USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > History of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Volume II pt 1 > Part 11
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About two fifths of Partridgefield were included in this boundary ; also twenty two lots of the southeast corner of Dalton, as appears on the map of the county. Hinsdale was to pay two fifths of the taxes then due from Partridgefield. By 1808 the sentiments of the rown must have reached Washington and more or less influenced President Jefferson ; for September 13th of that year Theodore Hinsdale, Esq .. Elijah Goodrich, and Thomas Allen were appointed a committee to draft a petition to the president of the United States to suspend the Embargo, etc. They did their duty well and long, as per records, but the president's reply is not on file. Perhaps he did not reply, and as a consequence the town records show no publie act concerning the war of 1812.
July 16th, 1917, William A. Hawley was ordained pastor, and re- mained so till January 12th, 1841. Dismissed by his own request, he was commended to the churches "as a minister of the New Testament, a sound, faithful. and devoted servant of Jesus Christ, whose experience and talents we hope will long be employed in the cause which lies so near his heart." Some still live who remember him and speak of him as one whose influence in the town was great and always good.
April 22d a vote was passed to call Rev. S. W. Banister, and William Hinsdale and C. H. Plunkett were appointed a committee on ordination, with O. P. (Oliver Partridge) Colt, clerk. He served five years and re- ceived about forty members ; among them this one : " November 17th, 1842. Captain Abraham Washburn, S8 years of age, was this day ad- mitted to the church at his house and a communion season was held there for the purpose."
In February, 1847, Rev. Edward Taylor was settled over the church aud remained pastor till November, 1850, when he left, with the nnani- mous benedictions of the church and society, some eighty or more hav- ing been added to the church. Rev. Perkins K. Clark came in June. 1852, and left because of sickness in October, 1855. More than fifty ad- ditions attested his usefulness. August. 1858. Rev. Kinsley Twining be. came pastor by installation, and was dismissed by council in February, 1864, giving " cheerful and strong testimony to the ministerial qualifica- tions and labors of Mr. Twining." They certify that "as a preacher of the Gospel he stands very high ; as a pastor, untiring, faithful. and sue. cessful ; as a scholar, among the very first of his brethren, for the refine-
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ment and taste, the vigor and power of his correct judgment evinced in all his investigations." Nearly fifty names find record while he was pastor.
Mr. Ephraim Flint was ordained September 19th, 1867. and died No- vember 25th, 1882, the first pastor in Hinsdale that died in their midst. Ilis funeral address was by Dr. Carter, president of Williams College. of which Dr. Flint was for ten years an honored trustee. From a pub- lished memorial are selected the following words from Dr. Carter's ad. dress.
" There are men who are great and good away from home. I do not believe our brother was one of these. I know that he was loving, and tender, and just, and fair, and sweet, and intelligent to every one who knew him, and that those who knew him best got from his simple, trustful and gracious life, from his knowledge of the Scrip- tures, and from his wise and kindly preaching perpetual comfort and help; and to these, to the invalids, the anxious Christians, the aged pilgrims, the afflicted house- holds in this community, we of the college offer our affectionate sympathies."
The last words of the text will long be true-" And their works do follow them." He died while finishing a Thanksgiving sermon for the next day, when he would be 54 years old. Speaking of his library one has said : " Here, on that last day, the busy brain worked, all uncon- scious of the crown so nearly won. Here, a little later,
. He lay among his books. The peace of God upon his looks.'
In the shadow of the early night, in the 'twinkling of an eye,' he had passed to the . Land immortal.' His birth day was in Heaven." Dur- ing his pastorate of fifteen years 190 new names appear on the church records : 118 on profession, and 22 by letter ; 87 were dismissed and 59 died, leaving 217 members, the largest number at any time save in 1870. when, by the addition of 51. the roll was 218. During these same years there were married in town 335 couples ; 725 children were born, and 469 persons died. The Sunday school increased from 190, with an average attendance of 139, to 270, with an average attendance of 1763, while the benevolent contributions for the same years were about $18,500. 39 adults and 32 children were baptized. Since the church was organized, nearly 90 years ago, there have belonged to it nearly 750 members, more than 250 having joined by letter, showing both the influence of the church and an incoming population. The nicely and thoroughly kept records of this church delight the eye of the historian. Rev. J. H. Laird is now the eighth settled pastor in 90 years.
In less than two years after the Congregational church was organized the Baptist leaven began to work. In April. 1797, the basis of their rec- ognition as a church is found, beginning with these words: " We. being m pressed with a sense of that religious freedom which pertains to the moral agency of every child of Adam, of which rights no one can be divested but by hostile usurpation and oppression." Next follows their declaration of purpose, resulting in the calling of a council from Cheshire
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and Chesterfield, which met May 22d. and organized a church with nine men and eight women as constituent members. In November. 1798, Elder Ebenezer Smith, from Ashfield, became their first pastor, with a salary of $100. In the Shaftsbury Association, June 5th, 1790, is re- corded : " Elder Ebenezer Smith presents a petition from the church in Partridgefield, stating that they are in distress. by being taxed and har- ing property forcibly taken and sold at public auction to build a Congre. gationalist meeting house and there is some hope of redress ; they thore- fore request the advice and assistance of the Association." They were advised "to strive to be at peace with all men, but at the same time to use all lawful endeavors to preserve inviolate the rights of conscience and property." The grievances continued, for the courts composed of the Standing Order were unjust to the Baptists, and compelled collection of taxes unjustly imposed. Despite these trials the Baptist church, grew. In 1801, Jonas Standish, Isaac Smith, Abraham Jackson, and John Newton were chosen deacons. In 1802 the membership was from Stockbridge. Cheshire; Windsor, Cummington, Middlefield, and other places. September, 1807, Elder Smith, at his own regnest, was dismissed from his pastorate, and died in Fredonia, N. Y., in 1824, 90 years old, and in the ministry 70 years. Early in 1808, Deacon A. Jackson. the first member baptized in the church, was licensed, and July 4th, 1809, was ordamed by a council in Landlord Collins' upper room. now the res- idence of Lyman Payne. Not till 1816 did the church have a meeting house. They met where they could till. in November, a plain building, now a dwelling house, was dedicated, Elder Bloss, of Cheshire, preach- ing the sermon.
In 1817 twenty-eight members were dismissed to form the Baptist church in Middlefield. In 1820 Henry Cady was invited to exercise his gift one fourth of the time. Elder Jackson preaching the remainder. "The church in 1821 attained the highest membership, 157, and recorded the vote amidst a season of prosperity, to reduce the salary of Elder Jackson from $160 to $60. In the providence of God from this period the depleting process commenced that they might be stimulated to greater liberality." Were they ?
The Windsor branch of the church became independent in 1823, re- ducing the Hinsdale church membership to 132. In January, 1824, the formation of a new Baptist church in Cheshire took away seven, and a revision next year redneed the membership to sixty-six. Three were dis- missed in 1833 to form a church in Peru. Under Elder Smith 122 were added, all by baptism. Under Elder Jackson forty- nine were baptized, and thirty-three added by letter: before him, and up to 1819, none had been received by letter. In the spring of 1838 Roswell P. Whipple became pastor, but died in December. 1839 : loved and lost at the age of thirty-three. Alexander H. Sweet. in 1811 ; G. C. Tripp. 1842 to 1845: J. M. Whipple. 1846 to 1852 : J. T. Smith. 1853 : William Goodwin. 1854 and 1855; F. S. Park. 1856: W. A. Worthington, 1858;
.
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Joseph Haskell. 1860 to 1863 : then four years withont service : Eli Dew- hurst, 1868 to 1876 ; R. F. Alger, 1876 to 1870 ; G. L. Ruberg, 1879 to 1882 ; since then, supplies.
In 1841, Benjamin Gallup, who joined the church in 1708, died at the ripe age of 105 years. In April. ISIS, Elder Jackson, son of Joshua Jackson, who came to Hinsdale from New Marlboro in 1785, died. a preacher for forty years, living always in Hinsdale. His faith may be copied from his monument : . When told that he could not live : . Live ! I shall live forever ! Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. " He labored faithfully with the church for thirty years, patient and indulgent when new gifts were sought : and when any sensation had died ont. he lovingly conformed to his brethren's wish and led them back into sunshine : even after his ministry ceased, he remained till his pilgrimage was ended. He was a winner of souls, earnest, tender, dignitie l, loving, and beloved.
December 24th. 1850. the present house of worship was dedicated : nicely located near " much water." During its entire existence about 200 have been baptized, and abont 100 received by letter or experience. The present number is seventy. only fifty of whom are resident members.
History is hardly willing to let go its hold of such a character as that of Ella Bleuca Cuit. He suffered and grew strong. He was pastor of a Baptist church formed in Ashfield in 1761, till he came to Hinsdale in 1799. In 1770 400 acres of their land were sold at auction by the dom- inant party for their parish taxes. Mr. Smith had ten acres of his home lot sold for a demand of less than $4. From his father was taken twenty acres, containing his orchard and burying ground, and sold to one Wells for less than $7. He and his people in Hinsdale endured like afflictions. This will help to understand an extract from his journal dated October 4th. 1823 :
" I am this day 89 years old; have tried to preach the Gospel 69 years and ten months; have been ordained elder 62 years and six weeks; and have traveled and preached in seven of the United States. I have been called in the course of my life to defend the liberties of the Baptists in the State of Massachusetts; to plead their cause before the General Court in Boston, before a justice of the peace, before the court of common pleas and before the Supreme court; and having obtained help of the Lord, I continue to this day. The things of religion, the truths that I have tried to preach, the ordinances of the Gospel, and the order of building up the visible church, appear to be a divine reality, and that it is safe to die in the belief of these truths.
In March preceding is this entry :
" Two persons who heard me preach my first sermon, in November, 1753, were present to hear my last sermon in November, 1823, which completed seventy years of my ministry."
This is noteworthy when it is known also this last sermon was preached in Fredonia, 500 miles from Ashtiell. in Massachusetts. Thesetwo Were present at his interment the next July. The text at his funeral was hi
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his own choosing, Hebrews xiii, 7, 8: "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God ; whose faith : follow, considering the end of your conversation ; Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day and forever."
The history of the early times of the town may, perhaps, have a little more light thrown upon it by one who tried to let his light shine among the people and whose reflections are still preserved. Rev. Theodore Hins- dale moved from Windsor, Conn., to a farm then in Dalton, but now in Hinsdale. His arrival, by his own record, was April 24th. 1795. His diary of four years, commencing May 18th, is now of use for this account of himself and his interest in the establishment of the church and in naming the town. On that day he writes " my time is chiefly taken up in the affairs of my new plantation, which are all out of order : planted pease and beans and other seeds ; but am interrupted daily by cattle, sheep, and swine breaking in upon my lot ; they have been in quiet pos- session so long that they seem to claim the farm as their own and obsti- nately refuse to quit their hold." By this it is learned that his farm had been under a former occupant. "May 29th, Sunday. At meeting the three last Sabbaths in Mr. Tyler's barn, heard one Haskell preach bothi parts of the day. He has not a liberal education : aims at being an orator without a good understanding of his mother tongue; without clear ideas or other knowledge of the Gospel than a system of morality." Next day, 25th, sees Colonel Leffingwell to whom he has given a note for £280, and which he took up, paying for his farm. (The plot on the map called Colonel Williams' grant afterward became Colonel Leffingwell's grant, and also some 1,500 acres in Dalton.) He staid at Mr. Starr's all night. "P. M. Met a committee by the General Court in answer to a petition of the inhabitants of the east part of Dalton and west part of Partridgefield praying to be made into a town or parish as they shall spe fit." That committee consisted of Judge Bacon, of Stockbridge: Esquire Bishop, of Richmond, and Esquire Taylor, of Buckland. " I rode with the committee to survey the intended district." " 26th. 8 o'clock. Re- paired to Mr. Haskell's tavern to wait on the committee : found they were of opinion to set off the district by the lines, which was expected. I had the honor of dining with the committee to- day." Meanwhile he had an invitation to preach in Charlemont, and made it known to some of his brethren that he intended to go. Sirs Sherman and Hibbard (father of " Billy Hibbard") called on him and asked him not to decide to go, as they might want him in the new parish. He did not promise their request, but would think of it. He went to Charlemont several Sundays ; decided in his own mind not to accept the call to Charlemont. Then the question was: should he say so at once, or defer to a more con- venient season his conclusion ? He reasoned both sides of the question through several pages of his little book. He evidently wanted to be invited to the newly formed parish. He thought it manly to say no to Chartemont, but. " I told them I did not expect to be in a position to
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settle under four or five, perhaps, six months ; as yet it had been but little more than three months ; so that they will have no reason to com- plain if I delay my answer for two months longer. A delay can be no injury to them ; it may be a benefit to me. Were I now to give a negative, the people of Dalton will say I am so fond of courting them that I have cast myself wholly on their hands-and here, as human nature is, become more backward-but if my answer be suspended, and Dalton people wish for me, it will tend to engage them more, and per- haps unite them the more, and excite them to do quickly what they will ever be disposed to do. On the whole, it seems to be duty and wisest to suspend for the present, and supply the pulpit here for a part of the time," &c. How agreeable this love near home proved to be will appear in succeeding chapters. On his return from Charlemont he was invited to preach in Bethlehem (now Otis); for three months he was there, and on the 14th of September he helped to form a church there with Rev. Mr. Avery, of Tyringham, and Mr. Curtain, of Marlborough. October 4th he wrote, " About two weeks past the new society had their first meeting and organized itself. Voted not to raise any money to supply them with preaching for this winter, but voted by one in majority to contribute to Mr. Leland's support in case he would preach with them one Sunday in five, as usual. I fear there is such a want of spirit and wisdom in this new parish that it will be a long time. if ever, before they will come into any order in religion. I can have no dependence on them. May God succeed them beyond my apprehensions." In November he visited his friends in Windsor, Conn., bought " several pounds of tea, and $27 worth of leather for next winter's use, " and on his return wrote, "I am agreeably surprised to find that the new parish in this district have agreed to raise £20 to supply them with preaching this winter ; and that they propose to apply to me to supply them. It is an act of Provi- dence worthy of my especial and grateful notice, that I have had uninter- rupted employment abroad, when I was not wanted at home." " Friday, November 6th. Last evening was visited by Messrs. Fletcher, Haskell. and Skinner, parish committee, requesting me to preach with them in the school house for four Sabbaths ; to which I gave my consent." The Sth and 15th he preached. " Wednesday. 19th, being the Anniversary Thanksgiving, I offered the people of the new parish a sermon gratis, and preached from these words : . Who maketh thee to differ ?' Felt myself happy to have a Thanksgiving with my family." On the third Sunday, "had a conference about forming a church. Found ten or twelve favor ing it, and appointed another conference for December 7th." Sunday, 29th November. "Now I have finished my engagement for four weeks, and nothing has been said to me to supply them any more. I do not learn how acceptable my services have been." "Tuesday, December 8th. The last week passed without any application from the committee of the new parish. Saturday began to hear that many thought it was best to hear no more preaching at present. and that two of the committee were
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of that opinion. The consideration depressed my spirits very [sensibly. . Sabbath, 6th, I spent at home with my family and had religious services both parts of the day. Monday 7th, had the appointed conference, ten pres- ent; unanimons in a desire to have the thing accomplished. A confession and covenant which I had prepared was read and seemed to be agreeable. Resolved to invite Mr. Allen, Leland. and Thompson to attend a lecture on Thursday of next week to solemnize the union, and expressed their Bormiolation of the discontinuance of our Sabbath worship, and re- quested me to preach the next Sabbath at Mr. Babcock's at their ex- pense. I returned from the conference in high spirits and with better prospects that God has some important good in reserve for this place. than I have felt before." The next Sunday he preached. " and after ob- taining liberty of the house, notified the people that in case the commit- tee had made no provision for preaching, I would preach to them gratis the next Sabbath." Thursday, the 17th, the lecture was attended, Mr. Leland preached, and Mr. Thompson was present. A Hartford confes- sion of faith was read, but chose Mr. Hinsdale's as read previously, "and thirteen men and ten women solemnly gave their consent to the confession and covenant and then subscribed it with their hands." "I bless God he has been pleased to use me as an instrument of reforming one church (bardemont) and of gathering two others (Bethlehem and this) since my dismission (from Windsor, Conn. )." In the next entry it appears that Theodore, junior, came back from Charlemont. whither he had been to collect his father's preaching bill of. $10.25, " which he oh. tained, except that no interest was paid for ten months, i. c., from Feb- ruary 23d to December 19th, and only one quarter of a dollar for his journey, which Mr. White confessed would have cost the parish $2 : in equity 13 6 is still due. " He preached on the 27th gratis. but aftermeeting was told " that a paper had been circulating for subscription among the people to send into the Jersies for one Lothrop. a Baptist minister, who had preached here one Sabbath some months ago ; " and that most of the people east of "here had subscribed and two of the parish com- mittee among the rest. Struck with this strange, extraordinary meas ure, not only as an indication of dissatisfaction with my services, but of great capriciousness and want of principle also as suggesting a presage of disputes and divisions to follow, as well as an appearance of jealousy that I was intruding my labors upon them with some sinister design. I thought it not prudent to continue them or propose to preach to them any more for the present." "Three weeks later, he wrote : " A doubt has lately been on my mind whether I do well in not offering my service to this young and giddy people for a season gratis, and more especially since I have learned their project for sending for another is dying away." On the 7th he offered to serve them for the present gratis and was ac- cepted. On the 19th of February Richard Starr was chosen deacon; and on the 21st, Mr. Hinsdale administered the Lord's Supper for the first time to this infant church. .. I am informed that the ministers in this Associa-
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tion at a late meeting expressed their wish that I may be statedly em- ployed as the minister of this young church and society. A remarkable concurrence of providential circumstances seems to point out such an event extremely convenient for them and me ; but may the will of the Lord be done." After ten weeks' service gratis he discontinued his service. as a meeting was called for the next day and he would leave them free to ex- press their desire to reemploy him. That meeting negatived a vote to procure preaching for the coming year. No need of a new committee. for the oldl one stood over. "indifferent to me or to public worship or both." ".One thing, however, was done at this meeting with great unanimity ; they voted to build a meeting house. Whether a door will be open for my further service in this place. I leave with Him who has all hearts in His hands." April 17th, by request of Dercon Starr, with promise of compensation, and hope of a call suggested. he preached in a school house. " and expect to preach again. if Providence permit ; thus
it pleases God to lead me on." " May 5th. preached in Mr. Watkins barn, to the fullest assembly since I have been in this place. and for the second time administered the Communion ; I have now preached twenty nine Sabbaths. one fast, one Thanksgiving, and three lectures in the dis- trict : fifteen were gratis-a free-will offering ; four by engagement of the committee, and ten with expectations given by individuals of a com- pensation. " Monday, May 6th, the meeting appointed to see about build- ing a meeting house, instead of that. " voted to see if the society would call me to preach and raise money therefor. I went out and soon learned that on the question of inviting me to preach for one year there were thirty- three yeas and twenty-seven nays, and the former were so confounded by so unexpected an opposition they suffered the meeting to be
dissolved." A stormy month in church matters and some hail storms on both sides till June 27th. at a business meeting a vote was car- ried to spend the remainder of the $20 for preaching. A committee was appointed, who applied to Mr. Hinsdale to preach for three months. He accepted conditionally, and July 30th " preached to a very decent collec. tion of people." For three or four Sundays he preached to a decreasing number, and learned they were finding fault because he had four dollars per Sunday. He exchanged one day with Mr. Leland. of the East Par- ish. Mr. Leland had a crowded house. Mr. Hinsdale was troubled. ". But I have done expecting consistency or decorum here." "On the whole, we are in great confusion. If I were not an inhabitant should think it my duty not to preach another Sabbath ; but if I desist there will be no stated regular worship : the enemy will flourish." He held on, but questioned, " Is it duty for me to continue for three months : " The people said yes, and he preached. September ISth completed his three months, and he wrote : " When I recollect the violent opposition my person and preaching have met with here I cannot but consider it as pointed at religion and the Gospel and its institutions and immediately at myself, chiefly if not altogether as a promoter of them." Nevertheless,
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he agreed to preach three Sundays gratis, " and then, unless I shall see cause to alter my determination, shall desist-unless Providence shall · please to open a door for me to serve them with better prospects than I have at present." October 3d, at society meeting, it was voted to build a meeting house. 50 by 40 feet, finished so far as to be covered by a tax, and to be finished June 1st, 1798. Mr. Haskell and five others made declaration they were of a different denomination, and should not con- sider themselves as bound to pay, etc. "October 9. this day have fin- isitea my engagement to the committee and have come to a full stand. unable to conjecture what this people will do for them." In November a subscription was started, he was invited, and December 34 said. "preached this day in the school house on the Flat -- malice and opposi- tion are not dead. The house, unlocked for several weeks, was locked and the key could not be found. Philip Watkins did it ; some young men got in at the window, opened the door so that we had a meeting. But few persons on that poor, devoted Fiat attended ; from other parts of the place the house was decently full." A few days later he had a letter from Phineas Watkins charging him and his sons with breaking into the school house and forcing the lock, and demanding satisfaction. He sent back ananswer and " submitted the matter to Providence and the laws of my country." Next day the proprietors forbid the use of the school house for meetings. "Sometimes I think it all arises from an unaccountable dissatisfaction to myself: but since it militates against religion as well, I cannot see what I have done since I have been here to draw down so much enmity upon myself, unless it be the honest attempts I have made to build up religion among them." By invitation he preached on the 11th at the house of Mr. Hibbard : on the 18th he was to have preached at Deacon Starr's : a storm preventel. but he preached there the 25th. During these home preachings Mr. Haskell set up a meeting in opposition, and read sermons without any prayer. "January 1st, 1797. This day for the first time they have called in Billy Hibbar 1. a disciple of the Methodists, to preach to them ; this day I preached at Mr. Hibbard's to a considerable collection of people, and am appointed to preach at the same place next Sabbath."
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