USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Weymouth > Historical sketch of the town of Weymouth, Massachusetts, from 1622-1884 > Part 9
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and severe sickness, which disabled him from service for the time; and later on, in 1769 and 1770, he was again disabled by the same cause, and for several months his pulpit was supplied by James Blake, A. B., of Dorchester, a graduate of Harvard, of 1769, a young man of rare excellence and promise, who came to Weymouth to teach school, and after a little time, supplied the pulpit during the illness of Mr. Smith, in which position he died, Nov. 17, 1771, within a month of his twenty-first birthday. A volume of his sermons was afterwards published.
On the 23d of April, 1751, a great disaster befell the parish in the loss of its meeting-house by fire. The loss was a severe and heavy one for the people at that time, especially as the parish was passing through the most fatal epidemic that has ever been known in the history of the town, one in ten of the population per- ishing with the terrible "throat distemper," among others Major Adam Cushing, the foremost man of his day in town and in the parish. They were not dis- couraged, however, but set to work with energy and determination; and within a year a new house was ready for use, which was occupied by the parish eighty years. It was with the commencement of Mr. Smith's ministry that the earliest records now in possession of the church had their beginning, and these are exceedingly meagre, other than the noting of statistics, admissions to the church and baptisms, with a few marriages and deaths.
After the death of Mr. Smith there was a vacancy in the ministry for more than four and one half years, when from various causes they were unable to obtain a pastor. Rev. Huntingdon Porter preached for a time in the year after Mr. Smith's decease. On the 24th of May, 1784, the parish voted a call to Mr. Samuel Shut- tlesworth, of Dedham, in which the church concurred,
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but after supplying the pulpit until Aug. 1, he declined the position. On the 22d of November the parish voted unanimously to invite Mr. Asa Packard, of Bridgewater, to become their minister, but he also declined.
Ever since the division of the town into two pre- cincts, there had been trouble between them concerning the parsonage property, which culminated in a suit, in 1785, by the South Parish for claimed rights, which were denied by the North. The issue of the contest was in favor of the latter. During the summer and fall of that year, Rev. Mr. Judson supplied the pulpit; but on the 16th of January of the following year (1786), the parish made choice of Mr. Israel Evans to fill the vacancy in the pastorate. This invitation he accepted under date of 24th of March; but some unfortunate reports reaching his ear before settlement, he felt obliged to decline, which he did in a letter dated 26th of September. Soon after this Mr. Jacob Norton was hired to preach, and on the 12th of March, 1787, the committee was instructed to engage him for a further time. His ministrations proved so acceptable, that on the 9th of April it was voted to give him a call, at a salary of ninety pounds per year, his firewood and two hundred pounds settlement, fifty pounds per year for four years (the latter instead of parsonage, which had been first voted). Mr. Norton accepted the call, and was ordained 10th of October, 1787. He was a graduate of Harvard, of 1785 or 1786, a man of strong mental powers, with thorough intellectual training, and a keen controversialist. He excelled as a classical scholar, and had a high reputation as a Hebraist. During his ministry he was frequently engaged in theological discussions, which he sustained with great learning and ability. He was, however, changeable in his religious belief, particularly during the later years
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of his ministry, which was the cause of great trouble in the church and parish, and eventually led to a dissolu- tion of the pastoral relation, which took place 10th of July, 1824, after a service of nearly thirty-seven years. He was a man of irreproachable character, and highly esteemed for his amiable qualities.
On the 23d of August, 1824, a hearty call was extended to Rev. Josiah Bent, Jr., of Milton, by the parish to become its pastor, at a salary of six hundred dollars and his firewood. This call he accepted, and he was ordained, Oct. 13, 1824, to the pastorate of the First Church of Weymouth, which position he held until Oct. 10, 1833. His ministry was a very successful one, one hundred and twenty-nine persons having united with the church during the nine years. While Mr. Bent was the pastor of the church, the meeting- house, having become old and out of repair, was taken down in 1832, and a new one erected upon the same spot, which, with some important changes, has been occupied by the parish until the present time. This is the third meeting-house built upon this spot. Mr. Bent was a graduate of Harvard, of 1822, a man of deep piety, in excellent standing among his associates, and holding a warm place in the affections of his people.
After the dismission of Mr. Bent, Mr. John C. Phil- lips, of Boston, was employed to preach during the month of November, 1833, which he did with such effect that a unanimous call was given him by parish and church, at a salary of seven hundred dollars per year, which he promptly accepted, and was ordained on the 18th of December, 1833. He remained pastor until Nov. 13, 1837, a ministry of a little over four years, the shortest in the history of the church since the settlement of Rev. Samuel Newman, about two hundred years be- fore. Mr. Phillips was a graduate of Harvard, of 1826, and of Andover Theological Seminary. He also com-
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pleted a full course of legal study with Hon. Samuel Hubbard, Judge of the Supreme Court of Massaehu- setts. He was a fine scholar, a strong thinker and a close reasoner. His rare social powers made him a general favorite, and it was with deep regret to his many friends that circumstanees compelled him to ask his dismission.
The interval was very short after Mr. Phillips left until the eall to Rev. Joshua Emery, Jr., of Fitchburg, Jan. 2, 1838, at a salary of eight hundred dollars per annum. He accepted the invitation, and was installed on the 25th of the same month. This is the first instal- lation unaccompanied by ordination in the history of the church for two hundred years. His pastorate extended until April 1, 1873, a period of over thirty-five years, when he was dismissed at his own request, feeling with the advance of years that the burden of the parish was too great for his strength. His ministry was a long and sueeessful one, during which one hundred and eighty-five were admitted to the church. He was a forcible and energetic speaker, especially gifted in prayer, and the estimation in which he was held by his people may be measured by the length of his pastorate. He was also a valuable citizen, being strongly inter- ested in education, for many years the chairman of the school committee, performing at times nearly the whole duties of the board. At the beginning of his service the parish built a new parsonage house, that now used for the purpose, upon the site of the old house, some parts of which had stood there for one hundred and fifty years. During many years the social meetings of the church had been held in the hall of the schoolhouse, opposite the meeting-house, for want of a ehapel or vestry, a need that was greatly felt, and which was provided for in 1856 by the erection of a neat and commodious chapel by the church, and attached to
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the rear of the meeting-house, with which it com- municated.
On the 28th July, 1873, the parish concurred in the unanimous call of the church to Rev. F. P. Chapin as pastor, at a salary of fourteen hundred dollars, and the use of the parsonage. This call was accepted, and Mr. Chapin was accordingly installed, and remains in the pastoral office at the present time. An important event in the history of the parish took place in 1875, when it fell heir to a legacy of ten thousand dollars, for the " sup- port and maintaining of the present religious doctrines of the parish," by the will of Mr. Joseph Loud, lately deceased, who for many years was an active member of the church and parish, and who thus gave substantial evidence of his good-will.
This ancient church has suffered greatly from circum- stances beyond its control: first, in the establishment of the Second Church, in 1723, its hundredth birth-year, whereby a large number of its active supporters were withdrawn; and again, in 1811, upon the formation of the Union Church of Weymouth and Braintree, a large part of whose members came from this church; still later, in 1822, its membership was once more greatly depleted by the withdrawal of many to form a Methodist Church in East Weymouth; and last, in 1852, the most scrious loss of all, in the removal of fifty-one members to form the Pilgrim Church in Old Spain. Thus the mother has been exhausting her resources and impover- ishing herself in the establishment of a family of vigorous and prosperous children; but it has been at a serious cost to her, since the removal of so many members, and the decline of business in the village near, have reduced it from the one only church in the town to the smallest of six of the same fellowship. Yct she still keeps on her way and bravely sustains the burden that is thus cast upon her, doing her work with diligence and fidelity.
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CHAPTER VI.
Congregational Churches (continued): Second Church, Union Church of Weymouth and Braintrec, Union Church of South Weymouth, Church at East Weymouth, Pilgrim Church - Methodist Episcopal: Church at East Weymouth, Church at Lovell's Corner - Universalist: First Church, Second Church, Third Church - Baptist: First Church - Roman Catholic: Parish of St. Francis Xavier, Parish of the . Immaculate Conception, Parish of the Sacred Heart, Parish of St. Jerome -Protestant Episcopal: Trinity Parish.
THE SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND PAR- ISH IN SOUTH WEYMOUTH.1-The causes that led to the separation of the town into two precincts, and the formation of the Second Church, have been already alluded to. The long distance and poor roads, with other causes of dissatisfaction, gave rise to the deter- mination of the dwellers at the South to separate; while the opposition, steady and persistent, on the part of the old parish and church, served only to solidify the deter- mination, which resulted, in 1723, in an act of the Legislature establishing the Second Precinct, and on the 21st of June the parish met and organized. On the 15th of July a call was given to Mr. James Bayley to settle with them, at a salary of seventy-six pounds, and a settlement of one hundred and thirty pounds. A church, however, was not formed until the following 18th of September. A meeting-house had already been erected, and Mr. Bayley had been preaching there probably for a year or more. He accepted the call, and was ordained Sept. 26, 1723, as pastor over this people ,
1 The facts relative to this church and society have been largely fur- nished by Rev. George F. Stanton, the present pastor.
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and remained such until his death, Aug. 22, 1766, a period of forty-three ycars. He was a native of Rox- bury, a graduate of Harvard, of 1719, and served his first and only pastorate in Weymouth. During his extended ministry there were added to the church in all two hundred and seven persons. He seems to have been much beloved by his people, and was held in estimation by the neighboring parishes.
On the 15th of January, 1767, after the death of Mr. Bayley, Mr. Ephraim Briggs received a call from the parish, in concurrence with the church, to become their minister, but with so strong opposition that he declined. Through that season the pulpit was supplied by five dif- ferent ministers, each preaching several Sabbaths in suc- cession; and in March, 1768, a call was given to a Mr. Fuller, which was declined; after which Mr. Simeon Williams, of Raynham, preached for several months, and then received a call, which he accepted, and was ordained Oct. 26, 1768. Here he remained until May 31, 1819, the date of his death. He was born in Easton, and was a graduate of New Jersey College, of 1765. His ministry extended over a period of more than fifty-one years, the longest ever recorded in the town. In 1784 and 1785, the old meeting-house was torn down, and a new one erccted.
Upon the repeated request of Mr. Williams for a junior pastor, the church, on Dec. 14, 1818, called Mr. William Tyler to that position, and on the 24th of February following he was ordained; but the death of Mr. Williams, so soon after, left him sole pastor. Mr. Tyler remained as pastor of this people until Oct. 17, 1831, when he was dismissed, at his own request, after a minis- try of nearly thirteen years. For more than a year the church was without a pastor; and on Nov. 8, 1832, a call was extended to Rev. Charles I. Warren, who accepted the invitation, and was installed Jan 1, 1833; but, after a
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brief pastorate of little more than a year and a half, he was dismissed Aug. 13, 1834, at his own urgent request, and much to the regret of his people. It was four years after this before the office was again filled, and this period was one of great trouble that nearly proved fatal to the church. The difficulty was so serious that on account of religious differences the church seceded from the parish, worshipping in a hall, and a new society, the Edwards Society, was organized. The breach, however, was healed in 1837, and the church and parish united in the old meeting-house, although an unsuccessful attempt had been made to form another church. During the separation, a call had been extended to Rev. Joshua Emery, Jr., which he declined. In 1836, the society gave Rev. Mr. Biscoe a call, which he also declined. In August, 1838, after the reunion of the church and society, Rev. Wales Lewis received a call, which he accepted, and was installed on the 12th of September. During his ministry there was serious trouble, which increased to such a degree as in the end to cause his dis- mission, which took place in June, 1847, after a pastor- ate of about nine years. During the troubles in the pastorate of Mr. Lewis, in 1842, and as a consequence of them, a strong party drew off and formed the Union Church and Society, which became a permanent organi- zation.
After the dismission of Mr. Lewis, Rev. Joshua Leavett preached for a time, and an effort was made to give him a call, but without success. There was felt very great discouragement as to their future prospects, which gave way to a feeling of hope when Rev. James P. Terry accepted their call, and was installed July 6, 1848. Matters at once began to assume a more cheer- ing aspect, so much so that in the year of his settlement the present parsonage house was built for the benefit of the parish; and about five years later, in 1853, the
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present meeting-house was erected, at a cost of about fifteen thousand dollars, and the church and society stood once more upon firm ground. In February, 1863, Mr. Terry's health gave way, and he was obliged to suspend his ministrations. He was granted leave of absence for six months, during which time the people worshipped with the Union Church, under Rev. S. H. Hayes. In March of the following year, 1869, finding that his health did not improve, Mr. Terry felt obliged to ask to be relieved from his pastoral relation, and his request was reluctantly granted.
About the same time a plan for a union of the two societies and churches was arranged, and an agreement made to adopt it, but it failed to be carried into exe- cution. Rev. Dr. Labaree preached for about a year and a half, when the present pastor, Rev. George F. Stanton, began his work here. He received a call to settle with this people, which he accepted, and was installed 27th October, 1870; and it was in the third year of his minis- try that the church and society celebrated their one hundred and fiftieth anniversary, with appropriate ser- vices, amid much rejoicing. The church is yet strong and vigorous, notwithstanding the years it has survived and the struggles it has encountered, and bids fair to live far into the future.
THE UNION RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF WEYMOUTH AND BRAINTREE.1 - This society and the church connected with it, although its meeting-house is located a few rods over the line in Braintree, is comprised so largely of Weymouth people that it fairly deserves a place in this record. Its members were drawn mainly from the first churches of Weymouth and Braintree, who, on account
1 The sketch of the Union Church of Weymouth and Braintree is compiled mainly from the records of the church and society.
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of the considerable distance of those two meeting- houses and the increasing importance of the village of Weymouth Landing, coming from a rapid influx of population and the commencement of business enter- prises, desired better accommodations for religious serviees. The society was formed Mareh 13, 1810, and the Hollis Street Church, Boston, then about to be taken down, was purchased, its material removed by vessel to its present loeation in East Braintree, where it was rebuilt, and with many alterations, remains still as the house of worship of the people. The society was incorporated 21st February, 1811, and a church organ- ized Aug. 14 of the same ycar. A call was at once given to Mr. John Frost, who declined it. In the fol- lowing November, Mr. Daniel A. Clark was invited to a settlement. He aceepted the invitation, and was ordained on the following 31st of December. After a short pastorate (less than two years), owing to the disaffeetion of a few members of the church and eongre- gation, and a difficulty in raising his salary, Mr. Clark resigned, and was dismissed 20th October, 1813. After a year or more of financial distress, during which the pulpit was supplied from Sabbath to Sabbath, in Janu- ary, 1815, Mr. Jonas Perkins, of Bridgewater, was hired for three months, and before that time had expired he was given a call, which was accepted, and he was ordained June 14 of that year. After a long and prosperous ministry of forty-six years, at the age of seventy, in aceordance with long-expressed plans, he resigned his pastorate, and the connection was severcd, 15th October, 1860. He remained in the village, taking an active interest in the affairs of his old church, until his death, which occurred June 26, 1874. After the resignation of Mr. Perkins, a call was extended to Rev. E. Porter Dyer, of Hingham, Sept. 28, 1860, which he declined. In the following December, Rev. Lysander
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Dickerman, of Gloucester, was invited to the vacant pulpit, which invitation he accepted, and he was in- stalled Jan. 17, 1861. After a very stormy pastorate of about six and a half years, during a part of which a bitter quarrel existed between the pastor and about half of the congregation, which in the end seriously threat- ened the very existence of the church and society, his official connection with them closed in July, 1867. The results of this quarrel were very disastrous, so that they had no pastor for about two years, when matters began to assume a better aspect, and April 1, 1868, Rev. A. A. Elsworth, of Milford, was hired to supply the pulpit, which he did very acceptably for about three years .. After this time, affairs having been somewhat accommo- dated and extensive alterations made in the meeting- house, a hearty call was extended to Rev. Lucien H. Frary, of Middleton. This call was accepted, and Mr. Frary was installed April 13, 1875. He is now in the tenth year of his ministry, with a united people and a strong and prosperous society, that has, through his exertions, just relieved itself from a heavy debt incurred in the remodelling of the house, and which had seriously crippled it in its work.
UNION CHURCH AND SOCIETY OF SOUTH WEY- MOUTH.1- As before stated, the organization of this church and society grew out of the trouble in the Second Parish, from which the members of the new organization withdrew. The society was formed June 20, 1842, and the church Nov. 1 of the same year. The meetings were first held in Rogers' Hall, until a meeting-house could be erected, which was effected the same year. On the 3d of July, 1843, a call
1 The materials for this sketch were furnished by O. B. Bates, Esq. from the records of the church and society.
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was extended to Rev. George Denham, which he accepted, and he was installed Nov. 1. This con- nection was held until May, 1847, when he was dis- missed. On the following 17th of November, Rev. Willard M. Harding, having accepted a call, was in- stalled, and continued his ministry until 1858, when he resigned, and was dismissed April 8 by a council which installed as his successor Rev. S. H. Hayes, who retained his position as pastor over that people until Nov. 17, 1870, when he asked and received his dismis- sion. From February, 1871, to September, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Henry E. Cooley. During the years 1870 and 1871 a new meeting-house was erected at a cost of forty thousand dollars, and a parsonage at a cost of four thousand dollars. A call was extended to Rev. James McLean, which he accepted, and was installed Feb. 27, 1872. He was dismissed May 29, 1876. Rev. George N. Marden followed him as act- ing pastor, from February, 1877, to August, 1881. On the 1st of September of the latter year, a call was extended to Rev. William H. Bolster, which he ac- cepted, and was installed April 12, 1882. He is the present pastor.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST WEY- MOUTH.1 - This church was formed from a division in the Methodist Episcopal Church, a majority of the soci- ety remaining and forming a new church, called the First Evangelical Methodist Church, the minority retaining the old organization and building a new house of worship. The church was formed March 4, 1843, with ten members. In 1860, Feb. 25, it changed from the Methodist to the Congregational form, and
1 The data from which this sketch is compiled were gathered from the records by Charles B. Cushing, Esq.
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joined the Norfolk Conference of that denomination. It is now, numerically, the strongest church of that order in the town. It has been obliged to enlarge its meeting-house, to accommodate the increased call for sittings. Its congregation is an enterprising and pros- perous onc, and its list of pastors, notwithstanding its comparatively recent date, is altogether too long to be here cnumcrated. It has also a large Sabbath school connected with it. When the old society divided, the meeting-house was sold and torn down, and a new one erccted upon the same spot, which remains to-day, with the enlargement above mentioned.
THE PILGRIM CHURCH AND SOCIETY OF NORTH WEYMOUTH.1 - The growing necessities of the pros- perous village of Old Spain were the cause of the move- ment that resulted in these organizations. The society was formed May 14, 1851, and a meeting-house erected the same year. The church was organized March 11, 1852. In May of the same year, Rev. Calvin Terry was ealled to be the first pastor. He accepted the call, and was installed May 18, 1852. This connection was a very unfortunate one, on account of long-continued and great dissensions with the pastor, who, after much trouble and difficulty, was dismissed Dec. 25, 1856. On Sept. 14, 1857, Rev. Charles E. Reed, of Taunton, was invited to the pastorate, but declined. In the spring of 1858, Rev. Samuel L. Rockwood accepted a eall, and was installed March 12. His ministry con- tinued until July 31, 1871, when he was dismissed, at his own request, on account of ill health. He was succeeded by Rev. Louis B. Voorhees, who was or- dained Dec. 6, same year, and continued his ministry
" These materials were furnished by Herbert A. Newton, Esq., from the official files.
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until his resignation was accepted, July 1, 1876. On the 23d of November following, Rev. George Dodson, having accepted a call, was installed, and remained pastor until Dec. 23, 1879, when ill health compelled him to resign the active duties of his office. Rev. A. H. Tyler commenced his services as acting pastor, May 17, 1880, and resigned in the spring of 1884. In 1881 a parsonage was built.
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF EAST WEYMOUTH.1- The first movement looking to the formation of a Methodist Church in East Wcymouth was made in 1822. The trouble in the old North Church, consequent upon the changes in religious belief of Mr. Norton, the inconvenient distance from meeting, and the fact that a large portion of the people were gradually becoming restive under the severe Cal- vinistic creed then held by the two churches in town, induced a desire for more freedom in religious thought and belief. The first class was organized in 1823, and the new society erected its first meeting-house in 1825. The rapid growth of the parish necessitated an enlarge- ment of this building, which was made in 1828. During the first ten years of its existence, not far from one hun- dred members were received from the North Parish. About this time trouble began to show itself, and the desire to be removed from the higher authority of the Methodist Episcopal government and return to the ancient freedom of the Congregational Church, caused a majority of the people to separate from the confer- ence, and continue their organization as a Protestant Methodist Church. The minority, who preferred their original form, withdrew, and formed a new society, retaining the old name. They built their first meeting-
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