USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Historical manual of the West Church and Parish in Andover, Massachusetts, with the complete roll of the members of the church, 1826-1926 > Part 2
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In addition to all this, and, in part, as a stimulating cause of much of it, during a period extending over sixty years, there were occasional revival meetings, so- called. This was the age of revivals among the churches in this section of our coun- try. All the early ministers of the church believed in revivals and planned for them. The early history of the West Church was marked by them. As a result, large accessions were made to the membership on confession of faith. The last of these special meetings was in 1886, when the churches of Andover united for a few days under B. Fay Mills, which resulted in marked accessions and benefit to the church.
During the century many changes have taken place, seriously affecting the attendance at the services of the church. Some of these changes took place during
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the first fifty years, so that even fifty years ago the congregations were much smaller than they were at first. "Several important events," said Mr. Shattuck in the address already referred to, "have conspired to lessen our population and to with- draw families and individuals from our congregation. There has been a constant emigration to business centres and to the West. The City of Lawrence has been in- corporated, taking a considerable section from our territory, and drawing off many of our people. The following churches have been organized, nearly all of them, probably all of them, taking families which would have worshipped with us, and some taking many such families: viz., the Free Church, and the Baptist and Episco- pal Churches on the East; the Congregational and Methodist Churches in Ballard Vale on the South; the Baptist Church in North Tewksbury on the West; and the several churches in Lawrence and South Lawrence on the North. With these numerous and withal good and Christian churches so close on every side, and willing to receive our people, it is perhaps matter of wonder that our church maintains its position as well as it does. The population has materially decreased and the number of people in the parish not connected with the surrounding congregations is less by more than one half."
This was fifty years ago. Just a few years later, sometime between 1880 and 1885 (no records for these years were kept), the afternoon service was abandoned after animated discussion. During the past fifty years still further changes have taken place. One by one the old homes have been passing into the hands of people of other tongues and other faiths. Owing to various influences, there has been a change in the church-going habits and the religious temper of the people generally. At the close of the century, no meetings are held in the outlying districts. The Wednesday evening service is maintained during six months of the year. On Sunday evening a service of the Christian Endeavor Society is held, while the Sunday morn- ing service is maintained by a small but devoted group of people.
If the historian may, in closing, become prophet, he would venture to say that in the coming century there is likely to be a notable increase in the population of the parish, that there is likely also to be a revival of interest in religion among the people of New England, and that once again in the course of time large congrega- tions are likely to enter the portals of the house of worship built by our fathers.
OUTSTANDING EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
The Call and Settlement of the First Minister. After the organization of the church and the setting off of the parish, the first outstanding event was the calling and settlement of the first minister. The call was extended by vote of the church on March 30, 1827. The choice fell to Mr. Samuel Cram Jackson, who had been con- ducting the public worship for several Sundays previous. Mr. Jackson had been graduated from the Andover Theological Seminary as valedictorian of his class in September of the preceding year and, although but twenty-four years of age at that time, he had spent two years in the study of law before entering the Seminary. During the months since his graduation from the Seminary, he had been a member of the family of Professor Ebenezer Porter and had assisted him in the preparation of one of his books on rhetoric.
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At the ordination service on June 26, 1827, Professor Moses Stuart preached the sermon; his father, the Reverend William Jackson, of Dorset, Vt., gave the "charge" to him; a brother-in-law, the Reverend John Maltby, gave the right hand of fellowship; the Reverend Jonathan French, of North Hampton, N. H., son of the Reverend Jonathan French, former pastor of the South Church, addressed the peo- ple; and Dr. Edwards and the Reverend Jacob Eastman, of Methuen, offered prayer.
Much information concerning Dr. Jackson is contained in the published memo- rial address given by Professor Edwards A. Park at his funeral service on July 30, 1878.
Radical Temperance Action in 1833. In another place reference is made to the Andover West Parish Temperance Society, organized in 1829 under the stimulus of Dr. Edwards, who was Secretary of the American Temperance Society. The movement awakened very general interest in the parish and but little opposition. The only friction experienced in connection with the matter came a few years later. The temperance leaders had taken a new departure since 1826, when the pledge named only ardent or distilled spirits. They now sought to extend it to fermented liquors, beer, wine, and cider. Some here as elsewhere thought this was going too far. But some of those who favored the new pledge were strenuous and, as Mr. Shattuck put it, "were at times emphatic in their denunciation of those who thought it unwise to go farther at present. But probably there was less intemperance in the temperance discussions here than in many other places. The body of the church held together in feeling and action, and came forward somewhat slowly toward what was sometimes called the teetotal view." On July 5, 1833, the church voted "that no person shall, hereafter, be admitted to the church, who will not agree to abstain from the use of ardent spirits, except as a medicine, and from all traffic in the same." For several years, at least, a serious attempt was made to live up to this action.
The Secession of 1846. No single episode in her history has subjected the church to a greater strain than the secession of sixteen members, among them being John Smith and John Dove, over the attitude of the church on slaveholding. It was in the days when the anti-slavery discussion was convulsing the churches of North and South and the life of the whole nation. No better statement of the situation can be given than that which Mr. Shattuck made at the fiftieth anniversary of the church in 1876:
"Here as elsewhere the great difference was, not upon the right or wrong of slavery, - on this point there was great unanimity - but upon the question of disfellowshipping slaveholders, and all ministers and churches who did not dis- fellowship slaveholders, by a direct vote. Many church members withdrew from the Communion, some from public worship altogether, because their churches did not see the way clear to take this step. A few persons in this church, as I judge from its record of discipline, absented themselves from gospel ordinances on this account, and were, after a season of forbearance, brought to trial before the church for their neglect. The trial was long continued and the discussions warm.
"At last it seemed best to several members of the church, who considered their
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fellow members somewhat too lenient towards slavery and slaveholders, to with- draw and with others form a new church. They were regularly and amicably dismissed for this purpose, at their own request, April 9, 1846, and recommended to the Christian fellowship of such as might unite with them. At the same meeting, the church voted to withdraw fellowship from those four members who had been so long under discipline and to consider them no longer members of the church."
The New Creed and Covenant of 1894. At its annual meeting on January 3, 1894, the church adopted a new creed and covenant to take the place of the one that had been in use from the beginning. The creed was as follows:
"I believe that God the Father is my Father. That Jesus Christ, His Son, is my Friend and Saviour. And that the Holy Spirit is my Helper and Comforter. And that these three are one God.
"I believe in a kingdom of God being now wrought out on earth. I believe that I have a part in the hastening of that kingdom. And that by faithfully fulfilling my part I shall most surely enter into Life.
"I believe that by nature I am a sinner, that my only escape from sin is through the love and sacrifice of God in Christ Jesus, and I trust the interests of my soul to the promises of God wrought out in Him.
"I believe that the life of Jesus is the true life for myself and for every other son of man.
"I believe that God will, by His Spirit, work out such a life in me through a study of the Scriptures which contain his word to men, and through prayer and com- munion with him in Christ, accompanied by a daily effort on my own part to forget self in a loving service for my fellow men.
"I believe that this earthly life is but the beginning of our life in Christ; that a greater glory and nobler service shall come hereafter; but only as we have used aright the life in the flesh."
THE COVENANT
"I freely and gladly give myself to God as His child. To serve him in His House and about His Business, taking my part in His Kingdom. And trusting to Jesus, my Friend and Saviour, the forgiveness of all my sins, and to the Holy Spirit for the strength and encouragement I need in the Christian life, I promise that I will no longer live for self, but by the help of God I will daily take up my cross and follow Jesus. I will seek to fulfill His will, and be filled with His Spirit, and by daily use of the means He has commended, by prayer, and meditation on God's Word, to grow into His Likeness.
"And you likewise promise, so long as God shall continue you among us, to walk in communion with the church of Christ in this place; to study the peace, purity and edification of this church; to attend its services and support its worship and ordinances; to love and watch over its members as your brothers and sisters; to receive from them with an humble, teachable spirit, all needful care and admon- ition; to consecrate your means to the Lord; to prove yourselves true disciples of
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Jesus Christ in your relations with God and man, and by daily prayer to Almighty God, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to seek for grace to keep this covenant.'
At the annual meeting of January 2, 1918, a new order for the Communion was adopted, which omitted the creed and included a new and briefer covenant.
The Anniversaries of the Church. The notable feature of the fiftieth anniversary of the church was an historical address of great value by the Honorable George Otis Shattuck, of which much use has been made in the preparation of this manual.
The seventy-fifth anniversary was commemorated with special services com- mencing on Sunday, December 1, 1901, and continued on Wednesday evening, December 4, with morning and afternoon sessions on Thursday, December 5. The only two former ministers then living were present and many former members and friends. Several historical addresses were made. In 1906 these addresses were published in a small volume, bearing the title, Historical Sketches of the West Parish Church.
This year, 1926, is marking the centennial of three events: the laying of the corner stone of the meeting-house, the organization of the church, and the dedica- tion of the meeting-house. For several reasons it was deemed expedient to hold the main celebration of these events on the anniversary of the laying of the corner stone in June. These services of June 13 and 15 were made memorable by the return of a large number of former members and friends of the church and descend- ants of the builders; by the singing of the Lotus and Weber quartets of Boston; by the graphic historical sermon of the Reverend E. Victor Bigelow, D.D., of the South Church; by the presence of the only two former ministers of the church now living and their addresses: the Reverend George A. Andrews, D.D., of Tucson, Arizona, who spoke on "The Challenge of Our Inheritance," and the Reverend J. Edgar Park, D.D., of the Second Church in Newton, on "When We Were Very Young," whose first public appearance after the announcement of his election to thepresidency of Wheaton College very appropriately was to his "first friends in New England;" by the reminiscences of Mrs. Mary Susan Cutler, for sixty-eight years a member of the church, and of Mrs. Sara Elizabeth Wilson, daughter of a former pastor.
On Sunday, December 5, the anniversary of the organization of the church, the Reverend Charles S. Mills, D.D., grandson of Deacon Peter Smith, preached the sermon.
THE OFFICIALS OF THE CHURCH
MINISTERS
Samuel Cram Jackson Charles Henry Pierce James Hervey Merrill Austin Hannahs Burr Frederick William Greene
Robert Andrew MacFadden George Arthur Andrews
June 6, 1827-Sept. 25, 1850 Oct. 9, 1850-April 11, 1855 April 30, 1856-Dec. 1, 1879 April 29, 1880-Jan. 21, 1885 Sept. 3, 1885-Jan. 11, 1895 June 12, 1896-May 11, 1898 June 14, 1899-Feb. 25, 1904
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John Edgar Park Dean Augustus Walker Newman Matthews
Sept. 29, 1904-Nov. 18, 1907 May 28, 1908-May 1, 1914 May 1, 1914-
DEACONS
Zebediah Abbott
Solomon Holt Ebenezer Lovejoy
Solomon Holt (Jr.) Peter Smith
Sept. 3, 1830-April 3, 1883 Oct. 5, 1832-July 6, 1880
Jacob Dascomb
Oct. 5, 1832-Sept. 3, 1874
Nathan Mooar
Oct. 31, 1850-Oct. 14, 1887
Nathan Gilbert Abbott
Sept. 3, 1874-Nov. 21, 1907
Peter Dove Smith
March 4, 1881-Jan. 16, 19II
Jan. 3, 1883-Jan. 3, 1894
Dec. 28, 1887-Oct. 8, 1919
Edward Francis Abbott
Jan. 3, 1894-April 25, 1913
William Albert Trow
Jan. 8, 1908-
Edward Wilder Boutwell
Edward Smith Hardy
Frederic Samuel Boutwell
Jan. 9, 1920-
CLERKS
Samuel Cram Jackson
1827-1850
Charles Henry Pierce
1850-1855
James Hervey Merrill
1856-1879
Edward Francis Holt
1879-1893
Arthur Trull Boutwell
1894-1921
Herbert Paul Carter
1922-
TREASURERS
For the first thirty-five years the deacons had charge of the church funds. A treasurer is first mentioned in 1863. Solomon Holt
1863-1883
The records are missing until 1885 Edward Francis Holt
1885-1888
William Albert Trow
1889
Frederic Samuel Boutwell
1890-
AUXILIARY ORGANIZATIONS
The Andover West Parish Singing Society.
"Music enriches, fertilizes, and consoles life, endows us with in- tuitive knowledge, the power of admiration, love for the noblest, tender pity for the weak and erring, and a sympatheticimagination."-David Gregg.
March 1, 1911-
January 1, 1914-
Edward Francis Holt Samuel Hyde Boutwell
Dec. 30, 1826-Oct. 5, 1832
Dec. 30, 1826-April 15, 1830
Dec. 30, 1826-Oct. 23, 1850
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So must have been the feeling of our forefathers, for on March 2, 1827, only one day after the bill to set off the West Parish passed the House and Senate of the General Court, a little company of twenty-one men met in the West schoolhouse in the Chandler District and unanimously resolved to form themselves into a society "for the promotion of sacred music, and that it shall be called The Andover West Parish Singing Society." The preamble to the constitution refers to the singing of sacred music as one of the most pleasing employments of rational beings as well as a duty of divine appointment and the performance of it in a proper manner as an important part of public worship and as tending to elevate the mind and prepare it for the reception of the truths of religion.
The first players to be chosen were Joshua Holt, viol, Ebenezer Lovejoy, 2d, flute, and Benjamin Dane, 3d, clarinet; the following year Osgood Barnard was also elected player of the viol.
On December 4, 1839, a committee was chosen to invite the ladies to join, and eleven female singers were added to the chorus.
As they banded themselves together, they foresaw the difficulties they were likely to meet, it being proverbial that singers are liable to disagreement. The original constitution provided for the annual appointment of a committee, one of whose duties should be " to hear and decide respecting any difficulties which may arise in the Society, or disputes which may arise between individuals belonging thereto."
The Presidents of the Society - the President being always leader of the choir -- were successively Edwin Farnham, Ralph Holbrook Chandler, Zebediah Abbott, Nathan Bailey, George Russell, Edward Francis Holt, George Russell again, Henry Boynton, and Nathan Gilbert Abbott, Deacon Solomon Holt being Vice- President from 1831 to 1858, twenty-seven years. It was in the latter year that the use of a melodeon was first secured, which was played by Miss Esther Smith (Mrs. John Byers).
The last record in the secretary's book is for December 13, 1881. During the entire history of the Society, the Parish appropriated year by year a sum of money for the support of its work. The last record of a Parish appropriation is for the year 1885. Between 1881 and 1885, the Society had at least a nominal existence. After the latter year it seems to have ceased to function.
The members of this Society assisted not only in the services of public worship but also in the Wednesday evening meetings and in the special revival meetings. It is no exaggeration to say that the Society rendered to the church during a long period an indispensable service.
The Sunday School. The Sunday School was organized the first Sunday after Dr. Jackson's ordination, June 10, 1827, and it has had an unbroken history to the present time. Mr. Artemas Bullard, then a student in Andover Theological Semi- nary, assisted in the organization and was its first superintendent. For several years the superintendents came from the Seminary. For many years the teachers for the more advanced classes also came from that institution. Prominent among the young men in the Seminary, who dropped seed into this fertile soil, were Dr. George H. Atkinson, the first home missionary Superintendent of Oregon, the two Blisses, James Means, Francis V. Tenney, Nathaniel Beach, Wayne Gridley, and
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O. Dickinson, who gathered the first church of Salem, Oregon. Many others rendered worthy service. In the early history of the school, Deacon Peter Smith became its superintendent and continued such until 1864. His effort in this work was untiring and in many homes even to-day are found the Bibles presented by him to the children as a reward for memorizing the Shorter Catechism. During his incumbency a mission Sunday School was formed in Abbott Village, known as the Abbott Village Mission School. Later on, a branch was maintained in the Osgood District and continued successfully for a number of years.
Contributions were made by the Sunday School, beginning in the early years, for missionary work in the Mississippi Valley and the West, and after the Civil War for the Freedmen, for several life memberships in the American Missionary Associa- tion, and for the missionary department of the Massachusetts Sunday School Association.
There are three funds the incomes of which are available for the use of the School: the Peter Smith Fund, the Faulkner Fund, and the Euphemia Millar Fund.
The superintendents have been, since Deacon Peter Smith, Deacon Edward Francis Holt, James Bartlett Smith, Abalino Bardwell Cutler, Deacon Samuel Hyde Boutwell, Charles Moody Abbott, Deacon Peter Dove Smith, Deacon Frederic Samuel Boutwell, Deacon William Albert Trow, Deacon Edward Wilder Boutwell, Arthur Trull Boutwell, Deacon Edward Francis Abbott, Gayton Abbott, Winthrop Sherman Boutwell, Herbert Bennett Merrick, and Mrs. George Manning Carter.
Since its organization, in 1827, the Sunday School has fitted its young people for fellowship in the church. Much the larger part of those who have become members of the church have come from this organization. This fact alone suggests the value of the work it has done through the century.
The Ladies' Foreign Missionary Society. On January 8, 1828, a representative of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions addressed the resi- dents of the Parish. The outcome was that the men and women were formed into two separate associations. Their object was to help support the missions of the Board. No records of the men's association have come down to us. That of the women was called The Andover West Parish Ladies' Association. In 1836 the name was changed to The Ladies' Association for Foreign Missions. In 1838 the name was again changed to The Ladies' Foreign Missionary Society and this was retained until the end of its existence in 1860. The annual meeting each year seems to have been the only one the Society held. This was held usually on Fast Day with an average attendance of thirty women. The officers were a president, a secretary, a treasurer, and several collectors. For twenty years Mrs. Jackson was the presi- dent. During the thirty-two years of its existence the Society contributed $1004.94 to foreign missions.
Andover West Parish Temperance Society. The American Temperance Society was formed in 1826 on the principle of abstinence from distilled spirits. Dr. Edwards became the first secretary of this Society in August, 1829. In the winter of that year, he delivered a lecture to the people of the West Parish, and formed a Temperance Society, which most of the members of the church and not a few others
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joined. It was organized as an auxiliary of the American Temperance Society. The pledge was as follows: "We whose names are hereunto annexed, believing that the use of ardent spirits is hurtful, agree that we will not use them, unless as a medicine in case of bodily hurt or sickness; that we will not provide them for the entertainment of friends, or for persons in our employment; and in all suitable ways will discountenance the use of them in the community."
The pledge with the signatures of its members is still in existence. A total of one hundred and eighty-nine persons joined the Society: seventy-one men, of whom forty-nine were heads of families, and one hundred and sixteen women, of whom sixty-nine were heads of families.
A few years later, the leaders of the temperance movement took a more ad- vanced position and it was under their influence that the church in 1833 took the radical position to which reference is made in another place.
The Juvenile Missionary Society. This Society was formed in 1830 by Miss Sarah Holt. A desire to have her Sabbath School class of little girls meet to work and pray for the heathen was its motive. The first work undertaken was the support of an Indian boy in Michigan. They named him Samuel Jackson, after the pastor. The spirit that animated them is evident, for once when they found they would have to raise thirty dollars instead of the ten dollars they had expected to raise, they im- mediately said, "We'll work harder." For over thirty-five years the work continued without interruption. Then for a few years it ceased, but in 1878 it was resumed with even greater interest.
This little circle was composed of young girls under sixteen years of age, who paid a yearly tax of ninepence or twelve and a half cents. At different periods the boys were also included. They were expected to earn the money for this. They met every two weeks for sewing and studying about missions. The annual meeting in June was eagerly looked forward to. Dressed in their best and carrying a white banner with the words, "Remember the heathen," upon it in letters of evergreen, they joined heartily in the exercises. These consisted of reports, prayer, singing, often of hymns written especially for the occasion, and an address by a returned missionary. Afterward they marched to the schoolhouse, and in later years to the Vestry, where they sold the articles they had made during the year.
The influence of the little Society was great, and many others over the country were patterned after it. Perhaps part of this success was due to the custom of adopting a child, naming it and paying for its education. This was continued throughout the Society's existence, and in India, China and Africa, as well as among the negroes and mountain whites of our own country, boys and girls have been educated who have been of use in the world. About $4400 was raised through its influence for home and foreign missions.
The names of three women stand out whenever it is mentioned, and whoever has gone out from this Parish, whether boys or girls, has remembered with eager interest Mary P. Faulkner and Sarah E. Brown of the early days and Mary S. Cutler of the later years.
Since 1913 it has ceased to exist.
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