History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 165

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 165

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Ten male members, including the pastor, composed the church gathered at that time, viz. : Mr. John Woodbridge, teacher ; John Osgood, Robert Barnard, John Frye, Nicholas IFolt, Richard Barker, Joseph Parker, Nathan Parker, Richard Blake, Edmond Faulkner.

The Rev. John Woodbridge was a most extraor- dinary character. He was instrumental in purchasing the Andover plantation from Cutshamache. He came to this country in 1634, took up lands in New- bury and soon became one of the most active and useful members of the colony. He was master of the Boston Latin School at the time he came to North An- dover, having turned his attention to the ministry as a means of advancement. He was, alternately, deputy to the General Court, justice of the peace, religious teacher, schoolmaster, Indian trader and, in England, chaplain of the commissioners who treated with the

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

banished monarch, Charles 1. Having lost his living for non-conformity in England, he returned to New England, took up his abode again in Newbury, where he became assistant in the ministry of his uncle, magistrate and justice of the peace. IFe inclined somewhat to the English Church, so far as the powers and prerogatives of the minister were concerned. Hle died in 1695, at the age of eighty-two, leaving " three sons with two sons-in-law improved in the ministry of the Gospel, and four grandsons happily advanced thereto."

Cotton Mather, in his biographical sketches of the "young scholars, whose education for their designed ministry not being finished, yet came over from Eng- land with their friends, and had their education per- fected in the country, before the college was come into maturity enough to bestow its laurels," says of Mr. Woodbridge :

"But he that brings up the Rear is Mr. John Woodbridge, of whom we are alle to speak a little more particularly. He was born at Stan- ton, in Highworth, in Wiltshire, about the year 1613, of which Parish his father was minister, and a minister so able and Faithful as to obtain un high esteem among those that knew at all the invaluable worth of such a minister. His mother was daughter of Mr. Robert Parker, and a danghter who did so virtuously that her own personal character would bavo made her highly esteemed if a Relation to such a Father had not further added to the lustre of her character.

"Our JOHN was, by his worthy parents, trained up in the way that he should go und sent unto Orford, where his education and Proficiency at mehool land ripened him for the University, and kept at Oxford until the Oath of Conformity came to be required of him, which neither his father nor his conscience approving, he removed from thence unto a course of more Private Studies. The vigorous entoreing of the unbappy ceremonies there cansing many that understood and regarded the Sec. ond Commandment in the Laws of Heaven, to seek a peaceful recess for the pure worship of the Lord Jesus Christ in an American Desert, our young Woodbridge, with the consent of his parents, undertook a voyage to New England uhout the year 1631, und the company and as- sistance of his worthy nnele, Mr. Thomas Parker, was not the least en- couragement of the voyage. He had not been long in the country be- foro Newberry began to be planted, when he accordingly took up lunde and so seated himself that he Comfortably and Industriously Studied on, until the advice of his father's death obliged him to return to England, where, having settled his affairs, he returned again into New England, bringing with him his two brothers, whereof one died on the way. Ho had married tho daughter of the Honble Thomas Dudley, Esq,, and the town of Andover then first peeping into the world, he was, by the hands of Mr. Wile n and Mr. Worcester, September 16, 1041, ordained the teacher of a Congregation there. There he continued with good Repu- tation, dis charging the duties of the ministry until, upon the invitation of friends, he returned once more to England. "

The Rev. Francis Dane succeeded Mr. Woodbridge. The time of his ordination is unknown, but it was about the year 1648. He was a resident of Ipswich m 16.11, atl according to Felt "he removed to Andto- ver in 1645."' He was not graduated at either of the universities in England, but finished his studies in this country al " the college," before degrees were conferred. He left no autobiography, nor was any she th of his life or of His pastorate written and pub- Ishe l, dthough he was pastor of an important parish forty- ofgut years, amt was intimately connected with some interesting proce - ings of the colony. A record at h - reed, which h bett writ en ont in a note-book, show him to have been in Imed to liberal views,

although accepting the doctrines which prevailed generally among the Puritans. His mind and heart were evidently in sympathy with all Christians of whatsoever denomination and with the universal church of Christ. It is not known that he had any part in the severity of the theological hierarchy which ruled New England, especially during the years of his ministry ; and there is no reason to sup- pose that he had any controversy with them. He was evidently inclined to peace in his parish, and was not ambitious to be conspicuous in the controversies of his time or active in the organization of the colony. 1 difficulty which arose between himself and his church regarding the continuance of his salary when the infirmities of years rendered it necessary to furnish him assistance in the pulpit, either by colleague or associate, was amicably settled by the General Court, on terms satisfactory to all parties ; and the peace of the parish remained unbroken. By this step the church was saved from the painful consciousness of having neglected a faithful pastor, who had shared their joys and sorrows during the life of more than a generation-and the pastor was supported in his in- firmities by the assurance that the tender relations which had been established between himself and his people were not ungratefully forgotten.

Mr. Dane and his colleague labored together sixteen years for the edification of a united people and for their mutual benefit and happiness. Ile was a man of good judgment, practical wisdom and cour- age. In his old age he defied the madness of the witchcraft delusion, even when his own life was in danger and many members of his own family were under arrest, bore all his trials with Christian forti- tude and resignation, and died, patiently submissive to the Lord's will, February 17, 1697, aged eighty-one years, "having been an officer in the church at North Andover forty-eight years."

The Rev. Thomas Barnard was the colleague of Mr. Daue and his successor in the pulpit at North Andover. Ile was a son of Francis Barnard, of llad- ley; was graduated at Harvard 1679, and was the founder of an illustrious line of clergymen,-his son, John Barnard, who succeeded him as pastor of the First Church in North Andover ; his grandsons, Rev. Thomas Barnard, of the First Church in Salem, and the Rev. Edward Barnard, of Haverhill; and his great-grandson, the Rev. Thomas Barnard, Jr., who in 1772 was ordained Arst pastor of the North Church in Salem. On the death of Mr. Dane, he became sole pastor of the church, and seems to have infused new life into his parish. The parsonage-house was improved; a new meeting-house was built ; the terri- tory was set off' by the General Court into the North Parish, and Mr. Barnard was allowed to make choice of the parish over which he was to act as minister. lle had his trials also. The division of the town gave rise to difficulties not easily removed. The South l'arish had built their meeting-house, and still Mr.

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Barnard was undecided which precinct to choose, and did not decide until the General Court compelled him, and the South Parish decided that "Mr. Samuel Phillips shall be our pa-tor." Mr. Barnard by this aet lost many valuable parishioners and members of the church, and he complained to the General Court that "the north part of the town, that was the first settlement, are dissatisfied that they are made the lesser part"-a complaint which was renewed a cen- tury and a half later, when the town was divided. The erection of the new meeting-house followed the division, and it was a commodious building, suited to a devoted and growing parish. "During the long and warm altercation, Mr. Barnard conducted with such prudence and affectionate fidelity as to retain the esteem and confidence of all his people." He was always on terms of warm friendship with Mr. Phillips, of the South Parish, who said of him in public :

"I have always esteemed it a favor of Providence that iny lot was cast in the same town with that holy man of God, who was pleased to express the kindness of a father to me, and where I had for some years the ad- vantage of his guidance and example. He was really one of the best of ministers, had the tongne of the learned, was a sound & eminent divine, delivered excellent sermons, and had the spirit as well as the gift of prayer ; was gentle as a father, yet maintaining government & disci- pline in the church, very obliging toward all men, and always studied tliv things that make for peace."

At his death the parish set apart a day of "fasting and prayer to all-mytie God that the Lat & awfull Strok in taking away the Reverend Pastuer by so sudden a death be sanctified to His Flock lett desti- tute of a Preacher." The funeral expenses were lib- erally paid by the parish, and a simple upright grave- stone marks the spot where he was buried.

Mr. Barnard married. December, 1686, Elizabeth Price, who died October, 1692; for a second wife, May, 1696, Abigail Bull, who died August, 1702. He was married to his third wife, Lydia Goffe, August, 1704. Thomas, his oklest son, born October, 1688, died before his father, without issue. John, born March, 1690, was graduated at Harvard, 1709, or- dained minister of Andover North Parish April, 1719, died June 14, 1757. Theodore, his youngest son, born February, 1692, died February, 1725, aged thirty-two years, leaving three children-Elizabeth, Theodore and Hannalı. Elizabeth was the wife of the Hon. S. Phillips, and mother of the late Lieuten- ant-Governor S. Phillips.

Rev. John Barnard, son of the Rev. Thomas Bar- nard, was graduated at Harvard 1709, and was invited as successor to his father December 16, 1718, only two months after the death of the latter. He began to preach as settled minister in January, 1719, and was ordained the 8th of April following. Prior to his ministry he had taught school in Andover and in the North Grammar School, Boston.

The history of Mr. Barnard's ministry has been carefully written by both of the able and excellent annalists of Andover. He is represented by them as a man of piety, gentleness and pleasantry, of faith- fulness in the discharge of his ministerial duties,

highly respected as a preacher, and posessed of a sound understanding, benevolence and urbanity.

" llis ministry," says Miss Bailey,

"was a period of stirring events in the religious world and in the provincial history, and yet this would not appear from the church and parish records. Then, notwithstanding the prominent pot of membris of the parish in the Indian and French Wars, and the connection of the pastor with the controversy in regard to the Rev. George Whitefield und the Great awakening, nothing more exciting appears on the record th.in building and seating the meeting-house, buying silver for the communion service and clock and bell for the meeting-house. Br. Barnard was not in sympathy with Mr. Whitefield. He did not believe in itineracy, ho was no enthusiast, but had a supreme regard for propriety. lle was himself regarded by some of the clergy as belonging to the party of doubtful orthodoxy. But, whatever his theology, he disapproved the fanaticism, as he thought it, and abhorred what he regarded as the ir- reverence and inspiety of the great evangelist, who denounced the dig- uitaries of the commonwealth, and hurled anathemas at the ancient aml venerable seats of learning, Harvard College and her younger, but also honored sister, Yale College. Nor could Mr. Barnard, like some of his brother ministers, overlook the evil and find the gond in the move- ment. Ilis name, therefore, heads the list of one of the two neigh- boring associations of ministers in the county who addressed a letter to the Associated Ministers of Boston and Charlestown remonstrating on the admission of Mr. Whitefield into their pulpits.

"The North Church prospered under Mr. Barnard's hands. Five hundred new members were added and there were twelve hundred bap- tisms during his ministry.

"In 1753 the North Parish built another new mroting-house. Pews sold, Jan. 1, 1754, for $667 15s. 8d. Silver was procured for the com- munion service, and the pewter 'plate formerly used was given to the church in Methuen. . . . '

" The silver service is massive and elegant. It consists of cleven tankards with covers and two tlagons. The oldest tankard was given by Mrs. Sarah Martyn, of Boston, 1724. The others were the gifts re- spectively of Benjamin Stevens, Esq, 1728; Mrs. Mary Aslebe, 1739; Ebenezer Osgood, 1745; Peter Osgood, 1754, io fulfillment of the desire of his grandfather, Timothy Osgood : widow Elizabeth Abbot, 1756 ; Capt. Timotby Johnson, 1761; there are three ins .ribel ' For the iss of the First Church of Christ in Andover, A. D., 1728, one 1729.' The two flagons were given, one by Benjamin Barker, 1765; the other iu ISOI, by Capt. Peter Osgood."

The discipline of the church members, during Mr. Barnard's ministry, was such as is usually found in the records of the New England parishes, and indi- cated a determination to expose and punish those demoralizing habits which were too common in our colonial period.

Mr. Barnard was married, 1725, to Miss Sarah Osgood, a daughter of Deacon John Osgood, who died 1765, aged eighty-three. His son, the Rev. Thomas Barnard, was settled in Newbury, 1740, and in 1755 over the First Church in Salem. His son Edmund was settled in Haverhill. Mr. Barnard died suddenly, June 14, 1757, aged sixty-seven years, and after a ministry of thirty-eight years. He was sin- cerely mourned by his people, and the best minds of the community hastened to pay tribute to his memory.

The printed discourses of Mr. Barnard were, one on the death of Mr. Abiel Abbot ; one at the ordina- tion of the Rev. Timothy Walder, of Concord, N. H., and an election sermon, 1746.

The faith which had prevailed thus far in the First Church of Andover was that brought over by the Puritans and preserved by them with great care. They believed that all men are, by nature, destitute of true piety; that they naturally grow up in the practice of sin ; and that no one becomes religious except by a change in his habits of thought, feeling and conduct, which they ascribed to the special oper- i ation of the Holy Spirit as a supernatural cause.

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They believed that the truly pions are ordinarily conscious of this change in the action of their own minds when it takes place, and are able to describe it, though they may not then know that the change of which they are conscious is regeneration.

The creed adopted by the Theological Institution organized in 1808, in the South Parish of Andover, is perhaps the most perfect embodiment of the Puritan religious bchef; viz.,-

"We believe in the existence of one true God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by divine inspiration and contain the only perfect rule of faith and prac- tice; m the fall of man and in his entire moral depravity ; the necessity of an ntonement and of our being renewed in the spirit of our minds ; the doctrines of repentance toward God and of faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ ; sanctification by the Holy Spirit, of justincation by the fee giace of God through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ ; in the doctrine of a gencial resurrection and future judgment; in the everlasting blessedness of the righteous and the endless punishment of the hally impemtent, and generally in the principles of religion con- tained in the Assembly's Shorter ('atechism."

In all the revivals which took place in the colony, especially in that of 1740, in which Whitefield took an active and powerful part, it was held that every man is born in sin, and, unless some evidence appears to the contrary, is to be esteemed an heir to perdition, and that regeneration is a change accompanied with evidence by which it may be proved.

A growing uneasiness under these doctrines became manifest about the middle of the last century, and throughout New England there was an inclination to adopt the views of Arminius, that God had resolved from eternity on the salvation and damnation of men dependent on man's belief or unbelief, by which he would be saved or damned ; that Christ died for all men, but nobody could partake of his salvation ex- cept he believe, and that man must be born again of God in Christ through the Holy Ghost to be saved, that nobody can without the grace of God think, will or do anything good, because all our good works have their origin in God's grace; that the faithful can struggle against Satan successfully by the assistance of the Holy Ghost.

It will be remembered that the Rev. Francis Dane, in a creed of his own composition, manifested con- siderable moderation in doctrine, and that his ortho- doxy was somewhat questioned. Through the minds of his successors this liberality evidently ran, and though the fraternity of the churches was main- tained, there was evidently a dividing sentiment growing up between them. On the death of the Rev. John Barnard the tendency of the First Church to Andover to liberal views was shown by the settlement of the Rev. William Symmes over the brewed parish. Dr. Synes, as he is usually called Having received the degree of D.D. from Harvard), was born in Charlestown, was graduated at Harvard a 105), began to preach in North Andover soon after the de crase of Mr. Barnard, and was on the 5th of Derdet, For invited to settle over the parish. Ou amount of sickness his ordination was postponed until November 1, 170%.

Dr. Symmes held a high rank among the clergy of his day. He came to North Andover with a good reputation as a scholar and a learned divine. Ile had enjoyed the social opportunities of Boston and Charlestown in his youth, and had been a tutor at Har- vard for three years, from 1755 to 1758. He possessed great intellectual delicacy and a nature responsive to all good thoughts and noble emotions. As a writer he was one of the purest of his day. His sermons were carefully prepared, methodical in their arrange- ment and conclusive in their reasoning. He delivered them in a cahn and dignified manner, without the grace or fervor of oratory, but in a way calculated to arrest the attention of the thoughtful and to carry conviction to the cultivated mind. He may have been deficient in worldly wisdom and exposed at times to the designs of the selfish and unprincipled; but his piety, sincerity and devotion to his call- ing were never questioned, and in times of great civil, social and financial trial he bore himself with great calmness and submission, and retained his command- ing influence among his people. His views of domes- tic discipline were somewhat severe; but he was a kind and indulgent parent, ready at all times to sacri- fice himself for the good of his children. He was quick and at times irritable ; but he usually held him- self in perfect control. His church was harmonious, and sectarian disputes were unknown in his parish. He was prudent and economical in his affairs, and was so careful in his expenditures that when the parish voted to raise £1940 to pay the deficiency in his salary since the depreciation of paper money during the Revolutionary War, he relinquished one thousand dollars of the sum so generously and thoughtfully bestowed. During his ministry the French War was raging ; the Revolutionary War, with all its prelimi- nary tronbles, was carried on to its glorious, but ex- hausted conclusion; the disturbances of the French Revolution reached our infant State and society, and disorder reigned throughout the civilized world. But through all Dr. Symmes accommodated himself to cir- cumstances, took a wise and judicious survey of pass- ing events, and preserved the good order and unani- mity of his parish.

Dr. Symmes, in his views of the Calvinistie school, went beyond his predecessors. Dr. Abbot says of him : " In opinions he accorded rather with Arminius than with Calvin ; and with Arius rather than Athanasius." True, he exchanged pulpits with the Rev. Mr. French, of the South Parish, but they differed widely in their views, and that divergence began which early in the ministry of his successor resulted in a complete sepa- ration and non-intercourse. At his death his church was already classed with the Unitarian organizations of New England, and from that time has been united with that denomination.

The manuscripts of Dr. Symmes were destroyed at his death, in accordance with his own instructions, 'and a valuable mass of information on local affairs

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was lost. His printed publications were a Lecture on Psalmody ; a Thanksgiving Sermon, 1768; Sermou at the General Election, 1785.

Dr. Symmes married, in 1759, Anna, daughter of the Rev. Joshua Gee, of Boston ; she died in 1772. They had five sons and four daughters, all of whom, except Daniel and Mrs. Cazeneau, died before him. William, a counselor-at-law, died in Portland, Janu- ary, 1807, in the forty-sixth year of his age, not hav- ing been married ; Daniel, born October, 1764, went to the southward ; Joshua Gee, a physician, died at sea ; Elizabeth, ‹lied August, 1784, aged nineteen years ; Theodore, a physician, settled in Falmouth, died at New Gloucester.

Anna married Mr. Isaac Cazeneau, lived in the homestead for many years, removed to Boston about 1836, where she died in 1849. Converse died yonng. Lydia and Charlotte were twins, and died in infancy, December 30, 1771.

His second wife was Miss Susannah Powell, who died July, 1807, aged seventy-nine.

Dr. Symme- died May 3, 1807.

The parish, after having a number of candidates for the ministry, united July 10, 1810, in calling the Rev. Bailey Loring, of Duxbury, to settle in the Gos- pel ministry. The ordination was on the 19th of September, 1810.

It is a curious and interesting fact that the church covenant that had been in use previously to this time could not be found when Mr. Loring entered upon his ministry. The church, however, soon adopted the following :

" You profess to believe in One God the Father-maker of all things- and in Jesus ('hrist his Sou, the Messiah and Saviour of men, the only Mediator between God and man, and in the Holy Spirit which bears testimony to the truth and confirms the Faith of Christians. You re- ceive the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, as being profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteous- ness, and through Faith in Christ, sufficient to make meu wise unto Salvation. You profess repentance of all past vices and a full purpose of heart to forsake every evil and false way and to cleave to that which is good. You do now publicly covenant with God that you will search after and obey the Truth as it is in Jesus -that fleeing sinful lusts, you will follow after Righteousness, charity and peace-that you will not forsake the assembling of yourself with the people of God for public worship; but make it your constant study to walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly-and that walk- ing in commmuiou with this church, you will submit to its watchful care and discipline, praying for its edilication and the prosperity of Zion."

In 1817 the parish purchased land of Jonathan Stevens for a burying-ground, on the high land north of and near the church. In 1822 stoves were intro- duced into the meeting-house. In 1825 the training- field north of Dr. Kittredge's house, and near the spot where the first meeting-house stood, was exchanged for four acres in front of the meeting-house, to be opened for a common.

"In 1834 a few members of the First Church withdrew, and uniting with fourteen members from the South Church, formed ' the Evangelical Church in North Andover,' and established religious worship in a meet- ing-house which had been built by subscriptions of the Evangelical Churches of Essex County."

In the same year the First Church and Parish de- cided to build a new meeting-house in place of the structure erected in 1753, and voted to appropriate

seven thousand dollars to build. The house was dedi- cated June 1, 1835. The cost of the building was eleven thousand five hundred dollars; and it stands near the site of the old one. The old clock and bell were preserved. Into this meeting-house an organ was introduced in 1844-and the clarionet and bassoon and violin and bass-viol of the old orchestra were heard no more. Dr. Rufus Wyman was thanked by the society for the "gift of a very elegant Bible for the pulpit of the new meeting-house."

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 165

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1672

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672