USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lowell > History of Pawtucket Church and Society : with reminiscences of pastors and founders, sketches of Congregational churches in Lowell, and a brief outline of Congregationalism > Part 2
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The next day after his decease a town meeting was holden at the meeting-house in order to grant money to defray the expenses of the burial. The following business was transacted :
Ist, Made choice of John Varnum moderator. 2d, Voted to buy Madam Parker a mourning suit. Also voted to buy six rings for ye bearers of ye deceased. Voted to appropriate 20 pounds for ye mourning suit and rings included. Voted to raise 4 pounds more, so that ye whole amount is 24 pounds.
Mr. Parker died in the 64th year of his age. He was in failing health a year before his death, and the town held a meeting in 1764 to see if an appropriation could be made to obtain some one
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to preach for him. He was buried down in the field, near the residence of Anforth Coburn .*
It is related that Mr. Parker was a musician, and played the clarionet. Sometimes he would sit in his doorway on a moonlight evening and play, while the Indians would answer him along the banks of the river.
THE COVENANT FOR UNION.
On March 29, 1721, the Church adopted what they called "A Covenant for Union," as follows :
We, whose names are underwritten, publicly acknowledge our unworthi- ness of such a favor and unfitness for such a business, yet apprehending ourselves to be called of God to put ourselves into a way for Church com- munion and to seek the settlement of all Gospel Institutions among us, do therefore in order thereto, and for better procuring thereof as much as in us lies, knowing our proneness to backslide, abjureing all confidence in our- selves and relying on the Lord Jesus Christ alone for help, covenant as follows :
Ist-As to the confession of faith put forth by the last synod of churches, held at Boston, in New England, we do heartily close with it, so far as we are or may be acquainted with it, and find it agreeable to the word of God, and promise to stand by and maintain, and if need be contend for the faith therein delivered to the people of God, and if any among us go about to undermine the same, we will bear due testimony against them.
2d-We do also combine together to walk as a particular church of Christ, according to all these holy rules of the Gospel prescribed to such a society so far as God hath or shall reveal his mind to us in that respect.
3d-We do accordingly recognize the covenant of Grace in which we professedly acknowledge ourselves devoted to the fear and service of the only true God, our Supreme Lord and to Jesus Christ the High Priest, Prophet and King of His Church, and to whose conduct we submit our- selves and upon whom we wait and hope for grace and Glory, and to whom we bind ourselves in an everlasting covenant never to be broken.
4th-We likewise give up ourselves unto one another in the Lord, re-
* The writer a few years since had the remains of Mr. Parker removed to Woodbine Cemetery, now in Lowell.
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solving by his help to cleave each to the other as fellow-members of one body in brotherly love and holy watchfulness over each other for mutual edifica- tion, and subject ourselves to all the holy admonitions appointed by Him as Head of the Church, dispensed according to the rules of the Gospel, and to give our public attendance upon all the public ordinances of Christ's in- institution walking orderly as becometh saints.
5th-We do acknowledge our posterity included with us in the Gospel Covenant, and blessing God for so great a favor do promise to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord with the greatest care, and acknowledge them in the covenant relation of Gospel rules.
6th-Furthermore we promise to be careful to the utmost to procure the settlement and continuance among us of the offices and officers appointed by Christ, the Chief Shepherd, for the edification of his church; and accord- ingly to do our duty faithfully for their maintenance and encouragement and to carry ourselves toward them as becomes us.
7th-Finally, we do acknowledge and promise to preserve communion with the faithful churches of Christ, for the giving and receiving mutual counsel and assistance in all cases wherein it shall be needful.
Now, the Lord be merciful to us, as he hath put into our hearts thus to devote ourselves to him; let him pity and pardon our frailties and humble us for our carnal confidence, and keep forever in our hearts to be faithful to him, and one towards another for his praise and our eternal comfort, for Christ Jesus His Sake, to whom be glory forever-Amen.
At the end of this covenant we find a note or memorandum, as follows : " This covenant was signed March 29, 1721, when the church was first gathered. Renewed and assented to Nov. 17, 1765," &c. There is no name or date to this note, but we think it must be a mistake. This particular cove- nant was probably signed in 1721, but a church must have been gathered long before, as we have seen that the town had built a meeting-house in 1715, and had extended a call to Mr. Chever to settle over the parish as early as 1711, and Mr. Wiggles- worth in 1712.
AGITATION.
Passing over a period of thirty years, we find that in 1742, during the pastorate of Mr. Parker,
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the subject of building a new meeting-house began to be agitated. The old one had served its purpose and was no longer deemed suitable. During that time the town had increased in numbers, and it was thought best, by some of the parish, to build a new one of more suitable dimensions and in a different locality. Accordingly the people were called together with the following result :
At a general town meeting, Voted to build a meeting-house for ye public worship of God, 45 feet in length and 35 feet in bredth, and 23 feet between the plates and sills-clapboarded with sawed clapboards, and shingled with white pine shingles, and the windows shall have sash and glazed with glass called ye large square glass (8 by 10) and that the inside of the house shall be finished according to the discretion of the committee, or a major part of them.
Voted, that said meeting-house shall be set on ye north-westerly side of ye Great road, on the easterly side of Mr. Simonds' land, near said road, and near the easterly line of said Simonds' land. And the sum of 200 lbs. in bills of credit of this Province of ye last emission be levied, raised and collected of ye inhabitants of ye town to defray ye expenses of said house. A committee of five men were chosen, consisting of John Varnum, Capt. John Coburn, John Coburn, jr., Dea. Robert Coburn & John Bowers.
Attest, JOHN VARNUM, Moderator and Town Clerk. Dracut, May 27, 1745.
This locality has been described to us by an old resident as being on the northerly side of the road, nearly opposite the house of the late Life Ham- blet, now owned by Mr. John Ames, a few rods east of Merrimack Woolen Mills, on Beaver Brook. There was so much opposition, however, to this plan that no immediate action was taken by the commit- tee towards executing their authority, and we find that on the following December another meeting was called and a different spot was selected upon which to build, as will be seen by the following vote :
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
Dracut, Dec. 16, 1745.
Voted, to build a meeting-house to be set on the high land between Col. Varnum's house and the old meadow path, 44 X 36 ft. & 24 foot stud. Com- mittee, Josiah Richardson, John Littlehale, John Varnum, Edward Coburn & Edward Wyman.
This vote was not carried out, however, and very little account appears to have been made of it, as it is not referred to in subsequent proceedings. No further effort seems to have been made until 1747, when the matter was again brought before the town, as appears by record.
Dracut, February 10, 1747.
At a general town meeting, it was voted to build a meeting-house for the public worship of God, to be sett on the Southwest corner of John Bowers' homestead lot, the house to be 44 by 36-posts to be 22 feet long between joints. The committee chosen to build the house are, Josiah Richardson, Maj. Samuel Varnum, Timothy Coburn, John Bowers, & Isaac Fox. Two hundred lbs. are raised, and shall be assessed and collected for to build ye house with, according to ye best judgment of ye Committee.
The spot selected for the meeting-house at this meeting was about a mile east of the one selected in May, 1745, and was so objectionable to many that a memorial was drawn up, and signed by a number of men, and presented to Governor William Shirley and the General Court, setting forth all the circumstances, and rehearsing somewhat in detail the ecclesiastical affairs of the town from the time of its incorporation. The document is an able one and valuable, as it sheds some light upon past events, and will be read with pleasure by all who are interested in them. It reads as follows :
To his Excellency William Shirley Esq Govr &c. The Hon his Majestys Councell & house of Representatives in Genl Court assembled at Boston April the 5th 1748
The petition of the subscribers, Inhabitants of the Town of Dracut hum- bly showeth-
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That your Petrs ancestors, in the year 1701, were settled on a tract of Land the Northerly side of Merrimack River called Dracut, Long before granted in farms to sundry persons from whom they Purchased that the then Inhabitants & Proprs of part of the sd tract Petitioned this Hon. Court setting forth that the said tract of land which adjoins to Dunstable on the West & North West & runs seven miles Eastward upon the river from Dun- stable line & six miles & six miles Northward from the River Commodious for a township and for reasons mentioned in their Petition Pray'd that the sd tract might become a town & privileged with the Powers thereof by this Court in answer to which was Resolved, That the Prayer thereof should be granted and that the sd Inhabts. should assist in the maintainance of the ministry of Chelmsford as they had done until they were provided with a minister as the law Directs. And that if any land should happen to fall within the afore described bounds that had not been before granted it should be reserved to be disposed of by this Government.
That in the year 1709 the further to enable the Inhats. to support the Gospel, The sd reserved land was inquired into and granted all that tract undisposed of before Lying within the boundrys of the aforesaid Grant to settlers & likewise to strengthen the town against the enemy.
That in the year 1715 the 1st settlers together with the Inhabts. admitted as aforesaid by reason of their Difficulties of attending meeting at Chelms- ford agreed to build a meetinghouse in said Dracut-And to measure East- ward from Dunstable line upon the River three miles & a half & the nearest Convenient place thereto to raise the meeting house thereon; And as the Settlements are Chiefly on and near the enterval being best situated for De- fence as well as the most valuable land was then the most convenient place.
That A. D. 1720 the Rev Mr Thomas Parker was called and ordained to the Gospel ministry amongst us, Who together with the Assistance of the Town purchased a settlement near the said meetinghouse-the price much Inhanced by reason of the situation. That he hath carried on the work ever since among us to general acceptance. That back from the river part of the Land in said town has since been Settled.
That sd meetinghouse in the year 1745 was much Decayed and likely soon to be too small to hold the Inhabitants in sd town, it was moved to choose another place that might accomodate the whole of the settleable Land in sd Dracut according to the Limits of their Incorporation for which purpose a meeting was called & the Inhabts. on ye 27 of May 1745 did vote and agree upon a place for Rebuilding the sd meetinghouse Abt. a mile to the Northward from the ist meetinghouse at the same meeting chose Comtee. to manage the Building sd house & granted two hundred pounds of the last Emission to be Employed in Carrying on sd Work and part of the money accordingly assessed & has been since collected in part.
That notwithstanding sd votes and prosecuting them so far the In- habits. have called another meeting & on the 10th of Feb. last did by a majority of votes present in the ,sd last meeting, grant that a meetinghouse should be built at the S. W. corner of John Bowers Homestead at least a mile Eastward from ye place agreed upon ye 27th of May as aforesaid.
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And further Granted two hundred pounds of the last Emission to be laid out in building the same and chose a Committee to manage the affairs. Which last mentioned place is upward of two miles Eastward from the Ist meetinghouse. That at Present your Petitrs. Concieve by the votes of the town there is two meetinghouses to be built at the town's charge without separating the Inhabitants. That by the Incorporation it was intended to take so much Land as to commode the original settlers and no more and should the Lands Eastward of that Incorporation viz to the Eastward of ye sd seven miles be annexed to Dracut it will extend Eastward of Dunstable Line upon the river not less than nine miles & a half & the North Easterly part of sd Land much further That the place last voted is about five miles & a half east from Dunstable line at the River on a Straight Course as a Road Can be had By which vote the Town is Involved in Great Dif- ficulty, & should the last place voted be the place of attendance it will be very unequal and unjust to ye Inhabts. of sd town & render all that part of the Ist settlement & still the best improved under a great difficulty as if they had not been incorporated & the distance at Each End of those lands that Methuen which part of the Inhabts. claim as this town be annexed to us too far to give a General attendance As well as the distance from our ministers house so great that it will be Impracticable for him to carry on the Work of the ministry there & no provisure made for his Relief.
Wherefore your petitioners humbly pray that Your Excellency & your Honrs. Would take the premises into consideration & grant that the votes passed at the meeting May ye 27th 1745 may be further ratified & the votes of the meeting Feb ye 10th 1747 made null or Otherwise Impower a Committee to view and appoint the most reasonable place for a meeting- house and State it, & in case the Inhabitants on those lands between the aforementioned seven miles & Methuen be annexed to us that we may be Divided into two towns or Parishes, the Circumstances to be viewed by a Comtee, and as this Honle. Court shall order And further pray that all matters Relating to the building either of the said Houses may be stayed by order of this court till there be a full determination thereon.
And Ye petrs. as in Duty Bound shall Ever pray.
JOHN VARNUM,
EPHRAIM COLBURN,
JOHN LITTLEHALE,
EDWARD COBURN,
ABRAHAM VARNUM,
JOSIAH COBURN,
SAMUEL WINN,
THOMAS VARNUM,
CALEB PARKER,
EDWARD COBURN, JR,
JOHN LITTLEHALE, JR,
EZEEKEL RICHARDSON, JR,
ROBERT LINDSEY,
AARON COBURN,
JOHN WILLIAMS,
ABRAHAM COBURN,
JOSEPH COLBURN,
JAMES RICHARDSON,
EZRA LITTLEHALE,
DANIEL COBURN.
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
In the House of Reprs Apr. 7 1748
Read and ordered that Col Richards & Mr Brewer with such as shall be joined by the Hon. Board be a Committee to view the Situation & Circum- stances of the Town of Dracut at the charge of the Petitioners & report what they judge proper for this Court to do on this Petition and all pro- ceedings respecting building a meeting house in said town of Dracut are stayed in the meantime. Sent up for concurrence.
T HUTCHINSON, Spr
In Council Apr 9th 1748 James Minot is joined in the above. Consented to
WM SHIRLEY .*
In support of the last vote of the Town to set the meeting-house on the "Southwest Corner of John Bowers his homestead Lott," the following petition was also presented to the Governor and Council :
We the Subscribers, Inhabitants and freeholders of Dracut are humbly of the opinion that the meeting house for the town of Dracut ought to stand at the Southwest Corner of John Bowers his homestead Lott in Dracutt, and we desire the same may be set up there as witness our hands the 15 day of Aprill 1748
JACOB COBURN,
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN JR,
SAMUEL VARNUM,
DARIUS HARRIS,
LEVI HILDRETH,
WILLIAM HILL,
SIMON COLBURN,
STEPHIN RUSSELL,
KENDALL PARKER,
JONATHAN CROSBY,
DAVID PARKER,
ROBERT WRIGHT,
DAVID Fox,
EDWARD TAYLOR,
JAMES EMERY,
STEPHEN KIMBALL,
JONATHAN EMERY,
THOMAS HILDRETH,
JOHN CRAGE, FRANCIS NICKLES,
STEPHEN RUSSELL, EPHRAIM CURTIS JR,
JOHN VARNUM JR,
EPHRAIM RICHARDSON,
STEPHEN FARMER,
STEPHEN WOOD,
ALEXANDER LINDSEY,
JACOB COLBURN JR,
JOSEPH CHAMBERLAIN,
JOSIAH RICHARDSON JR, DANIEL Fox.
* See Ancient Plans and Grants, volume 4, office of Secretary of Massachusetts.
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
The committee appointed to view the situation and circumstances of the town of Dracut, having attended to that service, and heard the pleas and allegations of the parties, are humbly of the opinion that the most just and proper place in said town for the building a meetinghouse for the public worship of God is on the height of land in the highway between the barn of Col. Varnum and the orchard of said Varnum northwesterly of said barn. All of which is humbly submitted.
JAMES MINOT, per order.
IN COUNCIL June 3d 1748.
Read and accepted and voted that it be recommended to the inhabitants to set their meetinghouse accordingly. Sent down for concurrence.
J. WILLARD, Sec.
Read and non-concurred and ordered that the petition be dismissed. Sent up for concurrence.
T. HUTCHINSON, Speaker.
IN COUNCIL June 4 1748
Read and non-concurred and the Board adhere to their own vote with this amendment, viz. And the charge of the committee be borne by the petitioners. Sent up for concurrence.
J. WILLARD, Sec.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 7 1748.
Read and non-concurred, and the house insist on their own vote. Sent up for concurrence.
J. HUTCHINSON, Speaker.
And thus the matter ended in the General Court.
A NEW CHURCH.
The house was built, however, during that year (1748) and it is supposed to have been set upon the lot originally selected by the town in May, 1745.
This church is described as containing the square or box pews, arranged around the walls, for " digni-
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taries" who were willing to pay for the honor of owning and occupying them. In the middle of the house were arranged benches for those who were unable to own pews. There were eight seats of "dignitie," established by vote of the town, viz: " The fore seat below - second seat below - fore seat in the front gallery -fore seat in the side gallery - third seat below - second in the front gal- lery -fourth seat below - second in side gallery." These are mentioned in the order of their rank.
The "Ministree," where Mr. Parker resided, was about half a mile above the first meeting-house, on the spot where Col. Louis Ansart afterwards resided. Col. Ansart was an officer in the Revolutionary War, came from France to America in 1776, was employed by our government in casting cannon, and was appointed Colonel of Artillery and inspec- tor General of the foundries. He was father of Atis and Abel Ansart, both now living and members of the Pawtucket Church .* After the death of Col. Ansart, in 1804, the property eventually came into the possession of Daniel Varnum, and is now owned and occupied by his nephew, Thomas Varnum.
THE SECOND PASTOR SETTLED.
Soon after the decease of their pastor, Rev. Thomas Parker, a call was extended to Rev. Nathan Davis, as follows :
At a general Town meeting, Sept 3d, 1765, to see if the town would con- cur with a vote of the church to give the Rev. Nathan Davis a call to settle,
Mr. Atis Ansart died April 18, 1888, at the age of ninety-one years.
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
the vote was unanimous to concur. Also voted to give him for his yearly Salary the sum of eighty pounds lawful money. Also voted to give him one hundred and sixty pounds for his encouragement for a settlement, one half to be paid in one year & one half in two years. Also elected a committee of seven men to act with the Church Committee, as follows : Ephraim Hildreth, Nathaniel Clemens, Dr. Abbott, Aaron Coburn, Simeon Coburn, Nathan Jones, John Bowers.
On the 24th day of September, 1765, a town meeting was held to receive Mr. Davis' answer.
And they then and there chose Major Samuel Varnum (who is one of the Church Committee), and Capt Timothy Coburn (who is one of the Town Committee), and Mr. Peter Coburn, who is one of the Selectmen, a Com- mittee to wait on Mr. Davis & on behalf of the Church and town to request that Mr. Davis would meet them at the meeting house as soon as convenient. And it was voted that the moderator of the meeting make an address to Mr Davis and continue and repeat the Invitation and call him to Settle in the ministry in said town on the invitation previously given ..
This being done Mr. Davis gave his answer, as follows :
Gentlemen: I have taken into serious consideration your kind and unanimous invitation to settle with you in the work of the gospel ministry. I return you my grateful acknowledgments for your kind acceptance of my labors and your christian candor in passing over their many imperfections. It affords me very sensible pleasure, that amidst the various contentions and vain janglings which exist in many places & interrupt the peace of such a number of churches-that so much love and harmony prevails among you. May the Prince of Peace ever protect you & defend you from strife and variance and multiply peace and good order among you. I am not altogether insensible of the weight & importance of the Gospel ministry & the various qualifications requisite for the faithful discharge of it. Conscious of my own frailties a spirit of meekness & humility points out my unworthiness & insufficiency of sustaining so high a character as that of Steward of the manifold Grace of God, but when I consider the Divine appointment ; that God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty ordained by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe, and that the Gospel Treasure is committed to earthen vessels-then considering the voice of Providence in your general invitation, I dare not draw back; & when I remember the divine promise that God's grace will be sufficient that he will never forsake those who trust in him, then I am encouraged to at tempt the arduous work. God grant that I may be faithful and succesful
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
I now publicly in the presence of God declare that I now freely and wittingly though with fear and trembling accept your invitation. Hoping that I shall have an interest in your supplications at the throne of Grace & that we shall all at last obtain eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, I am your sincere friend and servant,
NATHAN DAVIS.
JOIIN VARNUM, Moderator.
At another town meeting, October 8, 1765, it was voted that the twentieth day of the next November, God willing, should be the day to ordain him.
Mr. Davis remained until January 2, 1781, when he resigned his charge.
A meeting of the freeholders was called the next summer, and the twenty-third day of August was appointed as a day of fasting and prayer for aid and direction in spiritual affairs, and especially with reference to obtaining another pastor.
The pulpit, however, was filled with a stated supply for several years. In January, 1785, an invitation was extended to Rev. Timothy Langdon to become the pastor, at one hundred pounds salary and one hundred and fifty pounds as settlement, but it not being satisfactory it was declined.
It was customary in those days to give a minis- ter a certain sum for "settlement," that is, to meet the expenses incidental to changing and starting life anew.
CALL DECLINED.
Mr. Langdon sent the following communication, in reply to the call extended to him :
To the Church of Christ and other inhabitants of the town of Dracut.
GENTLEMEN : Please accept my grateful acknowledgements for the friendly disposition manifested toward me since I have been in this town
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PAWTUCKET CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
and more especially in thus giving me an invitation to settle with you in the gospel ministry. Your proposals I have taken into serious consideration and am pleased to see so great unanimity both in church and town But after the most mature deliberation and looking to God for guidance and direction, I cannot find it my duty to give an affirmative answer to your proposals and for the following reasons
First Because by the express words of the vote the salary is limited in such a manner as leaves room for uneasiness and contention According to the words of the vote if I am absent or sick so as to be disabled from carry- ing on the work of the ministry for one Sabbath or more such appropria- tion of the salary may be deducted. I have too much charity for the town to suppose this was their meaning yet since the words of the vote will bear this construction it gives room for any ill disposed persons to raise difficulty and uneasiness. In short I must beg leave to suppose y't such a limitation is impolitic as it respects the town and not calculated to promote the peace and welfare of the minister especially unless the salary be sufficiently large so as to compensate for such a limitation which in the present case I imag- ine it is not. As on the one hand a ministers salary ought not to be during life so on the other hand it ought not to be limited to his health and bodily ability to carry on the work of the ministry. In this as well as in other affairs there is a happy medium, So long as the pastoral or ministerial rela- tions shall continue between him and people
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