USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections: containing I. The Reformation in France; the rise, progress and destruction of the Huguenot Church. Vol II > Part 14
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FEROMON
Mills School-he Hotels Stores Meeting-
This Malı the Town of under the . pursuance passed mar
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CHARLTON.
bridge was a part of the original grant for Oxford, and now covers abont half of the center village of that town.
The population of this town at different periods has been as follows :
By the Colonial census of
1765,
739 souls.
By the census of the Revolution,
1776.
1,310 .
By the census of State by Congress,
1790,
1,965
By the census of United States,
1800,
2,120
1810,
2,180
66
1820,*
2,134
1830,
2,173
1840,
2,117
66
66
1850,
2,015
6.
1860,
- 2,047
66
1870,
1,878
THE SUTTON AND CHARLTON COTTON, WOOLEN, AND LINEN ASSOCIATION.
This association was incorporated, February 28, 1811, with the following nanies as corporators : Estes Howe, Aaron Tufts, and John Spurr, for manufacturing cotton, wool, and flax in the county of Worcester ; to be governed by an act, entitled, " An Act Defining the General Powers and Duties of Manufacturing Corporations," passed, March 3, 1809.
With the right to hold real estate, $40,000 ; and personal estate, $120,000.
It has not been ascertained that this association ever com- menced operations, or where its special location was to be.
* From 1810 to 1820 this town prospered in its population, nearly equal to that included upon the 3,000 acres, which, in 1816, was set off as a part of Southbridge; but since that period it has remained nearly stationary, till 1860; the past ten years it exhibits a loss.
Spencer
Leicester
BrooBlood
Sturbridge
Rajord
Dudley
P
CHAILTUN
ECCLESIASTICAL.
CHAPTER II.
CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY.
THE founders of the colony of Massachusetts deemed it essential to the welfare of all that religious services should be maintained regularly on the Sabbath in every town and parish, and that the day be observed strictly for that purpose, and rest from all labor by both man and beast; taking the teachings of the Bible for their guide.
With this view in consideration, the government regarded the settlement and maintenance of a learned minister in every town as indispensable, and made it a condition in grants for towns, that learned, orthodox, godly ministers should be thus settled and supported.
It was quite natural that, having fled from their native country to escape the oppression of the English church, com- pelling them to respeet the crown as the temporal head of that body, and to be obedient to forms and ceremonies par- taking much of Papacy, in violation of what they considered the pure teachings of Scripture, they should require the set- tlement and maintenance of such ministers as supported, in their ministration, the doetrines and polity in which they believed, and for the privilege of which worship for them- selves and their posterity they liad sacrificed both country and home, and encountered all the attendant perils of a wilderness in a foreign land.
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CHARLTON.
Furthermore, these Puritan founders of Massachusetts, con- forming to the original ideas of the founders of the Protestant faith, regarded education as essential to the maintenance of pure religion ; thns all children and youth were required to be tanght the fundamental elements of the English language, and enabled to read and judge for themselves. Therefore in Charlton there was found, as in other towns in New England, the meeting-house and the school-house, the minister and the school-master.
For a period of nearly thirty years after this town was in- corporated, an orthodox minister of the standing order (as they were then styled) was supported at the expense of the town by a tax upon the polls and estates of the inhabitants, in the same manner as their sehools and other expenses.
This mode of supporting the Gospel by taxation in favor of this one denomination caused much ill-feeling with all dis- senting parties.
To remedy this, the town relinquished their right of taxa- tion for the benefit of the standing order, in the year 1784, in advance of towns generally in this vicinity.
It has before been stated that the first Congregational church in Charlton was formed, October 15, 1761, and that the Rev. Caleb Courtis was their first minister, and continued their pastor until dismissed by ecclesiastical council, October 29, 1776.
As before stated, Mr. Conrtis represented the town in 1775, in the Provincial Congress, which assembled at Watertown ; further than this, nothing has been learned of him.
This church and society now remained destitute of a settled minister until January 8, 1783, when the Rev. Archibald Campbell was installed their pastor, and held that office until April 9, 1793. This Mr. Campbell was ordained pastor of the church and congregation in Easton, in the county of Bris- tol, on the 17th of August, 1763. where he continued nineteen
169
CHARLTON.
years, being dismissed from the church, August 11, 1782. He was dismissed by council, at his request, as above. This church was again destitute of a pastor nearly four years, when, on the 8th of November, 1797, Rev. Erastus Learned was or- dained. His ministry was short, and not attended with much success.
According to his subsequent confession, he was not a con- verted man while pastor in Charlton.
His health declining, he requested a dismission, which was granted, and his pastoral relation with this people terminated September 16, 1802. He afterwards settled in Killingly, Connecticut, where he hoped he became a subject of grace, and continued there a successful preacher of the Gospel many years.
Their next settled minister was Edwards Whipple, of New Braintree, ordained, January 25, 1804, with a salary of $400.
The sermon at his ordination was delivered by Rev. Na- thaniel Emmons, D. D., of Franklin, which was printed, and republished in the volume of sermons of his prepared by Dr. Ide. Edwards Whipple was born at New Braintree, in 1778, and graduated at Williams college, in 1801 ; he resigned his charge over the church in 1821, and removed to Shrewsbury, where he was unanimously elected by that church as their pastor, June 25, of the same year, and on the 26th of July following received the unanimous concurrence of the society. On the 21st of September, 1821, he was regularly installed with a salary of $550 per year, to be paid him annually.
It is related of him at Shrewsbury :
" His manners were agreeable, and his talents of the first order; but while his parishioners were congratulating one another on the happy settlement of a colleague pastor, he was suddenly snatched from them on the 17th of September, 1822-having been sick but a few days with fever-at the age of forty-four. in the vigor of manhood : and not a week before the picture of health, with a fair prospect of living many years to
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CHARLTON.
enjoy it. This sudden and so unexpected death threw a gloom over the parish, the recollection of which will not soon be forgotten."
The pastor of the present Calvinistic Congregational church of Charlton (which society succeeded the former Congrega- tional society, over which the Rev. Edwards Whipple was pastor), communicated a portion of the foregoing, relating to Mr. Whipple, by letter of November 10, 1868, with the fol- lowing remarks :
"Though it is nearly fifty years since Rev. Mr. Whipple left here, his memory is warmly cherished by many of the old inhabitants; he was a man of more than ordinary abilities, pleasing in his address and man- ners, and successful in his ministry. It was during his ministry that the Sabbath school was instituted in Charlton."
It was six years after Mr. Whipple left before another minister was settled. In the mean time important changes took place in the church and society. The Unitarian senti- ment had largely prevailed, and became a majority in nun- bers and interest among the proprietors of the meeting-house. Thus, in the year 1825, by a vote of proprietors, the Unitari- ans declared themselves the First Congregational church and society at Charlton ; they buying out the interest of the minority-that interest then being small-in the proprietorship of the house. The history of the Unitarian society will be related in its separate character in another place.
The old church and society now took the name of the Calvinistic Congregational church and society. This society, now being destitute of a house for religious worship, retired for a time to a hall, until they could build for themselves a meeting-house.
Their new house was erected on the opposite side of the common, a little further to the south, and finished in 1827 ; on the 5th of June, same year, this house was dedicated, and on the same day the Rev. John Wilder was installed their pastor. The first general revival this church ever en-
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CHARLTON.
joyed was during the ministry of Mr. Wilder, at which time the church was nearly doubled in members.
Mr. Wilder was dismissed from this church, July 2, 1833, and soon after settled in Concord, Middlesex county, but left there for Marshall, in Michigan. He eventually returned to Charlton ; was again the pastor of this society, and died here, after a pastorate of about a year.
July 21, 1833, Rev. William H. Whittemore was installed their pastor. His relations with this people were not happy. He was dismissed in the autumn of 1835. He afterwards settled in Southborough, in this county; and from there removed to New Haven, Connecticut, where, it is believed, he now resides.
Mr. Whittemore was succeeded by Rev. Isaac R. Barbour, who was installed, November 23, 1836. His pastorate con- tinued till August 8, 1839, when he received his dismission.
His influence was much decreased by engagements in secular business, and his ministry made correspondingly less useful and effective. It was understood that up to a recent period he was living in Brooklyn, New York.
Rev. George W. Underwood, a graduate of Amherst college, succeeded Mr. Barbour, and received ordination as pastor of this church, February 12, 1841. He is reported as sound in his faith, and possessing a strong mind, but of a temperament too nervous to endure continuous mental and physical labor in the ministry. His health failed him, and he was dismissed, March 31, 1843. He left the ministry, and for a time engaged in business in the West, but has since died. It is believed he was a native of Greenwich, Massachusetts.
This church and society, after the dismission of Mr. Under- wood, engaged the Rev. John Wilder, who supplied the pul- pit in 1844 ; in 1845 there was a supply of preaching by Rev. Alanson Alvord ; and in 1846 and 1847 Rev. Nelson Clark supplied the pulpit. There was no settled minister over this
172
CHARLTON.
church after Mr. Underwood until 1855, but the pulpit was regularly supplied by Rev. John Haven, commencing in 1850, he declining a settlement until 1855, when, on the 12th of July of that year, he was duly installed their pastor, and has continued his ministry to the present time, with much satisfac- tion and usefulness to his people. Mr. Haven is a native of Holliston, Massachusetts, and a graduate of Amherst college in 1834 ; he studied theology at East Windsor, Connecticut.
He was settled four years at York, Maine, and ten years in Stoneham, Massachusetts, and from thence came to Charlton.
ACT OF INCORPORATION OF TIIE CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY.
MARCH 3, 1798.
Be it enacted, That Israel Waters, Salem Town, John Spurr, Jonas Ward, Jonathan Dennis, Ebenezer H. Phillips, Samuel Dunbar, Amasa Davis, John White, Jonathan Pratt, Elijah Ward, Thomas Fosket, Asa Dresser, Tamison Tucker, Thomas Farnum, William P. Rider, Josiah Town, Jr., Alpheus Pratt, Thomas Edwards, Levi Gates, Ebenezer Stone, Sibley Barton, Amos Gould, Jonathan Winslow, Benjamin Douty, Free Commins, John Coburn, David Rich, John Alldis Haven, Artemus Ward, Daniel Williams, 2d, Reuben Comins, Jr., Paul Rich, Ezra Mixer, Timothy Morse, Daniel Williams, James Cousins, Ebenezer White, Jabez Willes, Moses Hammond, Nathan MeIntire, Jr., Lemuel Marcy, Daniel Needham, Alpheus Williams, Simeon Ward, Clement Coburn, Simeon Waters, Walter Merritt, Peter Stephens, John Edwards. Stephen Clemence, Samuel Lamb, Sen., David Bacon, Barnabas Cousins. Sampson Stone, Joel Parker, Edmond Eddy, William Needham, Joseph Blood, and Caleb Fitts, be and they hereby are incorporated into a religi- ous society by the name of The Proprietors of the New Congregational Center Meeting-House in Charlton ; and that they and their successors, and such other persons as shall be legally admitted by them, shall be and continue a body politic and corporate forever. That Salem Town, Esq., be and he hereby is authorized to call the first meeting of the proprietors by issuing his warrant therefor.
An act for incorporating the Congregational church, October 26, 1784, in the town of Charlton, and another act for incorporating same in addition thereto, passed in 1786, be and are hereby repealed.
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CHARLTON.
BAPTIST CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
Many of the settlers in the west part of Oxford, which was set off and incorporated as the town of Charlton in 1754, pro- fessed the Baptist faith in matters of religion.
The records of the town show that certificates from the Baptists were filed with the assessors in 1759, in accordance with the requirements of the Exemption law which was enacted by the Legislature in 1757.
At this early period they had only occasional preaching, and many frequently visited Spencer and Leicester, and joined with those of the same faith there for worship on the Sabbath.
But, as their church records show, a church was formed here, July 13, 1762, as follows :
"A number of brethren and sisters in Leicester, Spencer, and Charlton, having met together for some time for public worship, after conversation with each other, found that they were of one mind upon principles and practice, and that they were agreed with the united churches of the Baptist order; holding to justification by faith alone, and baptism by immersion, and laying on of hands; of the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgments. Looking upon it to be their duty, as well as their happiness, to be conformed to Jesus Christ, in all his laws and ordinances, they agreed to come into church order, and did appoint ye 13th day of July, 1762, for this work to be done in; and did send to Stafford and Sturbridge churches to assist in coming into church order.
" The day being come, a sermon was preached by Elder Noah Alden, of Stafford, from John, 17th chapter and 21st verse; and, after the sermon, they proceeded, according to former agreement, by each one giving a verbal relation of the work of God upon his heart.
" The covenant was then read, which, as recorded, is as follows: 'Now, in the behalf of the forementioned articles of faith, and in presence of the Great God-Father, Son, and Holy Ghost-and by the assistance of the same, we do reverently, solemnly, and severally give up ourselves to the Lord Jehovah, to be for him and no other. And we do renounce all other Lords, as to their having any propriety in us or sovereignty over us, and our own lusts and abominations; and do promise, by the assistance of Divine Grace, to maintain war with the same.'
" We do likewise give up ourselves to one another by the will of God,
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CHARLTON.
and do promise by the assistance of his grace to watch over one another in love, and to maintain that mutual love and friendship between one another that is requisite to true religion, and to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. We do here submit ourselves to the gov- ernment of Jesus Christ as Head of the Church, submitting to his laws, to be ruled and governed thereby, taking his word for our rule, and his spirit for our guide.
" We do promise to have a due regard to all his laws, statutes, and ordinances, endeavoring to keep them holy, especially the Lord's day. with all the ordinances thereof, watching against all foolish talking and vanity, which are not convenient; endeavoring to worship him in spirit and truth.
" We do promise to have a special watch and care over ourselves, not only respecting the church of God, but to behave decently towards them that are without, according to the rules of God's word.
" We do promise to take care to teach all our families, and all that are committed to our trust, in the knowledge of the truth and the fear of the Lord, endeavoring to walk circumspectly before them, so that we may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.
" And we do here promise, by the assistance of grace, to endeavor to encourage our brethren and sisters, in all their trials in the work of God, to rejoice with them in their joys, and to sympathize with them in their trials.
"We do submit ourselves to the discipline of Christ in this church, which we do take to be a part of his mystical body, looking upon our- . selves to be under great obligations thereto, not only by divine truth, but by our own declarations and covenant ; therefore being thus tied by divine truth and the pure mercy and love of God to obedience, we would look to Jesus Christ who is the author and finisher of our faith, that he would grant us all the graces of the divine spirit, that thereby we may be enabled to the right discharge of all the Christian duties which are incumbent upon ns. And likewise that he would open the myste- ries of his word to us in a greater manner than heretofore, and so being found in him, we may be enabled to bid him welcome at his coming, and from our hearts to cry, 'Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.' Amen."
The following, at this time, made a verbal declaration of their faith and experience, and covenanted together under the foregoing : Nathaniel Green, Junior, Dorothy Shaw, John Hill, Junior, Mary Hill, Dorothy Shaw, second ; the three last named were baptized by immersion, and came under hands ; the two first named were baptized before.
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CHARLTON.
The following articles of faith are recorded in their church book of records :
" First. We believe that there is one only living and true God, who is a spirit of himself from all eternity and to all eternity ;- unchangeably the same, infinitely holy, just, merciful and gracious, long suffering and abundant in goodness and truth, showing mercy for thousands of them that do love him, who will by no means clear the guilty ;- a true and faithful God, filling all places, and not included in any place, essentially happy in the possession of his own glorious perfections.
" Second. That the one God is revealed in the Old and New Testa- ments to be God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, which are but one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.
" Third. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- ments are the words of God, wherein he hath given us a perfect rule of faith and practice.
" Fourth. We believe that God hath foreseen and permitted all things whatsoever doth come to pass-a God, just, equal, and unchangeable in himself.
" Fifth. We believe that God did in the beginning create the heavens and the earth, and all things that are in them, and doth still uphold them by the word of his power.
" Sixth. We believe that God created our first parents upright, yet they did not long abide in this honor; but did willfully transgress the . law of their creation, in eating the forbidden fruit ; and by their sinful rebellion they fell from their original righteousness and communion with God; and all we, in them, became dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and parts, both soul and body. They being the root. and by God's appointment, standing in the stead of all mankind, the guilt of our first parents' sin was imputed and their corrupt nature con- veyed to all their posterity, so that we are all by nature children of wrath, the servants of sin, the subjects of death, and all other miseries- spiritual, temporal, and eternal: and, by this original guilt and corrup- tion, we are utterly indisposed, disenabled, and become opposed to all good, and wholly inelined to all evil.
" Seventh. We believe that, man being thus dead, his recovery is only in and from God.
" Eighth. We believe that God the Father hath from all eternity chosen a number in Christ to eternal salvation.
"Ninth. We believe that Christ did, in the fullness of time, take on him human nature, lived a perfect life on earth, and died an accursed death on the cross; was buried, he arose and ascended, and ever lives to make intercession for us.
" Tenth. We believe that the Holy Spirit of God proceeding from the
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CHARLTON.
Father and the Son only can and doth make a particular application of the salvation, purchased by Christ, to every elect soul.
" Elerenth. We believe we are of that number which were chosen from eternity in Christ Jesus, and that he hath come and obeyed, and suffered, arose, and ascended ; and doth ever plead before his Father for us, which he hath given us to believe, by sending the Holy Spirit to convince us of our miserable and lost condition, and then discovering and offering to us the glorious Saviour in his suitableness and sufficiency, and enable us to embrace him with our whole souls, whereby he is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, and redemption.
" Tirelfth. We believe that the life of religion consists in the knowl- edge of God, and conformity to him, in the inward man, which neces- sarily produces an external conformity to his laws and ordinances.
" Thirteenth. We believe that doubting in a believer is sinful, being contrary to the command of God, hurtful to the soul, and an hindrance to the performance of duties.
" Fourteenth. We believe that the believers, by virtue of their union to Christ, have fellowship one with another, whereby they are made partakers of each others' gifts and graces.
" Fifteenth. We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of Christ, to be continued until his second coming: and that the former is requisite to the latter: that is to say, those are to be ad- mitted into the communion of the church, and participate in all ordi- nances of it, who, upon profession of their faith, have been baptized by immersion, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy. Ghost.
" Sixteenth : We believe that the sole government and lordly authority · over the church is in Jesus Christ, and that it is he, and he only, that can qualify and send the laborers into his vineyard; and that he doth call his church out of the world into the kingdom of grace, and by his spirit and grace doth gather them into particular churches, and doth give them power and authority under him, to govern their own mem- bers."
This church, for the first five years after it was organized, adopted the ceremony of laying on of hands after baptism, as a requisite for uniting in communion, but dropped that per- formance, February 26, 1767. The following twelve members were admitted, besides the five before named, under the form of laying on of hands :
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CHARLTON.
Sept. 13, 1762, William Drury, Mary Converse, and Phebe Garfield. Sept. 24, 1762, Mary Hill.
Nov. ", " Asa Jones, from Kil- lingly church, Connecticut. Dec. 17, 1763, Mehitable Dix.
June 13, 1763, Benjamin Dix.
June 25, 1763, Daniel Streeter, from Sturbridge. April 26, 1764, Samuel Call. July 1, Joseph Shaw. Ang. 30, 66 Eunice Dix. Sept. 2, Mary Streeter.
The laying on of hands was now omitted.
Feb. 26, 1767, Daniel Bacon and Mary his wife, and Amplias Jones, were the first baptized under the new form. June 25, " Ebenezer Davis and Deborah his wife, both baptized and joined with the church.
July 3, " Ebenezer Lamson and Ruth his wife; he became a minis- ter, and settled at Ashford, Connecticut, in 1778.
Sept. 13, 1767, Dolly Bemiss.
July 30, 1768, Enos Jones.
Apr. 30, 1769, Daniel Philips.
May 28, 66 Judith Green.
Lucy Green. Abigail Stoddard.
July 24, Phineas Green.
Aug.27, 66 Abigail Hartwell.
. Oct. 29, 66 Sarah Hill.
66 Elizabeth Parsons.
' July 22, 1770, Ebenezer White. Aug. 26, Jacob Hill.
Dec. 30, " Jacob Warren. Feb. 20, 1771, Elizabeth Warren.
Mar. 31, " James Smith.
July 20, Olive Wheelock.
Aug. 13, 66 Samuel Robertson.
Stephen Fay.
66
Abigail Lamb.
Feb. 28, " Comfort Streeter. July 25, " Mary Smith. Aug. 26, " Amos Putnam.
.6 Catherine Marcy.
66 Sarah Marble.
Mar. 4, 1774, Sarah Barrit.
Aug. 21,
Jonathan Courtis.
Nov. 25, Anna Sprague.
66 Isaac Harwood.
..
Bezaliel Right.
Eli Wheelock.
Elizabeth Hutson.
Mary Lamb.
Sept. 17, .. Peter Wheelock.
13A
Dec. 27, 1774, Louis Willard. Apr. 30, 1775, Lydia Green. Oct. 10, " Leah Harwood.
Ziba Wheeler.
Damarage Wheeler. Nov. 2, 1776, Ebenezer Lamb. Sept. 21, 1777, Susannah Thurston. 66 John Smith.
66 Esther Eddy. June 28, 1778, Lydia Haven. Dec. 12, " Jacob Shaw.
66 Mary Green. June 28, 1780, Isaac Very. 66 Mary Lamb.
May 26, " Benjamin Green. Oct. 25, 1772, James Dodge. Feb. 25, 1773, Tabitha Green.
Job Pettes.
Dec. 18, .. Daniel Richardson.
Betsey Hill.
Dec. 27, Ephraim Eddy. Caleb Blood. 6. Obed Warren.
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CHARLTON.
Sept. 17, 1780, Seth Jones.
Rachael Jones.
Oct. 8, “ Eunice Blood.
Oct. 15, Erastus McIntire.
66 Abigail MeIntire.
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