USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Spencer > Historical sketches relating to Spencer, Mass., Volume IV > Part 2
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We acknowledge it our indispensable duty to glorify God by leading a righteous, holy and good life in the present world, and in our several places and relations we engage by divine assistance to walk in our houses as becomes those who profess godliness, and to maintain the worship of God in our families, and to train up those under our care in the ways of religion. We do also give up ourselves to each other in coven- ant, promising to conduct towards each other as brethren in Christ, watching over each other in the love of God, and not only to watch against the more gross evils, but also against foolish talking and jesting, which are not convenient, vain disputing about words, and things which gender strife ; talk- ing or backbiting or spending our time idly in vain and un- necessary conversation and whatsoever else is contrariwise to a, Rom. 8:35-39. b, Cor. 3:3. c, John 10:29. d, Tit. 2:10. e, Tit. 3:8. f, 1 5:b. g, Jude 21:9. h, Co. 1:9. i, Eph. 1:22. j, Ept. 4:5. k, Rom. 4:4. 1, 1 Cor. 11:23. m, 1 Cor. 10:21. n, 1 Cor. 11:22.
0, 1 Cor. 9:14. p, 1 Cor. 9:11. q, Acts 14:15. r, Thes. 4:16. s, Mat. 25:41.
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
sound doctrine, and the glorious gospel of Christ ; promising to hold communion together in the worship of God, and in dis- cipline of the church by faithfully attending all such meetings as we are, or may be led by the Spirit and word of God to appoint, that we may be led into the mysteries of his kingdom, expecting that he will more gloriously open unto us his word which we apply to the blood of the everlasting covenant for the pardon of our errors, and praying that the Lord would strengthen and prosper us for every good work to do his will, working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
The quaint and biblical phrasing of these documents of ye olden days will command attention. The creed holds sturdily much wholesome truth. The Covenant evinces a holy purpose of christian brotherhood, watchcare and fidelity. Such Christian verities abide whatever may be the fortune of the churches that draft and adopt such inclusive and weighty formulas.
The following list of members includes, so far as the register shows, all who united with this Baptist church in the half-century of its history :
List of members of the First Baptist Church in Spencer With Date of Joining.
Abbreviations : B, Baptism ; L, by Letter.
Abbott, Cyrus, Nov. 23, 1819B
Bemis, Eldora, Oct. 6, 1861B
Allen, Phebe, Oct. 4, 1819B
Bemis, Hiram P., June 2, 1859B
Baldwin, Huldah, May 2, 1841B
Bemis, Mrs. Hiram P., Aug. 4, 1861B
Bemis, Huldah, Apr. 28, 1822B
Baldwin, Lucy, May 7, 1848L Ball, Almira, Nov. 2, 1839B Ball, Cornelia F., Oct. 25, 1857B
Bemis, Lucretia, Aug. 5, 1820B Bemis, Mary, Sept. 5, 1830B
Ball, Daniel A., Oct. 25, 1857B
Bemis, Polly, Oct. 31, 1819B
Ball, Harriett, Oct. 29, 1829B
Bemis, Ruth, Aug. 1, 1841B
Ball, Isaac, Nov. 2, 1839B
Bemis, Sarah, July 3, 1836L
Ball, John, May 29, 1836B
Bemis, Selah, May 5, 1844L
Ball, Lawson, Nov. 19, 1837B
Berkly, Charlotte, Feb. 28, 1846
Ball, Susan, Oct. 1, 1842B Barnes, Suel P., Apr. 6, 1844L
Boice, Margaret, Oct. 29, 1827 Boice, Mary, Apr. 5, 1841B
Barton, Betsy, May 5, 1844L
Boin, Betsey, Nov. 8, 1814B
Barton, Jenison, Sept. 5, 1819B
Boin, Clarissa, Apr. 28, 1822B Bond, Betsey, Aug. 12, 1810B
Barton, Selah, Aug. 22, 1819B Bellows, Austin, Oct. 6, 1861B Bellows, Mary E., July 22, 1866B Bellows, Rosina P., July 22, 1866B
Bond, Dana, May 14, 1820B Bond, George, Sept. 2, 1798B Bond, Hannah, May, 1797B
Bellows, Sally, June 1, 1844B
Bond, Jeremiah, July 13, 1828B
Bemis, Abijah, Sept., 1820B
Bond, Oliver, June 11, 1820B
Bemis, Amos, Sept., 1820B
Bond, Sally, Aug. 9, 1830B
Bemis, Catherine, Nov. 22, 1819B
Bond, Sumner, Sept., 1831B
Barton, Molly, July 13, 1828L
Bond, Carey, July 13, 1828B
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BAPTIST CHURCH.
Boswith, Lucy, Sept., 1810B Boswith, William, Sept., 1810B Boyden, Clementine C., Oct. 25, 1857B Boyden, Harriett, Aug. 5, 1843B Boyden, Samuel, June 1, 1844B Boyden, William M., Aug. 7, 1842B Briant, Anne, Aug. 12, 1803B Briant, Betsey, June 25, 1820B Briant, David, Aug. 12, 1803B Briant, Emeline, Sept. 27, 1857B Briant, Ira, June 25, 1820B Brooks, Katie E., Sept. 19, 1866B Brown, Alfred, Feb. 28, 1857L Brown, Dea H., Feb. 28, 1857L Brown, Hannah, May 21, 1810B Brown, Jonas, Aug. 12, 1819B Brown, Mary E., Feb. 28, 1857L Brown, Sophronia, Feb. 28, 1857L Browning, Lorinda, Aug. 5, 1820B Cady, Rev. Edgar, June 30, 1849L Cady, Emily A., June 30, 1849L Carruth, Sally, Dec. 19, 1819B Caxon, Angeline, Nov. 2, 1856B Chase, Elizabeth, May 20, 1810B Cole, Amanda, Nov. 1, 1840B Cole, Everett L., July 22, 1866B Cole, Joshua, Nov. 1, 1840B Cole, Lucinda H., June 10, 1855B Cole, Lucy C., July 22, 1866B Cole, Martha E., Oct. 25, 1857B Cole, Mary Ann, June 16, 1855B Cole, William E., Aug. 23, 1868B Cunningham, Abigail D., Sept. 1, 1844B Cunningham, Dilly, May 20, 1810B Cunningham, Jonathan, May 20, 1810B Cushman, Martin, June 18, 1842B Cutler, Stephen, Dec. 2, 1842L Day, Eunice, Sept., 1801B Day, Hammond, June 24, 1810B Duncan. Sally, May 2, 1835L Earle, Philip, July 16, 1809B Eaton, Jarvis, Oct. 1, 1842B Fay, Charles L., Oct. 25, 1857B Flood, Emily (Wood), Aug. 17, 1845B Glazier, Jonas, Sept. 13, 1813B Glazier, Sally, Nov. 18, 1818B Glover, Willard, June 18, 1837L Goddard, Elizabeth, Feb. 28, 1857L Goodnough, Lucy, Oct. 13, 1819B Graton, Charlotte, Aug. 17, 1845L Graton, Fanny, Oct. 6, 1861B Graton, Thomas, Aug. 17, 1845L Green, Xalvia, Feb. 6, 1859B Hapgood, Harriet A., Oct. 2, 1853L Hapgood, Luther, Oct. 25, 1857B Harrington, Annah H., Oct. 29, 1827B Harrington, Delia, 1819
Harrington, Loamini, 1819 Harrington, Lucy R., Nov. 1, 1834L Harrington, Moses, Nov. 1, 1834L Harris, Milton, June 18, 1842B Harris, Priscilla, Aug. 2, 1827L Haskins, Abigail, June 24, 1810B Ha kins, Mary, May 20, 1810B Haskins, Phebe, Sept. 19, 1819B Hinds, Amasa, May 7, 1843B Hinds, Mary C., May 7, 1843B Hobart, John, July 9, 1820B Hobart, John, Jr., May 14, 1820B Hobert, Otis, Aug. 6, 1837L Hobert, Sophronia, Aug. 6, 1837L Hosmer, Polly D., Aug. 2, 1840L Howard, Lucy J., Nov. 10, 1861B Hovey, Angeline H., Aug. 17, 1845L Hovev, Rufus, Aug. 17, 1845L Hubbard, John, July 29, 1810B Jones, Caroline, Oct. 25, 1857B Jones, Charles W., Oct. 25, 1857B Knapp, Relief, Aug. 22, 1819B Kenny, Silas, Aug. 22, 1819B Kenny, Mrs. Silas, Aug. 22, 1819B King, Charles, Aug. 2, 1856L King, Lucy M., Aug. 2, 1856L Knight, Hannah, Aug. 6, 1842B Lamb, Isaac, Nov. 8, 1818B Lamb, Lucinda, Aug. 13, 1842B Lamb, Nancy, Aug. 13, 1842B Lefavor, Amos, Nov. 25, 1821B Lefavor, Henrietta, Nov. 25, 1821B Lentell, Jesse V., May 30, 1855L Lentell, Louisa R., May 4, 1856L Livermore, Adaline, Nov. 1, 1840B Livermore, Bradwell, Feb. 28, 1820B Livermore, Gratia, Nov. 9, 1834B Livermore, Hannah, Nov. 1, 1840B Livermore, Mary, Aug. 30, 1835B Livermore, Polly, May 7, 1820B Livermore, A. Silena, Nov. 9, 1834B Lvon, Aaron, Apr. 28, 1822B Lyon, Betsey, Apr. 7, 1822B Lyon, Lvdia Ann, Aug. 9, 1857B Lvon, Nancy, June 10, 1855B May, Amasa, Jan. 31, 1819B Mav, Betsey E., July 2, 1842B May, Edward, July, 1819B May, Samuel, July 2, 1842B Monroe, Luther, Jan. 2, 1859B Monroe, Mary Ann, Aug. 9, 1857B Monroe, Thankful, Nov. 6, 1859B Morris, William, July 2, 1842B Moulton, John W., Oct. 24, 1857B Moulton, Matilda, July 22, 1866B Newton, Catherine, May 21, 1810B Newton, Catherine, 2d, June 11, 1811B
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SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
Newton, Demaris, June 24, 1810B
Snow, Betsey, Jan. 6, 1819B
Newton, Edmund, Nov. 5, 1843B
Snow, Calvin, June 4, 1820B
Snow, George L., July 2, 1842B
Snow, John, Apr. 7, 1822B
Snow, Lucius A., Sept. 4, 1842B
Osland, Samuel C., July 7, 1861B
Phippen, Eliza, Sept. 1, 1824L
Thompson, Ann C., June 10, 1860L
Thompson, Hiram, June 10, 1860L
Thompson, Lucy, Nov., 1818B
Underwood, Salome R., May 7, 1840L
Underwood, Urijah, May 7, 1840L
Walker, Dwight, June 6, 1841B Walker, Lois, May 2, 1841B Wall, James, Sept., 1828B
Sargent, Abigail, Apr. 1841L
Sargent, Edmund M., Feb. 1841B
Sargent, Horace C., Feb. 7, 1841B Scott, Elizabeth, Nov. 15, 1857B Sherman, Simon, July 2, 1842B Smith, Emmons, Dec. 6, 1845L Smith, Joel L., Apr. 23, 1836B Smith, John B., Oct. 3, 1830B
Ware, Daniel L., Feb. 28, 1846L
Ware, Eunice, Feb. 28, 1846L Warren, Anna, Oct. 4, 1819B
Warren, William, Sept. 15, 1819B White, Abby A., Nov. 10, 1861B Whittiam, July 2, 1842B Whittiam, Jeremiah, June 18, 1842B Wicker, Mary E., June 4, 1843B Wicker, George, June 4, 1843B
Winslow, Lydia, Sept. 6, 1840B Wright, Henry, Jan. 3, 1819B
Although the register gives no note of residence it is known that these members were residents of at least three towns, Spencer, Paxton and Leicester. Indeed, the first clerk of the church lived in Rutland, a fourth town. The families represented by the list were mostly of the great middle class of New England life. Here were farmers, shoemakers, car- penters, and others of like grades, with their households. Not a few non-members were stanch friends and helpers of the church. . Generally these families were of christian worth and the homes centers of intelligent, thrifty and aspiring life. No little vigor of brain and brawn, of piety and courage, was essential for the founding and maintenance of a Christian church so far from any civic center in a community so wholly rural.
Under date of July 7, 1819, Jonathan Cunningham con- veyed to the church seventy-one rods of land at top of the hill just a little east from his home, also an adjoining strip of land for horsesheds which was altogether over the Spencer bound in Paxton, so really was this church in the far north- east of the town. This site for meeting-house and sheds was granted for $5.
The locality was known as "Jocktown," i
Newton, Harriett, Aug. 2, 1840B Newton, Phebe, Nov. 5, 1843B Osland, Eliza, July 6, 1862B Osland, Horace F., Oct. 25, 1857B Osland, Martha, Nov. 4, 1860B
Snow, Polly, June 4, 1820B Snow, Willara, June 4, 1820B Spaulding, Julia, Oct. 6, 1861B Stone, Emerson, Dec. 2, 1865L
Phippen, George, Sept. 1, 1824L Pierce, Samuel, Nov. 2, 1839B Pierce, Eliza, Nov. 1, 1840L Pond, Elihu, July 4, 1841B
Prentiss, James, Sept. 13, 1818B
Prouty, Angeline, July 1, 1855B Putnam, Eli, Mar. 16, 1825L Rogers, Lydia, 1810
Smith, Joseph T., May 29, 1836B
Smith, Mary W., Dec. 6, 1845B
Smith, Polly, May . 28, 1810B
Smith, Vashti H., Apr. 4, 1841B
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BAPTIST CHURCH.
honor of Mr. Cunningham. "Corner lots" in his "town" never passed a low figure. Horse sheds were never built.
The meeting house was erected in 1820, so James Draper, Esq., states in his History of Spencer. Unfortunately there is now no record of procedures in this matter of creating a church property. The account of the conveyance of land is based on an entry in the books of the county found by Mr. Tower in his diligent search for historic truths. The church records date, as shown above, from 1819. But the earliest entry after that day, save in the register, is dated March 27,
OLD JOCKTOWN MEETING HOUSE.
1821, so nothing of building purposes and operations can be gleaned. A society in connection with the church was formed at some now unknown date. Its earliest record now discover- able bears date Feb. 21. 1835. In the church record, Nov., 1834, it is stated that one book had for some years served for the church and the society, that thereby confusion and loss had occurred and an order was taken "to procure a suitable book for records, and that the clerk made a draft of what records the old book contains into the new one when procured.' This order was doubtless obeyed so far as the purchase of a
14
SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
new book is concerned but there is no showing of the "draft of what records the old book" contained. The old book itself cannot be found.
One scrap of history has been incidentally secured. Wil- liam Warren, grandson of the William Warren of the member- ship list above, a life-long resident of Paxton and a veteran of the Civil War says his grandfather furnished from his Pax- ton farm some of the heavy timbers of the meeting-house. This indicates that the lumber for the building was assured by contributions of that order by the various parties interested in the enterprise.
The house was of the plain, simple church architecture common to New England in the early days. It was without spire or tower, a square, unadorned, pine structure, sturdy enough to abide on the wind-swept hill the larger part of a century. No bell ever summoned the scattered worshipers to its sacred courts and hallowing services. Yet it was not unworthy the song often voiced within its walls :
Happy the church, thou sacred place,
The seat of thy Creator's grace ;
Thy holy courts are His abode,
Thou earthly palace of our God,
For He made that "place of His feet glorious."
The Rev. Amos Lefavor is named by Mr. Draper as the first minister of this new church. The register shows that Amos Lefavor and Henrietta Lefavor, presumably the wife of Mr. L., became members of the church, November 25, 1821. The above authority also says Mr. Lefavor was ordained in the winter of 1821. The record is silent both as to the call and the ordination of this minister. Aside from the entry of his name in the register there is no occurrence whatever of it until March 12, 1822, where it appears under the copy of a letter of reproof and counsel to a brother who had been broken by the tempta- tion of strong drink.
It may be that Mr. Lefavor was employed directly upon the opening and dedication of the completed house, of which services, alas, there is no account now at hand. Union with the church as a member may have been delayed until the re- ception and acceptance of a call and the coming of his wife, and then his ordination followed in the winter of 1821 as stated by Mr. Draper. The only indication as to the length of his service is found in the register. He, with his wife, was dis- missed by letter, November 6, 1823.
Apparently George Phippen was the next minister. To this Draper agrees. The following item from the records is
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BAPTIST CHURCH.
of interest as showing oldtime faithfulness in reproof of the clergy :
September, 1824, the church met and passed the following votes, viz : 1st, That the communion be administered by Elder George Phippen, it having been previously omitted on account of the report of his using ardent spirit to excess. 2nd, Brother Phippen and wife presenting themselves for admission into the church. They were received by vote, according to page 17 of the old record.
REV. OTIS COLE.
Evidently that "old record" had value.
Intemperance, rather drunkenness, occasioned much dis- cipline in the earlier years of the church life. There were rea- sons for such lapses on the part of those who honestly, doubt- less, sought the paths of Christian life, yet sadly failed of a consistent walk.
Failures from other causes occurred. The peculiarities of human nature appeared in the membership of this church as elsewhere in Christendom. Frict on by mutual impact caused heat. Hasty deed and speech sometimes followed. Stub- bornness appeared also, and when unwise steps had been taken
16
SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
in haste, stubbornness put far off the day of confession and peace. Thus, at one time a committee of the church, made up of good and wise men, John Hobart, David Bryant and Brad- dyll Livermore, reported that after "mature consultation" with a certain brother, he alleged a trouble with another ment- ber as to the reason he "had not walked with the church;"' the other party was found ready for peace and the former brother then asked the privilege of talking with his fellow churchman once more; this being granted, he "returned to the church, having absented himself two years, confessed his faults, and promised by God's assistance to walk as a brother in the church of Christ."
But intemperance was a chief difficulty. Drinking cus- toms and frequent taverns along the county roads made the temptation to drink a dominant one. The member and the church felt its power to blacken and curse. At 'Bumskit, pos- sibly at a little later day, a hogshead of New England rum was distributed weekly. If in 1822 sales were less at 'Bumskit the other points of distribution kept the general menace potent. Then, as now, the sale and use of intoxicants imperiled com- mon industry and thrift, social life, the home, the church and all Christian purpose and effort. Hence it is not surprising to find that the church record shows disciplinary action in three cases within thirty days, occasioned by drink.
In the first, upon admonishment by the church, there was promise of better things. The promise was broken presently and the party "excluded, according to page 4." Here again the lost record book has indication of its value. Evidently it contained rules of order and procedure by which all action of the organic body was governed.
In the second case a letter was written the offending brother by the pastor, Amos Lefavor. The letter, copy pre- served by the record, was well written, containing due refer- ence to troublesome reports of intoxication and a loving re- quest for the brother to appear before the church for the sat- isfying of their minds as to the damaging reports of his wrong doing. Nothing farther is entered in the case. Hence, there is evidence only of Christian watchcare and fidelity unless, in- deed, some of the church had been too helpful in spreading the reports which occasioned the pastoral letter.
The third case was more complex. Here a long letter by the pastor opens with full formality : "The Baptist Church to Mr.
"Sir-We, the said Church of Christ, consider it our duty to state to you the reasons of our excluding you from our fei- lowship and communion, by which act we consider you are no
17
BAPTIST CHURCH.
longer a member of this church. The reasons are as follows: You, sir, within.a year past have been called on by the church at three different times for the express purpose to satisfy the minds of the church relative to the reports in circulation, which were these: first, that you were known repeatedly to be intoxi- cated with spirituous liquor ; secondly, you were known to visit and continue at the tavern all night to the great disgrace of re- ligion, and the wounding of the feelings of the members of the church. But after much equivocation you confessed your
DANIEL AMASA BALL.
fault, and promised amendment of heart and life; and on this condition you were restored. But to our great surprise within three weeks you were known to be intoxicated again. Soon after this you were known to be with the ungodly world, to visit the tavern for such recreation as we consider inconsistent with our most holy profession."
The letter farther affirms the renewed and repeated effort to bring this wayward brother back to soberness and well- ordered life and the humiliating failure thereof. Then with due admonishment and kindly phrase the wanderer is left
18
SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
without the closed door. The letter is an admirable one. Beyond its ecclesiastical value it gives a real, though pathetic view of the neighborhood life of Jocktown nearly a hundred years agone. Drinking customs prevailed widely. The power thereof was equal to the breaking of much noble man- hood, the untold sorrow of woman and the lament and hind- rance of the church of God. This particular neighborhood was not peculiar in this matter. Far from it. An. account book of about that date, once in hand, but now unfortunately burned, gave full and startling evidence that many at the center of Spencer, and of good homes, largely bought intoxi- cants at the store, where accounts were kept in the said book. Strong drink still afflicts town and church by bruising men and women and ruining homes, but "the former times were not better than these."
The party to whom the letter, of which a part was above given, had strong friends in the church. These not only helped him at the time of discipline as they could, but afterwards so spoke in his favor, with regret for the severity of disciplinary action as to occasion the appointment of a committee to dis- cuss the matter with them. No evidence appears that the ex- cluded man was ever re-admitted. Later he did occasionally attend service and appeared as a man of sober and devout life. The faithfulness of his friends may have borne good fruit. All the parties are not beyond interview.
Later there were some lamentable breaks in the general harmony of the church. Similar discord appeared in the so- ciety, insomuch that many withdrew from time to time; in one case the minister who had become a member of the society withdrew, apparently because his ideas were not permitted to prevail. Such lack of harmony among the helpers of the church were not altogether unusual. The parish records of an adjoining town show very frequent withdrawal from the parish in certain years. Doubtless such action at both places was held a fit protest to measures considered to be unwise and harmful.
Such breaks in unity of vision and spirit in the church itself are more important. Unity is primal in the church of Christ. For this the Master prayed in the night of His Pas- sion. Some of these divisions at Jocktown ultimated in the loss by the church of valuable families. Just where the fault may have been and the real responsibility cannot now be de- termined. History records verities as they may be discovered. That is its office. It has also the burden of effort to reproduce the life of the past with something of its variety of movement. But history with all its endeavor cannot fully show the actual
19
BAPTIST CHURCH
conditions nor reveal the full thought of actors long silent in the grave. The mantle of Christian charity can, and must, be be spread over the perceived errors and the unexplainable deeds. With these reflections the disciplinary activities of the church at North Spencer are dismissed.
Returning a little, another extract from the records may be of interest to some. March 27, 1821, a public meeting of the church was called as follows :
"Notice is hereby given to the First Baptist church in Spencer and to all those of the society who feel to unite, and
SAMUEL BOYDEN
advise with them in choosing a committee to give deeds of their pews in the meeting house in Spencer, and to transact other secular business, that they may unite and agree in peace and harmony-to meet at their meeting house in Spencer on Satur- day, the 31st instant at 3 o'clock p. m., to act upon the follow- ing articles, viz :
"Ist. To choose a moderator of the meeting.
20
SKETCHES OF SPENCER HISTORY.
"2nd. To choose a committee to give deeds of the pews to such persons as have purchased pews, or may purchase them. Said deeds to be given in behalf of the church.
"3d. To see in what manner the meetings of the church for secular business shall be warned the ensuing year.
"4th. To see in what way they will raise money for the support of the gospel with them this year.
"5th. To transact such other business as may come be- fore them.
JONAS GLAZIER, Clerk."
This somewhat copious portion gives a real glimpse of the life of the church in those early days. The meeting was duly held and Bradwell Livermore, David Bryant and Jonas Brown were made the committee to issue deeds of the pews. Mr. Livermore's name is given in register and church record as above, but in the records of the society it is Braddyll, and as his son, Braddyll Livermore, Jr., was for some years the society's clerk, and doubtless knew how to spell the name, the latter orthography is the true one. A name so unusual and resonant is worthy of accurate record.
Draper gives George Phippen's term of service as 1827 and 1828. The church knew him as pastor in 1824, but there is nothing to show the length of his stay. Because of the loss of an early record there are ten years of which there can now no account be given, save that Draper gives Edward Kenney as minister in 1829 to 1830. With the renewal of records in 1834, Moses Harrington appears as minister and apparently remained in service until early in 1837. By vote of the church, June 18, 1837, Willard Glover was accepted as minister. He
resigned the office in March, 1838. During the succeeding summer, Winthrop Morse filled the desk one-half the time. The winter passed without preaching. Draper says, how- ever, Elder Luther Goddard of Worcester preached occasion- ally in 1838-'39.
August 9, 1840, Urijah Underwood was ordained and recog- nized as pastor. An ecclesiastical council was convened. Mr. Underwood was duly examined, and the "council voted unan !- mously that they were satisfied with Brother Underwood's Christian experience, call to the ministry, and view of gospel doctrine, " Revs. A. S. Lyon, Luther Goddard, Leonard Tracy, S. B. Swain and John Walker shared the ordination service.
A mutual ecclesiastical council was convoked by the church in 1842, for the adjustment of certain matters of dis- cipline and controversy. The council continued in session "'two entire days," made a lengthy report and evidently rend-
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