would seem a greater interest in his people by the minister, which, well directed, ought to be for their advantage.
The old Puritan system which obliged every town to main- tain a learned, orthodox, godly minister, was strictly observed in Woodstock. They were clear in the belief, that as the law required a minister to be supported at the expense of the town, it was fair and just that each inhabitant should pay his pro rata share according to the property he possessed. Thus, all the property of the town was alike taxed for the support of this first Congregational society, until the town was divided into separate parishes.
As the parishes were formed, each had the same right, within its particular limits, until other enactments permitted dissenters to relieve themselves from the support of the stand- ing order, by showing, by a certificate, that they were of a different faith, and did support and attend worship accord- ingly.
This only relieved those of a different faith. All others that could not thus show by certificate that they supported otherwise, were taxed in common for the Congregational church of the parish in which they resided. Thus, all were compelled to support religious worship.
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It is said this state of matters in religious affairs at Wood- stock continued down to the year 1811.
The laws of Massachusetts and Connecticut were quite sim- ilar upon this question of support of religious worship, but the strict adherence to this principle, it is believed, was more general and less yielding in Connecticut, down to a more re- cent period, than in Massachusetts.
It has, however, been satisfactorily tested both sides of the line, between these States, that religion needs no compulsory enactments to insure its support, and that conscience is the only proper guide and impelling motor in that direction.
It was the custom in Woodstock, as also in towns generally in the early history of New England, to station tything-men in the galleries of the church, to keep a supervision over the youth, and in this town the custom continued down to a recent period.
It was formerly the custom here to adopt the Quaker mode of seating males and females on separate sides of the house. This, no doubt, ceased when pews instead of benches were used for seating the congregation.
In the two first meeting-houses, it was usual here, as was general in the colonial period, to dignity the pews. A com- mittee was selected to decide upon the grade of honor and dignity in point of character each member of the parish sus- tained, and by that criterion to determine the eligible position of his seat in the meeting-house.
DEACONS.
Edward Morris, one of the first planters, was the first dea- con of the first Congregational church, and probably contin- ued his office through the pastorate of the first minister, the Rev. Josiah Dwight.
The second was Edward Chamberlain, chosen, September 8, 1727; and the next, William Lyon, elected on March 12, 1730.
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In 1763 Jedediah Morse and William Skinner were se- lected for deacons, and held the office forty-three years. Deacon Skinner was born in Malden, Massachusetts, in 1720, and removed to Woodstock at the age of twenty-one years, in 1741 ; he died here, January 30, 1807, aged eighty-seven.
His wife died on the 16th of April, 1805, having lived a married life over fifty-nine years.
Deacon Morse was born in Woodstock in 1726, and mar- ried Sarah Child in 1747 ; he died in 1819, aged ninety-three; his wife died the 5th of April, 1805, but sixteen days before the death of Mrs. Skinner; she had been married fifty-eight years.
The coincidence of long life, being deacons of the church so long, living with wives of their choice so long a period, and both their wives deceasing so near the same time, are remark- able incidents.
It has been said of them that both being large in stature, they resembled each other much, possessed similar qualities of mind, were both strongly intellectual, possessing marked practical common sense and correct views relating to matters in general, which often called them to offices of trust and re- sponsibility by their townsmen. It is also reported of them that they kept a diary, or had written each of them a brief sketch of their history, but that of Deacon Skinner was car- ried to Vermont by a relative. The sketch by Deacon Morse has been kept in this town by a descendant-Deacon Asa T. Child. It was written in 1810; the following are some of the facts disclosed, which exhibit his great usefulness and demand by his fellow-townsmen :
In 1763 he was chosen a selectman, and held that office eighteen years; in 1764 was elected to the General Assembly as their representative, and continued in that office thirty-one years; was chosen town clerk in 1767, and held that office twenty-seven years ; also held the office of justice of the peace
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from 1774 to 1801. He remarked in his diary relative to his social relations with Deacon Skinner :
" We stood together forty-three years as brothers in harmony ; have taken sweet council together; and many a time walked to the house of God in company ; but our days of pleasure are now closed by the death of Deacon Skinner."
In 1820 Theophilus B. Chandler was chosen deacon, and in 1833, Moses Lyon, 3d, was elected to that office, and re- signed in 1854.
The same year Lewis Chamberlain and Asa T. Child were elected deacons. Mr. Chamberlain having deceased in 1858, Alden Southworth was chosen to fill the vacancy.
It should have been stated before, in point of date, that, in 1798, Wm. Lyon, 2d, and Lothrop Holmes were elected dea- cons, and that, on the decease of Mr. Holmes in 1805, Jede- diah Kimball was chosen to fill his place.
MEETING-HOUSES.
It has been related before that the founders of this town erected their first house for religious worship in the year 1691, and up to 1717, that small building remained their place of meeting, but as the inhabitants increased it was now found too limited for the members of the society, when a com- mittee was selected by the town to view the old house and report what should be done. The report was, that it was not capable of repair to accommodate the people, and that the only proper and economical course was to erect a new house.
The town accepted this report with thanks, and proceeded to discuss the place for its location; several places were favored by different parties, but it was finally voted to locate it near the burial-ground. Captain John Chandler, John Peak, and William Lyon were chosen to provide material.
Considerable delay followed, and aid was requested from
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Roxbury, with the offer of setting the house further north for accommodating, as supposed, the north half of the town, but no response came from that source.
On the 23d of December, 1717, it was voted again to set the house within twenty rods of the burial-ground ; yet this was not fully to the satisfaction of many, and another meeting was held in 1718, without any decisive action; but, on the 14th of December, 1719, at the annual town meeting, Mr. Dwight was called upon to pray with them, when all previous acts re- lating to the location of the house were annulled, and the ques- tion referred to three men out of town, viz., Joshua Ripley and John Fitch, of Windham, and Eleazer Bateman, of Kil- lingly, who reported, December 28, following, in favor of the location by the burial-ground.
The site of the new house being established, a committee was elected for attending to building the same. Wm. Lyon, John Chandler, Jr., and Eliphalet Carpenter were to take this charge-to provide stone for the underpinning, and get the house framed as soon as they have a prospect of a supply of boards.
In April, 1721, another committee was raised to make pro- vision for raising the house, and charged to use their best prudence in the provision they make, that it be done with fru- gality and honor. This charge to be at the expense of the town.
The committee for building reported the 18th of April, 1721, " that they had contracted for the lower work of the meeting- house for £80; that is, a pulpit of suitable bigness, the work to be quarter round, wainscoted, and with fluted pilasters on each side ; the windows, a deacon seat, sounding board, and minis- ter's pew ; also communion table, and stairs into the pulpit, and banisters; the gallery stairs to be half pilastered, and with banisters; a body of seats in centre of house, the fore part quarter round wainscot, and the hind part plain work ;
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the windows cased in present fashion, and ceiled up to bot- tom of same with boards. Knot holes, cracks, and open joints to be filled with tempered clay mortar, as high as the lower girths ; floor laid ; six pillars of suitable bigness turned and set in suitable places ; the whole to be done workmanlike."
This meeting house, at the time it was erected, was regarded as an elegant structure, too expensive for the ability of the town to pay for, and their representative was instructed to appeal for aid from the General Court, to permit the south half, the proprietors thereof, to lay a tax upon the non-resi- dents' land in the north half of the grant, then owned by parties residing in Roxbury. This called forth a spirited memorial from that town, alleging that this meeting-house did not accommodate their half of the town, and that the cost of the house was much greater than needful, and that it had much better become the people of Woodstock to have first sat down and counted the cost before they had undertaken so great and chargeable work. In this appeal they were unsuccessful, and finally paid for their house by assessments upon the in- habitants, which induced them to restrict their money for schooling their children, and refrain from sending a represen- tative to the General Court.
The estimate of character and dignity of the principal men of Woodstock was shown in 1722, by the priority of right cach had in the location of their pews in this new house.
Their right of choice for location stands recorded as follows: No. 1, John Chandler, Esq., supposed to stand highest in point of character in the town at this time. 2, Right to Lemuel Morris ; 3, John Chandler, Jun .; 4, Samuel Perrin ; 5, Jabez Corbin ; 6, John Marcy ; 7, Deacon Edward Morris ; 8, Deacon Johnson ; 9, James Corbin ; 10, Eliphalet Carpen- ter ; 11, Jonathan Payson ; 12, Joseph Bartholomew ; 13, Edward Chamberlain; 14, Ralph Lyon; 15, Zackariah Richards ; and 16, John Morse.
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This house was finished about the close of 1722. At a meeting, March 12, 1723, Deacon Edward Morris was chosen to take charge of the meeting-house, keep it swept, and have charge of the key and care of the cushion ; the cushion for the desk, probably-not for seats, as such luxuries were not in use in country towns of that period. This second house con- tinned as the place of worship for one hundred years, as the third house was not erected till the year 1821, just before the close of the long pastorate of the venerable Eliphalet Lyman, who, it is stated, contributed liberally towards its expense (he died in 1823), and also made a liberal subscription to aid in the purchase of a bell the preceding year, now in use, and of the weight of 1,070 lbs.
The original cost of this house was about $4,000, and an expenditure for repairs and remodeling in 1858 was almost as great, which presents this meeting-house at this time like a new house.
It has been stated that the largest number of church mem- bers, at any one time in communion here, was 166; in 1860 it was 134.
The cemetery adjoining the meeting-house lot, northerly, is a place of interest for visitors to this ancient town, to spend a leisure hour ; there may be found many memorial stones, denoting the resting-places of the early inhabitants, more ancient in date than in any other cemetery in this region. The oldest memorial stone here, that was noticed, is erected to denote the burial-place of Clement Corbin, who was one of the original proprietors and founders of the town, and bears date "1696." It has been noticed by examination in many old cemeteries, that before the year 1700, although many in- terments had been made, the head-stones rarely had any name or date ; these stones were of such common brown-stone as could be had in the adjoining fields ; the slate or marble memorial are rarely seen before that time, and of those of the
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field stone thus used, it is rare that the chisel was ever used upon them-not so much (except in few instances), as to cut the initial letters of the name of the persons entombed.
Few towns have exhibited more care in protecting the burial- place of their dead than Woodstock. While there are no ex- pensive memorial tablets, displaying great skill of the artist, the whole indicates care, neatness, and good taste ; and much unlike many cemeteries, where weeds and briars are permitted to grow and conceal from view what little may have been done to perpetuate the names of those placed in them. In front of this cemetery are several rows of vigorous trees, to give the place an air of seclusion, free from the tumult of business, reminding the beholder of a real place of rest, but on passing this guard of trees, all within is bright and cheerful.
The remains of their second minister, who died as before stated, September 7, 1736, at the age of thirty-four years, were deposited here on the ninth year of his pastorate. The following verse is inscribed on the memorial stone at his grave :
" O cruel death ! to snatch from us below One fit to live within the spheres on high; But since the great Creator orders so, Here at his feet he doth submissive lic."
This society held for many years a tract of about three and a half acres of land that came to it by the last will and testa- ment of the late Hon. Samuel Dexter; it is situated on the west side of the town common, nearly opposite the meeting- house of this Congregational church ; and the income from the use of this lot of land, it was declared by said will, should forever be appropriated for the support of preaching of this order in this religious society ; the lot was received, and the trust held as directed. The will evinces some eccentricity in the testator. Mr. Dexter was the son of the Rev. Samuel Dexter, of Roxbury, Massachusetts, who died in 1755, at the
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age of fifty-four ; a descendant of Captain John Dexter, of Malden. This Mr. Dexter was for many years a noted mer- chant of Boston, a person of wealth and liberality. He gave $5,000 to Harvard college for the support of lectures upon " Biblical Criticism." Possessed marked religious tenden- cies, and exerted great influence in the faith in which he was a believer. He was an influential member in the Massachu- setts Continental Congress.
He married a Miss Sigourney of Boston, daughter of the second Andrew Sigourney, of French extraction, connected with the small colony of Huguenots who made the first plan- tation at Oxford. It is believed he removed to Woodstock from Boston about the close of the Revolutionary war, and made this the home of himself and family, until the close of his long life. He died, when on a visit, at Mendon, the 10th of June, 1810, aged eighty-four.
By a clause in his will, he required that his remains should be buried in the mathematical centre of the lot before men- tioned, which he had donated to this church and society, and when so buried there should be no stone nor thing to mark the place-the same to be leveled, so that no indication should appear that a grave had there been made.
He also gave in his will special instructions for his funeral sermon, that the text should be-
" The things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
Furthermore, he gave express injunction that the minister who officiated at his funeral should not mention his name, or make any allusion to him in any particular, but expostulate with his auditory on the absurdity of being so anxious to lay up treasures upon earth, and neglect their well-being here- after. Let him represent the summit of earthly glory as despicable, compared with the perfect and never-ending
24
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felicity promised to the virtuous and good, that are permitted to enter upon that joy.
THE SECOND CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY, WOODSTOCK.
This society is located in the West Parish of this town.
Religious meetings were first held here during the year of 1737, but they labored under about as much difficulty in the support of separate religious worship as Dissenters, although holding the same faith as the first church. That church claimed the right of taxing all the inhabitants of the town for the support of the Gospel in that organization, which, no doubt, was one of the reasons for desiring an act of incorporation as a separate town or precinct.
Application was first made to the voters in open town meet- ing, for granting the inhabitants in this part of the town the rights of a separate parish, which was then denied them. In 1742 these inhabitants petitioned the Legislature of Massachu- setts for this object, but did not succeed ; but on their petition to the same body the following year, an act was passed, Sep- tember 14, 1743, incorporating this district as "The West Parish of Woodstock."
These inhabitants now had the same right to form a religi- ous society, and to raise money for its support, as the first religious society, to the extent of their geographical limits.
It appears that they soon availed themselves of this privilege. A meeting, preparatory for this object, was held on the 27th of September, 1743, in the school-house, in the village of the parish. This meeting was organized by calling John Marcy to preside with Isaac Johnson for their clerk.
A committee was then selected for building a meeting- house, providing a location, and also to engage a minister.
This committee consisted of James Chaffee, James Marcy, and Ebenezer Lyon.
Rev. Stephen Williams was ordained their pastor on the
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last Wednesday in June, 1747, and a church was formed the same year, as appears by the record of the first church, which shows that most of its members were dismissed from the first church for that purpose. Their meeting-house was built in 1747. Rev. Mr. Williams continued his pastorate with this church and society until his decease, in the year 1795.
The particulars relating to the settlement and character of the several ministers that have served this church and society since the close of the labors of Rev. Mr. Williams, have not been obtained, but their names, date of entering upon their duties here, and time of their dismission, have been nearly as follows :
The Rev. Alvan Underwood was the first minister after the death of Mr. Williams. It is understood that there was a period of transient supply for this society of about six years before this pastor was settled.
Mr. Underwood began his pastorate the 27th of May, 1801; and so far as learned, continued his labors here, mucli to the acceptance of his people, for a period of about thirty-two years, terminating in March, 1833.
He was followed in the pastoral duties by the Rev. John D. Baldwin, who received ordination, September 3, 1834. He continued with this people till February, 1837.
Their next minister was not settled until nearly three years had elapsed. Then, in December, 1839, was installed Rev. Benjamin Ober, who labored here about six and a half years, and was dismissed in March, 1846.
The church and society now maintained services by supply several years.
Rev. Edward F. Brooks supplied from 1846 to the year 1850 ; the Rev. William Allen supplied from 1850 to 1852 ; then the Rev. Alvin Underwood supplied about two years, to 1854.
This society then engaged the Rev. Joseph W. Sessions,
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who was installed in 1854, continued his labors about ten years, and received dismission in 1864. Services were held again by supply. The Rev. Henry F. Hyde supplied from June 1, 1865, to April 24, 1867, and following him was Rev. William H. Kingsbury, who commenced here, July 1, 1867, and continued to April 1, 1870.
Mr. Kingsbury removed from here, and became pastor of a church at Charlton, New York; the south-west corner town in Saratoga county, formerly a part of Ballston, but made a separate town, March 17, 1792.
THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, WOODSTOCK.
The first Baptist church of this town is located in the West Parish. It had its origin in the year 1766. This church cele- brated its one hundredth anniversary, by a commemorative dis- course by its pastor, Rev. J. Torrey Smith, Sunday, the 11th of November, 1766.
By the politeness of Rev. S. Barrows, the successor of Rev. Mr. Smith, a copy of this centenary discourse has been re- ceived, and from which the substance of this article has been taken.
It appears that a church was here constituted in February, 1766, and on May 29, 1768, Biel Ledoyt was ordained its pastor.
This organization arose through the influence exerted upon a young man, by a sermon preached here by the Rev. Noah Alden, on passing through the town in December, 1763. This religious service had a forcible effect upon his mind, and ended in a thorough conversion and change of heart, which gave tone and character to his future life. It is related that no sooner did the news of his religious conversion become known to his former companions, than they made a call upon him to use their influence to draw him back to his former levity. He willingly consented to join them to spend the
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evening together, but his design was very unlike that of his associates.
The result of this interview showed the earnestness of his efforts ; instead of returning to his former ways, he prevailed with his companions to join with him in a religious meeting the next week, which was but the commencement of a series of meetings, an important religious revival, and the con- version of a large number of the young people of the parish. They partook of that earnest form of religious zeal which had been excited through the country, styled "The New Lights," introduced in part by that celebrated preacher, George Whitfield,* but fully sustained by the greatest of native American preachers, Jonathan Edwards.
The year 1740 may be taken as the commencement of the period of change from the Puritan lethargy into which many of the leading orthodox Congregational churches had fallen, to that warm, vital religion imbued with the pure scriptural teachings of Christ, love to God, and love to man. It fellow- shiped with no Half- Way Covenant ; it required a heart-felt conviction for sins, a regenerate spirit, and an honest confes- sion of faith, that, through the gift of grace, they were born to be followers of Christ henceforth.
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