USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Historical manual of the South church in Andover, Mass > Part 6
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At seasons of especial interest, all these meetings have been revived and special ones commenced. At the time of the series of meetings, called protracted and four days' meetings, in the years 1831 and 1833, morning gatherings for prayer were main- tained. At about sunrise the people assembled in large num-
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
bers. During the recent religious revival of 1858, a Union Daily meeting was held, at eight o'clock in the morning, from March to August. At some of the first meetings as many as two hundred and fifty were present. The average attendance for the last month was about forty.
Of the origin of the stated prayer meetings, in the vestry or church, it is difficult to speak with certainty. The monthly concert was commenced, without doubt, as early as 1815. Mr. Edwards wrote his circular, that year, in behalf of its general observance throughout the United States. It was held at first on Monday afternoon, afterwards on Monday evening; but for a number of years it has been held on Sabbath evening. At one time during Mr. Taylor's pastorate, committees on various missionary fields were appointed, to report at the concert, but this method did not long succeed. It has been always under the care of the pastor.
The Sunday evening meeting was not held statedly at the vestry during Mr. Edwards's pastorate. The date of its com- mencement is not known. Preaching, on this evening, was fre- quent after 1828. Since 1840 this meeting has been conducted by the Deacons of the church.
Whether a church prayer meeting was held regularly, on a week-day, in the vestry, before 1828, is in some doubt. It does not seem likely that, if it existed, it had acquired the fixed char- acter which now belongs to the meeting of Wednesday evening. It is known that, in 1823, Mr. Edwards had a female Bible class, numbering, at one time, 160 members. This was on a week-day afternoon. He also had, in 1824, a Bible class of males. This numbered 150. These classes awakened a very deep interest ; even the students in Theology were eager to attend them. Mr. Badger, at the opening of his ministry, con- tinned this Bible class, with less of questioning and answering, and more in the manner of an expository lecture. It was called, indeed, the Biblical lecture. This class was held in the eve- ning. A weekly prayer meeting was held at this time, but not
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PRAYER-MEETINGS.
on Wednesday. As nearly as can be learned, the Wednesday evening meeting became fixed in the ministry of Mr. Langs- troth. It has since gained the character of an institution, blessed in its memories and its influence. It has been almost always conducted by the Pastor. At one time, Mr. Taylor left it, except once a month, in charge of the brethren of the church, while he held a meeting in some distant portion of the Parish. But its interest did not increase by this course. Mr. Smith held it once a month, in the afternoon, for the benefit of those who could not enjoy its privileges in the evening. The average attend- ance, for the past three years, has been from sixty to eighty.
A young people's meeting was commenced in 1840, by the suggestion of Mr. Taylor, for the benefit of those young men of the church who felt reluctant to participate in the more public meeting on Wednesday evening. This was continued the larger part of two seasons. In 1856 a few young men met four eve- nings for prayer, but their number was so small that the meet- ing was not continued. March 5, 1858, the present young men's prayer meeting was commenced in the vestry. Sixteen young men attended it. On several subsequent evenings the number varied from twenty-five to fifty. It has been uniformly continued since, generally on Monday evening, with an average attendance of twelve.
A Maternal Association was formed early in Mr. Edwards's ministry. It held monthly meetings. Once in three months the Pastor was accustomed to meet the mothers and children. At such a meeting, in 1821, a collection is reported in the Mis- sionary Herald to have been taken. This association seems to have lost interest after a few years. Its meetings were sus- pended, probably, for a season, previous to the ordination of Mr Langstroth. In May, 1838, it was revived. A constitution was adopted, and signed by thirty-two mothers. Its meetings were again suspended, some time previously to the ordination of the present pastor. In March, 1856, a new constitution was adopted. Since that time the meetings have been attended on
7
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
Thursday afternoons, at first usually with Wid. Rhoda Gleason; since her death, with Mrs. H. B. Taylor.
A female prayer meeting was in existence in 1817. It was held at the house of Wid. Henry Abbot, and was conducted by her. Only a few ladies met there. One of them, Mrs. Caleb Abbot, used to walk three miles. A female prayer meeting was commenced, a little later, on Sabbath evenings, by Mrs. Edwards. There was, at this time, no other stated Sabbath evening ser- vice. Mrs. E.'s room was crowded. Subsequently a prayer meeting was held, for many years, with Mrs. Zeruiah Griffin, in Abbot village. Through the efforts of Mrs. A. D. Newman a meeting was established, in the early part of Mr. Taylor's min- istry, at Dea. Blanchard's. One was held, just before his dis- mission, at his house. Mrs. Newman invited one at her house, during the vacancy of the ministerial office. This soon was omitted for various causes. In 1854, Mrs. H. B. Taylor established a meeting, which has been sustained on Thursday of each week, to the present time. Circles of prayer have been formed, also, in other parts of the Parish, at different times, but have not become institutions. In the spring of 1858 a young ladies' meeting was commenced at the Pastor's house, and is still attended by ten or twelve persons. This is held on Monday evening.
XII. SABBATH SCHOOLS.
During the interval of public worship on Sundays, it was cus- tomary for the people who remained at noon to come together to hear the reading of a sermon and to sing. How ancient a prac- tice this was in this Parish is not known. Judge Phillips was accustomed to read. Hle testified his interest in this service
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SABBATHI SCHOOLS.
by bequeathing, at his death, in 1802, a flagon to the church, on which was the following inscription : " By the direction of the late Samuel Phillips, Esq., Lieut .- Gov., this flagon is respect- fully presented to the South Church in Andover, as a memorial of his sincere affection and esteem, and of his earnest request that the laudable practice of reading in the house of public wor- ship between services may be continued, so long as even a small number shall be disposed to attend the exercise." The same day another flagon was presented by Samuel Abbot, Esq., bear- ing a similar inscription. The church voted each year, after- ward, at its annual meeting, to continue this practice. A com- mittee was usually appointed to invite the cooperation of the Parish in this service. Readers were appointed by this com- mittec, or, still more frequently, the Parish itself appointed several persons to secure readers. The last vote in the church to continue this reading was passed in 1828.
Ten years before this last date the Sabbath School was formed. A preparatory movement had commenced in the spring of 1816, by the organization of a Juvenile Bible Society. Every child, who daily read the Bible himself, or, if not old enough to read, who heard it read by others, and endeavored to understand and obey it, and who annually contributed to send it to the heathen, was a member.
" At the opening of the [common ] schools, in 1816, each teacher was furnished with a blank book ruled with eight columns. On the first column was to be written the name of each scholar : on the second. his age : on the third, the number of times he had been at the head of his class at the last spelling for the day : on the fourth, the number of books which he had taken from the library : on the fifth, the number of verses of hymns and divine songs which he had learned: on the sixth, the number of answers which he had learned, of the shorter Catechism : on the seventh, the number of verses which he had learned of the Bible : and, on the eighth, the number of cents which, in the course of one year, lic had given to the Bible Society."
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
A committee, at the close of the schools, examined the schol- ars and inspected these books. A great deal of interest was thus excited, not only in behalf of the benevolent object of sending bibles to the heathen, but in the study of the Bible and Cate- chism, and the committing of hymns. Of the 415 scholars then in the schools, " 127 learned through the Catechism ; 241, all taken togethier, learned more than 7000 verses of hymns and divine songs, and 121 more than 5000 verses of the Bible."
The Sabbath School was opened in the vestry in the spring of 1818. It was held, as since, during the intermission of public worship. The number of children the first year was 138. In the following summers, district Sabbath Schools were held at various points in the Parish, probably in the afternoon. Of these there were at one time seven. They continued in session from fourteen to eighteen weeks. July 22, 1827, owing to the large increase of scholars in the vestry, the school kept there was removed to the meeting house, and the following winter the experiment of continuing the school through the year was tried with complete sucesss.
Up to this date the scholars had been nearly all under twenty years of age. Of 330 pupils in the summer of 1827, only eight had passed this age. The religious interest of 1831 and the years following largely increased the school. At this time the first adult classes were formed. So large a number as 640 were then reported as members of the school. The number reported each year to 1838 was little less than 600. In the spring of 1812 a report was made to the Sunday School Union of 384 teachers and scholars. The above numbers seem to be the largest numbers on any one Sabbath. The following is the arcrage attendance in the school, from 1842 to 1859, inelusive :
1842 ... 253. 1818 ... 206. 1854 ... 147.
1843 ... 241. 1849 ... 196. 1855 ... 126.
1841 ... 263. 1850 . .. 184. 1856 ... 166. 1845 . . . 213. 1851 . . . 182. 1857 ... 205. 1846 . .. 209. 1852 . .. 152. 1858 ... 197.
1847 ... 194. 1853 ... 167. 1859 (8 mos ) 190.
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SABBATH SCHOOLS.
The teachers of the school were at first very largely from the Seminary. It was found difficult to induce the male members of the church to take classes. Of thirty-five male teachers, in 1827, all but four or five were from the Seminary. This evil has been somewhat corrected since. Yet at the Teachers' meet- ing, held at Dea. Blanchard's since 1840, only two male teachers are remembered as attending. At the present time there are ten female teachers and eighteen male, of whom eleven are from the Seminary.
The prevailing impression is, that during the first five years of the school it had no Superintendent, formally recognized as such. The record books do not commence till 1823, and the one kept of the years 1829-1841 has been lost. The following table of Superintendents has been compiled, during those years, from the memories of different individuals.
1823 Orramel S. Hinckley, Prof. Tenn. College : died at Natchez, Miss., 1837.
1821 John Maltby, Pastor at Sutton, and of Hammond St. Church, Bangor.
1825 David Greene, formerly one of the Secretaries A. B. C. F. M. 1826 John Crosby, Castine, Maine ; died 1833.
1827
Alvan Nash, Pastor at Sandusky City, Ohio, Ravenna, Ohio, Chester, Ohio, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and at Willoughby, Ohio, where he now is a Teacher of a Female Seminary. H. G. O. Dwight, D. D., Missionary at Constantinople.
1828
George W. Perkins, Pastor at Montreal, Meriden, Ct., and Chicago, Ill .; died 1856.
Seth HI. Keeler, Pastor at Calais, Me.
1829-1841.
Thomas Brainerd, D. D., Pastor of the Third Pres. Church, Philadelphia, Pa.
Benjamin Labaree, D. D., Home Missionary in Tenn., Pres. Jackson College, Tenn., Sec. Centr. Ed. Soc., now Pres. of Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vt.
Justin Perkins, D. D., lately of the Mission to the Nestorians.
Buell W. Smith, Pastor at Montpelier, Vt., and since Teacher at Burlington, Vt.
Solomon B. Ingram ; died 1840.
Plin B. Day, Pastor at Derry and Hollis, N. II.
7*
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HISTORICAL SKETCHIES.
Amos Bullard, Pastor at Barre ; died 1850.
Samuel Beane, Pastor at Little Compton, R. I., now Teacher of a Female Seminary at Beloit, Wisconsin.
James Boutwell. Pastor at Brentwood and Sanbornton, N. II. Eliphalet Y. Swift, Agent of Am. Traet Soc., Pastor at North- ampton, South Hadley, and Clinton, N. Y.
1812 Luther II. Sheldon, Pastor at Townsend and at Westboro'.
Joseph M. R. Eaton, Pastor at Henniker, N. II.
1813 Jo 1 S. Everett, Missionary at Constantinople ; died 1856.
1844
David Torrey, Pastor at Delhi, N. Y.
Daniel T. Fiske, Pastor of the Belleville Church, Newburyport.
1815 Thomas E. Foster, Teacher in Phillips Academy ; afterwards a Preacher for a short time ; died 1851.
Timothy Lyman, Lansing, Georgia.
1846-1847 Dea. Albert Abbott.
1847-1848 John II. Manning.
1848-1855 Dea. A. J. Gould.
1855-1859 Dea. Edward Taylor.
The Superintendents previous to 1846, except Buell W. Smith, James Boutwell and Thomas E. Foster, were not mem- bers of this church. The latter was a native of the Parish. During several years Dea. Amos Abbott acted as Superin- tendent in the Seminary vacations. Dea. Newman, still car- lier, was a helper in this and many other ways. Since 1846, the Superintendents have all been of members of the church.
Previous to the establishment of the Sabbath School, there had existed a social Library, owned by share-holders, but usually called the Parish Library. It was composed chiefly of religious books. It was replenished about the time of Mr. Edwards's set- tlement. In 1834 ninety volumes remained, and were incorpo- rated with the Sabbath School Library. "A Circulating Li- brary of Moral and Religious Tracts " was established in 1815. A large number of books suitable for children were procured, divided into as many parcels as there were [common ] schools in the place, and one parcel, enclosed in a trunk, was left at each school. All children, whose conduct and improvement met the approbation of the teacher, were allowed to take a book from the
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SABBATII SCHOOLS.
Library every Saturday. This was part of the arrangement of the Bible Society already mentioned.
Books were procured for the Sabbath School in 1820. From 1829 through several years a part of the collections made at the communion table were appropriated for the increase of the Library. On the catalogue of the Library, in 1834, were 387 volumes. After a revision had been made, and about thirty volumes added, the whole number actually in the Library was 275. Revisions and additions were made, also, in 1842, 1847 and 1851. In 1851 the catalogue contained the titles of 351 books. A new revision was made in 1858, and a small collec- tion was taken for the benefit of the Library. There were then found 180 old books remaining. This number was increased to 239, by the purchase of new books.
The Sabbath School Concert has been observed, statedly, for at least twenty years. Teachers' meetings have been held at various times, but have been frequently suspended. During the summer of 1858 a Sabbath School prayer meeting was held in the vestry, on Saturday evening of each week.
In 1847, this Sabbath School formed, in connection with the other Sabbath Schools of the town, a Union Concert, holding its meetings quarterly. At the annual meeting in April, which was held in the South Church, a sermon was preached. At all the meetings reports were made of the attendance in each school, and of any other facts of interest. This Concert was continued with harmony and profit till 1858.
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
XIII.
CHARITABLE AND MISSIONARY EFFORTS.
It seems strange to one tracing backward the records of the church from the present time, when so much of its effort is expended on missions and other benevolent movements, to come so soon to a period, when comparatively, if not absolutely, no such effort was in existence. The benevolent history of this church begins with 1814. A few individuals of its membership, had, previously, contributed to missionary societies. Some col- lections also may have been taken before this date. But the first general interest in associated and systematie efforts for doing good was awakened by the formation of "The Andover South Parish Society for the Reformation of Morals." In a discourse before this society, Mr. Edwards gives the following account of "the views and feelings, which on the 20th of April, 1814, led to its formation." " A number of praying fathers," ot whom he mentions one in particular, Dea. Daniel Poor, who died the same year, " seeing the prevalence of immorality, par- ticularly Sabbath-breaking, intemperance, and profanity, and their destructive consequences to this, and future generations, not only for this life, but the life to come, looking with a tender concern on the children and rising generation, and feeling that their departure was at hand, expressed a desire to form a society, or do something, which might be the means of benefiting the children, of doing good, when they should be no more. . . . Often in the fulness of his soul, said the venerable father, who sleeps in yonder grave-yard, O, that there would be something done for the children."
The object of this society was, as we shall sec, a wide one. " It may be expressed," says the same discourse, " in two words, DOING GOOD." It met quarterly, and the Pastor, who was chairman of the standing committee, presented at each annual
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CHARITABLE AND MISSIONARY EFFORTS.
meeting a full report. Eleven of these reports were made, and most of them are still among the church papers. Two of Mr. Edwards's discourses before the society are likewise preserved. Dr. Porter preached before it also his discourse, "Great effects result from little causes," afterwards printed as No. 74, of the series of tracts issued by the American Tract Society. We hear nothing of this society after 1825.
Attention was first paid to the evils of intemperance, profanity, and Sabbath-breaking. It was proposed to remedy these evils in three ways; first, by personal influence and example of the members of the society ; secondly, by conversation in the fami- lies and neighborhoods ; thirdly, by the support of Tithingmen ; and fourthly, by attention to the children. In the course of two years much was done in these ways. The report for 1815, gives the following results. With reference to profanity : "This enormous evil, which a few years ago was so prevalent, has almost ceased, except it be with a few of the most degraded."
" The alarming profanation of the Sabbath, which two years ago threatened to sweep everything before it, and was thought to be incurable, has not only been arrested and greatly checked, but almost entirely done away. ... There is not probably one twentieth as much travelling on the Sabbath now as there was two years ago."
" As to intemperance, although some individuals are still reeling to and fro, and some families clothed in woe by this iniquity, yet the evil has been greatly lessened. A few years ago $15,- 000 were expended in this town for ardent spirits in one year. $8,000 more than was paid for the support of the gospel, and of all the schools, highways, state and county taxes, and all other town expenses. The people the last year did not probably expend one third of that sum. Ardent spirits in the respectable part of the community are becoming unfashionable and dispensed with in social visits. Many workmen are employed on condi- tion of refraining from ardent spirits, and it is found that better men are secured, and that they do more business and in a better
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
manner than before. The practice of taking wine at funerals is almost entirely abolished ; and it begins to be understood that ardent spirits, except in special cases as a medicine, are not only entirely useless, but ruinous to the bodies and souls of men."
After 1815 the reports of the society make little mention of the subjects named above. But these subjects were not neglected in subsequent years. In 1824 a man intoxicated was suddenly killed by falling from his wagon near the house of the late Dea- con Poor. This called forth two sermons from Mr. Edwards, which are said to have made a strong impression on the people. Meanwhile, considerable attention had been given to those church members who were intemperate. Several had been excluded. In the years immediately following 1828, a still larger number of persons were excluded for this cause. The sentiments of the church were finally expressed by these resolu- tions : -
1. Jan. 3, 1832. Resolved, That we, the members of this church, in the present enlightened state of the public mind in regard to the evils and the remedies of intemperance, feel ourselves required, by the spirit of the gospel, to refrain entirely from the manufacture, sale, or use of ardent spirits, except as an article of medicine.
2. Jan. 3, 1832. Resolved, That no person shall hereafter be con- sidered as a candidate for admission to this church, who may be con- cerned in the manufacture, sale, or use of ardent spirits ; unless, in the judgment of the committee for examining candidates, there may be special reasons sufficient to justify an exception to this rule.
3. Feb. 5, 1833. Resolved, That the retailing of ardent spirits, at the present day, except as an article of medicine by an apothecary, is inconsistent with a profession of the Christian religion ; and that this church will regard it, if practised by any of their members, as a public scandal, subjecting such member or members to the discipline of the church.
As the society now paid less attention to the improvement of morals in the Parish, its name was changed. In the report of 1818 it is designated The Andover S. P. Missionary and Char-
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CHARITABLE AND MISSIONARY EFFORTS.
itable Society. It had in 1815 received an auxiliary society of 150 ladies, called The Female Charitable Society, and in 1816, another auxiliary, called The Juvenile Bible Society, which, we have seen, was preparatory to the Sabbath School. In 1818, a Sewing Society was formed for clothing the poor children and relieving the sick in the Parish. In 1819, " the little girls ope- rated together, and by working one half a day in a fortnight, obtained enough to support in the family of a missionary, one heathen child." The name of this child was Justin Edwards. This little society supported him about six years. Two other heathen children were supported by associated individuals in other parts of the Parish. Their names were Jonathan French and John Adams. We learn, too, from the Missionary Herald for 1821, that there was a society called the Western Missionary Society, of which Miss Sarah Abbot was Treasurer for that year. In 1823, three other associations are mentioned, which may have been the same with those in existence before, except that their names were changed. The same year a subscription was made by twenty-two men, seventy-one women, and fifty children, pledg- ing sufficient money to support a school of forty Jewish children, to be called The Andover Jewish School.
The other objects for which these societies labored, were prin- cipally the Translation of the Scriptures, the Distribution of Tracts, and the purchase of school-books for the poor children of the Parish. During the first seven years of the society, the sums collected amounted to $800, or a little over $100 a year. In 1821 and 1822, the sum reported is $207. In 1823, the amount collected for all purposes was $336.61.
In 1833, committees were for the first time appointed at the annual church meeting, to take charge of the several departments of Christian Benevolence to which the church were accustomed to contribute, it being understood that these committees should do all for the promotion of the respective objects assigned them, that is usually done by the executive officers of benevolent asso- ciations. The four leading committees at that time appointed,
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HISTORICAL SKETCHES.
were on Foreign Missions, Home Missions, the Tract Society, and the Education Society. At some time since 1840 it became the custom for the church to specify at its annual meeting the principal objects for which collections should be solicited, and some committee, or more commonly the pastor, appointed col- lectors in different districts. To the four objects just now men- tioned, the American Bible Society has for ten or twelve years been added. For other objects, contributions have been received in the meeting-house at the discretion of the pastor and deacons. The contribution made at communion, has been in large measure distributed to the poor. That made at monthly concerts, has been equally divided between the American Board and the American Home Missionary Society. The collection for the Sab- bath School cause, has been usually made in the Sabbath School.
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