USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Historical manual of the South church in Andover, Mass > Part 5
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1820-1825 A. J. Gould.
1830-1831 Sylvester Abbott.
1826 John Derby.
1832-1839
A. J. Gould.
1827 A. J. Gould.
1840-1842
Sylvester Abbott.
1828-1829
HIermon Griffin.
1843-1859
Albert Abbott.
VI.
BURIAL-GROUNDS AND BURIALS.
The first person buried in the burial-ground of this Parish was Robert Russell. He died in December, 1710. The oldest inscription there is, is on the grave-stone of Mrs. Ann Blanchard, wife of Mr. Jonathan Blanchard, who died Feb. 29, 1723. A second burial-place was laid ont in the West part of the Parish in 1791. The first one was enlarged in 1792, the Parish then accepting a gift of land for this purpose from Samuel Abbot, Esq., and Mrs. Sarah Barker. In 1820 the Parish authorized the purchase of land to enlarge it, for the sum of $140. It was a third time enlarged, in 1847, by purchase from Dea. Newman. In this last year, happy changes were com- menced in the location of the front wall, of the hearse-house and of the horse-sheds. New lots were laid out in the yard, and a very decided improvement has since gone forward in the whole
59
'BURIAL-GROUNDS AND BURIALS.
appearance of the burial-ground. The nakedness of the hill- side began to be covered by trees and shrubs, and utter irregu- larity gave place to some, even though a defective, order.
A hearse was proeured first in 1798, and a hearse-house was built the next year. A new hearse was obtained in 1833.
The small cemetery connected with the Theological Seminary received its first dead in 1810. The burial-yard of the Parish of Christ Church was consecrated in 1840. A few persons have, since 1855, been interred in the Catholic cemetery. But the larger portion of those who die here are buried still in the old ground, where their fathers sleep.
During the successive Pastorates of this Parish, the number of burials or deaths registered is given below. This register includes, of course, merely those who were considered, at the time of their death, to belong to the congregation worshipping at the old church, and whose funerals were attended by its min- ister. The whole number is 2454.
Registered by Mr. Phillips, 892, 66 811,
in 61 years.
" Mr. French,
in 37 years.
" Mr. Edwards, 91,
in 3 3-4 years (only in part).
Mr. Badger, 321,
in 8 years.
Mr. Langstroth, 13,
in 1 year (only in part).
66 Mr. Taylor,
in 13 years.
66
Mr. Smith,
257, 7, in 1 year (only in part).
66
Mr. Mooar,
62, in 3 5-6 years.
Funeral sermons have not usually been preached in this Parish. In early times the body was carried, often several miles, by the bearers, to the grave. The friends returned to the house of the deceased for supper. Ardent spirits were drunk on such occasions. Mr. Phillips, as early as 1720, testified against it as an unfit practice. It was customary to give gloves and rings at funerals. The bearers received white gloves. The gloves were laid upon the coffin, and taken by the bearers before proceeding to the grave. Purple gloves were presented at a
60
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
later time. The Parish voted, on the death of Mr. Phillips, 1771, that the bearers should have rings, and that all the or- dained ministers attending the funeral, and the ministers that preached gratis in the time of Mr. P.'s sickness, should have gloves. This practice was discontinued during the Revolution- ary War. For the funeral of Mr. French, the Parish procured the mourning of the family, and draped the pulpit with black. On the death of Madam French, the Parish appointed a com- mittee to solicit subscriptions for the payment of the expenses of her funeral. Two plain slate tablets were erected in their mem- ory, and still stand, quite undistinguished and neglected, among the other grave-stones.
VII. ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
" October 17, 1711, a church was gathered in the South Pre- cinct of Andover." Thirty-five persons, thirty-two of whom were from the church in the North Precinct, entered into cove- nant with each other and "were thereupon declared to be a church." The "messengers " of the churches are not mentioned in the records, but the "elders " who recognized this new church were Mr. Thomas Barnard, of Andover, Mr. Edward Payson, of Rowley, Mr. Joseph Green, of Salem Village, and Mr. Thos. Symmes, of Bradford. The nearest churches, at that time or- ganized, were the North Church, Andover, now Unitarian, the churches in North Danvers, South Reading and Woburn, the present Unitarian Church in Billerica, the First Church of Chelmsford, and the church in Londonderry, N. II. At least twenty-five Congregational churches are now planted within these limits.
COVENANTS AND ARTICLES OF FAITH. 61
VIII. COVENANTS AND ARTICLES OF FAITH.
The Covenant, which formed the basis of organization, was in the following words.
" We, whose Names are hereunto subscribed, apprehending our- selves called of God to join together in ehh. communion : (acknowledg- ing our unworthiness of Such a Privilege, and our inability to keep Covenant with God unless Christ shall enable us thereunto :) In humble dependence on free grace for divine assistance and acceptance ; We do, in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord, freely Covenant and bind ourselves, solemnly, in the presence of God himself, his holy angels, and all his Servants here present, to Serve the only living and true God - Father, Son and Holy Ghost, whose name alone is Jeho- vah, cleaving to him as our chief good, and unto our Lord Jesus Christ as our only Saviour, ye Prophet, Priest and King of our Souls, in a way of gospel obedience : Avouehing the Lord to be our God and the God of our children, whom we give unto him; and resolve that we and our houses will serve the Lord, counting it as an high favor, that the Lord will accept of us, and our children with us, to be his people. We do also give ourselves one to another in the Lord, covenanting to walk together as a Church of Christ, in all the ways of his worship, according to the holy Rules of his Word : promising in brotherly love faithfully to watch over one another's Souls, and to submit ourselves to the discipline and power of Christ in his Church : and duly to at- tend the Seals and Censures, or whatever ordinances Christ has com- manded to be observed by his people, so far as the Lord by his Word and Spirit has [revealed] or shall reveal unto us to be our duty, adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things, avoiding the very appearance of evil. And that we may keep our covenants with God we desire to deny ourselves and to depend wholly on the free mercy of God, and upon the merits of Jesus Christ : and wherein we shall fail, to wait on him for pardon thro' his name: Beseeching the Lord to own us as a Church of Christ, and to delight to dwell in the midst of us."
6
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
The church records do not mention any other creed or cove- nant, for sixty-two years. But it is probable that another was soon brought into use, for in a little volume, published by Mr. Phillips in 1728, which contains three discourses preached by himself near the time of the great earthquake, an account is also given of the solemn renewal of Covenant made by the church. The Covenant, which was taken by the communicants, is as follows :
" We, the Pastor and all other the communicants of this Parish, now assembled, apprehending ourselves called of God to Renew our Cove- nant -: do each one of us for ourselves respectively profess a Serious Belief of the Christian Religion, as expressed in the Assembly's Cate- ehism : and do now, in an Everlasting Covenant, give up ourselves to God in Jesus Christ: Humbly asking of God forgiveness thro' the Blood of Christ for our Original Sin, as also for all our Actual Trans- gressions : And solemnly Promising before God Himself and the Holy Angels, and in the Presence of this Assembly, that by the Assistance of the Divine Spirit, we will forsake the Vanities of this Evil World and approve ourselves the true Disciples of Jesus Christ, in all good carriage towards God and man : and that both we and our Houses will Serve the LORD.
" And particularly we promise to walk in Communion together, as becomes a Church of the Lord Jesus Christ : that is to say ; we will, as we have opportunity, watch over one another and all such as may hereafter Join with us in Love : And will submit our selves to the Discipline and Power of Christ in Ilis Church : and duly attend the Seals and Censures, or whatever Ordinances Christ has commanded to be observed by his People, so far as the LORD by his Word and Spirit has revealed or shall reveal unto us to be our Duty : adorning the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all Things, and avoiding the very Appearance of Evil : Earnestly praying that the LORD would take Delight to dwell among us, that His Blessing may be upon us and His Glorious Kingdom advanced among us."
The church adopted from its organization the then prevalent practice of allowing persons who had been baptized, and who
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COVENANTS AND ARTICLES OF FAITH.
were not of scandalous life, the privilege of taking what was called the Baptismal Covenant. This entitled them to the watch of the church, and, if parents, to the baptism of their children. The Covenant in use for this purpose is likewise not mentioned in the records, but on the same occasion it was renewed in the following form, as given in the above-mentioned volume.
" We, who have publicly recognized our Baptismal Covenant, apprehending ourselves called of God to renew the same: do now each of us for ourselves respectively, Acknowledge the One True and Living God to be our God. And, Professing a serious Belief of the Christian Religion, as it is expressed in the Assembly's Catechism, do give up ourselves and ours : what we are and what we have and what we shall have unto God in the Lord Jesus Christ : heartily resolv- ing, by the Help of his Grace, to Conform our Lives to the Rule of that Holy Religion, so long as we live: repenting of all our Sins against those Rules of Holiness. We give ourselves to the Lord JEHOVAII, who is Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as unto our Best Good and our Last End : And unto our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Lord JEHOVAH, as to our Prophet, Priest and King for Ever. We Submit unto the Laws of His Kingdom, and as they are Administered among this His people : And will diligently labour for those clearer Evidences of our good Estates, which may encourage our approaches to the table of the LORD. And, finally, we will give a Christian Education to all such as are, or may be, providentially committed to our Care and Charge."
The first pastor earnestly urged this practice. In a foot-note to one of his discourses, 1727, he says, " Neither do I remember one Native of the Parish that is Unbaptized." The last instance of " owning the Covenant " is recorded Dec. 30, 1770. After the accession of Mr. French, those persons who wished to enter into Covenant with the church and enjoy its privileges, were allowed to do so on their assenting to a common declaration of faith. Those who were admitted to full communion had been accustomed to give "a relation " of their experience and of their
64
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
belief. This relation was often a written one. It was voted, March 25, 1773, unanimously, " That, instead of the usual prac- tice of exhibiting relations previous to the admission into the church, the following form of a Confession of Faith be pro- pounded in publie to each candidate, viz. :
" You, A. B., do professedly believe there is one God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost - that the Bible is the Word of God, which was written by the Prophets and Apostles, under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit : you also believe the fall of man, the depravity of human nature, and the Redemption, through the Mediation, Intercession and Atonement of Christ: that Christ has appointed two special ordinan- ces under the Gospel Dispensation, to be observed by every true believer in his name, viz .: Baptism and the Lord's Supper: that the qualifications for these ordinances are true repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ: you believe, also, that the soul will exist after the dissolution of the body, and that there will be a day of final judgment, in which every one shall receive a reward according to his works."
The covenant at this time was nearly the same as was taken in the time of Mr. Phillips, by those who were admitted to full communion. It significantly omitted, however, the declaration of belief in " the Christian Religion as expressed in the Assem- bly's Catechism," and the asking of forgiveness for sin was not accompanied with the ancient specification, "for our Original Sin, as also for all our actual transgressions." Excepting these two omissions, and a few verbal differences, the covenant was the old one already given.
In 1783, a person in covenant with the church proposed the following question : " Whether the church would admit him to full communion, provided there should be no objection against his moral character, without requiring him to take the Covenant again." This person had simply "owned the Baptismal Cove- nant." The church replied to his question in the negative. This person then offered to refer the matter to the Association
65
COVENANTS AND ARTICLES OF FAITH.
of Ministers, or to a mutual council. This offer was declined. He was asked if the present form of Covenant could be altered so that he would be willing to take it. He answered "that he did not doubt but that it might." A committee was accordingly chosen "to revise the Covenant and see if they could so alter it, at the same time retaining the essentials, as might be agreeable to Bro. A. and the church." Such alterations were proposed as were acceptable to the committee and Mr. A., and Sept. 4, 1786, the alterations were adopted by the church. These changes were only verbal, and brought the Covenant to the form in which it now stands.
But, for some reason, Mr. A. did not take the Covenant, even as amended : for his claim was that he had a right to the privi- lege of the Lord's Supper, on the ground that he had "owned the Covenant " already. He sent in a paper, in 1788, " request- ing that the church would declare whether he is a member of the church or not." The brethren refused to take up the matter again. In 1791, the matter would come up, for this persistent man now kept his wife from coming to the Supper, alleging that he treated her as the church treated him. The church debarred him, on this account, from all special privileges, and placed him under censure. The difficulty was brought before the church repeatedly till 1795, when the church declined to entertain it any longer. We hear nothing more of it till 1811, when, at the request of Mr. A., the church appointed a committee to devise some method of removing the censure. They reported, that, in consideration of the fact that Mr. A. had offered to leave the matter to a council, which the church had refused to do, and that he was now willing to acknowledge that he was wrong in detain- ing his wife from the Communion, the censure should be re- moved. The church accordingly removed its censure.
The narrative of this case is important, as it occupied more attention than any other case of Discipline. It shows that per- sons under the half-way Covenant were under the discipline of the church, and were actually disciplined ; and it throws light
6*
66
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
upon the character of the Covenant itself. It is worthy of re- mark that this is the only instance in the history of this church in which there appears to have been even the suggestion of call- ing in a council to settle difficulties. This church has given one proof, at least, of the power of a church to govern itself.
The Confession of Faith and Covenant, in their present form, were formally adopted April 2, 1813. The following words, however, then included in the fifth article, were by vote, Sept. 17, 1830, omitted : " Baptism is to be administered to unbaptized adults, who profess their faith in Christ, and to the infant chil- dren of members of the church." The short address, which, in the present form of admission, precedes the confession, and the words of fellowship, which the church use after the reading of the Covenant, were accepted in 1834.
The Cambridge Platform, though never explicitly accepted by the church, has often been recognized as of standard value. References to it are made several times in the records. It 1776 it was voted " that the platform of our churches should be read in public, a part at a time, at the discretion of the pastor."
But while, for the most part, in sympathy with the Puritan Theology and Polity, this church did doubtless feel, to some extent, the Arminianizing influence, which infected the churches of this region during the latter half of the last century. This influence is easily discernible in the articles of faith. The Con- fession, adopted in the time of Mr. French, is especially defec- tive in thorough statement of doctrine. The changes made in 1813 were in the right direction. But a creed, which should express in natural connection and sequence of thought all the fun- damental facts of Christian doctrine, is still greatly to be desired.
67
BAPTISMS.
IX.
BAPTISMS.
The early Baptisms were almost all of infants. The adults baptized were not usually natives. The whole population were in covenant with the church during the first half-century. Seven hundred persons "recognized their covenant" in this time. Probably half of them were afterwards "admitted to full communion." A frequent time of assuming these vows was just before or after marriage. Some of the more serious young people assumed them at an earlier age .. But to the close of Mr. French's ministry, a public profession, it is to be feared, had its chief importance, in the view of many, as entitling their chil- dren to baptism. In later years, the number of adult baptisms has greatly increased. The baptisms under each pastor have been as follows :
Mr. Phillips baptized 2143, adults 30.
Mr. French
1449,
10.
Mr. Edwards
508,
58.
Mr. Badger
303,
70.
Mr. Langstroth " 39, 66
4.
Mr. Taylor
Mr. Smith
174, 4,
37.
Mr. Mooar
53, 27
The whole number of baptisms is 4673, of which number 236 were adult baptisms. It will be seen that about nineteen-twen- tieths have been infant baptisms. During the first two pastor- ates, eighty-nine-ninetiethis were infant baptisms. During the last six pastorates, four children have been baptized for one adult.
68
HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
X.
DISCIPLINE.
The chief causes of Discipline for 125 years were fornication and drunkenness. He who investigates the records of this or any other church for the same period will be astonished at the comparative prevalence of these vices as compared with the present time. Numerous confessions of these sins are pre- served. Many of them, especially of the former class, are from those who belonged at least to the middle class of the commu- nity. During the ministry of the first two pastors, persons who had owned the covenant were disciplined. Mr. Phillips was strenuous, also, upon the point that the baptized children should receive, not only the watch and care, but the discipline of the church. In case of any scandalous conduct they were expected to make confession before they were allowed to own their cove- nant. For many years after the organization of the church, a case of final exclusion seldom occurred. The chief censures were the requirement of confession and the suspension from church privileges. Final excommunication was resorted to frequently after Mr. Edwards was settled, and has been fre- quent since. The term employed in Mr. Taylor's ministry was withdrawal of fellowship. The term seems to have been em- ployed to convey a distinction between the cases tried at that time and those grosser ones of former days. Several members at that time absented themselves from worship and communion because of the wrong position taken, as they thought, by the church, upon the subject of slavery. Persisting in walking out of communion with the church, they were at length declared to be no longer members of it. More recently the same kind of action has been taken concerning a large number of persons who had been long absent. Some of these were known, and efforts have been made to restore them. Others, unknown for many
69
PRAYER-MEETINGS.
years, were exeluded by summary vote, all efforts to discover them having proved unavailing. The number of excommunica- tions has, within these four years, been greater than ever before for the same length of time. It is doubtful whether any thor- ough attempt had been made to restore the ancient Puritan con- eeption of the church, - a local church, -and to enforce the covenant obligation assumed by each member, "to walk in com- munion with this church."
A noticeable change has taken place, apparently, in the pro- cesses of discipline. These are far more summary than once. In early days there were formal trials. The church sat as a court, heard witnesses and took affidavits. The documents were preserved, and are of the true legal minuteness. The witnesses were of the world, as well as of the church. The persons tried, as has been seen before, were also of the world, or, at least, only held in the church by the tenure of baptism and the baptismal covenant. Thus we have the detailed trial, before the church, of an Inn-keeper, who was not a communicant, for allowing men to play cards in his house, and for furnishing them liquor. The result was an humble confession of his fault, and his consequent restoration to the charity of the Brethren. This took place after the discontinuance of the half-way covenant. In many ways is disclosed the wider and in some respeets closer watch which the church onee exercised over the piety and morals of the people.
XI.
PRAYER-MEETINGS.
The first notice of any other than the stated services of public worship on the forenoon and afternoon of Sunday, is a notice of a meeting held by young men on Sabbath evenings. They were
-
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
accustomed, as early as 1729, to "meet in several societies for religious exercises." At this time the people did not "look upon Sunday evening as a part of the Sabbath." But Mr. Phillips exhorts the young men " to shew Respects to the day, and in point of Prudence to spend it in reading good books, in holy meditation, Prayer and Religious Conference." This meeting is mentioned ten years after in a way which makes probable its, at least, recent suspension, perhaps its continued existence.
At this latter date, 1739, a Wednesday lecture was preached. A funeral sermon, preached for Mr. Phillips, at such a lecture, by Mr. Barnard, the younger, of the North Parish, in memory of Abiel Abbot, B. A., was printed. The author of the History of Andover says a monthly lecture in the town, preached alter- nately in eachı Parish, was commenced in this ministry, which was continued more than sixty years. It appears, however, from one of the memorials of Mr. Phillips to the Parish, on the subject of his salary, 1742, that for a few years, certainly, this lecture was hield only in the North Parish. He avows his own willingness to have the lecture continued alternately, as liad been the custom.
No devotional meetings, save those of the Lord's day, are known to have existed in the Parish during the ministry of Mr. French. He was accustomed, sometimes, to lecture in the west part of the town. Baptisms are twice recorded as solemnized "at a lecture at Widow Furbush's," and once each " at John Malcoys," and " at the house of Widow Lucy Bailey." These families were beyond Haggit's Pond. It is stated, also, that " on the evening before Mr. French's death, he agreed with Pro- fessor Woods that the conference meetings of the young gen- tlemen of the Theological Seminary and those among his parish- ioners should be united." ""Those among his Parishioners" had doubtless but recently been called into existence, as, at this time, the preaching of Dr. Griffin had begun to excite a quite unwonted interest in many hearts. Several persons in the church, at that time, were greatly revived. Some, it is said,
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PRAYER-MEETINGS.
-
gave up their religious hopes. On the part of others, these devotional meetings were viewed with suspicion, if not with positive displeasure. They thought them innovations full of danger. They considered Sunday services sufficient. Night meetings, especially, were regarded as evil omens. .
On the settlement of Mr. Edwards, in 1812, family and neigh- borhood prayer meetings became frequent in all parts of the Par- ish. His own participation in a conference meeting, held at the Centre School House, previous to his settlement, had recom- mended him to the people. His interest in these meetings led him to start them in the farthest portions of his Parish. We hear of them especially in the Bailey and Scotland Districts. The one held in the former district was on the first Tuesday of every month. In the latter district, meetings, in his ministry, were held sometimes on Thursday and sometimes on Saturday even- ings. In accounts preserved of some of these meetings, those who took charge of them, and who took part in them, are spoken of as " scholars " or " students." Members of the Academy, and especially of the Seminary, have ever since participated largely in the conduct of meetings for conference and prayer. Of late years, the stated church meetings in the vestry have not been so dependent upon them, and now are not at all dependent. But for several years the young men of the Seminary have sustained a meeting in the Scotland and Holt Districts, on Sabbath eve- nings. A meeting of the same character and conduct was held, for a long time, with occasional interruptions, in the families of the Phillips District, on Saturday evenings. On the same eve- ning another meeting has been held, statedly, by members of the Academy and Seminary, in connection with the Abbot Village Mission School.
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