USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > History of Dedham, Massachusetts > Part 6
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*The selectmen were: Elder John Hunting, Ensign Daniel Fisher, Sergeant Wil- liam Avery, Timothy Dwight, Sergeant Richard Ellis, Henry Wight and Sir Thomas Fuller.
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MEETING HOUSE
the second, Dr. Nathaniel Ames the third-Dr. Ames' pew was occupied for many years by his distinguished sons, Dr. Nathaniel Ames, Hon. Fisher Ames and his grandson, Judge Seth Ames.
The seating of the meeting-house was an ever present question which had to be settled from time to time, as the young and old, as well as men and women, had different places assigned them. Sometimes the matter was referred to the selectmen, sometimes to a committee chosen for the purpose and sometimes left to the elders and deacons. In seating the meeting-house it was agreed that the south gallery should be for men and the north gallery to be fitted with three seats for women and the other part of the gallery to be occupied by lads. The seats in the body of the meet- ing-house were divided in the middle by an aisle one half of the room being occupied by men and the other half by women. The deacons, four in number were seated on either side of the Com- munion Table, while the deacons' wives, by vote of the parish, were seated in front of the second pew on the south side of the house. It was agreed with Nathaniel Heaton in 1673 to whip dogs out of the meeting-house, to go on errands for the elders and take care of the pulpit furnishings, cushions and hour glass, for ten shillings a year.
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In 1724 it was voted to give Jarvis Pike twenty shillings for keeping the boys in order at the pulpit stairs.
A committee was appointed in April 1674 to set up a post near the meeting-house to "nayle" publications on, also to set up a con- venient horse block. In 1674 a bill was approved giving the widow Ellis and the widow Dunklin three pounds for ringing the bell and sweeping the meeting house for a year. Widows were included among church officers.
Henry White in 1694-5 was given permission to erect a small house, usually called a "noon house" near the meeting house for his convenience on the Sabbath. The laws of the Colony required the selectmen to take care of youth for their orderly and suitable behavior in the house of God. That the boys might be more care- fully watched over, it was ordered in 1675, that two seats on the north side of the meeting house, at the end of the men's seats and two seats on the south side to be before the women's seats, should be erected for the boys. In 1681 complaints having been made of the "miscarriage of the boys" in the meeting house in times of
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public worship, Ezra Morse and John Dean were chosen to inspect them and in case of any "refractory" to bring them before the selectmen to be dealt with according to law. At other times the boys were kept in order by a voluntary association of persons who agreed to watch them in rotation, a certain number of Sabbaths in the year. Voted in 1724 to give James Pike 20 shillings for keeping the boys in order at the pulpit stairs. In 1697 the seats in the upper gallery, over the women's gallery, were assigned to young women or maidens to sit in and the short seats by the pul- pit stairs, on the south side of the meeting house were made con- venient seats for boys. In March 1700 the town passed a resolve to enlarge the meeting house by the addition of from twelve to fourteen feet on the west side and for the purpose a grant of thirty pounds was made to be paid in money, labor or grain, wheat at five shillings a bushel; rye at four shillings; corn at three shillings and labor at two shillings a day. A few pews were first put into the meeting house in 1702-3 and at the same time a committee was empowered to make seats for boys and girls, "as they may judge most comly and convenient."
John Aldis and Peter Hanchett in behalf of themselves and their neighbors in Roxbury, who attended church in Dedham, gave five pounds toward the expense of repairing the meeting house in 1702-3. Sergeant Thomas Metcalf is paid one shilling for "nayls he lent for altering the seats in the meeting house." The curfew bell was introduced in 1680 when the town voted to employ a "meeteperson" to ring the bell at 9 p. m. There were still difficul- ties in seating the meeting house and many complaints were made that in public worship on the Sabbath, and at other times, many intruded themselves into seats that had been assigned to other persons. To put a stop to this practise the selectmen ordered, in 1675, that all persons be required to attend the worship of God in the seats assigned them, or pay a fine of five shillings for each of- fense, one third of the fine to be paid to the informant and two thirds to the town. Asahel Smith a prominent citizen, the town's first treasurer, was fined, in 1683, eleven shillings and eight pence for his disorderly setting in the meeting house. The meeting house was a singular structure, entered through three porches and having three flights of stairs. Within a double run of galleries
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a raised platform with seats along the north and south walls; the floor occupied with seats and a few pews built at the expense of the occupants. The pulpit was on the west side. The room was finished in the rough and never lathed or plastered.
THIRD MEETING HOUSE. A new meeting house, to be erected on the site of its predecessor, was voted March 16, 1761, to be built sixty feet long, forty-six feet wide; its height to be de- termined by its architectural proportions. The structure to have a steeple for a bell to be erected on the north side on High Street. Mr. Haven preached, in the words of Dr. Ames, "a pretty affec- tive funeral sermon for the old meeting house" on June 6, 1762, which the members of the parish assembled to pull down the following morning "and great was the fall thereof." Remembering with reverence the old meeting house, which had served the parish for ninety years, there was a goodly number of spectators present, both men and women, to witness the proceedings. In the evening the youth of the town made it a gala occasion into which they en- tered most heartily. On June 20th Mr. Haven preached to the as- sembled people from his door steps on High Street. The first tim- ber was laid on June 24, 1762, the north sill, in accordance with a vote of the parish, occupied the precise place of the north sill in the old meeting house. The citizens assembled on June 28th, to raise the new meeting house which occupied four days. The rais- ing of a meeting house at that time was always a great event. Each citizen was expected to take part in, or contribute to the raising of the new meeting house. At that time nails were wrought by hand and consequently were scarce. It was a custom in the early time to require each male inhabitant to supply a cer- tain amount of "nayls" in the building of a meeting house. On July 18, 1762 the new meeting house was sufficiently advanced to allow of public services and on that date Mr. Haven preached the first sermon in the new meeting house, which was not fully com- pleted until the later part of 1763.
The structure was built of seasoned oak and pine timber which is sound today after a period of nearly one hundred and seventy five years. There were fifty pews on the lower floor, which were disposed of as follows: The person paying the highest parish tax had the first choice, the second highest the second
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choice and so on to the end of the list; the condition of the sale being that the purchaser, and his heirs, should hold and enjoy the pew as long as they continued to pay the parish tax for the sup- port of the minister-a custom which long continued. Thus every pew holder was a tax payer to the parish. In the sale of pews Samuel Dexter had the first choice. The pews were built large and square and the seats were hung on hinges. When more pews were wanted nineteen were erected in the back part of the galleries along the walls, the other part containing free seats, those on the north, and a part of the east gallery, being assigned to the women, and those on the south to men. The "body seats" four in number, on each side of the aisle occupied the lower floor in advance of the pews. The pew at the foot of the pulpit stairs was reserved for the minister's family. The pulpit was in the cen- ter of the west side of the meeting house as now, and very near the pulpit, along the east side was a deep gallery for the singers. Im- mediately under the pulpit were the deacons' seats, and above them, and entered from the pulpit stairs, the elders' seats occu- pied by the time-honored members, and those hard of hearing were seated so high that their heads were on a level with the pulpit. The seats in the pews were on hinges, turning up when the people were in prayer and quite likely to come down with a bang when the congregation was again seated. The young women of the Parish furnished a velvet cushion for the pulpit and curtains for the windows for which they received the thanks of the Society. The Psalm, from the old New England version, after the manner of the day, was read line by line by one of the Deacons as it was being sung, a custom which continued until 1785 when it was abolished by a vote of the Parish. In 1764 the old version of the Psalms was exchanged for that of Tate and Brady which in turn was exchanged in 1793 for that of Dr. Watts. In 1882 the Parish unanimously voted to introduce the New York Edition of Watts' Psalms & Hymns. In 1766 it was voted that Mr. Ebenezer Ri- chards, who usually led in singing, be desired to set on the Lord's Day in the seat under the pulpit, and that he have the liberty of nominating members to sit with him to assist in carrying on the singing. He organized a choir of nine persons. Now that music, both vocal and instrumental, is rated as a spiritual essential in
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MEETING HOUSE
worship, equal in importance to prayer and the sermon, the devel- opment of music in the First Church in Dedham is of interest. The founders of the church were diligent readers of the Bible, which abounds in songs of praise and thanksgiving and joy, so they were willing to have Psalm singing in the church service but strenuously opposed to the introduction of instrumental music. Not until 1790 was there any instrumental music in the church service, when the parish voted to admit an instrument of music into public worship to "strengthen the bass." Mr. Abner Ellis was invited to make use of the instrument which was soon fol- lowed by the flute and fiddle* and in 1823 came the fine-toned pipe organ. The organ was built by Eben Goodrich, had a ma- hogany case and gilded front pipes. It had one row of keys but no pedal bass. The Cheshire Collection of Hymns was introduced into the church service in 1848.
The old clock which long graced the third meeting house, with the old pulpit and sofa, relics of other days, are now in the collection of the Dedham Historical Society.
It was many years before the readings from the Bible formed a part of the Sunday services in Puritan churches. In 1785 Mrs. Catherine Barnard, daughter of the Rev. Samuel Dexter, pre- sented the Dedham Church with a Bible on condition that the reading of a portion of it should form hereafter a part of the reli- gious exercises on the Lord's Day. The gift was gratefully ac- cepted and a vote was passed to request the Reverend Mr. Haven to read from time to time such portions as he should judge "most desirable" and of such length as the several seasons of the year and other circumstances might render proper.
THE DEXTER CLOCK. Our ancestors previous to the 19th century measured time by the sundial, hour-glass and noon-mark. Clocks were considered a luxury and were not early found except in the homes of the well-to-do. They were rarely, if ever used in churches before 1800, but the Dedham Church was an exception. As early as 1763 the clock which now adorns the walls of the Ded- ham Historical Society, was hung in the meeting-house of the First Church in Dedham. It was the gift of Samuel Dexter, Esq.,
*The innovation of instrumental music grieved several old men who opposed it; one of whom determined once more in his lifetime to hear his maker praised without such a profane accomplishment and to accomplish that purpose he secretly rubbed tallow on the strings of the instrument. See Worthington's History of Dedham page 145.
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the eldest son of the Rev. Samuel Dexter, minister of the Church, 1724-1755. This clock was used until about 1820 when the meet- ing-house was repaired and many changes effected. The Parish Records show that on July 6, 1764 Samuel Dexter was given "Lib- erty to employ a workman to cut away part of the Breast Work of the Front Gallery in the Meeting House, in order to put up a clock which he has purchased and proposes to present to the Parish, which it may be necessary to cut away for that Pur- pose." September 28th the thanks of the Parish were unani- mously given to Mr. Dexter for his gift. The case of the clock is made of pine, the lower part in imitation of Chinese or Japanese lacquer work, a style said to have been popular in England dur- ing the early part of the 17th century. At this time the interior of the meeting-house was in harmony with the usage of the times in New England with the elevated pulpit and seats reserved for the elders and deacons, and square pews for the hearers. Within, no cushions or carpet or stoves or furnace or organ to invite to worship. This was the condition as late as Mr. Bates' ministry.
Changes in the meeting-house were also made in 1857 re- taining in its main parts the old structure somewhat modified as we see it today. Twelve feet were added in 1819-20 to the length of the house and new windows and doors were put in. The front gallery was lowered several feet to make room for a new organ and give better accommodations to the choir; New circular pews were added lined with worsted damask and furnished with cush- ions, the floor of the house carpeted, the woodwork paneled and the walls and ceiling tastefully painted in fresco. Not before Mr. Bates' ministry was the meeting-house heated, there was neither furnace nor stove; but foot stoves were used by the women, which were replenished at noon time with coals at the minister's house, which was opposite, or at some other friendly house within con- venient distance. A vestry was provided in 1828 for the use of the Sunday School and libraries. It was originally a temporary dining hall connected with the Norfolk House. It was poorly ventilated and lighted and in 1856 was displaced by a carefully de- signed and commodious vestry, which in 1929 underwent exten- sive changes, through the generosity of Roger D. Smith and is now the beautiful parish house of the church. The "Town Clock",
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so called, was the gift of the Hon. Edward Dowse and Mrs. Shaw. It was made by Simon Willard of Roxbury and cost five hundred dollars. The interior clock was given by Mr. John and Capt. Sam- uel Doggett, Jr. Committees were chosen to wait on the donors and thank them, and to inform them that the first and second choice of pews would be given respectively to the givers of the two clocks. Both of these timepieces are still in use and in good running order. The shining vane on the meeting house spire showed the town's people the direction of the wind so they could judge what weather to expect and plan their work accordingly. The Sunday before occupying the renovated edifice, a meeting of the members was held to discuss and decide the matter as to whether the congregation should stand and face the choir or pul- pit during the singing of the hymns. One of the speakers, Thomas Sherwin, the principal of the Boston High School, argued that the music would sound better if the faces were toward the choir, as that was the most natural position for the ear to receive sound, and so it was decided. The custom prevailed for many years, in New England churches, for the congregation to stand after the benediction while the minister left the pulpit and walked out of the meeting-house ahead of the congregation. The services in the winter were held in the morning and evening, but in the after- noon, instead of the evening in the summer.
Extensive changes in the meeting-house were made in 1819-20 when the roof was turned from its position north and south to its present position east and west. The steeple on the High Street end was taken down and a new one built on the east side.
The present meeting-house has served not only as a place for holding religious services through the years, but also as a town house for transacting the business of the town, as well as early sessions of the court, and public meeting generally.
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CHAPTER VI
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY
H AVING established their civil government and made marked progress in the building of a meeting house, it was thought wise and agreeable in 1637, that such inhabitants of Dedham, then numbering some thirty families, as desired church communion should meet every fifth day of the week, (Thursday) in their homes, in order lovingly to discuss and council together on such questions as might further tend to establish a peaceable and com- fortable civil government and prepare for a separate communion in a church society. All of the inhabitants were invited to attend these gatherings, that they might become acquainted with each others "gifts and graces." The following order was adopted in conducting the meetings. The question to be discussed having been previously agreed upon, the meeting was opened and closed with prayer. The first speaker was followed by such others as saw cause to add or enlarge upon the subject under consideration, or to propose a question pertinent to the subject, or any objection or doubts of conscience. So it was humbly and with a teachable heart and not with any mind of cavaling or contradicting that they met. This order was so well observed that all reasonings were generally of a peaceable, loving and tender order to the edi- fication of the company. These meetings were kept up during the early years of the settlement. A full statement is given by Mr. Allin of many questions discussed and the answers given includ- ing a question, "What is a Church"? The answer given fully substantiates the definition of a church given by Chief Justice Shaw, made many years later. Mr. Allin records the answer as follows; A number of visible saints or believers who agree to live together in spiritual communion for the sake of enjoying the ordi- nance .* The company first met for religious worship under one of the large trees of the forest believed to have stood near the site of the present meeting house of the First Parish, although
* As the Dedham records give a complete account of the origin of this, a purely Congregational Church, the genesis is here given step by step. Mr. Allin who made the record was an authority, having written on the subject. His writings were highly appreciated by the clergy of his day.
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located by some on the east side of Dwight's Brook near the house of John Dwight. Those among the Dedham settlers who were members of the Watertown Church requested a dismission with Mr. Thomas Carter as teacher thus founding the church, but their request was denied.
In the summer of 1638 Mr. John Allin, who had been invited by the whole town to settle among them, "with thoughts of future employment in publik worke" by common consent was invited to undertake, with such others as he saw fit to associate with him, the organization of a church. He chose as an assistant Mr. Ralph Wheelock, an early Dedham settler. Mr. Wheelock was a graduate of Clare Hall, Cambridge, England, a dissenting preacher who left England when the tide of persecution ran highest.
Mr. Allin and Mr. Wheelock then united in inviting eight per- sons, in their opinion the most suitable for church membership, to unite with them in setting apart a day of solemn fasting and prayer to prepare themselves for laying the foundation of a church. The persons named united with them and the ten then proceeded to choose church members. The company first re- quested Mr. Allin to leave the room that the remaining nine might elect or reject him. So each man in turn went from the room that he might be elected or rejected. The result was that only six out of the ten were selected. The ten continued many meets for some time longer and finally added Edward Allyne and John Hunting making the list as follows: John Allin, Ralph Whee- lock, John Luson, John Frary, Eleazer Lusher, Robert Hinsdale, Edward Allyne, and John Hunting. These men constituted the original Church of Christ in Dedham.
The selection for membership in the church having been made a meeting of the inhabitants of the plantation was called. The intention of forming a church was stated to the assembly and the names of the proposed members given. A request was then made that if any one knew any good reason why they should not pro- ceed to organize a church "to come forward and deliver it." Ob- jections were made to several persons but during the meeting these objections were satisfactorily cleaned up. Frequent meet- ings to draw up a church covenant "the applied means to knit the
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church society together" were held during the fall with the adop- tion of the following Covenant.
COVENANT* adopted November 8, 1638 .- We whose names are subscribed having found by woeful experience ye unsteadfast- nes of our harts with God and proneness to goe astray from his waies, (for which we desyre to abase and humble ourselues in his presence), and desyring to be joyned forever to ye Lord, and to cleaue together in spirituall loue and communion accord- ing to his holy institution that we might inj[oy] in his name such holy helpes as ye Lord Jesus in wisdome and compassion haue ordayned in his gospell for his people therby to lett out him- selfe unto them, and to build them up in faith and holynes, till he haue prepared them for everlasting communion with himselfe.
We doe, therfore, in ye name and presence of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, and before his people here assembled solemnly enter into covenant with ye Lord our God professing and acknowledging ye Lord Jesus Christ our blessed Redeemer, to be ye only priest, phophett, and king of his church, and (through ye help of his grace) his only meritt we rest upon for our pardon and peace with the fath his only teaching and righteous government with all the blessed ordinances of his kingdome we doe imbrace and submit unto in all things as ye only rule of our liues : renouncing all our owne righteousness with all ye Doctrines, devices and commandments of men not agreing with his holy word. Especially all ye supersticious and tyranous commands of anti- Christ and his adharents wherin we haue in any kind been intangled. Professing and promising (through ye helpe of his rich and fre grace), henceforth not to liue unto ourselfes but unto the Lord Jesus who haue bought us with his blood avoiding carefully all such things as be offenciue to his majesty and dis- honourable to our profession of his name, with all such danger- ous temptations as our sinfull harts are wont to be drawne aside withall, in speciall ye inordinate cares of, and entanglements in ye affaires of this life. Promising and professing allso, through ye helpe of ye Lord, to live together in this our holy fellowship according to ye rule of loue in all holy watchfullness over each oth- er and faithfull mutuall helpfullness in ye waies of God, for ye spi-
*New covenants were adopted May 23, 1683; March 4, 1742; 1767; and April 11, 1793. all of which are printed in full in the 1878, Manual of the Allin Congregational Church.
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Top, ST. MARY'S CHURCH; left center, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH: right center, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE HOUSE; bottom. RIVERDALE CHURCH
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Top, ST. JOHN'S CHURCH; left center, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH; right. center, ALLEN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH; bottom, CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
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rituall and temporall comfort and good of one an other in the lord. And all to ye setting forth of ye praise of his rich grace in Christ who haue caled us in his abundant mercy to this holy fellowship with his majesty and one with onother.
Having thus prepared the way for entering into a church covenant November 8, 1638 was set apart for the founding of their church. Letters were sent to magistrates and churches giving notice of their intention and requesting their countenance and encouragement. In acknowledgment of this request the General Court informed them that no church should be gathered without the advise of other churches and consent of the magistrates. Being ever on the alert to guard their rights and liberties they saw in the General Court's order a possible prejudice "to the lib- erty of god's people and some seeds of usurpation upon liberties of ye gospell" so they called upon the governor for an explanation. They were informed that there was no intention to abridge their liberty in gathering a church privately, as if it was unlawful, or that such a church was not a true church and rightly gathered. The letter sent to the churches requested their presence and spir- itual help. An order of service was arranged for the day which was spent in solemn prayer and fasting. Mr. Wheelock prayed and then Mr. Allin in way of exercising gifts spoke to the assembly. Each of the eight persons constituting the church, then made a public profession of their faith and grace. Mr. Allin addressed the assembled church council and desired them to speak plainly and faithfully concerning what they had seen and heard. The elders of the assembled churches then conferred together and their find- ings were given to the assembly by the Rev. Mr. Mather of Dor- chester, who said they saw nothing to move them to desist, and closed with a most loving exhortation, after which Mr. Allin dis- missed the assembly. The elders then gave the eight members of the church, the right hand of fellowship, in token of their acceptance into communion. This church in the words of Mr. Allin was "sett up as a spiritual house."
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