USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > West Brookfield > Historical discourse delivered at West Brookfield, Mass., on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the First Church in Brookfield, October 16, 1867 > Part 2
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Mr. Parson- is said to have been " distinguished for the vivacity of his descriptions, the accuracy of his reasoning, and the persuasiveness of his exportations." His ministry was eminently a peaceful one. The Records assure us that " the greatest harmony prevailed between him and the people dur- ing his life."
The fourth pastor was Res. Ephraim Ward. He was born at Veston, ( Massachusetts, in 1741, and was graduated at Harvard University in 1763, in a class that produced several
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men of distinction, among whom was Joshua Upham, a na- tive of Brookfield, who afterwards became Judge of the Su- preme Court in the Province of New Brunswick .*
Mr. Ward was ordained here October 23, 1771 .; The churches assisting in his ordination were the Second and Third in Brookfield, the churches in Western (Warren), Ware, Spencer, Sturbridge, Newton, Weston, Waltham, and the First Church in Dedham. The sermon on the occasion was preached by Rev. Jason Haven, A. M., pastor of the First Church in Dedham, from I. Thessalonians 5 : 12, 13, and was " Printed by Richard Draper in Newbury street," Boston.
The early part of Mr. Ward's pastorate fell upon a dark and stormy period in the history of the country. But, not- withstanding the civil commotions which, during the Revo- lutionary struggle, disturbed the peace, and threatened the existence, of so many churches, the most uniform and perfect harmony prevailed between him and his people throughout his long and useful ministry. This happy circumstance was probably due, in no small degree, to Mr. Ward himself. For he was a man of an exceeding mild and amiable disposition, and, by his great kindness and affability, he won the high es- teem and cordial affection of his people, and, indeed, of all who knew him. "He possessed," says his biographer, "a peculiar talent for cultivating peace. Though he was ready to extend the hand of discipline, when the honor of his Mas- ter's cause required it ; yet he never resorted to coercive meas-
* He died in London in 1808, while on an official mission to the British Gov- ernment.
t For the proposed terms of Mr. Ward's settlement, and his reply accepting the same, see Appendix, Note II.
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ures till all other expedients to reclaim the delinquent had file." . Dr. Phelps, who was associated with him in the ministry for a time previous to Mr. Ward's death, makes this comprehensive and significant remark : " He had no enemies. and all the congregation respected an ! ! ! him."
A- might be expected, Mr. Ward's labors here were not without visible fruits. Although. until near the close of his active labors, there was no year that was specially marked by revival, yet the catalogue show- asteady growth of the churen. from year to year, throughout his ministry. Scarcely a year passed, whether in time of war or of peace, but that there were some accessions to the church, and on several different years the number received was such as to indicate a high degree of religious interest in the community. In the year 1775, for instance, bemty-tour were admitted on profession of faith : in 170. minden : in Iiso, Hirten : in 10. minden : in TOT. ften : in bros. glean. In lelt there occurred a revival of considerable extent and power, though " it was confined principally to that part of the parish called Ragged Hill." During that year fifty-sir were added to the church upon protes- sion. In the gathering of this precious harvest. however, Mr. Ward was not permitted actively to engage. He had been forend by a partial loss of sight to relinquish his labors for the most part, particularly his public ministrations, in the Fall of 1-13; after which " the pulpit was supplied for a considerable time by the aid of the weighboring clergy," until the Summer of 1-11, after which several candidate - were employed.
On the day of the forty fifth anniversary of his settlement. October 23. 11, he had the pleasure of welcoming a col- ban Ris. Mr. Phelps, to when he might cutrust the sa-
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cred interests of the church and parish, which had become so greatly endeared to his heart. But he was not suffered long to enjoy this new relation. Little more than a year had passed when he was seized with paralysis, and deprived of the power of utterance. But he soon so far recovered his speech as to be able to furnish abundant assurance of the consolation and joy he felt at the prospect of Heaven: and the following month, February 9, 1818, in the seventy-cighth year of his age, having sustained the pastoral office for nearly half a century, he fell asleep in Jesus. Thus, at the end of one hundred years of our church's history, closed the labors of only its fourth pastor. His funeral sermon was preached by Rev. Micah Stone, pastor of the church in the South Par- ish, from Hebrews 13: 7 and was entitled, " A Christian Peo- ple's Remembrance of their Deceased Pastor." It was pub- lished. In this discourse Mr. Stone says of Mr. Ward, " As a preacher he was evangelical, plain, and practical. Ile held a very respectable standing among his brethren in the minis- try, and in all the neighboring churches. His apparent sin- cerity and piety, with the amiable spirit, the sound sentiments, and practical tendency of his discourses, rendered him accept- able and edifying." " A distinguishing excellence of our departed friend was, that he was a minister out of the pulpit. as well as in it. He was naturally kind and social in his feel- ings, and maintained a familiar and friendly intercourse with his people. He readily sympathized with them in their joys and sorrows ; and was much disposed to benefit them by his private instructions and prayers. His affability and polite- ness endeared him to their hearts, and favorably disposed them to religion and its services. Of him we may truly say he
'Allur'd to brighter worlds and led the way.""
During his ministry the church was strengthened by a total accession of THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-EIGHT MEM- BII :-.
Among the publications of Mr. Ward is a sermon preached at the funeral of Res. Nathan Fiske. D. D., 1799: and a ser- mon from H. Peter 1 : 18, delivered on the Thirty-Second Anniversary of his own Ordination, October 23. 1508, and " published at the general request of the hearers." It is note- worthy, as indicating the growth of the population of the parish since that time, and perhaps, also, as showing the present increased rate of' mortality, that, during those thirty- two years of his ministry, there were, according to the last named Discourse, but "three hundred and twenty-eight deaths, reckoning several who died in the army in the late Revolutionary War. and including several strangers who died in this place."-an average of only about ton deaths per year, while in these recent years, the average annual mortality has risen to nearly forty. It is moreover, a significant fact that. within the same period of thirty-two years, five hundred and five children were baptized, or an average of nearly sixteen annually ; whereas, at the present time, not more than four or fre children each year receive this Scriptural Seal : - be- traying thus a strange livity on the part of the church in these days in reference to Infant Baptism, and revealing a wide and unwarrantable departure, in this particular. from the faith and practice of our fathers: - a case which, it is to be regretted, is not without its parallel, in numerous instances. among the professally pedobaptist churches of the land.
Res. Bliskim l'helps, the fifth prostor, was born at Belcher- town, Massachusetts, March 20, 1790. His parents were Da Bliskim and Margaret & Comber Phelps. He was grad-
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uated at Union College, Schenectady, in 1814, where he also pursued his theological studies ; and was licensed to preach by the Consociation of Windham County, Connecticut, Sep- tember, 1815. He was ordained, as we have already noticed, associate pastor with Mr. Ward, October 23, 1816. The ser- mon was preached from II. Corinthians 5: 20, by Rev. Dr. Morse * of Charlestown.
At the time that Mr. Phelps received the call to settle here. the Half-way Covenant was still in force, although it seems to have fallen into disuse two years previously, in 1814. But Mr. Phelps made it a condition of his acceptance of the call that that covenant should be abolished. Accordingly there stands upon the church books this gratifying record, dated August 23, 1816.
" At a meeting of the First Church of Christ in Brookfield, convened by previous notice for the purpose, voted unanimously that the covenant commonly called the Half-way Covenant, or the covenant allowing the privilege of Baptism to those who entered into it, should be entirely done away. No person in future should be admitted into it; but, those who have enjoyed it, should be permitted to enjoy it one month from the date hereof."
But, as Dr. Phelps says, " the evil did not end with the voting it out." The pernicious effects of the custom became particularly apparent during the great revival which soon at- tended the labors of Mr. Phelps in 1818. This church, like many others, at that time was composed largely of heads of families, a considerable number of whom came in on the Half- way Covenant plan, without any experience of the renewing
# Jedidiah Morse, D. D., known as " the father of American geography, was born at Woodstock, Connecticut in 1761 ; was graduated at Yak College in 1783, and died at New Haven in 1826. Prof. Morse, the inventor of the Telegraph, is his son.
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and sanctifying influences of grace in their souls. As a conse- quence, " when the revival came. there were great searchings of heart' in the church as well as cot." And, " one of the most marked features of that revival." as Dr. Phelps says he has ever considered it, " was the number of conversions in the church." This revival, as being the first which occurred in the history of the church. of such manifest power, and so gen- cral in its extent. deserves a somewhat particular mention. It should, however, be previously said. as having, doubtless. per- formed an important part in preparing the way for the revival. that the Monthly Concert of prayer had been introduced in I-Iii: also a meeting for prayer weekly on Wednesday even- ing, and a third service on the Sabbath. Prior to this time. meetings for prayer, with the exception of small neighborhood meetings, were, for the most part, unknown ; they were, at least, an anomaly. Respecting the introduction of the Sab- bath evening service, Dr. Phelps says. " The people of Brook- field, when I went among them, were in the habit of observ- ing Saturday evening as holy time, or rather not observing Sabbath evening. Their custom was as they were dressed in their go-to-meeting suit, to spend Sabbath evening in social chat among the neighbors. It was easy to see that whatever of setion ness might have been impressed on their minds by the services of the day, was almost sure to be banished and destroyed by the gossip of the evening. To meet this state of things, I determined to try the effect of a third service for the evening. It worked well. It finally gress into a custom, and for the greater portion of my ministry I had three services on each Sabbath. I think that Good owned and blessed the third ersie quite a evidently a- either of the others."
In the Fall of Lol there were some token- of a revival.
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and six or seven were made hopeful subjects of grace. In the course of the year ten were added to the church. Three years before, also, there occurred, as we have seen, a season, of special religious interest with very marked results. But, to quote Dr. Phelps' own words again :
" A revival, in the form and aspects in which it developed itself in 1818, was, to most of the people, a new thing ; and it encountered no small degree of opposition. Some of the church-members refused, at first, to let their families attend our meetings. The school-house where we held them was elosed against us, and the powers of darkness seemed to be putting forth the utmost of their strength to stop the work. But it was of God, and it went forward. I was myself a mere novice in revivals ; and the Holy Spirit, compassionating my weakness, seemed to take the work into his own hands ; and a very thorough and delightful work it was. It continued in greater or less power for more than a year. Fifty-three were added to the church in one day (December 13, 1815,) and the whole number of eonversions, ineluding some who joined other churches, was, probably, not less than one hundred."
Dr. Phelps evidently understates the number ; for our eat- alogue shows an accession to our own membership, during 1818 and 1819, of one hundred and thirteen, who may prop- erly be reckoned as the fruits of that work of grace. And during his entire pastorate of ten years there were added in all ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-EIGHT, of whom one hundred and forty were on profession.
In the year 1819, April 9, our present Confession of Faith was adopted by a unanimous vote of the church, and ordered to be printed for the use of the members.
The Covenant now in use is the same, with the exception of a few unimportant verbal alterations, which was adopted when the church was first organized .*
* The Covenant may be found in the Appendix. Note II.
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In 1>23 we find Mr. Phelps laboring outside the limits of his own parish, in connection with a revival in the city of Beton : and, at a meeting of this church in August of that year. " it was announced that individuals of Park Street Church. Boston, had presented to the First Church in Brook- field a . Bible for the Desk, in consideration of services ren- deral in the revival, by the pastor of the First Church in Brookfield, whereupon it was unanimously-
Resolved, That the cher h received with lively sentiments of grati- tel . this expression of Christian kindness and attachment, and cordially return their thanks for the same."
It was further voted that the pastor be requested to transmit a copy of this resolution to the donors, and also that it be in- sorted in the Records of the Church.
March 21, 1-26. Mr. Phelps proposed a dissolution of his ministerial relation, in order to accept the position of Principal of the Female Classical Seminary which, at that time, and for some years, existed and flourished in this place. This re- quest being granted. he preached his farewell sermon June Ich. although the formal dissolution of the pastoral relation dil not take place nutil the 25th day of October following.
Not long afterwards he accepted an invitation to become Principal of the Female Seminary at Pittsfield. The pastor of the church there being laid aside by sickness, Mr. Phelps was pheed in charge of the pulpit. There followed almost immediately an extensive work of grace, during which. it was ju load, at least three hundred ouls were converted to Christ. The nerveed by this cal of the divine Ile asing upon his preach- ins, he wa led at once to sunder his connection with the Seminary, and in 1-20, be accepted a call to the Presbyterian Church, Geneva, New York, where he had a most successful
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pastorate of six years, during which time more than four hun- dred members were added to the church. An attack of cholera in 1834 so far broke down his constitution, and impaired his health, that he was compelled, at length, to relinquish his charge, and retire from the active duties of the ministry. In the autumn of the following year he was elected Correspond- ing Secretary of the American Education Society for the Southern field, with his residence in Philadelphia : the duties of which office he continued to discharge till 1847, and the next year removed to Stratford, Connecticut, where he hoped to spend his days in retirement. But less than three years afterwards, he returned to Philadelphia, where he continued. preaching, much of the time, for some years, though without a charge. At present he is residing with one of his sons in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he enjoys " good health " and " great comfort and peace of mind " in the seventy-eighth year of his age. The degree of Doctor of Divinity was con- ferred upon him in 1842 by his own Alma Mater.
The publications of Dr. Phelps are, a Sermon preached at the funeral of Judge Dwight Foster in Brookfield. 1823: an Oration delivered on the 4th of July at Geneva, New York. 1832; a Tract entitled " Lydia Sturtevant, or The Fatal Res- olution," 1833 ;# three Adresses, delivered respectively at New York, Boston, and Detroit ; and a number of articles in the Philadelphia Observer of whose editorial department Dr. Phelps had charge for about two years.
The same day on which Mr. Phelps was dismissed. ( Oeto-
# A prize tract, one of ten to which prizes of $50 each were war le lot of more than five hundred competitors. It had a sale of 100,0 0 within the first six months. It is a true narrative of a case that occurred in Brookfield during his ministry here.
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ber 25, 1526.) the sixth pastor, Rev. Joseph I. Foot was or- dained. Mr. Foot was born November 17. 1790, at Water- town, Connecticut ; was graduated at Union College in 1>21. and studied theology at Andover Seminary. At his ordination Rev. Thomas Snell. D. D. of North Brookfield made the in- troduetory prayer ; the sermon was preached from I. Corinth- ians 3 : 6, by Rev. Heman Humphrey, D. D .. President of Am- herst College : consecrating prayer, by Rev. Micah Stone of Brookfield, South Parish ; charge to the pastor, by Rev. Tim- othy M. Cooley, D. D. of Granville : right hand of fellowship, by Rev. Munson Gaylord of Western ( Warren ) : charge to the people, by Rev. John Fiske of New Braintree : and con- cluding prayer, by Rev. Eliakim Phelps, former pastor.
A powerful work of grace soon followed the labors of the new pastor, and the year 1>27 is one of the memorable revival years in our history. During that year seventy-sir were ad- mitted to the church on profession of faith.
After a pastorate of five and a half years, in which time ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-TWO were alled to the church, of whom twenty-five united by letter, Mr. Foot was dismissed, at his own request, May 1, 1-32.
The following year he assumed the charge of the church in Salina, New York, where he labored two years. In 1985 he accepted a call from the church in Cortland in the same state, and continued his labor- there till 1-35. He accepted an invitation to the pastorate of the church in Knoxville. Tennessee, in 1-39; and, two months afterward, was chosen President of Washington College in that state. In the fol- bowing March he received from the College the degree of Doctor of Divinity. " On Monday, the 20th of April. 1-10. as he was riding to Washington College to be inaugurated
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president, his horse took fright as he was descending a hill, and he was violently thrown against a rock ; by which oc- currence three of his ribs were broken, and his lungs pierced by the splinters. He lingered in great distress for twenty- two hours. On the next day, at 4 o'clock, P. M., the day before his expected inauguration, he expired in the forty- fourth year of his age."
Mr. Foot's " Historical Discourse on Brookfield," delivered on the day of the annual Thanksgiving, November 27. 1828, and subsequently published with a valuable Appendix of forty-eight pages, is a lasting monument of his faithful re- search, and a rare acquisition to the annals of this ancient town.
The seventh pastor was Rev. Francis Horton. He was born in Boston, November 29, 1803; prepared for college chiefly under the instruction of Pev. Enoch Pond of Ward, now better known as Dr. Pond, Professor at Bangor, (Me.) Theological Seminary, and was graduated at Brown Univer- sity in 1828. He studied theology with Rev. S. Holmes of New Bedford ; was approbated to preach by the Old Colony Association, and ordained December 2, 1829, at Dartmouth, Massachusetts, where he labored in the ministry about two years. He was installed pastor of this church August 15, 1832, three months and a half from the day of Mr. Foot's dis- mission. The Council met for the examination of the candi- date the previous evening, and organized by the choice of Rev. John Fiske of New Braintree, moderator, and Rev. Joseph S. Clark of Sturbridge, scribe. The installation ser- vices occurred the next day in the forenoon, a prayer-meeting having been held the same morning at sunrise, with reference to the occasion. The parts performed were as follows : prayer
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by Rev. Augustus B. Reed of Ware, First Church : sermon by Rev. Thomas Snell, D. D. of North Brookfield : installing prayer by Rev. John Fiske of New Braintree : charge to the pastor by Rev. Joseph Vaill of Brimfield ; right hand of fel- lowship by Rev. John Wilder of Charlton : charge to the peo- ple by Rev. Micah Stone of Brookfield, South Parish : con- eluding prayer by Rev. Charles Fitch of Western (now Warren ). Other churches represented in the Council were Ware (East) and Millbury.
The relation thus happily formed continued for nine years and one month, when by mutual council, at Mr. Horton's own request, it was dissolved September 15, 1341. The winter following he spent at the South, for the benefit of his health.
In 1543 he was elected pastor of the Orthodox Congrega- tional Church in West Cambridge, and retired from that of- fice in 1954. Early in the year 1556, he received a call to the pastoral care of the church in Barrington, Rhode Island. which was duly accepted : and there his labors are still con- tinned. He has published " A Biography of Jane Bailey." and " Fire-Side Lectures for Sabbath Evenings."
During the ministry of Mr. Horton here, the church was greatly blessed and strengthened. ONE HUNDRED AND NELLY were added to the church, of whom one hundred and forty were received on profession of faith. Two season- of deep and special religious interest were enjoyed. - in 1985 and 1:39. But the year 15:55 deserves especially to be com- memorated as one of " the years of the right hand of the Most Hlich," when God poured out his Spirit mightily, and gra- ciously turned the feet of many into the way of life. In that one year, eighty-nine made a public profession of their faith.
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and united with the church. This seems to have been a cul- minating point in the prosperity and growth of the church. The largest membership that the church has ever had was at the close of the year 1835, after all the sheaves of that pre- cious harvest had been gathered in. There were, at that time. three hundred and eighty-one members. By frequent " times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord " the church. for many years, previously, had been very perceptibly increasing in numbers, beyond all the annual losses from deaths and re- movals. For instance, Mr. Phelps found the church in 1516 with two hundred and thirty-six members ; saw that number swelled to three hundred and forty within three years : and left the church in 1826 with a membership of two hundred and ninety, -a total gain, during his pastorate, of fifty-four. Mr. Foot immediately took the church with two hundred and ninety members ; saw it increased within two years to three hundred and sixty-six ; and left it in 1832 with a membership of three hundred and forty-two, -a gain, during his entire pastorate, of fifty-two. Mr. Horton found the church with three hundred and thirty-six members ; and was permitted. in a little more than three years, to see the number rise to three hundred and eighty-one. But from that time, notwith- standing the revival of 1839 brought an accession of twenty- nine members, the yearly losses more than balance the gains. so that Mr. Horton left the church in 1841 with a member- ship of three hundred and forty-five, -a total gain of only nine, or one member for each year of his pastorate : although it should be said that the average yearly losses by death and ordinary dismission, during those nine years, were very un- usually great.
From the year 1835 onwards, the records show a gradual
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decrease in the membership of the church for a period of nearly thirty years : " though not all of those years, by any means, were without some cheering tokens of the divine blessing. The canse of this lapse into spiritual coldness, and of this long decline will soon appear.
Four months after the dismission of MIr. Horton. January 12, 1842, the eighth pastor was settled, Rev. Moses Chase. The brief period of Mr. Chase's pastorate forms a black chapter in the history of this church. the particulars of which it would neither be pleasant nor profitable to recall. Suffice it to say that the troubles and distresses of that most unhappy period grew out of the fierce antagonisms that were engendered by the new anti-slavery movements of the time. The conservative wing of the church. headed by a strong-willed, disputatious, and not over discreet pastor, arrayed against a less number of earnest, determined. and somewhat excited radicals, will indicate, in a word, the pain- ful attitude of affairs. The strife at first heated, soon be- came bitter, and even violent. The church seemed ahnost wholly to have forgotten her covenant with God and with each other ; and God would appear well-nigh to have for- saken the church.
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