USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Framingham > History of Framingham, Massachusetts, including the Plantation, from 1640 to the present time, with an appendix, containing a notice of Sudbury and its first proprietors > Part 13
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The proceedings of the council not being placed on Record, the particular action of that body is unknown. From papers, proba- bly authentic, we learn, that the elements of dissatisfaction, before noticed, far from being allayed, had spread more widely, and as- sumed an attitude of open opposition. The dissensions experi- enced here, were shared with other parts of New England ; and the preaching of Mr. Whitefield in the town, the preceding sum- mer, served doubtless to fan the flame of division. }
The following Declaration was prepared, and submitted to the Council, for the ordination of Mr. Bridge.}
To the Rev. and Hon. Elders, and Messengers of the churches, cho- sen by the church of Framingham, to assist in the ordination of the Rev. Mr. Bridge :
Whereas we, the subscribers, inhabitants of said Town, and some of us members in full communion with said church, having dili-
* The ministers, (with their church- es), invited, were Rev. Messrs. Han- cock, of Lexington, Appleton, of Cambridge, Loring, of Sudbury, Pea- body, of Natick, Williams, of Wes- ton, Cook, of Sudbury, Turell, of Medford, Porter, of Sherburne, Stone, of Southborough, Williams, of Wal- tham, Barrett, of Hopkinton, and Swift, of Acton. It was proposed to the church, to invite Messrs. Sewall and Prince ; but the vote was passed in the negative.
t From a religious diary kept by
Mr. Ebenezer Goddard, of Framing- ham, we extract the following : " Ju- ly ye 5, 1745, that dear servant of God, Mr. Whitefield, preached at Framingham." It is said that he preached in a barn.
# The above is taken from a print- ed vindication, which, from the ini- tials, (E. G.), appended to it, we may presume to have proceeded from the hands of Capt. Edward Goddard. The part in italics is so printed in the original.
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SECOND MINISTER. - MR. BRIDGE.
gently observed the scope and tenor of Mr. Bridge's preaching, while under Tryal, do hereby declare our great dissatisfaction therewith ; for that many such doctrines, as we esteem to be of the greatest impor- tance, are wholly omitted, or, at best, slightly touched on, in his ser- mon - particularly the doctrine of Original Sin ; the imputation of it ; the total loss of the Image of God in the fall of Adam ; the wrath and curse of God consequent thereon ; the Freeness and Sovreignty of Divine Grace, in electing some to everlasting Life, and the provision made in the way of the New Covenant, for their Salvation by Jesus Christ ; the Nature and Necessity of Regeneration, and an Almighty Power of the Spirit of God, for the production of the New Creature, and renewing the Image of God upon the Soul in Sanctification ; the nature of that Faith whereby the Souls of Believers are united to Christ ; the Doctrines which relate to the Person, Natures and offices of Christ ; the way of a Sinner's Justification, by the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ ; as also, those discriminating Doctrines, which shew the difference between that Faith, that Repentance, and that Obedience, which is merely legal, superficial and servile, and that which is evangelical. And though we neither did nor could reason- ably expect, that all these Doctrines could be distinctly insisted on, opened and applied in a short space of Time, yet it is to us incon- ceivable, how any one who approves of, and has a relish for, such doc- trines, could, in his preaching so many sermons, (as Mr. Bridge did before his choice), keep such Doctrines under concealment, so as not (at least) to say enough upon them, to distinguish his Doctrines from such schemes of Doctrine, as are calculated to explode or enervate all the soul-humbling and Christ-exalting doctrines of the Gospel.
On this account we desire that this venerable Council will consider us, as wholly dissenting in the settlement and ordination of Mr. Bridge, and countenance us in our just plea of Liberty, to hear and judge for ourselves, and to try the Doctrines we hear, by the Holy Scriptures, the only Standard of Truth, and Rule of Faith and Practice ; and to provide and attend a publick ministry, which may be agreeable to our Understanding of those Sacred Oracles, especially, since it is no new or strange Doctrine which we desire to adhere to, but the pure Doc- trines of the Gospel, as we find them avowed in the Assembly's Cate- chism and the Confession of Faith, owned and consented to by the Elders and Messengers of the Churches, met at Boston, anno. 1680. And for the Settlement of such a Ministry, we have determined to use all proper Endeavors, and desire your Prayers for success therein. And sub- scribe, Your brethren and humble servants,
Jonathan Hemenway, Simon Mellen Jr., Dan. Haven, John Hill, Rich. Mellen, James Haven, Isaac Fisk, Daniel Mellen, Elkanah Ha- ven, Ebenezer Goddard, Eben. Singletary, Richard Haven, John Hemenway, Joseph Nichols, Nathan Haven, John Haven, Eb. Hem- enway, Jr., Tho. Temple, Micah Haven, Joshua Hemenway, James Cook, Benj. Haven, Joshua Hemenway, Jr., John Bruce, Richard Ha- ven, Dan. Stone, Benj. Whitney, James Mellen, Edward Goddard, Benj. Whitney, John Bruce, Moses Haven, Jr., William Ballord.
Framingham, Feb. 1745.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
" The ordination of Mr. Bridge being accomplished,* the dis- senting party applied for, and obtained advice of, a council of churches, pursuant to which, a number of them were embodied into a church." This event took place probably between the months of April and November of the same year ; f after which, the new church invited Mr. Solomon Reed to become their pas- tor, who was instituted in his office in the month of January, 1746 - 7, by an ordaining council, regularly convened. Probably soon after the organization of the church, a meeting house was built on the Southborough road, near the house of Mr. Joseph Morse. The Records of this church are lost; and from the long interval which has elapsed since its discontinuance, there are none living who possess any personal knowledge of its history. From the Records of the town, it appears that repeated applications were made by the supporters of Mr. Reed, to be discharged from all taxes for the maintenance of the first church; and upon the refusal of the town to grant their prayer, unavailing petitions for relief were presented to the General Court.#
* Mr. Bridge's notice of the event states that he was ordained " upon the old Foundation."
t As early as April 2, Nathan, James and John Haven, Dan. Brewer, and Eb. Singleterry, desired a dismis- sion to form a second church, which the church refused. May 2, their re- quest was repeated (in which they were joined by Joseph Haven and James Cook), but unanimously re- fused. Nov. 17, Eliz. and Abigail Mellens, Lydia, Silence, Mehitable, Sarah, Mehitable, Lydia and Mehita- ble Haven, Mary Munsell and Han- nah Mayhew, applied for a recom- mendation to the second church ; and a Committee was appointed to take advice upon the subject. Mr. Bridge notes, that before the Committee was able to report, the party were em- bodied. The following April, " eigh- teen sisters," of the first church, ap- plied for dismission and recommen- dation to the second church, which is the last similar application noticed.
# March 2, 1746-7. The Town re- jected the petition of Edward God- dard Esq., to be released from all as- sessments for Mr. Bridge's Settle- ment and salary. March 20, a Com-
mittee was chosen to make answer to the complainants' prayer for re- lief, to the General Court. March 6, 1748-9, it was proposed to the Town, either to release the petitioners from assessments for Mr. Bridge's support, or that the town collectively main- tain both ministers. " After a large debate," the proposition was nega- tived. Nov. 27, 1749, Edward God- dard and forty-two others renewed their prayer for a discharge from the Parish Rates, or a reference to arbi- trators ; both of which proposals were rejected. March 5, 1749-50, the same prayer was submitted, with a propo- sition to submit the matter in dispute to a council of Ministers. The Town persisted in their refusal to accom- modation. September 6, of the same year, the Town " refused " to make a grant of money to Mr. Caleb Bridges Jun., in consideration of his extraordinary trouble in collecting his rates the year past. In 1752, Edward Goddard, Ralph Hemenway, Thomas Temple, Eben. Goddard, and William Brown, commissioners for the second church in Framing- ham, petitioned the General Court for relief, " not being able, by po-
117
MINISTERS. - MR. REED.
By the decease, in 1754, of Mr. Goddard, whose name and influence seem to have been predominant in all the movements of the new church, the society sustained a severe loss, which proba- bly hastened, if it did not cause, its early extinction. The pre- cise time of its dissolution is unknown. The dismissal of Mr. Reed probably occurred towards the latter part of the year 1756 ; * but no general movement was made towards a reconcili- ation with the first church, until a few years later.
The Rev. Solomon Reed, minister of the second church, was born in the town of Abington, about the year 1718, and was edu- cated at Harvard College, where he graduated in 1739. He was ordained over the second church in Framingham, in Jan. 1746-7, and was probably soon after married to Abigail Houghton, of Connecticut, by whom he had five children during his residence in this place, one of whom was the late Rev. John Reed, D.D. pastor in Bridgewater, and a Representative in the Congress of the United States .; He remained in the ministry in this town, until the year 1756; after which, he was installed in the North Parish of Middleborough, called the Titicut Parish, (composed partly of inhabitants of Middleborough and partly of inhabitants of Bridgewater), where he remained until he died, about the year 1785. He appears to have been held in much consideration by his people in this place, among whom he was settled, (in the words of Mr. Goddard), to " the great satisfaction of the soci- ety." ¿ A descendant § writes, that " he was esteemed an able, pure, zealous, devout preacher of the Orthodox order, was highly
sition, to have a separate precinct," and representing themselves as not making up one fifth of the inhabitants of the Town. (Court Files). The Court gave them no relief.
* A church meeting was held Nov. 4, 1756, to consider the petition of Mr. Moses Haven, " to return to his duty and privileges with the Church." " Voted, every man as one, that since Mr. M. H. had no other objec- tion against returning, but his rela- tions to the Society, termed Mr. Reed's Church, which relation he was apprehensive would soon be dis- solved, therefore it was prudence for him to wait, till he were satisfied how that affair would turn."
t For particulars relating to the family of the Rev. Solomon Reed, reference may be had to the Genea- logical sketches at the close of this volume.
# In the printed paper before re- ferred to, Mr. Goddard says, "1 am persuaded that there are a num- ber of upright Nathaniels in that So- ciety, (the second), who meet with such precious cordials under Mr. Reed's ministry, as they would not exchange for all the Riches, Honors, and Pleasures of this world.
§ The Hon. John Reed, Lt. Gov- ernor of this Common wealth,to whose obliging attention we are indebted for some of the above particulars.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
respected and esteemed by his society, and lived a quiet and peaceable life. He instructed and prepared in his family, as the custom then was, a considerable number of young men for col- lege." *
After the retirement of Mr. Reed from his ministry in the second church, no definite overtures towards a restoration of peace and harmony appear, until June 4, 1759 .; At this time the first church, " having some months past come to a resolution that such as had lately been of Mr. Reed's party, and were now desirous to return, and profess to do so, in full charity, should be heartily welcome, but finding that motion insufficient with respect to a number," voted to send them a letter, inviting them to join in a mutual council, which was sent by the hands of Dea. Pike and Mr. Moses Haven. A reply was received, proposing a mutual conference, which was held July 10; when it was " unanimously agreed to by both parties, that a council be called, and that each society or church be allowed to bring every thing into the council, (when convened), that the council will receive." }
Sept. 18. The council convened, of whose action and decision it is recorded, that " the council went into a full hearing of the reasons or objections that the said church and society had to offer, against submitting to Mr. Bridge as their minister, and unani- mously came to a result, in which their objections are judged in- sufficient. They are advised and urged to return to their union with the said church, and the said church are advised to receive them." §
* From all accounts it seems prob- able that Mr. Reed, in his early man- hood, engaged warmly in the new movement, which at that period agi- tated the New England churches, and whose adherents were denominated New-Lights. An anecdote of him in this connection is still preserved among the aged. Being interrogated by some members of the first church as to his religious sentiments, one of the company categorically demanded if he was a " New-Light ?" Mr. Reed promptly answered, “ No - I am not a New Light ; I am an old light new snuffed ;" a witticism, which bears comparison with the well known say- ing of Dr. Byles, that he had heard much said of New Lights ; he would like to hear more of New Livers.
t In March, of the same year, the town " negatived the request of Tho. Temple, Eben. Goddard, and others, to draw out of the town treasury,' their assessment for the support of the ministry, "for the encourage- ment of the second church."
# The ministers, (with their church- es), agreed upon to constitute the council, were the Rev. Messrs. Pem- berton, of Boston, Dunbar, of Stough- ton, Stone, of Southborough, Wells, of Attleborough, Hutchinson, of Grafton, Eliot, of Boston, and Wig- glesworth, of Ipswich. The Record states, that all the votes, at the above meeting, " were passed with an en- tire and sweet unanimity."
§ The proceedings consequent up- on this decision are not noticed. It
119
SECOND MINISTER. - MR. BRIDGE.
July 11, 1754. " A vote was passed by the church, desiring seven brethren, viz. John Clayes, Benj. Pepper, John Farrar, Bezaleel and David Rice, Sam. Dedman, and Dan. Adams, to- gether with Mr. Eben. Marshall, to take immediate care to quali- fy them to set the Psalm in publick ; and as soon as they are properly qualified, to lead the assembly in that part of Divine Worship." *
March 7, 1757. " Voted, (by the town), that if the tything- men see any of the youths in said town disorderly in the public worship, and they will not forbear by being once stamped at by any of the tythingmen, in such case said tythingmen are desired to call them by name."
Sept. 2, A.D. 1775, departed this life, in the 55th year of his age, and 30th of his ministry, the Rev. Matthew Bridge, Pastor of the Church of Christ in Framingham. ;
The Rev. Matthew Bridge was born in Lexington, July 18, 1721, and was the son of Matthew and Abigail Bridge, of that town. He descended from John Bridge, who settled early in Cambridge, and from his son Matthew, who married Anna Dan- forth, sister of Lt. Gov. Danforth, the original grantee of the territory of Framingham. Mr. Bridge was educated at Harvard College, where he graduated in 1741. He was at one time en-
is understood that some were re-in- stated in the church. The others probably united in the formation, , singer, and frequently met with his soon after, of a Baptist Society, of which some account will be given in this volume. A Mss., probably written by Mr. Eben. Goddard, has fallen into the writer's hands, com- menting upon the decision of the council, in 1759; from which it ap- pears that the grievances of the com- plainants were, 1, their dissatisfac- tion with Mr. Bridge's sermons ; 2d, Mr. Bridge's having received members from the 2d church, not in full standing ; 3d, the continued op- position (of Mr. B.'s church) to the revivals in the land ; the 4th appears to have had relation to the alleged injustice they had suffered, in being obliged to pay taxes for the support of the Ist church and its minister. An- other charge, (the nature of which t Church Records. is unknown), was understood by the council to have been withdrawn.
* An aged lady has informed the writer that Mr. Bridge was a good
people to instruct them, there being no other singing master. She adds, that he was at first opposed in an at- tempt to introduce a new hymn book, but succeeded, by a gratuitous distri- bution among certain persons, in en- couraging its use. The introduction of stringed instruments was a severe shock to the piety of some, one of whom, on a certain occasion, when a violin was disabled, exulted that " the Lord's fiddle was broken." When Billings's music was introduced, and the tune of " David the King " was sung, an aged man cried out, " hold, hold," and seizing his hat, left the church. Watts' Psalms and Hymns were introduced, by a vote of the church, Nov. 22, 1792.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
gaged as a teacher in Worcester. He was ordained minister of the First Parish in Framingham, Feb. 19, 1745-6, and married, soon after, Anne, daughter of the Rev. Daniel Perkins, of Bridge- water,* by whom he had seven children, three of whom were sons. His ministry in this town, though disturbed at its commencement by serious dissensions, embarrassing to a young man, was marked by uniform firmness, and a spirit of conciliation, which ultimately reinstated, in a good measure, the peace and harmony of the church. Though not distinguished as a preacher, he is uniformly represented as a man of benevolent feelings and attractive man- ners ; and by a faithful service of his people, he secured a gene- ral and lasting attachment. At the breaking out of the war of the Revolution, Mr. Bridge, in common with other clergymen, volunteered his services as chaplain to the American army, which was then stationed at Cambridge. While in the discharge of this duty, he was seized with an epidemic disease, which prevailed in the camp ; to which he fell a sacrifice a week or two after his return home, on the day above named .;
The only Sermon published by Mr. Bridge, was a Discourse delivered at the Ordination of Mr. Eliab Stone, over the Second Church in Reading, May 20, 1761; and printed by Thomas and John Fleet, Boston, 1761.
Oct. 18, 1779. A committee was chosen by the town to build
* Mr. Perkins's second wife was
his decease, to the Rev. Timothy Har- Madam Hancock, the mother of Gov. ' rington, of Lancaster, April 11, 1780, John Hancock.
t We have been favored with a memorandum of an interview with the late Mr. Ebenezer Eaton, in 1832, who " described Mr. Bridge's person- al appearance as dignified and impos- ing. He was more than six feet high ; his hair very black, which he wore in curls over the cape of his coat ; his eyes black, his figure erect and ' boney,' resembling that of Gen- eral Washington, by whose side he had seen him stand, when the army was stationed at Cambridge. Mr. Eaton stated that he was much be- loved by his people, and esteemed by those of other towns. He was ex- tremely benevolent in his feelings. " He was good himself, and wished to make every body else so." Mr. Bridge's widow was remarried, after
whom she survived. She deceased at Framingham, May 12, 1805., æ. about 81 years. The Boston Gazette, of Sept. 11, 1775, contains a notice of Mr. Bridge's decease, confirming the general impression of the amia- bleness of his character, and the af- fectionate esteem in which he was held by his people.
# The only manuscript writing of Mr. Bridge, in preservation, is a " Diary," kept in his early years. A granddaughter, in placing it in the author's hand, remarked, "that it gives a specimen of the extreme sim- plicity of his early life and manners." We may add, that it affords full evi- dence of his early habits of piety, and of an inquisitive interest in the- ological reading.
121
THIRD MINISTER. - MR. KELLOGG.
a monument over the grave of the Rev. Mr. Bridge. Probably by reason of the Revolutionary distresses, this purpose was post- poned ; and though again brought before the town in 1801, it has remained to this day unexecuted.
SETTLEMENT OF THE REV. DAVID KELLOGG.
After the decease of Mr. Bridge, a committee was chosen by the town, Oct. 9, 1775, to unite with a similar committee of the church, to supply the pulpit. For more than three years the pulpit was variously supplied .* The distracting events of the Revolution undoubtedly contributed to delay the re-establishment of the ministry. April 5, 1778, Mr. David Kellogg preached, prob- ably for the first time. Dec. 7th, by a vote of 123 to 14, (the vote of the church was 48 to 7), he received an invitation from the town to become their minister, to which, April 25, 1779, he gave a negative answer. Negotiations were, however, continued, the supply of the pulpit remaining in his hands, until July 3, 1780,
* March 4, 1776. The committee were directed to employ Mr. (Laban) Wheaton, 1 mo. ; and after that, Mr. (Moses) Adams, 1 mo. June 3d, it was voted to engage Mr. Bigelow six weeks. Mr. Wheaton, who greatly interested the people, obtained, Feb. 18th, 1777, a vote of the town, con- current with that of the church, in- viting him to become their minister, and offering him £200 settlement and £100 salary. Mr. Wheaton declined the invitation, and preached a fare- well sermon to the people, July 13, 1777. Mr. Wheaton afterwards en- tered upon the profession of the law, in which he became successful, and was advanced to important public offices. It may be interesting to add, that a few years since, when over 80 years of age, he visited the Rev. Dr. Kellogg; on which occasion he re- counted, with much gratification, the reminiscences of his early labors in the town, and expressed a regret that he should have relinquished the pro- fession ; adding, that all the success and honors of public life appeared to him, in review, poor, in comparison with the useful and unpretending la-
-
bors of the Christian Ministry. His name was long cherished with respect in the town. Aug. 10, 1777, Mr. (probably Solomon) Reed preached, and for numerous succeeding Sab- baths. January 4, 1778, Mr. (Ezra) Ripley preached, and supplied nine Sabbaths. July 12, Mr Willard, of Mendon, preached. In Sept. Mr. Eliot preached, and at other times subsequently. In Sept. and Oct., Mr. Guild and Mr. Gannet supplied for one or more Sabbaths, " the contract for each day, the price of eight bush- els of Indian corn at market." Nov. 18, 1778, was observed as a day of fasting and prayer, by a vote of the church, preparatory to their choice of a minister. Feb. 18, 1777, the town voted that all male persons, upwards of 21 years of age, be voters in the choice of a minister.
t The texts on which he preached, are preserved. They were, Isaiah, xlv. 22 - Rev. iii. 20. Dec. 6, 1779, the town voted to give Mr. Kel- logg $4 per day for preaching, "to be as good as money was five years ago."
11
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
when proposals were voted by the town, to the satisfaction of Mr. Kellogg, upon which he consented to become their minister. *
The ordination of Mr. Kellogg took place on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 1781 ; } previously to which, he was, by letter from the church in Dresden, admitted a member of the church in Framingham. To the church he gave a satisfactory announcement of his inten- tion, " to conform to the same mode of discipline " practiced by his predecessor, and "to the Cambridge Platform, (eldership excluded), agreeably to the custom of these New England churches."
Nov. 22, 1792, the church voted, at the request of the pastor, " that the Scriptures should be read in publick on the Sabbath, and a Bible procured for that purpose." In March following, the town granted $8 for the purchase of a Bible.
1803. The town voted $60 to support a singing school. ¿
The ministry of Mr. Kellogg affords no incidents of general interest, demanding notice in these sketches. He continued in
* The town voted a settlement of £346.13.4, to be paid in Indian corn, at 2s. 8d. per bushel, and rye, at 3s. 4d .; or money to purchase the same. They also voted to give him £100 as his yearly salary, to be paid in Indian corn, at 3s. per bushel, and Rye, at 4s. In case of disability, by infirmi- ty or age, to supply the pulpit, he was to receive but half his salary. July 10, voted to give Mr. K. annu- ally 20 cords of wood, upon the same rule as the salary. The salary of Mr. K. greatly varied. In 1801, it was $500. In 1803 and 1821, $450. For several years, $666.67 Once, (in 1817), it was $750, with the addition, in every case, of $50 or $60 per an- num, for wood. The average salary, including wood, from 1800 to 1825, was about $628 Taking the origi- nal settlement into consideration, his average emoluments may be estimat- ed at more than $700 per annum.
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