USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fall River > History, annals and sketches of the Central Church of Fall River, Massachusetts : A.D. 1842-A.D. 1905 : with portraits and views > Part 17
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Their first night was spent in a room with mud walls and mud floors; the beams above them were blackened with smoke. The fire was made in a deep hole in the floor, and the smoke escaped through an opening in the roof.
The second night was spent at a teacher's house. After riding five hours, they were ushered into a stable, a part of the floor of which was raised a little, and separated from the rest of the apartment by a railing a foot in height. This was the family sitting-room. The supper provided for them was placed, a part upon a little box, the remainder on the floor. After supper some men called to see Mr. Brown, and the cattle were brought in for the night. The family and visitors numbered seven, and were all to be accommodated in these quarters.
One night was spent with a former pupil, where they were all treated with great kindness. They also met the wife of Baron Philibo, who had been one of their pupils for three or four years. She was a dull scholar at school, but she shone
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as a bright light in the midst of the surrounding darkness of these regions.
They endured hardships and discomforts, but their hearts were filled with great encouragement; and they were well repaid for an evening's talk, if some poor, ignorant woman showed a desire to learn of Jesus. They returned to their school with grateful hearts, saying, "Truly goodness and mercy have followed us all the way."
This is but one of many similar tours she took during her residence at Harpoot. Wherever and as often as these evan- gelists dismounted from their horses, men and women would come together for Scripture reading and prayer. Schools and churches were planted, homes brightened, and love illuminated many a dark spot on the mountains and in the valleys.
In 1877, Miss Seymour's health began to fail, and she came home to her friends in this country. It was while on this visit that she came to Fall River, visiting with Mrs. Richard Borden and family. They threw their doors wide open and invited all our society and others to call on her. Many availed themselves of the opportunity. Personal acquaintance strengthened the bond of union. She was pleasing in manner, gentle, quick, and forceful. She stayed in this country for about a year, when her health having been restored, she returned to her work in Harpoot, in August, 1878. Her last visit prior to her departure was made in Fall River, from whence she went forth ladened with gifts for her people.
In 1904, her missionary labors in the field were finally ter- minated. She had been a colaborer with us for thirty-five years, and had remained on the field three years longer than was ordinarily expected. It is customary for active service in missionary labors to terminate at the age of seventy years, but Miss Seymour had passed beyond that honored milestone in life's pilgrimage. She returned to America, and was again
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with us in the spring of 1905, at the annual meeting of the Old Colony Branch, which was held in the Chapel of the Central Church.
She spoke in our morning business meeting about her special work in Harpoot; in the afternoon, a reception was given her by the ladies in the parlors of the church, when many had the privilege of making her acquaintance and of shaking hands with her.
She has now (1905) laid aside her active work and is at home among friends.
A great deal of work in the foreign field has been accom- plished in many directions by our society; other missionaries have been helped; the work has spread over much territory; and mission stations have been visited from time to time. Many letters have been received and read in our meetings. In the November meeting of 1883, the record says, " Our hearts warm within us, when we read the names of the long list of foreign missionaries who have spoken at our meetings. Nine- teen in all have thus appeared." Probably many more have visited us since.
As the work of the Woman's Board of Missions increased, and auxiliaries were multiplied, " branches " were or- ganized, comprising twenty auxiliaries and mission circles with responsible officers. The " Old Colony Branch " was organized in southeastern Massachusetts, with which the Fall River society became associated in 1882. Mrs. Charles J. Holmes of the Central Church, Fall River, was president of this branch for many years, and on resigning this office she was elected " Honorary President," an office which she still holds.
In November, 1894, the " Silver Wedding " of the Fall River society and Miss Seymour was celebrated at the First Con- gregational Church. One hundred and ten persons were present, among them being some who are now members of the senior society, but who in their younger days belonged
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to the " Willing Helpers," and who now brought their children to join in this celebration.
Miss Seymour's photograph was set in a frame, around which were placed silver coins to the amount of sixty-one dollars, which were subsequently sent to her as a silver wedding gift. Mrs. Eli Thurston contributed a fine paper reviewing the events of the past years; Miss Caroline Borden of Boston, spoke of incidents connected with the work of the society in its earlier days; a copy of the letter sent to Miss Seymour twenty-five years before, as well as the last two letters received from her, were read; and a social hour and song fitly closed the exercises and the final meeting of the year.
On May 29, 1895, the semi-annual meeting of the Woman's Board of Missions of Boston was held with the Fall River society in the Central Church.
In 1896, a union meeting of all the Foreign Missionary Societies of the several denominations in Fall River was held with the First Church. Some two hundred persons were present. Miss Caroline Borden prepared a paper, giving a survey of the work of the Congregational churches in foreign lands. Other ladies presented similar papers of their own denominational work. The meeting was a great success, and closed with the oft-repeated expression of hope, that in the future other like gatherings might be held.
The good work still goes on, not perhaps on just the same lines, but the field is large, there are many open doors, and somewhere, at some time in the near future, we hope that our society will again take up some special work and help to gather in the " golden sheaves " under the lead of our divine Master.
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Willing Helpers' Society
IT had been proposed by some of our ladies, members of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of Fall River, that there should be an opportunity for the smaller children to become interested in missionary work. On January 13, 1870, the children of the First Congregational Church and the Central Church were invited to meet in the vestry of the First Church to form a society to be called the " Willing Helpers."
They responded quickly, and at that meeting became " willing helpers " indeed. The object named was to raise funds sufficient to support two of Miss Seymour's scholars in Harpoot, Turkey. At a later date, the children of the Fowler Church also came into the organization. At the first meeting, Miss Hattie Andrews was made treasurer, and col- lectors were appointed from the Central Church, namely, Delia S. Carr (now Mrs. James E. Osborn), and Alice L. Buck; from the First Church, Mary Brayton and Emma Dunning (now Mrs. Albert S. French). It was voted that twenty-five cents should be the membership fee.
During the first year four boys and sixty-eight girls joined. In March of that year (1870), Miss Rice of Persia was invited to meet the members, together with any children of our day schools who might desire to attend. About three hundred and fifty were present.
A letter was written to Miss Seymour, asking her to select two girls for the society to assist in some way, and to send word what was especially needed for them.
The second annual report, in 1871, says that there were fifty-nine members of the society, and that they had raised in different ways the sum of $149.39, which had been placed in the treasury. It is not necessary to give the record from year to year. This little band of workers, as they became
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older, gave up their interest in this special junior branch, and many of them have enrolled their names in the mothers' society, and are now active members and officers of the same.
Different missionaries from all parts of the foreign field have met with them, and they have had a large share in the great work of clothing and brightening the lives of those who live far away in other lands.
They have given entertainments of many kinds to help swell the funds of their treasury. In 1877, when Miss Sey- mour was in this country for a vacation, she came to Fall River, and met with the children at one of their meetings. She told them about her journey home, and about the children they were helping, Aimie and Decoolie, and that Aimie was especially anxious to come to America with her.
In January, 1898, the twenty-eighth anniversary of the Willing Helpers was held in the vestry of the First Congre- gational Church. A reception followed the business meeting. A very interesting paper was read by Miss Edith Hawes. Among many other items, it was stated that $2,212.16 had been raised in those years by the Helpers. Miss Sarah S. Brayton wrote a paper, which was read by Helen Brayton, recording the facts connected with the starting of the society.
Miss Caroline Borden came from Boston to be present on this occasion. She invited the members to help her fill a box she was about to send to Miss Seymour in Harpoot.
A collection basket was placed on the table, in which sub- sequently was found the sum of forty dollars, together with a number of notes of congratulation on their anniversary celebration. Refreshments were served to about one hundred and forty persons who were present. There are many pleasant statements in the annual reports of the Willing Helpers - a name happily chosen for them in the days of their first meeting.
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In 1881, they journeyed in imagination, by the aid of maps and charts, from Fall River to Harpoot in Turkey.
The organization has given a four years' course of instruc- tion in Harpoot to Aimie, the Kurd girl, and afterwards sup- ported her as a teacher. It also gave a three years' course to Decoolie, Mayloo, Esther, Jubal, and Yeagharper, - in all, six scholars.
It has sent several boxes to Harpoot, and in nearly all the other years, it has made a donation to objects other than for the education of these girls. All this ennobling and beneficent work has been accomplished in the thirty-five years of its existence.
As time goes on, many of the older ones have joined our mothers' society, and are instilling into their children the need of such work, as well as the pleasure they will receive through this life, in helping to lift the burden from those who are so ignorant and needy, especially in their spiritual natures.
Cradle Roll
At one of the quite recent annual meetings of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of Fall River, mention is made of a vote to have a " Cradle Roll " in the society. A com- mittee was appointed to visit the parents and secure the names of the young children of members.
Mrs. Arba N. Lincoln, Mrs. George S. Brigham, and Mrs. Arthur Anthony were appointed from the Central Church.
Efforts were also made to enroll the names of children from the other churches - the First Congregational Church, the Fowler Church, and the Broadway Church. A total of fifty- three children joined through their parents, paying the cus- tomary fee of twenty-five cents. There was an entertainment given for them in 1904, in the Chapel of the Central Church. Its members are from the age of one year to five years.
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Financial
Since the year 1882, when the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society became associated with the Old Colony Branch of the Woman's Board of Missions of Boston, the members directly connected with Central Church have contributed these sums through their various organizations, to wit: the Ladies' Auxiliary, $4,228.00; the Willing Helpers, - seniors and juniors, - $1,185.00; miscellaneous, $258.91, making a grand total of $5,671.91.
PERSONAL SKETCHES
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PASTORS
Rev. Samuel Washburn
THE first settled minister of the Central Church in Fall River was the Rev. Samuel Washburn, who was installed April 24, 1844. Mr. Washburn was a preacher of more than ordinary ability. He had a clear, pleasant voice, distinct utterance, and an easy flow of language. His tastes were cultivated and refined; his manners graceful and winning, with such a charm of conversation as made him a brilliant accession to any gathering of scholarly men. He was un- usually gifted in his addresses to the Throne of Grace. Presi- dent Stearns of Amherst, who preached his installation sermon, said of him, " It is no disparagement to his success- ors to say that he is a rare man, able, zealous, full-hearted, and devoted." His brother ministers characterized him as a preacher sound in faith, apt to teach, and exact in discipline.
The early years under Mr. Washburn's administration were largely years of organization. As chairman of the committee, he prepared the first church manual, containing a List of Members, Ecclesiastical Principles and Rules, Confession of Faith, Covenant and Form of Admission to the Church. The Sabbath school took a more definite form at this time, coming under the care and support of the Church. The Church stead- ily increased, adding to its members, mostly those coming by letter, but some on confession of faith.
Mr. Washburn was dismissed at his own repeated request, in January, 1849, having served the Church as pastor four years and eight months. He was afterwards settled over a church in Baltimore, where he remained a few years. He died in New York, September 15, 1853.
MRS. HANNAH J. WASHBURN, wife of Rev. Samuel Wash-
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burn, died March 23, 1845. Mrs. Washburn was a highly accomplished, intelligent, amiable, and devoted christian woman. She had traveled much abroad, and stored her mind with a fund of information, valuable to herself, and in- teresting and profitable to others. To her husband's flock she became strongly attached, and by them was most highly esteemed and loved. Her hand was ever open to the needy, and her heart to the afflicted. She had been in ill health for some time previous to her decease, suffering greatly at times. Her funeral services were held at the Central Church, and were conducted by Rev. Thomas Shepherd, of Bristol. She was buried at Andover, Mass.
Rev. Eli Thurston, D.D.
DR. THURSTON was born in Brighton, Mass., June 14, 1808. He spent the first five years of his life there, removing to Jamaica Plain in 1813. His father died in 1817, and at the age of nine and a half years he went to make his home with an uncle in Westboro; he remained there until his seventeenth year, when he removed to Millbury, Mass., to learn the trade of gunsmith in the government works. About this time, he entered upon a religious life, and soon felt himself called to the gospel ministry.
With characteristic energy, he immediately began his preparations, commencing his studies at Day's Academy, Wrentham, then a popular school. Through untiring effort and aided by friends, he was graduated with honors at Am- herst, in the class with Henry Ward Beecher, in 1834, later receiving the degree of doctor of divinity from his alma mater. The following year was passed at Andover Theological Semi- nary, after which he spent two years of study with Dr. Ide of West Medway, now Millis. During a part of this time, he supplied the pulpit at East Medway. Later, two years were
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passed with Dr. Emmons in preparing the latter's manuscripts for publication.
Because of unusual promise, he was licensed to preach by the Mendel Association while pursuing his education. While preaching in East Medway, a great religious interest was awakened, and in a little more than a year the membership of the church was nearly doubled.
After completing his studies, he spent a short time at Wrentham and produced a deep impression by his command- ing eloquence, his intense earnestness, and simplicity of manner.
At Wrentham, he met Miss Caroline M. Sanford, whom he married. In 1852, she passed away, leaving two children, Philo Sanford, who died in 1876, and Anna H., now Mrs. George H. Buck, of Chelsea, Mass. In 1854, he married Miss Julia A. Sessions, who, with her two children, Caroline S. (Mrs. James F. Jackson), and Thatcher T. Thurston, are still living.
In 1838, he received ordination and began his first pastorate, lasting ten years, at Hallowell, Me., after which he spent a a year in Boston without settled work. During this time, he labored in connection with a mission in South Boston holding its services in a hall in the Old Colony Station. While there, Dr. Nathan Durfee (a committee on pulpit supply) requested him to preach for us as a candidate. This he refused to do, afterward, however, saying he would go to any church, as a minister of the gospel, requiring his services.
After hearing him, the Church, ever alert and quick to move, at a special meeting called to consider the question, voted to give him a call to become its pastor, the Society also voting in full accord with the Church. Mr. Washburn was dismissed January 2, 1849, and six weeks later Mr. Thurston took up his work. He came January 24, 1849, and was installed on March 21.
Said one who knew him well:
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If the Central Church wanted a positive leader, a man who was not afraid to handle the truth; a man who, when he entered Fall River, meant positively the advancing of the kingdom of Christ; a man who, when he entered the pulpit, stood as if he had a message to deliver, they had it in Dr. Thurston. The man stood out in answer to the call of the Church, clear, dignified, pleasing. He was no brilliant, flashy light; he was no dreamer or theorist; he was a plain, practical, far-sighted, fearless, godly man. He believed in a kingdom of truth, and he preached it with all his might. He believed sin to be a MAN SINNING, and he preached to that man repentance and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. His sermons were clear, pungent, and powerful. Once admit his premises, you could not escape his conclusions. Polite men, cunning men, quailed before that sharp knife of his tongue, and yet he had the gentleness of a friend and father of his people. He was a man of positive beliefs, and had a positive way of stating his convictions. He made no compromise with error or half truth or with any practices which annulled or would lead to the annulling of the commands of God.
Of his preaching one of his Church has said, " I go away each Sabbath wondering what more he can say to purify and elevate the Church, and yet each returning week brings messages equally fresh." His Sunday and Thursday evening meetings were full to overflowing, and at the close of his work our Church had increased to a membership of over three hundred.
On December 4, 1869, word came that his son Sanford was ill of pneumonia in Boston, and he hastened to his bedside. While there he contracted a severe cold, but returned on Saturday expecting to preach the following day, but was unable to do so. The following Thursday he became critically ill with an attack of paralysis of the lungs. He gradually failed until, a little after midnight of Sunday, the 19th, the sum- mons came, and his spirit took its flight to the realms unseen.
Dr. Thurston was sixty-one years of age. He had been with us twenty years lacking one month. He fully realized the seriousness of his last illness, and said to his dear friend, the Rev. P. B. Haughwout, " If I go, I shall see you where I am." His friend joined him a few years later.
On the morning of December 22, 1869, prayers were offered
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at the house by Dr. Thatcher Thayer, of Newport, and an hour later services were held in the church. The audience room was completely draped in black, while over the pulpit, in the midst of beautiful ferns and palms, were placed the last words spoken by Dr. Thurston, " Thy will be done, on this I rest." A wreath of roses hung on the closed door of the family pew.
The public services were conducted by Rev. Dr. Seth Sweetser, of Worcester, a personal friend of Dr. Thurston's, and Dr. W. W. Adams. Rev. P. B. Haughwout made the principal address. Leading members of the Church and Society served as pall bearers.
Seats were reserved for the Taunton Conference of Ministers and the pastors of the city churches. Montgomery's well- known and most appropriate hymn was among those sung by the regular choir.
Servant of God, well done, Rest from thy loved employ; The battle fought, the victory won, Enter thy Master's joy.
Much has been written and elsewhere recorded of this widely influential minister of the gospel, and there are many reminiscences especially dear to his people, which are worthy of record in this narrative did space permit.
At the settlement of Dr. Thurston, there were many efficient, zealous, working members in the Church, and under the lead of the new pastor, they soon began to make it felt as a power in the community. Accessions were made, often in great numbers, and, as a missionary church at home and abroad, it ranked among the first in the state of Massachusetts.
World-wide interests, such as discoveries, inventions, the wonderful facilities of communication between nations, etc., were matters of vital importance to him. 'They aroused the whole enthusiasm of his nature, for through them he beheld the grand and final triumph of our Lord in the whole world.
Probably no other man in Bristol County wielded so great
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an influence in many ways. In his public addresses he was always greeted by large and appreciative audiences.
As a reformer, his influence was felt throughout the city. His interest in the public schools was very active, and he served upon the school board from 1850 to 1856. He recog- nized the liquor traffic as a source of incalculable evil and an obstacle to every good work. His voice was often heard in his pulpit upon political topics, and the cry against "politics in the pulpit " he severely rebuked.
At one time, the city caucus was called to meet upon the same evening as the midweek church service, - the caucus at eight o'clock and the church service at half past seven. The church meeting opened promptly at the appointed time, and as the clock struck eight, Dr. Thurston arose and said, " Breth- ren, we have a duty to perform at this hour at the City Hall, the meeting is dismissed "; and pastor and people repaired to the City Hall, which was already crowded. It is satisfactory to know that the temperance ticket was nominated and subse- quently elected.
As Governor Andrew was the war governor of Massachu- setts, so Dr. Thurston was the war minister of Fall River, and his Church was ever attuned to the keynote of patriotism and duty. During the Civil War, his whole soul was stirred to its depths, and his sympathy in the struggle was intense. In those trying years, his faith in God and his omnipotent power to work righteousness did not fail.
A member of the old church choir relates this circumstance :
One of their number was in the habit of receiving telegraphic news, and sharing it with Dr. Thurston before he left his study for morning service. When the news came that " Richmond had fallen," it was decided not to tell him until he was in the pulpit. As he entered the church, the organist, Lyman W. Deane, began to play with the full power of the organ, " John Brown's body lies a-moldering in the grave; his soul goes marching on." Dr. Thurston was amazed, as were those of
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the congregation who had not heard the news, and was at a loss to understand such an innovation and untimely levity. As Dr. Thurston ascended one side of the pulpit, a messenger met him from the other, and handed him the telegram. As he opened it, the organ suddenly ceased, then followed an intense silence while he read the message. At its end he stepped forward and said, " Let us pray." He concluded his prayer with the words, " Praise God from whom all blessings flow "; the congregation rose at once, and together they sang the joyful words. His wonderful sermon preached upon the assassination of President Lincoln, from the text Jeremiah 48: 7, " How is the strong staff broken and the beautiful rod," is still held in memory by our older members.
He was greatly interested in the church choir, often attend- ing its Saturday evening rehearsals, and commending heartily any selection or rendering which especially appealed to him.
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