USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Abington > Historical sketch of Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. With an appendix > Part 3
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Onthe 2d of March, 1712-3,* articles of agreement were entered into between Mr. Brown and the town, whereby he agreed to settle as their minister, and they on their part, in addition to the house and land, which they said had been given him, agreed to pay him the first year a salary of £48, and to add to that £2 a year
* See Appendix A.
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until it amounted to £60, and then £1 a year until it reached £70, which sum thenceforth was to be his sta- ted salary for life.
For some unknown reason, perhaps because the meet- ing house was not finished before, his ordination did not take place until 17th November, 1714. On that occa- sion, according to the custom of the day, Mr. Brown probably preached the sermon.
During the first and greater part of his connection with his people, Mr. Brown's labors appear to have been useful and acceptable. Among other proofs of their attachment to him, may be mentioned the practice of the town for several years, of getting his fire-wood for him .*
About five years before the end of his ministry and life, serious difficulties arose between him and a portion of his church and society. June 11th, 1744, there was a church meeting to consider certain chargest ' against the Pastor, respecting doctrines delivered by him in public and private.' Mr. Brown explained to the sat- isfaction of a great majority of the church. They were, nevertheless, willing a council should be called as re-
* In 1717, the town voted to 'get Mr. Brown's fire-wood, and every man that don't come to help cut wood a day, shall pay 2s. 6d. to Deacon Whitmarsh and Deacon Lincoln, and they are to hire men with the money to cut wood.' The next year, the vote was that ' every man shall cut a cord of wood (except them that cart it) for Mr. Brown.'
+ Among the doctrines Mr. Brown was charged with believing, were the following :-
1. ' That godly sorrow is preliminary to true and saving faith.'
2. ' That the seed of grace is implanted in the soul before conversion, and there grows till it is ripe for the new birth.'
3. ' That our being thankful for mercies received, moves God to bestow more.'
4. ' That the tears of unfeigned repentance (as it was alleged he had said in a sermon) would quench the fiery stream of God's wrath.'
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quested, if the dissatisfied would be at the cost 'ot calling and entertaining them, which the church thought but reasonable, seeing they were the party aggrieved, and not the church, but the offer was not closed with by the dissatisfied.'
The first indication of these troubles in the town records is a vote, passed 9th February, 1748, to recon- sider a vote at a former meeting, granting Mr. Brown £300, old tenor, for his salary, and then voting him only £70. At that time the depreciation of bills of credit,* of the ' old form and tenor,' was such that these £70 were not worth more than £10 in specie. A num- ber of the inhabitants, whose names are in the town books, opposed these votes, and in the language of the record, ' entered their detest against the proceedings of the meeting.'
At a church meeting 31st August, 1748, another set of charges was preferred against Mr. Brown, and he and the church desired to join in calling a council to decide upon them. The request was acceded to, and a council finally agreed on, to consist of delegates from two of the three following churches, probably selected by Mr. Brown, viz. 2d church in Scituate, 1st in Hing- ham, and 1st in Weymouth-and two from the three following, selected by the dissatisfied brethren : 1st church in Attleborough, 2d in Wrentham, and the church in Halifax. Which four of these churches were agreed upon, does not appear.
The charges were-errors in doctrine-admitting in- to his pulpit clergymen ' not friendly to the great and soul-humbling doctrines of the Gospel'-arbitrariness
* See Appendix B.
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in church meetings and church government-and lying. At the appointed time, the council met and ' cleared the Pastor of all said matters of charge.' This result did not prove satisfactory to the opposition, nor restore harmony. The minority of the church, consisting of the dissatisfied brethren and constituting over one third of the members, absented themselves from church meet- ings, and the communion, and finally, at an organized meeting of their own, 'voted the pastor out of his office.'*
This course of procedure was thought so irregular and disorderly, as to require animadversion. Accord- ingly, the church and pastor proceeded to call a council to meet 22d August, 1749. In the letters missive, it was said, the church ' had been for a long time under contentions and dissensions, and yet continued so to be, by reason of that sect called New-lights, who had pro- ceeded from one step to another presumptuously, and now at the last, Justice Pool, who is one of them, pro- ceeded in behalf of the dissatisfied, upon the sabbath after public worship, to warn a church meeting. At the time appointed a number of them came together, and proceeded to choose a moderator, to which office they voted Justice Pool, and also chose Capt. Obadiah Reed for their clerk ; after which they proceeded to call a vote to eject their pastor out of his office-and that, although they were by the pastor charged to de-
* The minority justified themselves on the ground that they had repeatedly requested the privilege of a church meeting, to consider the subject of Mr. Brown's dismission, and had been unreasonably refused. Mr. Brown attended the meeting here referred to, and made to it a written communication (a copy of which is before the writer,) manifesting strongly the highly excited state of his feelings.
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sist from their disorderly and irregular proceedings.' This council probably met, and possibly another called by the minority, but the records are defective, and the result is not known. Whether any thing done by them, or any proceedings or occurrences connected with their meeting, had any influence with Mr. Brown, is uncer- tain. He seems, however, to have perceived a wide and an impassable gulph between himself and a portion of his people, which must put an end to his future use- fulness as their minister-and therefore proposed to ask a dismission on the following terms, viz. that the town should pay him annually, during life, £100, old tenor, beside exempting him and his estate from taxation, and join him in choosing arbitrators to decide what was due him on account of arrears of salary.
These propositions were submitted to the town, at a meeting 31st August, 1749, Thomas Clapp, Esq., of Scituate, presiding as moderator, and were agreed to on their part.
As the old tenor bills were greatly depreciated, their rate compared with silver, was fixed at 55 shillings per ounce ; and the moderator, Benjamin Lincoln, of Hing- ham, Thomas Croade, of Halifax, Elijah Cushing, of Hanover, and Thomas Foster, of Plymouth, were agreed upon to settle the amount due on account of salary.
Mr. Brown thereupon asked a dismission in the fol- lowing words-
' Brethren of the town,
' In consideration of the difficulties which attend my continuance in the work of the ministry among you, I desire you would grant me a dismission therefrom.
SAMUEL BROWN.'
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During Mr. Brown's ministry, a period of thirty- seven years, there were added to the church, consisting at its foundation of eight male members,* 207 persons, of whom 93 were males, and 114 females. In 1742, there were 41 admissions. The whole number of bap- tisms was 512.
After an unsuccessful attempt to settle the Rev. Jon- athan Ellis, who had been then recently dismissed from the Manomet Ponds Society, in Plymouth, the town, 23d February, 1750, concurred with the church in a call to Mr. Ezekiel Dodge, of Shrewsbury, in the coun- ty of Worcester. The calling having been accepted, the town voted Mr. Dodge for three years, £111 2s. 2d. for salary and settlement, and afterwards an annual sal- ary of £66 13s. 4d. lawful money. In addition to this, he was supplied with firewood until 1750, when £6 13s. 4d. were added to his salary ' in the lieu of his wood,' making the salary afterwards £73 6s. 8d.
Mr. Dodge's ordination took place 23d May, 1750. On that occasion, the introductory prayer was made by Rev. John Angier, of East Bridgewater. Sermon by Rev. Mr. Cushing, (supposed) of Shrewsbury ; Charge by Rev. Mr. Eells, of Scituate, and the Right-hand of Fellowship by the Rev. Mr. Bailey, of Weymouth.
Mr. Dodge's ministry furnishes but few materials for remark. From beginning to end, great harmony pre- vailed between him and the people of his charge .- There were no important differences and therefore no controversy between them, about doctrines. Nor were
* They were Samuel Brown, William Hersey, Andrew Ford, William Tir- rell, Ebenezer Whitmarsh, Joseph Josselyn, William Reed, and Joseph Lin- coln.
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there any councils ever called to settle differences in church affairs. This, no doubt, contributed to peace, for although these tribunals may be sometimes necessary, experience, it is believed, has shown, that to call them frequently and on slight occasions, tends rather to excite than allay contention and discord.
Soon after Mr. Dodge's settlement, a new form of church covenant was introduced. It did not differ ma- terially from that adopted at the foundation of the church, excepting only, that after reciting that different opinions prevailed among christians about the doctrines of the gospel, it proceeded to express the assent of the church to the doctrines contained in the shorter cate- chism of the Westminster Assembly of Divines; at- tempts have been made to alter this covenant, but it has hitherto remained unchanged.
In 1751, the practice, which continues to some ex- tent to this day, began, of requiring from persons pro- pounded for admission to the church 'a relation of their religious experiences.' The vote of the church was ' that it be expected of those who offer themselves to our communion, that they give some account of their faith, and the reason of their hope, for the satis- faction of our rational charity.'
The whole number of Baptisms in Mr. Dodge's time, (twenty years) was 742. It is not easy from the manner of keeping the records, to ascertain the exact number of admissions to the church in full communion. It was at least 105 ; forty-six males and fifty-nine fe- males.
After Mr. Dodge's death, the pulpit was supplied by
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Mr. Silvanus Ames of Bridgewater, Mr. Ephraim Ward and Mr. Samuel Niles, jr.
At a town meeting Feb. 5th, 1771, it was put to vote ' to see if the town would concur with the church in giving Mr. Samuel Niles, Jr., (of Braintree,) a call to the work of the ministry among them. There were 104 votes ; 89 yeas and 15 nays. Afterwards the non- voters were desired to give their votes, and there were 72 yeas and 4 nays ; total 161 yeas and 19 nays.'* A settlement of £133 6s. 8d. lawful money was voted Mr. Niles, and a yearly salary of £93 6s. 8d.t The call was accepted, and a council met 24th July follow- ing, to ordain him. They continued in session two days, and then adjourned without effecting the object. The principal impediment, it is understood, arose from doubts about the soundness of his religious creed. There were other objections, founded on some alleged instances of irregular conduct in youth, not vicious in- deed, but showing as was supposed a want of that seriousness and sobriety of deportment proper and ne- cessary in a minister of the gospel. But these, it is believed, were considered frivolous and not presenting any obstacle in the way of proceeding at that time.
* The only person living who acted in the settlement of Mr. Niles, is Dea- con Ephraim Stetson, now in the 94th year of his age. He resides in the northeast part of the town.
t For several years before Mr. Niles's death, his salary was raised by an annual vote to $500. In 1802, a committee was appointed to compare the prices of beef, pork, corn, rye, flour, and other necessaries for the support of a family at that time, with the prices of the same articles when Mr. Niles was settled. From their report, it appeared that £93 6s. 8d. would purchase as much in 1771 as £150 in 1802. Upon the principle of making up the depre- ciation in the value of money, the committee reported due Mr. Niles over what he had received for the last four years, £105; and that sum was accord- ingly voted him by the town.
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Another council met 25th September. After receiving from Mr. Niles a full confession of his faith in writing, and satisfaction as to his moral character, they proceed- ed to his ordination .* The introductory prayer was made by the Rev. Mr. Wales, of Marshfield ; sermon by the Rev. Mr. Weld, of Braintree, from II. Tim. ii. chap. 2d v. : ' And the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit them to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.' Charge by the Rev. Mr. Dunbar of Stoughton ; right hand of fellowship by the Rev. Mr. Shaw of Bridge- water; and the concluding prayer by the Rev. Mr. Taft of Braintree, (now Randolph.)+ The sermon, charge, and address in giving the right hand, and Mr. Niles's confession of faith, were published.
This large church and society, (the latter including then, all the inhabitants of the town, and several fami- lies from East Bridgewater,) down to 1804, were re- markably united and prosperous. To that time, nothing important had occurred to interrupt the great degree of harmony, that prevailed among them. Then, unfor- tunately, a controversy arose, which in its onward progress enlisted more or less the feelings of nearly the whole population of the town. It regarded a mat- ter, which an unconcerned spectator, at the time, and all, after the excitement was over, could not but con- sider altogether unworthy of the importance that was
* Lieut. Samuel Brown provided the entertainment for the two Councils. The cost of the first was £23 6s. 8d .; the second, £15 6s. 8d.
t The other members of the Council were Messrs. Porter of North Bridge- water ; Conant, Middleborough ; Briggs, Halifax ; Williams, Weymouth ; Wibird, Braintree, (now Quincy ;) Searl, of - -; and Hopkins of Newport, R. I.
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attached to it. At first, the dispute was about time in the performance of church music. Whether the move- ment should be a little quicker or a little slower. This question brought up the right of appointing the choris- ters. On one side it was said to belong exclusively to the church, on the other to the congregation ; and acting on their supposed rights, these bodies appointed different persons to that office. The town acting as the congregation, Nov. 4, 1804, voted, 'That the singers of the town should improve the seats formerly voted to the use of the singers, under the direction of the chor- isters appointed that day,' and no person was to 'pre- sume to set the tune in time of public worship, except those choristers.'
On a sabbath subsequent to this, (23d Feb. 1806,) the singers were seated in two divisions, one in the seats usually occupied by them, in the front gallery, under the direction of a chorister appointed by the church, and the other, in one of the side galleries, un- der the choristers chosen by the town. A hymn hav- ing been read as usual for the purpose of being sung, two different tunes were thereupon named by the choristers of the respective parties, and the hymn sung in both at the same time.
The agitation and confusion occasioned by this gross act of irreverence in the house of God, may be more easily imagined than described. It was indispensably necessary to prevent a recurrence of another distur- bance of the like kind ; and to that end, singing as a part of public worship was, for some time, omitted.
At one period, the excitement was so great, that to put an end to it, a vote, (really it is believed, though
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not nominally, on this ground) was obtained to divide the town, and a committee agreed on to draw the di- viding line. How this measure was expected to pro- duce the intended effect, may not be understood by the younger inhabitants of the present day. The explana- tion is, that the town was divided on the disputed points, nearly by a geographical line ; the north part arranged themselves on one side and the south on the other. Fortunately this project was not carried into execution.
An effort on the part of the church to restore peace was finally successful.
At a meeting 17th March, 1806, they voted that 'although the church consider it their exclusive right to choose choristers to lead the music in public worship, yet for the sake of restoring peace and harmony in this religious society, they submit the following proposals to the consideration of the congregation for their ac- ceptance, namely, to proceed in choosing choristers agreeably to the usual practice in selecting a minister ; that is to say, the election shall first be made by the church, then presented to the congregation for their concurrence, but in case they shall non-concur, the church may proceed to another choice, and present their doings to the congregation, and thus proceed until an agreement can be obtained.'
These proposals were submitted to the town 17th April, and agreed to on their part.
It may be thought by some unwise to revive the memory of this controversy. To such it may be said, the experience of the past is only valuable as it influ-
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ences the present and future ; and history can never become what it should be, 'philosophy teaching by example,' if we exclude from its records all transac- tions, on which we cannot look with complacency .- To the mariner, the buoy that marks the sunken rock and warns him to avoid it, is no less dear, than the beacon, which discovers to him his destined port. The lesson which this great contention about a little thing teaches is the extreme folly of permitting passion and prejudice, the pride of opinion and the spirit of party, especially in small matters to take the place of reason, common sense, and a just estimate of things.
In Mr. Niles's time, a change was introduced restrict- ing within narrower limits the administration of the rite of baptism. From the foundation of the church to 1788, it had been the practice, in conformity with the doings of the synod which met at Boston, in 1662, to baptise the children of all, who had been baptised themselves, on their owning, what was called, the half- way covenant. It was in consequence of this usage, that the number of baptisms was so great in the days of the two first ministers, and the first part of the min- istry of Mr. Niles. Most, if not all the children born were admitted to this rite. At the time mentioned, the church, by a small majority, voted to do away the practice, so as to limit the privilege to children of church members, in full communion. This vote in a motion to reconsider, made the next year, was con- firmed by a majority of 27 to 14.
Mr. Niles continued his ministerial labors until Nov. 1811, when he was suddenly prostrated by paralytic affections.
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The pastoral office, after Mr. Niles's death, remained vacant until 1815. In May of that year, the Rev. Hol- land Weeks, a graduate of Dartmouth college, in 1795 was invited to settle on a salary of $500 a year. He accepted the invitation, and was installed 9th August following. Sermon by Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Emmons of Franklin.
Mr. Weeks continued in the ministry until 1820, when it appeared his religious sentiments had under- gone a radical change. In consequence the church and society became dissatisfied, and desired him to ask a dismission. He did not choose to comply with the request, but proposed a mutual council. The proposal was agreed to, and the council met 26 July, 1820. As the result* of that very respectable body may be deemed an important document and contains all that is neces- sary to a proper understanding of the case, it has been thought best to insert it in this place entire.
An Ecclesiastical Council was convened, agreeably to letters missive from the Rev. HOLLAND WEEKS, Pastor, and a Committee of the first Church of Christ in Abington, at the house of Capt. Benjamin King, in that town, on the 26th day of July, 1820, consisting of the following churches, viz :- The church in Franklin, Rev. Nathaniel Emmons, D. D. pastor, Deacon James Metcalf, delegate ; church in Attleborough, Rev. Na- than Holman, pastor, brother Daniel Babcock, delegate ; first church in Dorchester, Rev. Thaddeus Mason Har-
* This result was the joint production of the Rev. Drs. Worcester and Harris, one dictating the matter, and the other reducing it to form.
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ris, D. D. pastor, Deacon James Humphreys, delegate ; Tabernacle church in Salem, Rev. Samuel Worcester, D. D. pastor, Rev. brother Paul Jewett, delegate ; first church in Dedham, Deacon Samuel Fales, and brother Samuel Haven, delegates ; fourth church in Bridgewa- ter, Rev. Daniel Huntington, pastor, brother Perez Southworth, delegate.
The second church in Bath, in the State of Maine, had also been sent to, but declined representation in this council, as by information transmitted in a letter from their pastor, the Rev. William Jenks. The church and pastor at whose request this council was convened, having, however, agreed that a failure of this fact should not stay the proceedings, the council was formed ; and the Rev. Dr. Worcester having been mutually chosen by the church and pastor, was requested to take his seat as Moderator. The Rev. Mr. Huntington, was chosen scribe, and the Rev. T. M. Harris, D. D., assistant scribe ; after which the moderator opened the council, by devoutly imploring divine light, assistance, and di- rection.
The Rev. Mr. Thompson, on the part of the church, communicated the records and votes of the church and parish relative to their doings preparatory to the calling of this council. On which it was Voted, that we are so far satisfied with the regularity of these proceedings, as to think it proper to go into a hearing of the case. The council then adjourned to meet at 2 o'clock, P. M. in the meeting-house.
Assembled at the time and place of adjournment, an examination of the charges specified and laid before the council, occupied the remainder of the afternoon. The
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council then adjourned to the house of Mr. Brown, and resumed the discussion by themselves. At half past 8, the council adjourned to 8 o'clock in the morning, when they again met, and spent the remainder of the day in a patient investigation of the subject submitted to them, till they came to the following result :
In the allegations exhibited on the part of the church, against the Rev. Mr. Weeks, and which are referred to in the letter missive, as ' certain difficulties which had been specified,' it was stated, ' we believe that you have adopted sentiments in divinity different from those you professed to believe at the time of your settlement, and so far embracing the system of Emanuel Swedenborg, as to be subversive of the fundamental principles of the gospel, calculated to introduce error and delusion, and tending to licentiousness and vice ;- and that in a num- ber of instances of late you have preached false doc- trines.' Reference was then made to certain specified sermons ; and several doctrines or opinions, alleged as advanced or held by Mr. Weeks, were mentioned in distinct articles.
Mr. Weeks answered to these allegations with a very becoming deportment, and with a highly commendable readiness and frankness. Such of his sermons as were called for, he advanced ; such portions of them as were desired, he read ; and with respect to no point of in- quiry did he show any disposition to conceal, or to em- barrass.
He admitted explicitly that he had adopted sentiments in divinity different from those which he professed at the time of his settlement ; that he had embraced the system, scheme, or doctrines of Emanuel Swedenborg,
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in as far as he had read and understood them ; that he had read several of the principal works of that writer, and that he had no reason to think that he should dis- approve of any part of his system or sentiments ; and that he believed he had said, and he was still free to say, that ' previous to reading the writings of Sweden- borg, he now considered himself to have been a very unprofitable preacher, because prior to that he did not understand the spiritual or internal meaning of the word.'
In the same frank and explicit manner, in answer to other allegations and inquiries, he made also the follow- ing particular avowals, viz .- ' That he does not hold the generally received doctrine of the resurrection of the body at the last day ; but believes that every person immediately after death rises or is clothed with a spir- itual body, and that this is what he understands by the resurrection : That he does not hold the generally re- ceived doctrine of a last day, and a universal judgment ; but believes that at the close of each of the several successive dispensations, there is a general judgment of all who live under that dispensation : That he does not hold the doctrine of three persons in the Godhead ; but believes in a trinity subsisting in him in whom dwel- leth the fulness of the Godhead bodily ; a trinity, con- sisting of divine love or the Father, divine wisdom or the Son, and divine operation or the Holy Spirit : And that he believes, as stated in the seventh of the forty- two propositions, published by the committee of the New Jerusalem Church in London, ' that the doctrines universally taught in the old church, (by which is meant the general body of professing christians, in distinction
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