USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > History of Newton, Massachusetts : town and city, from its earliest settlement to the present time, 1630-1880 > Part 29
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The first meeting-house was erected on land given by Mr. Noah Wiswall, on the border of Wiswall's Pond, at the easterly part, fronting on the road. The vote to build the house is dated Janu- ary 17, 1781. The vote of the Society directed that it should be thirty-five feet square. In the plan of the Building Committee, which was accepted by the Society, the dimensions were somewhat altered. The plan reported made it forty feet by thirty-two, and it was calculated that the expense would be about three hundred
297
FIRST BAPTIST MEETING-HOUSE.
pounds specie, or one thousand dollars. The house, however, was not completed at once. The Society manifested the greatest dread of accumulating a burdensome debt, and proceeded in the work only so far as the means in their hands would warrant them. Dur- ing the whole ministry of Rev. Mr. Blood, the interior of the house was unfinished. The only seats were rough boards laid upon the supports which are denominated by carpenters, horses. The pulpit also was a structure of unplaned boards. After the settlement of Mr. Grafton, the walls were plastered, and the interior arrangements assumed an air of convenience and comfort. The church at first held their meetings in the house of Mr. Wiswall, and often, in mild weather, under the noble elms in front of the house. Up to August, 1788, a subscription had been five times set on foot for the purpose of carrying on the work. A pulpit was built in April, 1792, at an expense of £14 17s. 1d., about $49.50. This, with the building of sheds for carriages, and the finishing of the pews in the galleries, was the consummation of the work. . The whole was set in order in April, 1795, fourteen years from the commence- ment. The house was enlarged in the summer of 1802 by the addition of seventeen feet to the west side, which gave space for twenty-four new pews. A committee was appointed in the year 1782, while the original house was building, to "dignify the pew spots," according to the custom of the times. The highest positions were assigned to those whose subscriptions to the house had been the most liberal ; and no person could have a pew who had sub- scribed less than ten pounds .* There were twenty wall pews, and four pews "back of the body-seats."
In January, 1795, a vote was taken to procure a stove to warm the meeting-house .; The Society's vote' states with great exact-
* It is an interesting fact, illustrative of the history of the times, that among the proprietors of the house, forty-four in number,- all but five bore Scripture names. Six bore the name of John ; Ebenezer, Samuel and Thomas, four each ; Aaron, three; David, Elisha, Jeremiah and Noah, two each; Daniel, Gersliom, James, Josiah, Nathan, Simeon, Solomon, Stephen and Thaddeus, onc each. The names of females were also much more frequently scriptural names than in our own days. Huldah seems to have been a favorite appellation.
t The people of Newton were not so tardy in providing in this way for their com- fort as some of their neighbors. So late as November 14, 1806,-the Federal Street Society in Boston,- Dr. Channing's,-by their committee, "Voted that a stove be permitted to be placed in the Federal Street church, without expense to the society; to be erected under the direction of the Church Committee; its use to be discontinued at any time when the committee shall direct." Thus the First Baptist church in Newton was eleven years in advance of one of the wealthiest churches in Boston.
298
HISTORY OF NEWTON.
ness where the stove shall stand, together with the course of the stove-pipe, and the "window" where it shall make its exodus from the house. The expense of the stove and funnel was £11 13s. 10d., - a little less than forty dollars. So important was this article of luxury in the view of our fathers, that in the annual engagement with the sexton, it was distinctly mentioned, that he was "to take care of the meeting-house and the stove."
Among the early arrangements of the Society, votes occasion- ally appear which are interesting, because they illustrate the man- ners of the times. At the meeting of the Society March 19, 1782, it was voted that " Messieurs John Kenrick, jr., John Wiswall and Jeremiah Richardson be choristers for this Society, for the present year." At the same meeting it was "voted that the singing, in a general way, be carried on by reading a line at a time in the fore- noon, and a verse at a time in the afternoon." This vote indicates the deficiency of hymn-books in the congregation, and, at the same time, the latter part of it implies among the worshippers, "in a general way," a good degree of familiarity with standard hymns.
The first vote of the Society connected with the church has reference to the securing of a minister, and the second to the erec- tion of the meeting-house. The by-laws of the Society are com- menced with the following excellent preamble :
We, the subscribers, members of the First Baptist church and society in Newton, taking into consideration the many obligations God in his word has laid us under to keep up and support the gospel ministry amongst us,- although there has been, and still are, diversity of opinions amongst professing Christians respecting the same, yet we are persuaded that reason and the word of God plainly dictate that it ought to be done in such a manner that one be not eased and another burdened; also, that the preacher, whoever he may be, who shall be set over us, may be so far released from worldly busi- ness that he may give himself to study and the care of the flock over which he is set. And, in order that those desirable ends may be answered, we do, each of us, for ourselves voluntarily agree to the following articles.
The following is the first article :
We will each of us contribute in proportion to our ability towards the sup- port of the ministry, and pay the same at such time as shall be agreed on by this Society.
The salary of Mr. Blood, the first minister, was small, amount- ing only to sixty pounds and "the loose money " contributed on Lord's days. For the sake of these casual contributions, the box was carried around generally on the lower floor every Sabbath, and
299
REV. CALEB BLOOD, FIRST PASTOR.
in the gallery once in the month, until the year 1815. After the accession of Mr. Grafton, the second pastor, in addition to the sal- ary and eight cords of wood, twenty pounds a year were granted to the pastor, "in consideration of the enhanced price of the nec- essaries of life." The salary of Mr. Grafton was increased from time to time, in proportion as the expenses of his family and the style of living in successive periods demanded. In addition to his salary, several members of the Society purchased " half of the place that Mr. Blood used to own," and gave it " to Mr. Grafton as a set- tlement." A "settlement" was a present, over and above the stipulated salary, given to the minister as a token of good will. The amount paid for this settlement was £75 or about $250.
The Society was incorporated by the Legislature of Massachu- setts, and the Act of Incorporation signed by the Governor, Feb- ruary 12, 1821.
Ten days after its formation, the church voted to invite Mr. Caleb Blood to take the pastoral care. In January, 1781, a com- mittee was appointed to request the church at Weston, then under the pastoral care of Mr. Blood, to consent that he might preach at Newton a part of the time until spring. Mr. Blood soon became a resident of Newton, and was pastor till January 24, 1788 .- To aid in his support, he taught the district school at Oak Hill two winters. By those who remember him, his preaching is said to have been "plain, bold, faithful and able." Though his ministry was short, he was much beloved.
The salary proving inadequate to his necessities, Mr. Blood asked a dismission, which was granted. The Records contain an official letter to Mr. Blood, communicating to him the action of the members on his request, which is highly creditable both to them and to him. When Mr. Blood became pastor at Newton, the num- ber of members who had been admitted to the church was seventy- three ; at his dismission, the number was ninety-two. The num- ber of additions was nineteen. His pastorate continued about seven years.
Mr. Blood was born in Charlton, Worcester county, Mass., August 18, 1754. In the twenty-first year of his age, he was hopefully converted. It is said that he was impressed with a deep sense of his sinfulness while at a ball, in the midst of mirth and gaiety. In about eighteen months he commenced preaching and was ordained at Marlow, N. H., in 1777, probably as an itinerant.
300
HISTORY OF NEWTON.
He continued here about two years, and then removed to Weston, where he supplied the Baptist church about a year and a half. He was then pastor at Newton till January, 1788, at Shaftsbury, Vt., till September, 1807, over the Third Baptist church in Boston (Charles Street) till 1810, and the last four years of his life over the First Baptist church at Portland, Me., where he died March 6, 1814, greatly beloved and lamented.
Mr. Blood was the author of a controversial work on baptism, in the form of a dialogue, between a Baptist and a Pedo-Baptist. The charge given by him at the ordination of Rev. Thomas Green, in West Cambridge, November 17, 1783, was also printed, in con- nection with the ordination sermon of Rev. Thomas Gair, of Med- field.
During the ministry of Mr. Blood, an event befell the church which proved a serious shock to its growth and prosperity. Rev. Elhanan Winchester, the zealous and captivating preacher, through whose influence mainly the church had been formed, forsook his earlier faith, and adopted the doctrine of universal salvation. He was able to carry with him, in his new views, several of the lead- ing members of the church. His father, Deacon Elhanan Win- chester, a pillar of the church from the beginning, his wife, two sons and four daughters embraced the new doctrine of Elhanan, the preacher. So also did Thomas Hastings and Samuel Sampson, the first two clerks of the church, and others. One after another adopted the new doctrine, until fifteen were, in consequence, ex- cluded from membership, and the harmony of the church was marred for a period of nearly four years. This was the period when John Murray, the first avowed Universalist preacher in the United States, commenced his labors in Massachusetts. After itinerating several years, Mr. Murray established himself in Gloucester, Mass., and there the first Universalist Society in this country was organized in 1779, and the first meeting-house erected in 1780. Mr. Winchester heard Mr. Murray in Philadelphia, and was there converted to his views, and became, next to Mr. Murray, the most efficient early preacher of Universalism. Mr. Winchester was, at that time, about thirty years of age.
For the next twenty years, the church felt the effects of this period of trial. The average number of additions was smaller, for that length of time, than during any other period of its history. Nevertheless, there were years of special prosperity, in that inter- val, as in periods both antecedent and subsequent.
REV. JOSEPH GRAFTON, A. M. Pastor of the Baptist Church, Newton Centre, from 1788 to 1836.
301
MR. GRAFTON'S PASTORATE.
The same month in which Mr. Blood closed his connection with the church, Mr. Joseph Grafton, of Providence, R. I., was in- vited to visit them. April 10, 1788, he was invited by the Church and Society to become their pastor. In the letter containing the call, it is said, "For his serving of us in the ministry, we do promise to support him in such a manner that he may be free from worldly care and anxiety ; and for the first year, we promise him the consideration of fifty-five pounds, and to pay it quarterly ; and after that, to make such further additions, as his necessities require and our circumstances will admit of."
Mr. Grafton wrote an acceptance of this call, dated May 13, 1788 ; "and, after preaching seventeen Sabbaths, to the satisfaction of the church," he was ordained June 18, 1788. The council met at Little Cambridge (Brighton). Rev. John Stanford, of Provi- dence, preached the ordination sermon from I. Peter V : 4.
For nearly half a century, he continued to go out and in among his people, as a good shepherd, caring for the sheep. The whole number who were admitted to the church during his separate min- istry was five hundred and fifty-four. There were only four years, during his protracted residence at Newton, in which there were not additions to the church. Seasons of special religious interest during his pastorate are indicated by the number of persons who, in various years, were baptized. In 1788, the additions to the church were twenty ; in 1789, eleven ; in 1808, sixteen; in 1811, fifty-one; in 1812, twenty-eight; in 1813, eighteen; in 1817, twenty-seven ; in 1827, one hundred and two; in 1828, twenty- four ; in 1832, ninety-one. The whole number admitted to the church, during his entire ministry, was five hundred and sixty- seven,-being an average of more than eleven annually. In addition to his proper parochial labors, he often preached in the open air, his hearers coming from all parts of the surrounding country.
As an indication of the public estimate of his abilities and sound judgment,- even in points not pertaining to his profession, -- it may be stated that Mr. Grafton received twenty-nine votes, out of the whole number of votes cast by his fellow-townsmen, as a member of the Convention for revising the Constitution of Massa- chusetts, held in the year 1820.
Honorable testimony is borne to the estimation in which he was held by his brethren, by the numerous ecclesiastical offices and
302
HISTORY OF NEWTON.
appointments to which, at various times, he was elected. He was Vice-President of the Massachusetts Baptist Missionary Society (now the Massachusetts Baptist Convention) from 1815 to 1825, and, after the death of Dr. Baldwin, President. He was appoint- ed on the committee of the Evangelical Tract Society in 1817, and Trustee of the same from 1823 to 1829. In the early history of the Baptist General Convention for Foreign Missions, he was one of the committee for the northern section of the Union to examine candidates for missionary labor. In 1819, he was a mem- ber of the committee of the American Baptist Magazine. He was Vice-President of the Boston Baptist Foreign Missionary Society for Boston and vicinity, being elected several times suc- cessively for the space of three years each, from the year 1819. In 1826 he was elected the first President of the Board of Trus- tees of the Newton Theological Institution. He was President, successively, of the Norfolk County Foreign Missionary Society, and of the Middlesex and Norfolk County Missionary Society. He preached the annual sermon of the Warren Association at. Middleborough, in the year 1799, and of the Boston Association, at the Charles Street church in Boston, in 1815 ; and was Modera- tor of the latter in the year 1822 at the Second Baptist church in Boston, and in 1826 at South Reading.
His preaching was eminently simple, obvious and unadorned, yet evangelical and effective. His theology was of the order of Andrew Fuller's. His texts were chosen from the whole range of the Scriptures ; and most of his illustrations he drew from the treasure-house of the Divine word.
Mr. Grafton was thrice married, and had, in all, nine children, of whom six died in infancy or childhood.
At a meeting of the church held July 2, 1835, Mr. Grafton. asked to be relieved from the responsibilities of the pastoral office, generously proposing to relinquish the emoluments of his position, and advising the settlement of a young and vigorous minister, who would do for the people a service of which the grow- ing infirmities of age rendered him incapable. Accordingly a col- league pastor was settled with his hearty concurrence.
The following records are interesting, in connection with the history of the First Baptist Society, as an illustration of the methods and measures of the proprietors of the meeting-house nearly three-quarters of a century ago.
303
THE MEETING-HOUSE ENLARGED.
SALE OF PEW LOTS IN THE MEETING-HOUSE .- The committee chosen by the Baptist Society in Newton, at their meeting in August last, to make sale of Pew Lots in their meeting-house, have attended that service and report their doings as follows, viz. : That they have sold five pew lots in the Women's Gallery to the following persons, and for the sum set against their names re- spectively ; and have made and executed good and sufficient Deeds of said lots, in behalf of said Society, as follows, viz. :
Lot No. 1 To David Bartlett, for
$10.00
Lot No. 2 To Samuel Prentiss, for
9.00
Lot No. 3 To Thomas Hovey, for 9.00
Lot No. 4 To Benjamin Richardson, for
15.00
Lot No. 5 To Jonathan Richardson, for
9.50
Amounting in the whole to
$52.50
and that they have paid the money into the treasury of said Society.
All which is submitted,
STEPHEN DANA,
JOHN KING, J. KENRICK, JR.
NEWTON, April 2, 1802.
ENLARGEMENT OF THE MEETING-HOUSE IN 1803-4 .- The com- mittee appointed by the Baptist Society in Newton, at their meet- ing on the ninth day of April, 1804, for the purpose of enlarging their meeting-house, and for making sale of the pews built in con- sequence of such enlargement, have attended to and completed the business of their appointment ; also, have made some necessary repairs on the old part of said house, and have paid all the demands for work and materials for the same, as follows, viz. :
Paid Isaac Dana and Joseph Russell, as per contract, $1,101.00
Paid do. for building three pews in the gallery,
18.00
Paid do. for removing three pillars in the old part of s'd house, 3.00
Paid do. for removing studs, &c., in the new part, 3.33
Paid do. for paint, 1.52
To cash paid Jacob Weld for painting the outside, 38.50
Paid Daniel Sanger for whitewashing,
6.00
Paid Samuel Child for numbering the pews, 1.75
Paid Aaron Richards for timber, work, &c.,
16.00
Paid Jacob Weld for painting the inside of the house,
7.72
Paid Norman Clark for boarding the Painters, and for joist and timber for the vestry, &c.,
10.14
The expenses of the committee at three meetings,
2.90
Whole amount of expense,
$1,209.86
304
HISTORY OF NEWTON.
The committee have received the whole of the proceeds of the sale of twenty pews built on the lower floor of said house,-which sum, with seven dollars received of Benjamin Richardson for a window put into his pew, amounted to the sum of twelve hundred and twelve dollars; which leaves, a balance in favor of the Society, the sum of two dollars and fourteen cents.
STEPHEN DANA,
AARON DANA,
JOHN KING, NOAH KING,
AARON RICHARDS,
EBENEZER RICHARDSON,
Comite.
NEWTON, April 29, 1805.
PURCHASERS' NAMES AND NUMBER OF PEWS AND PRICE SOLD FOR.
NAMES.
NO.
PRICE.
Ebenezer Hovey,
37
$61.00
John Peck,
38
65.00
Josiah Bacon,
39
65.00
Amasa Winchester,
40
59.00
James Hovey,
41
63.00
Stephen Dana,
42
63.00
Daniel Richards, Daniel Richards, jr.,
43
64.00
J. McIntyre,
44
60.00
John Peck,
27
63.00
John Kenrick, jr.,
28
63.00
Moses Stone,
29
64.00
John Hastings.
31
57.00
Aaron Richards,
36
56.00
1
4
60.00
Jonathan Bixby, jr., and N. Pettee,
5
55.00
John Peck,
6
62.00
Ebenezer Richardson,
22
55.00
Isaac Dana,
23
57.00
Norman Clark,
24
54.00
Received of Benjamin Richardson for a window put into his pew, included in the contract with Dana & Russell,
7.00
$1,212.00
PROCEEDINGS OF AN ANNUAL MEETING .- Annual meeting of the Baptist Society in Newton, held at their meeting-house on the 29th of April, 1809. First, chose Stephen Dana, Esq., Moderator.
2. Chose John Kenrick, Esq., Clerk.
3. Chose Lieut. Ebenezer Richardson, Treasurer.
4. VOTED, That Messrs. Stephen Dana, John Kenrick and Norman Clark be the Prudential Committee for the ensuing year.
5. VOTED, Messrs. Stephen Dana, Dea. Hall, Caleb Kenrick, jr., Elisha Hyde and Ebenezer Richardson be a committee to average the expenses of the Society.
30
59.00
John King,
David Bartlett,
Salmon Barney,
$1,205.00
!
EDWARD MITCHELL,
305
THE OLD MEETING-HOUSE.
6. VOTED, That James Hovey be the Collector for the ensuing year.
7. VOTED, $450 for Mr. Grafton's support the ensuing year, together with the land belonging to the Society, and the loose money.
8. VOTED, $20 for contingent expenses.
9. VOTED, That Lieut. Jonathan Richardson collect the money in the gallery on the first Lord's day in each month.
10. VOTED, to raise money by subscription to repay the committee what they have advanced for building the vestry.
Meeting dissolved.
Attest,
JOSEPH] G[RAFTON], C[LERK ] P[RO] T[EM].
The pulpit of the old church was high and small, but still it was of sufficient size to accommodate two ministers at one time. On the floor of the church were three aisles, the broad aisle and two side aisles. Entirely around the auditorium there was a range of square pews with turn-up seats, and often the large families supplemented the seats by a chair which stood in the middle space in the pew. Besides the range of square pews which bordered the area, about six other square pews filled the lower part of the broad aisle, three on each side. The pulpit was reached by a narrow flight of stairs on the left side. The gallery on the left had a range of square pews against the wall ; that on the right was filled with slips. There was but one entrance to the house, which was through a portico on Centre Street.
The basement story was a single room, but divisible by a swing- ing partition, which could be lifted up on its hinges, and secured by hooks to the ceiling. The space was thus divided into two rooms, for the use of candidates on baptismal occasions. A row of fixed seats around the whole extent of the wall, and benches without backs filled the remainder of the space.
In the main auditorium, the pulpit was on the west side of the house, opposite the entrance. On this side of the house a projec- tion was added when more space was required for the growing congregation, and the pulpit was removed back into the new por- tion of the house. The stove stood in the broad aisle, nearer to the door than it was to the pulpit. Mr. Grafton's pew (the pas- tor's) adjoined the pulpit on the north side ; next to him was Henry King ; in the northwest corner, Norman Clark ; on the south side of the pulpit and adjoining it, J. Bartlett ; in the southwest corner, Mr. Richardson; in the southeast corner, Thomas Harback; in the northeast corner, Mr. Cook. In the square pews near the foot
20
306
HISTORY OF NEWTON.
of the broad aisle, Ebenezer King sat on the right, Seth Davis on the left. In front of Ebenezer King was Aaron Richards. Colonel Dana occupied the fourth slip from the pulpit on the left (south), Mr. Josiah Bacon, the last. Opposite Mr. Bacon was Deacon Noah King, and in front of the latter, John Kenrick, Esq. Jona- than Bixby sat half way down the south side of the house, and next to him Deacon Stone ; besides these were the families which bore the names of Parker, Hovey, Seaver, Richardson and Richards .. On the north side were Deacon Pettee, Edward Hall and others. Besides the residents of Newton, were the worshippers who came from Brookline, Watertown, Waltham, Cambridgeport and other places. They came conscientiously to worship God, parents and children, often by a weary walk of miles, but their seats werc rarely empty. No luxurious sanctuary attracted them. No peal- ing organ or artistic singing awaited their coming and welcomed. their approach. They were contented with their plain bare floor and uncushioned seats. And in this unadorned sanctuary the ancient men worshipped, and the word was preached in demonstra- tion of the Spirit and with power. Here flocked together inter- ested hearers from every part of Newton and from the neighbor- ing towns. Here the venerable father Grafton gathered hundreds: into the church,- stars for his future crown,-most of whom have joined him in his heavenly home. Here were laid the foun- dations on which later accretions have grown up in the same spirit, holding the same faith, and inspired by the same motives. Mod- ern luxury has brought the sanctuary into nearer accord with the elegances of Christian homes ; but we may well question whether in any period for the last hundred years men have ever excelled those early years, in worshipping God in spirit and in truth.
The following copy of the amount of the ministerial tax assessed un the members and property in the First Baptist Society in the year 1828 gives an interesting view of the simple days of the fathers. The assessors of the Society that year were Seth Davis,.' Enoch Richards and Peres Lothrop. The whole amount assessed. for the current expenses was $511.13. The names appended show who were the members of the Society at that date; and the amount of the tax of each indicates their worldly condition. The document from which this copy was taken was furnished by Seth Davis, Esq., who for about thirty years was clerk and treasurer of the Society.
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