USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts > Part 72
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The theological deductions of Augustine, as adopted by the early New England divines, and organized into a theological system by John Calvin, were handed down for many decades without change or mitigation. These men were honest and sincere, bold and inflexible.
By the early New England settlers, religious exercises at funerals were deemed unnecessary, even undesirable. They carried their dead reverently and solemnly to the grave and stood silently by while it was filled. Prayers over the dead or for the dead they could not allow.
The same was true of the marriage ceremony. Marriage was simply a civil contract. There must be no superstitious symbols or ceremonies. One of the older Puritans went so far as to call the wedding ring "a diabolical circle for the devil to dance in."
In 1646, it was enacted that no person shall join any persons in marriage but the magistrate. *
It was not until towards the year 1700 that ministers of religion performed the rites. They were authorized to solemnize marriages in 1692. Intentions of marriage (the banns) were to be published at some public lecture or town meeting or posted at the meeting house for fourteen days, and were sometimes forbidden.
Mr. Bridge heads his marriage record thus: Marriages recorded, which, though not a proper part of a church record, strictly, yet may be satisfactory to some hereafter.
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Allen, page 110, says:
In 1794 the Covenant was changed and the following, written by Mr. Packard, was adopted-"You do now in the presence of God and before this assembly profess a sincere belief in the exist- ence, providence, and government of an infinitely wise, just and good being, who searches the hearts and regards the actions of men, and whom we ought to worship and serve. You believe in man's primeval innocence, voluntary transgression and unhappy fall. You believe that God spake to the fathers by the prophets aforetime, and that he now speaks unto us in the Gospel of Christ, who is the one Mediator between God and man, and the only true way to eternal life. You do humbly confess your sins of every name and nature, and implore the benefits of the Spirit's guidance, the Son's sacrifice and the Father's mercy. And you do heartily desire to give up yourself to God, resolving to deny all ungodliness, and to live as the gospel teaches. You commit yourself to the care and discipline of this church of Christ and promise to walk in communion with it so long as God in his providence shall give you opportunity. Thus you believe, resolve and promise."
The half way covenant was a covenant of persons with the church merely for the purpose of obtaining baptism for their children without partaking of the communion themselves. This was allowed from 1657 to 1803, when it was argued that if true saving faith were necessary in a parent to entitle his offspring to baptism, and this was all that was required in order to full com- munion, there was no reason for excusing them from the com- munion.
The custom of calling for a vote of the church on admission of members and of requiring persons to make a confession of particular sins was discontinued in 1794.
Rev. Horace W. Morse records: During my ministry, which commenced April 1st, 1860, and closed March 31st, 1867, I have used no efforts to gain additions to the church, believing as I have, that it was the privilege of every person, whether a church member or not, to participate in the communion service, who sincerely desired, in such way, to honor the remembrance of the Saviour, and to "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour," and I have accordingly always extended a general invitation to this effect when I have administered the service.
During his seven years here, Mr. Morse officiated at thirteen weddings and seventy-four funerals. He published a small volume of poems, which are not altogether without interest. A saying of his, referring to his meagre salary, is sometimes quoted: "If you feed on meadow hay, you must expect meadow hay sermons."
Some interesting questions regarding the legal status of the Congregational churches in Massachusetts have been raised. It has been argued that the Congregational system was not established in Massachusetts. The argument is briefly as follows :
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The Puritans considered their religious system as established in Massachusetts, and it has been called a theocracy, but the civil authority was really supreme .* The disposition of property, which in England was for the most part under ecclesiastical jurisdiction, was here given by the colonists to the civil courts. Marriage was a civil contract, entered into before a magistrate. No clergyman was allowed to marry people. Divorce was a matter for civil rather than church action. Records of births, marriages and deaths were kept by civil officers. The observance of Christmas and other Church holidays was forbidden, and days for Fasting or Thanksgiving were appointed by civil authority. A clergyman's status only continued such while he was minister of a parish. Ministers were not allowed to hold legislative or other important civil offices. The civil government owned the meeting houses and determined the salaries of the ministers and paid them. The selectmen of a town could stop a child any time and examine him in the catechism. The Justices and General Court had authority to make decisions in matters of theological doctrine.
According to the Congregational theory, all local congre- gations were independent bodies. Apparently the colonists did not want the clergy to become a ruling hierarchy. While they were allowed to have assemblies for consultation, etc., yet the church was to be kept fragmentary, with the control in the General Court. All the churches throughout the colony were prohibited from organizing and acting as a united body. Article XXI of the Church of England says: "General Councils may not be gathered together without the commandment and will of Princes." So the Synod or convention of all the clergy called for by the General Court at the instance of Cotton Mather in 1725 was forbidden by the authorities in England as a contempt of his Majesty's Prerogative. The secretary of the Lords Justices of England sent an official opinion to Lieut. Governor Dummer, in which they blamed him for not notifying the King, who alone had power to call a synod or council; and said that such an assembly "was against Law, and a contempt of his Majesty's Prerogative."
There was no established church in Massachusetts other than the Church of England. What was called the "Standing Order" in Massachusetts was not a legal establishment of a church or religion.
John Checkley had declared that "the Church of England, as established in England, and no other, is established in all his Majesty's Plantations." The opinion of the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General, and the Lords Justices of England was that "they cannot collect that there is any regular establishment of a National or Provincial Church there [in Massachusetts], so as to warrant the holding of Convocations or Synods of the Clergy." [See Slafter's Memoir of John Checkley, pp. 85-95.]
* See "Was the Government of Massachusetts Bay Colony a Theocracy ?" H. E. Ware.
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However, the Congregational churches were supported by a tax levied in the same manner as other taxes.
The reader must form his own conclusions.
Parson Bridge did not acknowledge any other Church in Chelmsford than the original, of which he was pastor.
In 1820, Allen, on the title page of his History of Chelmsford, styles himself pastor of the Church in Chelmsford. John Park- hurst, on the title page of a printed sermon, in 1826, writes himself pastor of a Church in Chelmsford; and later of the Baptist Church in Chelmsford.
Parson Bridge records:
There was a new burying place began in the year 1774 near the Baptist meeting house, south end by ye burial of a child of one Elisha Rich a baptist teacher, as well as a blacksmith by trade, & who was presently ordained. viz. 5th Oct., 1774, over the Baptist meeting-so called-
However I did not look upon myself as called to keep a record of ye burials in yt. burying place-so I left off early.
DISTURBANCE CAUSED BY NEWLIGHTS AND SEPARATES.
The early New England ministers, like Thomas Hooker, John Eliot and John Fiske, had been ordained priests in the Church of England. They came to believe, however, that their office was not permanent, but that it terminated with the end of their pastorate. They did not disown Episcopal ordination, but they believed the validity of the ordination had passed away when the pastorate ended, and that they must be ordained again if they accepted another pastorate.
Byington says [page 161]: They also, [in accordance with the ancient canons of the Christian Church], limited the functions of the pastor by the bounds of his parish. It was provided by law, in Massachusetts, that if any minister should preach, or administer the Sacraments, outside his own parish, except by the invitation of the settled minister of that place, he should lose his salary. It was also provided by law, that if any person, not a settled minister, should exhort in any parish, without the invitation of the pastor, and a majority of the congregation, he should be put under bonds of one hundred pounds to keep the peace. [The Puritan in England and New England.]
But, as Allen notes, page 115: Notwithstanding, that the rights of conscience might be preserved inviolable, the Constitution exempts any man from contributing towards the support of any minister, regularly settled, in the town where he lives, provided he cannot conscientiously attend on his ministry, and provided, also, that there be any other minister of a different persuasion on whose ministry he does attend.
The Rev. Ebenezer Bridge, like his compeers, was a college bred man, an aristocrat in the social life of Boston and Chelmsford, who felt that for the general wellbeing of the church and com-
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munity he must maintain the high standard of his calling, as well as the laws by which it was regulated. Therefore, he and his church stoutly opposed the irregular, and, as he judged, the illiterate, preaching of lay exhorters.
In view of these facts, the following records will not be surprising. They illustrate a disturbed period in our history. While we, who breathe a more peaceful religious atmosphere, may smile at them today, they were serious matters to those engaged in them. It is by such controversies that principles of right are established.
A BOOK OF THE RECORDS OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN CHELMSFORD, 1741.
November 4, 1743.
Whereas of Late ye Chhs. in This Land have bin much Infested with Lay Exhorters, and Some ministers who have left their own Parishes & Charges, and undertaken To play ye Bishop in another man's Diocese, To The great disturbance of Towns & Chhs. and to ye breach of Christian Communion, in Such places where they have Come; and Whereas This Town and Chh have bin sorely disturbed by ye Conduct Of such persons coming among us, & preaching & exhorting In private houses-without Consent Of ye Stated pastor Of this Chh-
And Whereas One Pain, a Lawyer belonging To ye Colony of Connecticut, hath very lately bin Introduced into ye Town by John Burge & Gershom Prockter Two of The bretheren of This Communion and Invited by em and Allowed To Exhort Jn their houses; To the offending the greatest part of ye. Chh.
Therefore at ye motion and request Of Abraham Byam, & Peletiah Adams, Two Other Brethren, a Chh meeting is Called- and accordingly having mett on This day-After Prayer To God To Guide & lead us into the things wch. make for Peace-The Chh proceeded To Question John Burge & Gershom Prockter wth. Respect To this Affair-And They gave The Chh Satisfaction by Saying They were Sorry that They had so done, and designed not To do so Again-Moreover, Gershom Prockter in Discoursing wth. ye Pastor About Pains Coming, and being advised To ye Contrary, Said yt Sd Pain should not Come & preach Jn his house-Jonas Clark & Sampson Stoddard, two of the Brethren Of our Communion, being Witnesses-He Acknowledges his fault Jn This Respect also-To the Satisfaction Of chh-
But it appearing To this Chh That Diverse female Membrs. had followed Sd. Pain an Exhorter, and an Jlliterate one Too, To Westford on ye. Lord's day where they had a Separate meeting- It was Judged proper That this meeting be adjourned till Monday 7th Instant, 1 o'clock P. M. accordingly ye meeting was adjourned to yt time & ye Sisters warned to appear.
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Novr. 7. 1743.
The Chh meeting by adjoument, having opened their meeting wth. Prayer and The Sisters who have Offended ye Chh appearing -viz. Rebecca the wife of Gershom Prockter, Sarah ye wife of John Burge, widdow Mary Barrat, Widdow Thankful Foster, Elizabeth ye wife of Benja. Barrat, Sarah ye wife Of Jsrael Prockter & Sarah Burge, Junr .: The Chh proceeded to question em about ye matter-Mary Barrat was discharged fm any Offence In ye matter of Pain's exhorting Jn her house because he was Jnvited there by her son, a married man, & ye male head of ye family without her knowledge. But she with ye Others seemed to Vindicate their going after him To Westford on ye Lords day- Except Eliza. ye wife of Benja. Barrat & Sarah ye wife of Israel Prockter, who gave the Chh Satisfaction By Saying yt they did not Justify the thing, and would be more Watchful and To Endeavr to do Otherwise for ye future.
The Others in a Very Audacious manr. Justified Their Con- duct.
Wherefore After much Endeavr To bring em To a sense Of their Mis-conduct & mattr. Of grievance to this Chh, & Seeing all methods Jneffectual, They dismissed em; and The Chh Agreed yt They Should not be admitted To ye Lord's Table until they would give satisfaction. Our Sacramt. being putt Off last Sabbath on this Acct. it was Thot propr. by the Chh that Jt Should be administred next sabbath God willing-and if those sisters or Either Of them Should see their follys-and go to ye Pastor & make Such Acknowledgmt as he thot. was proper To lay before the Chh-if it was so done and The Chh Shod. think it satisfactory -it being offer'd before ye Sacramt was administred-They might be Admitted as before-
Accordingly on Saturday Widdow Mary Barrat, Sarah ye wife of John Burge, widdow Thankful Foster & Sarah Burge, Junr, Came to the Pastor and left an Acknowledgmt with him To be read before the Chh.
And on The Lord's day-before ye Administration of ye Sacrament Of ye Supper it was Read to ye Chh-As Thus We acknowledge to
"this Chh That Jn our late Conduct, we Thot not Of Offending our "Christian Brethren, and are sorry That they were offended "And do resolve and purpose for the future yt. we will be watch- "ful, and take heed lest we do Offend em in this Mattr. again.
Each of these persons acknowledged it, and the Chh was satisfied with this slight acknowledgment, since it was the first time they had Offended herein. and out Of a Desire to preserve peace.
June 22. 1747, The case of Mary Stedman was considered.
"She gave in a Paper containing, as she said, her Reasons, wch was read by ye Pastor, and afterward by Deacon Epm. Spaulding to ye Chh"
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To ye Revd. Pastor & Chh in Chelmsford-Revd. & Beloved.
Having this Opportunity to Lay before you the Reasons Why I have Withdrawn from ye Communion in this place I shall now Jmprove it.
1. Jt is my Real & Solid belief yt God hath in a Very glorious Manr. poured out his Spirit upon his pple to Convince & Convert them to himself-
2. Jt is my belief that God, in the Carrying on Of this glorious Work did Jmpower Mr. Whitefield, Tennant and Many Others Of his faithful Ambassadrs as Instruments in his hand to Carry on ye Glorious Work, and since it is ye Unhappiness Of ye Pastor & Chh in this place to Look upon these Men as Deceivers, & ye Work wch. is Carried on by em, to be a piece Of delusion is Matter Of great grief to my Soul. Knowing that he yt speaks against +'s True Ministers, and ye Work Of his holy Spirit, speaks Agt + himself .-
3. It is my Opinion That Mr Bridge in his Publick preaching is much wanting, because he delivers his discourses promiscuously, not Dividing the Word aright, giving to each one his portion in season.
4. J Cannot profit by Such Preaching, wch lays me Undr. a Necessity to Separate.
Signed Mary Stedman.
After eighteen years, on June 18, 1764, she acknowledged she had been mistaken, and was sorry, and she was restored to the Chh.
Reasons of Job and Lydia Spaulding why they absented emselves from Public worship of God on ye Lord's days among us-read before the Chh .:
To The Pastor & Chh of Chelmsford-Feb 6. 1745-6.
Revd. Sr. & Beloved Brethren these lines contain ye Reasons why I have Gone unto Concord meeting Of late-is because Yt. J am better Edified & Enlightened into Gospel Truths by hearing Mr. Bliss than by hearing Mr Bridge.
Signed-Job. Spaulding.
To the Pastor & Chh Of + Jn Chelmsford. Feby. 6. 1745-6
Revd. Sr. and Beloved Brethren These lines contain ye Reasons Why I have gone unto Concord meeting so much of late, is because J find That J am bettr. Jnlightened into ye Gospel Truths by hearing Mr. Bliss than by hearing ye Rev. Mr Bridge her signed Lydia X Spaulding mark
The Church esteemed "what they offered as a Contempt cast upon ye Chh." Against the vote of the church they approached the Lord's Table on the next Sacrament day and obliged the Church to desire their absence.
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Oct. 30. 1748 Zach. Emery did boisterously Interrupt The Rev. Mr Swan when preaching and Charged him in a bold and daring manner with preaching falsely. He afterwards made confession of his fault before the whole congregation and asked forgiveness.
Job Spaulding, who charged Mr. Bridge with preaching false doctrine, after twenty-six years acknowledged himself to blame and was restored. The pastor declared his forgiveness in 1772. " These examples well illustrate the mode of procedure against the like offenders. Allen gives an account of these cases and says [p. 115]: The church's censure of the abovesaid offenders was not for going to hear preaching "more enlightening and edifying than what they could hear in their own church"-but for violating covenant engagements in withdrawing without previous notice given to the church or attempts to remove the hindrance to edification, &c.
The preaching of Whitefield occasioned widespread disorder and internal controversy in New England, and alarmed the ministers of the Congregational order, who feared the disruption of their parishes. They were also much stirred by the preaching of Jonathan Edwards and his followers. This revival or "Great Awakening" occurred in 1740-2. The followers of Whitefield were mostly Calvinistic Methodists, but many in this region became Baptists, or, rather, Anti-paedo-baptists, that is, opposed to the baptism of children. They were also called Anabaptists, because they rebaptized those baptized in infancy. They were called Separates, because they formed separate congregations, at first in private houses; then, becoming sufficiently numerous, they built meeting houses. They differed from most Christians in holding that immersion was the only valid form of baptism.
They were also called New Lights, because they claimed to have special divine guidance. They preached and exhorted without permission from the parochial ministers, and often spoke against them. This was the beginning of religious revivals, and resulted in vigorous attempts at the conversion of the Indians. Edwards became preacher to those at Stockbridge. It also had a great effect upon the political aspect of the colonies; the Commonwealth was no longer regarded as a theocracy with unity of faith and worship, and responsible for the salvation of the souls of its people. Politics was left by the revivalists to worldly men, while the saints were to give their minds to their own personal salvation. Church and State were to be separate and distinct from each other.
George Whitefield (pronounced Whitfield) (1714-1720) was an English Evangelist and founder of the Calvinistic Methodists. In 1738, he followed the Wesleys to the Georgia Plantations, returned home and was ordained priest in the Church of England, as were the Wesleys. He differed with them theologically, the Wesleys being Arminians, but they were life-long friends. He
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made seven voyages to America, and preached in New England in 1740, 1744 and 1754. He died in Newburyport in 1770, and is buried there. "His great power was due to his delivery rather than to the matter of his discourses." "On Boston Common he addressed 20,000 people at one time, and was distinctly heard by all." Harvard College issued a "Testimony" against him, and he had the opposition of most of the local pastors.
Gilbert Tennent (1703-1766) was a Presbyterian minister, born in County Armagh, Ireland. He came to America in 1718, was ordained pastor in New Brunswick, N. J., in 1726, traveled and preached with Whitefield in New England, and died in Philadelphia.
Whitefield once preached in Chelmsford at the house of Mr. Burg or Birge, on South street. (Oliver Barron and Samuel Perham deeded to David Burg, May 8, 1766. David Burg, on the same day, deeded to Jonathan Putnam. The old house was torn down in 1817. Israel L. Putnam, who later lived there, was the son of Joseph, son of Jonathan.) B. P. Hunt records that by a singular incident Parson Bridge was an unwilling listener to the discourse. Before the hour of meeting arrived, Parson Bridge called at the house in order to dissuade the owner, if possible, from allowing it to be held. While he argued long with Mr. Birge, the crowd thronged the house to such a degree that the pastor was unable to recover his hat, which had been left in another room, and he was, therefore, unwillingly constrained to hear the sermon out with the rest. [Quoted by H. S. P.]
In "An Historical Sketch of the First Church in Boston," published in 1812, the Rev. William Emerson (father of Ralph Waldo Emerson) says: "Mr. Whitfield, who visited this country in 1740, had produced a strong sensation of a religious nature in the people on the seaboard from Maine to Georgia. This dis- tinguished and very popular man was followed in his itinerating career by Messrs. Tennent, Davenport and others who had all the zeal of their leader without his talents, and all his assurance without his address. The young European Methodist had a most sonorous and commanding voice, and this, united with a ready utterance and captivating attitudes, secured him a world of admirers. The minds of the people were highly excited. They were no longer satisfied with the cool and moderate strain of preaching practised by the generality of the New England minis- ters. They had gotten a taste for a loose, incoherent kind of sermons which contained strong appeals to the imagination and senses. These they must have, and after them they would go. Had the itinerants who followed, preceded Whitfield, probably the country might have remained quiet. But men who were incapable of raising the tempest were able, by means of dust and rubbish, to continue the troubled state of the atmosphere. All the country was agitated. A variety of disorders were the conse- quence."
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As early as 1761, there was an article in the warrant for Town Meeting to see if the Town will take action regarding those who are called Anabaptists, relating to the minister rates. They refused to pay, on the ground that they hired their own preachers. These items are from the Town records:
1772. Capt Oliver Barron was paid £2.11.9 for his services in the Gen. Ct. relating to this affair.
1774 To same for going to Boston on the affair respecting the case of the Baptists &c. £ 2:14: 8:3
To Zebulon Spaulding (in the same matter) £ 1:3:5:0
To David Spaulding £ 1:16: 5:0
To John Minott
£ 0:13: 4:0
£ 2:2:1:2
1775 To Oliver Barron £ 9: 4:10:2
for carrying on the case
with those persons called Anabaptists £13: 6: 8:0
1774 To Mr Joseph Warren ... on the case of those persons Called Anabaptists £ 0:11: 0:0
To John Minott on the case of those persons called Anabaptists £ 0:10: 0:0
1775 To Mr. Zacheus Wright of Westford for Travill and attendance at Cambridge and Charlestown Courts as an Evidence on the Case with those Persons in said town Called the Anabaptists £ 1:14: 0:0
To Mr John Robbins [in the same case] £ 3:18: 3:0
To Deacon Aaron Chamberlin £ 1:12: 6:0
To John Minott
£ 0: 2: 0:0
To Samuel Stevens Jr. £ 1:12: 0:0
To David Spaulding
£ 0: 1: 4:0
To Zebulon Spaulding £ 0:11: 1:2
To Mr John Robbins £ 0:12: 0:0
£ 0:12: 0:0 To
1776 The Town refused to Exempt them from paying the minister rate.
THE SECOND CHURCH OF CHRIST IN CHELMSFORD.
The inhabitants of the west precinct called the Reverend Willard Hall to be their minister (see "History of Westford," page 252), and agreed to give him £100 settlement and £80 a year. £50 was added to the settlement. He was ordained November 27, 1727. The Rev. Samson Stoddard preached, gave the charge and made the prayers. Benjamin Shattuck, minister of Littleton, made the ordination prayer after the sermon. Nathaniel Prentice, minister of Dunstable, made the first prayer and gave the right hand of fellowship. Thomas Parker, minister
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