USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > History of Dedham, Massachusetts > Part 9
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Were the Parish and the members of the Church who stood with the Parish justified in following Dr. William Ellery Channing, the leader of liberal thought? This question is answered by the march of time. Prof. Joseph Haroutunian, lecturer on religion at Wellesley College says, "William Ellery Channing battled against the Calvinistic orthodoxy of New England and emerged victorious. He did his work so well that when it was complete, Calvinism was disgraced and was set aside by most of the pro- gressive people in and around Boston. The fundamental prin- ciples of Channing's faith have become axiom of "liberal religion" and are accepted by all those who seek to interpret Christianity in the spirit of the modern world. Channing has proved to be
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the pioneer and prophet of modern Christianity. He was the first great exponent of "ethical theism" which has now become the orthodox theology of Christian religion."
The Rev. Alvan Lamson, the last town minister, was the son of John and Hannah (Ayres) Lamson and was born in Weston, Massachusetts, November 18, 1792. His emigrant ancestor was William Lamson whose early home was in County Durham, in England. Mr. Lamson graduated from Harvard Divinity School in 1817. He attained a high rank in scholarship during his whole college course. Harvard College conferred upon him the degree of D. D. in 1837. During his long ministry he performed all parish duties with faithfulness and diligence and won not only the regard and love of his parishioners but of his fellow citizens as well. He was an excellent preacher and with-all eminently qualified to be a town minister, among a people engaged in agricultural pursuits; he was born on a farm, on which he worked until he left home to enter Phillips Academy at Andover to prepare for College. He continued during his long life to be interested in agriculture and horticulture, "every rock, tree, stream, and the very soil" became a part of his life.
The Schools of Dedham claimed his attention and "probably no citizen of the town ever took a deeper interest in the schools or worked harder to raise their character and standard". The establishment of the Dedham High School, after much contention, was due in no small measure to his persistent effort. Having been an instructor himself he had broad sympathy and under- standing with each teacher and pupil in the public schools. He was a member of the Dedham School Committee for twenty-four years. He was active in maintaining the Parish Library and helped to organize reading circles of a more restricted character. In addition to his parish duties he devoted himself to literary and historical pursuits. He engaged in editorial work with other prominent clergymen of his denomination. He was a member of the Massachusetts Historical Society and the first President of the Dedham Historical Society, a position which he held as long as he lived.
Happily in the course of his long ministry, the ill feeling which marked its beginning gradually passed away and at the end of his ministry he was able to say, "Friendly relations have
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long been re-established between the members of the two societies -the old and the new which, it is pleasing to repeat, are now liv- ing together in peace. If I understand myself I have no bitter- ness of nature, and he under whose auspices the new Society has grown up and attained its present prosperous condition, has, if I understand him, as little, and the pastors can extend to each other the friendly hand, and the people give the kindly greeting. And so may it ever be."
Mr. Lamson* married July 11, 1825, Frances Fidelia, daugh- ter of Artimas Ward, Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. Mr. Lamson's death occurred July 18, 1864. His successors in the Dedham Pulpit have been: Rev. Benjamin H. Bailey, Rev. George Mckean Folsom, Rev. Seth C. Beach, Rev. William H. Fish, Jr., Rev. J. Worsley Austin, Rev. Roger S. Forbes, Rev. Wil- liam H. Parker, Rev. Charles R. Joy, and Rev. Lyman V. Rutledge. CHURCH PROPERTY AND FUNDS. In 1638 one acre of ground, on which the meeting house now stands, was obtained by the town in exchange with Joseph Kingsbury for the purpose of erecting a meeting house thereon. In 1641 John Phillips sold to the Church three acres, being another part of the same lot which had been sold to him by Kingsbury. The same year (1641) the said Kingsbury, upon a certain consideration granted to the Church the remaining three acres lying between the parcel last named and the acre before relinquished for the meeting house. In this way the Church came into possession of the whole square bounded by Court, High and Bullard Streets and Village Avenue. After this grant, donations in land or money, were from time to time made by the Proprietors, or individuals, the purpose being sometimes specified "for the use and accommodation of a teach- ing Church office"; later defined by the Commonwealth as "a preacher of morality and religion." The grants were made to help support the minister and not to "a number of visible saints" as Mr. Allin defined the Church.
Mr. Dexter in his pastorate had the use of all the lands. Whether his predecessors, however, enjoyed the same privilege is unknown.
* The admirable portrait of Dr. Lamson, which hangs at the right of the pulpit in the First Church, was painted by Mr. Matthew Wilson, and presented to the Church, October 29, 1858, on the fortieth anniversary of his settlement.
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The funds of the Dedham Church are managed by the Dea- cons, as trustees, who hold the same in trust, to be employed by them, under supervision of the Church, for the support of public worship, for the general good of the members of the Parish. The property now consists of the meeting house, parish house, the Church square, together with eighty-five acres of wood land and about fifty thousand dollars in invested funds.
THE ALLIN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. The members of the First Church in Dedham who were dissatisfied with the ordi- nation of the Rev. Alvan Lamson issued a letter missive calling a Council of neighboring Churches to meet in Dedham on November 18, 1818 representing that body as brought into circumstances of great trial, difficulty and affliction - left as sheep without a shepherd-standing in peculiar need of advice, assistance and prayers of sister Churches. *Obedient to this call sixteen Churches with pastors and delegates assembled at the appointed time.
On November 15, 1818 a meeting of the Church connected with the Parish was called and the action of the Parish was accept- ed as an accomplished fact in the election of the Parish minister to the pastorate of the Church, by an affirmative vote of twenty- one. At the same meeting a motion to admit the Pastor elect to the fellowship of the Church was carried by an affirmative vote of twenty-three, a majority of five of the voting members of the Church. A Committee appeared before the Council representing the First Church which had elected Dr. Lamson their pastor. A portion of the Council (how many does not appear) were in favor of accepting the action of the Church and recommended a return to the Parish, but a majority of the Council declined to receive the Committee. The Council after two days spent in reviewing the proceedings of the ordination of Dr. Lamson gave no definite advice to the Church members. The first clause of their Results, as reported by the scribe, was penned by a member who on the whole thought it expedient to advise the church to unite under the Parish minister. Most of the Council, as stated by the scribe, would have been willing to use much stronger language, but assented to this in the hope of being unanimous in the whole
* For the political aspect of the controversy see "The Great Church Fight" page 286, Warren's Jacobin and Junto, 1931.
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result. Eight voted in the negative on the adoption of the Results. There must have been a strong dominating Calvinistic spirit among the Council, as in less than seven years, the American Uni- tarian Association was organized and ten of the sixteen Churches, which constituted the Council, became members of the Unitarian Association. As ministers at that time were settled for life over Congregational Churches, there could have been no great change, if any, in the personnel of these churches. The Council advised the Church to consult the dictates of conscience in attending public worship and Christian ordinances and closed with the following statement: Christian Brethren: Instead of more defi- nite advise, which you may have expected, and which we would have gladly imparted, we can only in addition, recommend to you, "the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edify another. Let a spirit of candor and benevolence, be che- rished in all your private and social intercourse, and in all your civil and sacred concerns." Only let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether we come and see you or else be absent, we hear of your affairs that ye stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. Those who left the Parish and Church were largely descended from English ancestors of whom it had been said "when an Eng- lishman thinks he's right it is easier to kill him than to change his mind."
The dissatisfied members assembled for public worship in the Haven House opposite the First Parish meeting house where they continued religious services until the completion of their meeting house in 1819. A Church was organized disconnected from the First Parish having a new "Creed and Covenant", although some of the leading members of the Church were instru- mental in making the covenant of 1793 which was now rejected.
This Society was incorporated in February, 1822, as the "New Meeting House Society" and in 1864 the name was changed to "The Allin Evangelical Society". Those who on August 31, 1818 voted against the call to Dr. Lamson and seceded from the Church and Parish claimed to be the "First Church in Dedham" and so styled themselves in all ecclesiastical proceedings for more than fifty years. In 1876 the name First Congregational Church in Dedham was adopted. As an incorporation under this name
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was impossible, as well as that under the name of "The First Church in Dedham," the present name, the Allin Congregational Church, was adopted and the Church incorporated in 1929.
During the year 1819 steps were taken to build a meeting house and in an exceedingly short time the present commodious edifice of the Allin Congregational Church was erected and dedi- cated on December 30, 1819. The meeting house was built at a cost of nearly ten thousand dollars by forty-three contributors, none of whom had large means. It was at first a simple structure hardly more than four walls with windows and a central door, but through the years it has been developed into the fine and attractive edifice of today. The pews originally had high backs with wall pews facing the center. They were unpainted and fur- nished with doors. There was a pew in each rear corner assigned to colored people. The pulpit was a round white painted structure considerably elevated with a stairway and door for entrance. After a lapse of twenty-five years the Church was renovated; the pews painted and the walls frescoed. A pulpit of polished rosewood and a rosewood communion table were put in place with the car- peting of the floor and pews. For heating there were two large sheet iron wood-burning stoves from which on cold winter morn- ings the old ladies on their arrival would fill their foot stoves with a goodly supply of hot coals. The cellar was paved with wooden blocks and served as a shelter for horses. An orchestra, previous to 1852, in which year an organ was purchased, furnished the music from the arch back of the pulpit. The Church and chapel were lighted by whale oil chandeliers. In 1857 a new three-manual organ was placed in the gallery built in the rear of the pulpit.
The Rev. Ebenezer Burgess, the first minister of the Church, graduated from Brown University, with high rank in scholarship in 1809 and from the Andover Theological School in 1815. Hav- ing completed his studies at Andover he became Professor of Mathematics in the University of Vermont. In the summer of 1820 he commenced to fill the pulpit in Dedham and the follow- ing year accepted a call to the church. He was one of the most stately and conservative of American preachers. He always wore black gloves in the pulpit. His sermons were written and of a. doctrinal nature which required close attention to follow. He was a man of independent means and erected at his own expense a 1
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chapel which was attached to the meeting house. He was ordained March 14, 1821 "before a numerous, serious and attentive assem- bly". At the ordination the Rev. Thomas Noyse read the result of the council in the following memorable words: "We ordained and declared the Rev. Ebenezer Burgess to be the Pastor of the ancient First Church of Christ in Dedham." The Council thus became primarily responsible for publicly defying the Supreme Court of Massachusetts* in a statement unlawful, unethical and untenable the Court having unanimously ruled that the Church connected with the Parish was the First Church in Dedham and a Church separating from a Parish for any cause lost its existence. It is the defiance of law, when it does not meet one's peculiar no- tions, that has brought about the wide-spread disrespect for law which we witness today. Prof. Platner, Brown Professor of Ecclesiastic History, Andover Theological School, has said, "In point of law which is after all what the Court had to pass upon, it is difficult to see how any decision was possible than the one actually made."
During the forty years of Dr. Burgess's ministry in Dedham he commanded the respect of his fellow citizens and the unwaver- ing confidence and affection of his parishioners. Theologically he differed but little from Jonathan Edwards and during his min- istry preached extreme Calvinism. He was very strict in his denominationalism and had no fellowship with the work of the other churches in the town. He carried this strictness to such an extent as a refusal to take part in funeral services with Dr. Lamson, but served with him on the School Committee. The first temperance meeting in Dedham was on Dr. Burgess's invi- tation. He was interested in music and encouraged the holding of singing schools year after year. He was among the first in Dedham to advocate an institution for savings and when it was instituted he became the first President and held the office until his death. While Dr. Burgess had scholarly tastes he refrained from frequent contributions to the press and whenever given were invariably anonymous. He edited the "Dedham Pulpit" made up of a selection of sermons including his Centennial Discourse
* The decision of the Court was "that the members of the church who withdrew from the parish, ceased to be the first church in Dedham, and that all the rights and duties of that body, relative to property entrusted to it, devolved upon those mem- bers who remained with and adhered to the parish."
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delivered November 8, 1836. "Our Fathers Honored and Useful to Posterity."
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Dr. Burgess was greatly devoted to home missionary work which he reviews in his fortieth anniversary sermon as follows: Much labor has been expended on the youthful and changing popu- lation in the manufacturing villages in the eastern parts of our town. No work of mine was more gratefully accepted, or richly rewarded, or has so died out of the memory of the living. Scores of sermons did I preach in school-houses and dining halls at East Dedham* and Readville and the Bible classes were long sustained. Hundreds of evenings, dark and cold, were devoted to these serv- ices and as a result more than one hundred were added to this church. Dr. Burgess married May 22, 1823, Abigail Bromfield, daughter of Lieutenant Governor William Phillips. He died De- cember 7, 1870.
From time to time in recent years the two Societies-"The Old and The New" have observed union services together. As Dr. Lamson spoke of the friendly relation long re-established so the Rev. Mr. Butler, late pastor of the Allin Congregational Church, said: "From time to time the two Churches have observed together historical occasions, also in later years have joined cor- dially for distinct religious services. Most recently of all, the present Tercentenary was observed in May of this year, by a Union Service held in the First Parish Church, to which the con- gregation of the Allin Church came in a processional march across High Street, continuing with the waiting congregation there, in friendly fellowship and in thanksgiving to God for the historic days and ways gone by." In recent years an annual exchange of pulpits has been made by the ministers of the two societies show- ing a mutual sympathy and understanding between the two churches and an appreciation of the inheritance of the ancient church. The ministers of the Allin Congregational Church have been: Rev. Ebenezer Burgess, Rev. Jonathan Edwards, Rev. Charles M. Southgate, Rev. Joseph B. Seabury, Rev. Edward H. Rudd, Rev. George M. Butler, Rev. J. Frank Robinson.
ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. This is one of the earliest Episcopal Churches in New England, being one of the twelve parishes out of which the Diocese of Massachusetts was formed
* Dr. Burgess built at his own expense a Chapel at East Dedham. 1
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in 1784. The first religious services, after the order of the Church of England, were held in 1731 in the home of Joseph Smith on Summer Street in West Dedham. At that time the southerly part of Dedham was greatly agitated and subsequently divided over the question of forming a parish and selecting a minister. It was evidently thought by some that this contending people might be united in a church of the Episcopal order. Of several petitions presented to the General Court at this time the first petition was headed by Joseph Smith.
The first services of the Church of England were conducted by the Rev. Timothy Cutler, D. D., rector of Christ Church in Boston, who represented the English Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. In his report to the Society made April 5, 1732, he wrote, "that he had lately, at the desire of some of the inhabitants, preached twice on two Sundays at Dedham and that he had very large and attentive audiences." In 1734 Dr. Cutler baptised five children. In the same year six persons had their ministerial tax abated on the ground that they carried on the worship of God in the way of the established Church of England. In 1734 an unsuccessful attempt was made to build a church, but the proposed location is not known.
Later services were held at the First Parish which resulted in the establishment of the Episcopal Church in Dedham. The Rev. Dr. Miller of Braintree, the missionary of the English Society reported July 2, 1757 that he had officiated several times at Dedham, where there is a number of steady, professed mem- bers of our church. He further stated that "Mr. Samuel Colburn, late of this town, hath by his will left an acre of land to build a church on and £200 of that currency towards the building of it; and hath likewise left an estate of 111 acres of land with a house and barn on it to the endowment of the church, after the death of his mother, a woman in years; and that the estate hath lately been appraised, by persons upon oath at between £700 and £800 sterling, a handsome bequest from one who was only a private sentinel in the providential troops in the summer preceding, and died in the expedition against Crown Point. He made this bequest because he was displeased with the religious conduct and opinions of his 'neighbors and relatives.' Mr. Colburn's farm included
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the greater part of what is now the center of Dedham and is leased for nine hundred and ninety-nine years.
In 1757 this small band of Episcopalians commenced the agi- tation of building a church which was begun in July, 1758 and was first opened for services the Sunday after Easter in 1761.
The building was thirty by forty feet, built of rough boards, shingled and glazed but unplastered and without seats. The Church was then called Christ Church and was located near the corner of Court and Church streets. After the completion of the Church Dr. Cutler visited Dedham occasionally preaching to a con- siderable congregation. He died in 1765 after which the Rev. Dr. Miller took charge of the services here. He was later succeeded by the Rev. Edward Winslow who arranged with William Clark to become a lay reader of the Stoughton (Ponkapoag) and Dedham Churches. At that time the Dedham Church had ten families and eleven communicants. Services were held once a month except in very bad winter weather. i
Mr. Clark graduated at Harvard in the class of 1759 and was educated to be like his father, the Rev. Peter Clark of Danvers, a Congregational clergyman. He commenced his labors in Dedham August 16, 1767. He later went to England and was ordained on December 18, 1768 by the Bishop of London. He returned to America in 1769 as a missionary and again took up his service, alternating Sundays in Dedham and Stoughton. In 1772 he took leave of his people in Stoughton and removed to Dedham.
The Revolution involved those who worshipped after the order of the Church of England in difficulties. A law was passed in 1777 forbidding prayers for the King's Majesty. The church was closed and during the war was used as "a depository of mili- tary stores." Mr. Clark was an ardent royalist. He wrote, "I pray that God may open the eyes of an infatuated and deluded people before it be too late, that they may see how nearly their happiness is connected with a subjection to the king and parlia- ment of Great Britain." At a town meeting held May 29, 1777 Mr. Clark, with three of his church were declared hostile to the United States. They were taken prisoners on June 5th and carried to Boston. Mr. Clark gave bail but the others were put in jail. The charge made against Mr. Clark was based on a letter giving information to two loyalists where they might flee for protec-
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tion in another county. For this offence he was brought before the Revolutionary Tribunal in Boston. He was required to swear alle- giance to the Commonwealth which he refused to do. For this refusal he was condemned to banishment and confiscation of his estate, and sent on board a guard ship in Boston Harbor where he remained for about ten weeks. Through the intervention of Dr. Nathaniel Ames a passport was procured on June 10, 1778 which was brought to him by Fisher Ames. He took leave of his friends in Dedham and subsequently sailed for England. After the war he returned to Nova Scotia and finally lived in Quincy, Massachusetts, where he died in 1815.
The official records of the parish began again in 1791 when the Rev. William Montague of Boston was elected rector at a salary of £100. He was to preach acceptably every Sunday pro- vided the sum could be secured; if not, he was to preach in pro- portion to what he received. An organ was built in the church in 1795. In 1797 the church was moved from Court Street to Franklin Square where it collapsed. Through the aid of others than Episcopalians a new building was erected. In 1821 the Rev. Isaac Boyle was instituted rector by Bishop Griswold. He was succeeded by Samuel B. Babcock, a lay reader, at the time pur- suing his theological studies. Dr. Babcock began his service in Dedham in August 1832 and continued until his death in 1873. He was greatly beloved by his people. In 1844 under his leader- ship the parish voted to build a new church. It was located at the corner of Court Street and Village Avenue. The building had great beauty ; its tower was a copy of that of St. Magdalen's Col- lege at Oxford and was named St. Paul's Church. On Sunday, December 7, 1856, it was destroyed by fire. The loss was a terrible blow to the Society. On June 23, 1857 the corner stone of the present church was laid by Bishop Eastburn. The church is built of Dedham granite and its design is Gothic of the early English order. The brick chapel across the street from the church was built with a bequest left for the purpose by Dr. George E. Hatton. The beautiful and well equipped parish house was given in 1921 in memory of Madeline Lee by her husband, Mr. George C. Lee. and their sons. In 1925 a new and beautiful organ was installed in the church as a gift from over two hundred and fifty parishion- ers and friends. The successors to the Rev. Dr. Babcock have
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been : Rev. Daniel Goodwin, Rev. Arthur B. Backus, Rev. Reginald H. Starr, Rev. James P. Hawkes, Rev. Francis Lee Whittemore. ST. JOHN'S METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. With the development of industries at Mill Village and vicinity, Methodist meetings were held in the Dedham Low Plain School House (Read- ville) by the Rev. Enoch Mudge in 1817. Mr. Mudge was pastor of a church in Boston and the first native Methodist minister in New England. His colleague in the Boston district was the Rev. Timothy Merrett. Their pastoral field outside of Boston was very extensive and they visited and held meetings in other places as their labors could be spared from the city. A class of twenty members was formed in East Dedham in 1825 and attached to the Dorchester Lower Mills Methodist Church. Meetings were held and the class moved to Boyden square in 1835. Meetings were first held in East Dedham in the school house, then in Trescott Hall and the Burgess Chapel. The present church society was organized in 1842 and early steps were taken to build a church. In 1843 land was purchased of George Bird at the corner of Milton Street near Boyden Square, on which a church was erected and dedicated Oc- tober 12, 1843. The dedicating sermon was preached by the Rev. Abel Stevens, editor of Zions Herald. The first pastor was Joseph E. Pond, a local preacher from South Walpole who labored most assiduously in securing funds to build the church. The first pastor from the New England Methodist Conference was the Rev. Henry P. Hall who was appointed in 1844. In 1858 the church was en- larged and beautified and provided with new pews and pulpit.
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