USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Princeton > History of Princeton, Worcester County, Massachusetts, civil and ecclesiastical, from its first settlement in 1739, to april 1852 > Part 8
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Previous to the erection of this house, the Rev. Jo- seph Russell received an invitation from the church and town to settle over them as a pastor. December 7, 1795, the town voted unanimously to concur with the church in their " invitation" made on the 20th of Nov. to Mr. Russell. At the same time it was " voted that the usual mode of giving a settlement be dispensed with, and that the sum of four hundred thirty-three dollars and one third of a dollar be paid him yearly during his continuance in the ministry." It was also voted, on the
* Michæl Gill, Esq., paid £36 for No. 66 Pew in said house, which was the highest sum obtained for any one.
101
MR. RUSSELL'S SETTLEMENT.
8th of February, 1796, to "furnish Mr. Russell with twenty-five cords of good merchantable wood annually, delivered to him at his dwelling-house, so long as he shall continue our minister and the price of staple com- modities remain as they now are ; but when the capital articles of consumption shall revert back to their former standard, that is to say, when the price of beef shall be reduced from thirty-six to twenty-four shillings per hun- dred ; Pork from six to four pence per pound ; Rye from six to four-shillings per bushel ; Indian Corn from four-and-six-pence to three shillings per bushel ; the whole expense of the wood, be it more or less, shall be deducted from the salary already voted by the town, and so in a less proportion as the price of those commodities shall gradually decrease."
Mr. Russell having accepted the invitation, March 16, 1796, was fixed for his ordination, and a committee charged with the proper preparations. The time ap- pointed for the ceremony having arrived, the Rev. Dr. Morse, of Charlestown, introduced the solemnities with prayer; Rev. Mr. Backus of Somers, delivered a sermon from Matthew, xvi, 26, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul ?" --- Rev. Dr. Thacher, of Boston, made the ordaining pray- er ; Rev. Mr. Jackson, of Brookline, gave the charge ; Rev. Mr. Hubbard, of Sterling, bestowed the right hand of fellowship ; Rev. Dr. Sumner, of Shrewsbury, offer- ed the concluding prayer ; and the exercises were closed with an Anthem .*
* " Voted that the committee to provide for the ordaining counsel keep the crockery ware, knives and forks, &c., until the new meeting house is raised, then to dispose of them and pay the money into the town treasury." Town Records, Vol. 2.
105
CALL TO MR. MURDOCK.
The church and society continued to worship in the old meeting house until April, 1797, when, the new house being completed, it was dedicated. An appropriate dis- course was preached by the pastor on the occasion. About the same time, the Hon. Moses Gill presented to the church, a flagon, tankard, two pewter and two sil- ver cups, for the communion table. It was also voted to " introduce Dr. Watts' Psalms and Hymns" as a sub- stitute for the Psalms before used. Mr. Ebenezer, Par- ker was, on the 2Sth of November, 1800, elected to the office of Deacon, vice Deacon Howe, deceased.
Mr. Russell continued to perform the duties of his office, to the general acceptance of his people, until Sep- tember 12, 1801, when he requested a dismission, alleg- ing as a reason, that he was unable, on the account of the precarious state of his health, to apply himself to study with that assiduity, which his engagements indis- pensably required. After some unwillingness and delay on the part of the town to grant the request of their pas- tor, he was finally dismissed.
A short time subsequent to his dismission from Prince- ton, Mr. Russell removed to Troy, and has since been engaged in mercantile pursuits.
The Rev. James Murdock, was engaged to preach to the church and society in Princeton after the dismission of Mr. Russell ; and on the 18th of March, 1802 the church unanimously requested his permanent settlement as their pastor. The concurrence of the town was given to this call on the 5th of April following, with only a single dissenting voice. The stated salary was $366, 67, the improvement of a farm previously purchased by the town as a parsonage,* and twenty cords of wood an-
* The present residence and farm of Mr. David II. Gregory.
OT
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ORDINATION OF REV. MR. MURDOCK.
nually. To this invitation Mr. Murdock returned an af- firmative answer.
The ordination services took place June 23d, 1802, The introductory prayer was offered by Rev. Hezekiah Goodrich of Rutland ; sermon by Rev. Jonathan Mur- dock of Bozrah, Conn., from 1 Peter, i : xvii,-" Which things the angels desire to look into" ; ordaining prayer by Rev. Joseph Sumner, D. D., of Shrewsbury ; the charge by Rev. Asaph Rice of Westminster ; the right hand of fellowship by Rev. Joseph Avery of Holden ; and the concluding prayer by Rev. Reuben Holcomb, of Sterling. The Rev. William Nash of Boylston with the church under his charge, were also present on this occa- sion.
During Mr. Murdock's ministry in Princeton, the church was greatly strengthened by accessions to its numbers and graces ; especially in the year 1810, when, through the blessing of God on his preaching, a revival of religion was experienced among the people, and near- ly fifty were made subjects of converting grace. Of that number several are still living, who remember the pe- riod with joyful emotions. This was the first general re- vival after the settlement of the town.
As a substitute for the old church covenant, the follow- ing articles of faith and covenant were, after due delib- eration, adopted by the church with great unanimity,* Nov. 1, 1810.
1. " You believe that there is one God, the creator and propri- etor of all worlds, a being of infinite power, wisdom, justice,
* " Those whovoted in the negative" say the church records, " declared, that they fully approved both the Articles and Confesston, except that they could not see fit to require any acknowledgements of particular sins, as in the parenthesis in the first section of the Covenant, though they were willing that all candidates for admission who felt disposed should make such acknowledge_ ments."
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CHURCH COVENANT.
goodness and truth ; the self-existent, independent and un- changeable fountain of all good.
"2. You believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Tes- tament were written by inspiration of God ; and that they con- tain a complete and harmonious system of religious truths and precepts, by which we ought to form our doctrinal belief, and regulate our religious practice.
3. " You believe, according to the scriptures, that in the unity of the Godhead there exists a trinity of persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ; and these three persons are one in essence, and equal in all divine attributes.
4. " You believe that God hath made all things for himself ; that he exercises a particular providence over all worlds, and regulates and governs all things, according to the holy and un- changeable counsels of his own wisdom and goodness.
5. " You believe that the law of God, the principles and whole administration of the divine government, are perfectly holy, just and good.
6. " You believe that our first parents were originally holy and happy in the enjoyment of God's favor, till by voluntarily trans- gressing in the garden, they fell from their original state, lost the image and favor of God, and became proper subjects of everlasting condemnation.
7. "You believe that the apostacy of our first parents in- volved all their offspring in its dreadful consequences, so that till renewed by the power of God, all the sons and daughters of Adam are dead in trespasses and sins-have carnal minds, which are at emnity against God-and do live in the habitual violation of all his commands ; for which reason they are proper subjects of everlasting condemnation.
8. " You believe that God, out of his mere good pleasure, and to manifest the riches of his mercy, has devised a plan of re- demption ; that in fulfilment of this gracious plan, the Son of God became incarnate, lived a life of holy obedience on earth, suffered and died on the cross, (as is stated in the scriptures) and thus made infinite atonement for sin, and laid a foundation for the free pardon and complete salvation of every penitent believer in him.
9. " You believe that all who hear the gospel are invited to come and share in the salvation which is by Jesus Christ, and that whosoever will, may come and take of this water of life freely ; yet such is the perversity and opposition of the carnal heart to God and to the gospel, that none will come to Christ, till the Father, by the special regenerating influence of his Ho- ly Spirit, draw them.
10. " You believe that those who embrace the gospel were
108
CHURCH COVENANT.
chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, unto salva- tion through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth ; and that the Holy Spirit, the third person in the trinity, whose office it is, does regenerate and afterwards dwell in all the heirs of salvation, working in them both to will and to do, according to the good pleasure of God.
11. " You believe that there is no condemnation to them who have believed in Christ Jesus ; but notwithstanding their weak- ness and inability of themselves to stand, they are kept by the mighty power of God, through faith, unto salvation.
12. " You believe that Christ has a visible church on earth, into which all his real disciples and they only, ought to be ad- mitted ; that the members of a particular church are required to watch over, counsel and assist each other as brethren ; and that if any walk disorderly and will not be reclaimed, they ought to be cut off from the church.
13. " You believe that the Sacraments of the New Testament are Baptism and the Lord's Supper ; that believers of regular church standing only, consistently partake of the sacred Sup- per ; and that believers, together with their households, and they only, can be consistently admitted to the ordinance of Baptism.
14. " You believe that at the second coming of Christ there will be a general resurrection of the bodies both of the just and of the unjust; that the whole human race will then stand be- fore the judgment-seat of Christ, to receive sentence according to the deeds done in the body ; and that from the judgment- seat the wicked will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.
" Do you without reserve, avow this to be your real belief ?"
The following covenant was subscribed :
" You, in obedience to the gracious invitations of the gospel, do now, with religious fear, approach the living God, in the name of Jesus Christ, to take upon you Ins everlasting Covenant. And in the first place, you come and lay yourself at the feet of God, as a guilty rebel, begging for mercy. Before God, angels, and men, you confess with grief and self abasement that you were conceived in sin, and shapen in iniquity ; that you have been an enemy to God and to his holy government, and have abused his long suffering, and slighted his gracious offers of pardon and eternal life. You come before him, from your very soul ashamed of yourself. You blush and are ashamed to lift up your face unto God, yea, even confounded at the remembrance of your innumerable sins and immense criminality. Particular- ly you come mourning for your open and scandalous violations
109
CHURCH COVENANT.
of the 1st 2d 3d &c., commandments, or for your (here mention Ist Atheism, infidelity, opposition to the cross of Christ. 2d. Neglect or profanation of God's worship and ordinances. 3d. Profanity, and irreverence for things sacred. 4th. Profanation and violation of the Sabbath. 5th. Disobedience to parents, disrespect and undutiful carriage towards superiors, pride, and overbearing or unkind behavior towards inferiors. 6th. Indul- gence of angry, malicious, revengeful passions, or of a quarrel - some, contentious, unmerciful and unforgiving temper. 7th. Unchaste, filthy conversation and behaviour, whoredom, adulte- ry, revilings, drunkenness. 8th. Theft, robbery, extortion, cheating, oppressions of the poor, the widow or fatherless ; dis - honesty, prodigality. 9th. Perjury, lying, backbiting, talebear- ing. 10th. Covetousness, envy, avarice, selfishness ; or any other sin which may be thought proper.) And you do now, as you humbly hope and trust, with unfeigned sorrow, approach the heart searching God, and cast yourself down before the throne as a guilty helpless sinner, supplicating for pardon and eternal life through the atoning blood of the Lamb. And you moreover call Heaven and Earth to witness, that you this day avouch the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, to be your God and por- tion, and give up yourself, soul and body, to him in everlasting covenant ; that you consecrate all your powers and faculties, and all your worldly possessions, to his service and glory ; and sol- emnly promise, in dependence on divine grace and assistance, (without which you can do nothing) that henceforth, renouncing all other Lords and forsaking every sinful way, you will love and serve and cleave to the Lord your God, as your chief good and your everlasting portion ; that you will walk humbly and peni- tently before him, in all things seeking the honor of his name and the interest of his kingdom ; that you will submit yourself unreservedly to his government, and labor to keep all his holy commandments ; that you will daily seek communion with him in private, and will regularly attend family and public worship, and all divine ordinances, so far as you shall have opportunity ; that you will give diligent heed to the suggestions and influ - ences of his Holy Spirit, and study not to grieve that blessed Comforter to depart from you ; that you will continually look unto Jesus Christ as your example, your Lord, your strength and your Redeemner ; and that denying all ungodliness and every worldly lust, you will henceforth make it your great and con- stant care to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present evil world, till it shall please God, in his infinite mercy to take you to himself. And you do here publicly before God, and with a desire to serve him, join yourself to this as a true church. You promise to walk with this church in the faith and order of the
10*
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MR. MURDOCK'S DISMISSION.
gospel, engaging, unreservedly, to submit yourself to its disci- pline, so far as conformable to the rules of the gospel. You promise to attend all the ordinances of the gospel, and the sac- raments of the New Testament with us ; and to strive as much as in you lies to promote the peace, the edification and the pu- rity of this church, to which you now make these solem covenant engagements."
Dr. Murdock continued minister of the town for twelve years. The connection of pastor and parish had been one of uninterrupted harmony. The intimation of his intention to remove, upon being appointed Professor of the Learned Languages in the University of Vermont, at Burlington, was received with regret that circumstances had led to this result. The church, however, unani- mously complied with the following request of their pas- tor :-
" My beloved brethren-The University of Vermont having elected me to the office of Professor of the Learned Languages in their College at Burlington ; and the sala- ry which the town has been pleased to afford me having become quite inadequate to the support of my family, I am induced to request that you would unite with the town and myself in calling a mutual ecclesiastical Coun- cil to which we may refer the very interesting question of my dismission, and which shall have power to dissolve the connexion between us if they shall judge a separa- tion to be expedient and proper.
" I am Dear Brethren,
Your affectionate friend and Pastor. JAMES MURDOCK.
Princeton, Oct. 2d, 1815."
The town having declined to unite with the church and pastor Mr. Murdock solicited the church to unite with him in calling a council according to one of the
111
MR. MURDOCK'S DISMISSION.
stipulations made at his settlement. With this request the church complied, one only declining to vote. Con- sequently the council convened at the house of the Rev. Mr. Murdock Oct. 11, 1815, and, after considering the reason offered in the above communication which relates to salary, decided that this was not a sufficient reason why a dissolution should take place-as the town in all probability would increase their pastor's salary if applied to. " But in consideration of the vast importance," says the Result of Council, " of those institutions in which young men are educated for the ministry and for all the higher offices in society, the uniform practice in New England since its settlement to dismiss Pastors to fill the office of President and Professors in our Colleges, when called to it, the great want of ministers at the pre- sent day, the deep interest which the Church in particu- lar must feel in the infant University of Vermont, the pe- culiar and eminent qualifications of the Rev. Mr. Mur- dock for the office to which he is elected, and the pros- pect of his being more extensively useful by a removal, we do think he is called in the providence of God to leave the people to whom he is justly so dear ; we do there- fore judge it expedient that he be dismissed from his pas- toral relations to this church and he is hereby dismissed. While we sympathise with this Church and People under the removal of a Pastor they so highly esteem, we are no less happy in being able to express our unqualified ap- probation of the conduct of the church on this tender subject. The respect and kindness which both the Church and People have shown to their minister, and the pleasing union and harmony, which subsist among them, excite a pleasing hope and confident expectation, that they will make speedy and successful exertions for the
112
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE.
re-settlement of the gospel ministry, and know from long and happy experience how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. We affection- ately commend this Church and people and their Jate Pastor with his family to the mercy and grace of God and devoutly implore for them the benediction of Heaven."
In complying with the " Result" of the Ecclesiastical Council which dissolved the connection of their Pastor, the church and town strongly expressed affection for his person, respect for his character, and gratitude for his services.
The Rev. James Murdock, D. D., was born at Say- brook, Conn., Feb. 16, 1776. He graduated at Yale College, 1797. During the three or four years follow- ing he was engaged as a preceptor, " first in the public grammar-school at New Haven, and afterward in Hamil- ton Oneida Academy." After leaving his official station in Princeton, he entered immediately on his new sphere of duty in the University of Vermont. In 1819 he was elected to the Brown Professorship of Sacred Rhetoric and Ecclesiastical History in the Theological Seminary at Andover, where he remained until October, 1828, when he removed to New Haven, where he has since re- sided, devoting himself to the pursuit of ecclesiastical history .*
* Some of the publications of Dr. Murdock, are the following : 1. Sermon on the nature of the Atonement, delivered at Andover, 1823. 2. Elements of Dogmatic Ilistory, translated from tire German of Professor Wm. Muenscher of Marpurg, 1 vol. 12 mo., New Haven, 1830. 3. Translation of Dr. Moschim's Institute of Ecclesiastical History, 3 vols. 8 vo, New Haven, 1832.
113
ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE MR. CLARKE.
CHAPTER VIII.
Religious Divisions -- Attempt to settle Rev. Mr. Clarke-Remonstrance of the Church-Church has a right to choose its own Pastor-Mr. Clarke's Ro- ply to Call-Second effort of the Town to settle Mr. Clarke-His Reply- Petition circulated through the Town-Call of Mutual Council-Its Re- sult-Protest of the Minority-Mr. Clarke's Covenant-Third Call of the Town to Mr. Clarke-Ilis Reply and Settlement.
After the dismission of Rev. Dr. Murdock, but a short time elapsed, before the committee of the Town, appoint- ed to supply the pulpit, invited Rev. Samuel Clarke to preach as a candidate for settlement. From that period, differences of opinion on religious doctrine, commenced development, which, in their progress, produced division in the parent parish, and extended their distracting influ- ence over civil, municipal, social, and private affairs. It was soon ascertained that Mr. Clarke preached a dif- ferent doctrine from his predecessor, and from that pro- fessed by the church ; yet it appears that it was congenial with the sentiments and feelings of a majority of the citizens, but not of the church.
A meeting was convened on the 25th of June, 1816, when, in accordance with an article inserted in the war- rant, the committee* to supply the pulpit were instructed, 48 to 44, " to request Mr. Samuel Clarke to return and preach farther with them in order for a settlement." At the request of Mr. Clarke's friends, a meeting of the inhabitants was warned to be held on the 26th of August following, to give him a call to settle with them in the work of the ministry, when the vote stood-for the can-
* We have been credibly informed that it was stated in open town meeting by one of the leading friends of Mr. Clarke, that it was their design, in select- ing a committee to supply the pulpit, to elect such as they knew would not employ a Calvinist.
114
ATTEMPTS TO SETTLE MR. CLARKE.
didate 102, against 44. At the same time, a committee* was also appointed to request the Deacons of the church to call a church meeting, to see if they would concur in this invitation. Accordingly the church, as a distinct body, respectable in point of numbers,t met on the 2d of September, and by a large majority, 19 to 8, refused to unite in this call to Mr. Clarke.
The town, not satisfied with the action of the church, subsequently made the second ineffectual attempt to pro- cure their concurrence, when the vote stood-for con- currence 8, against 21. From this time, it appears that the town resolved to proceed independent of the church, and, disregarding their rights and privileges, to impose upon them a pastor whose sentiments they greatly disap- proved and whose ministry they could never conscientious- ly attend. Accordingly, they communicated their inten- tions to Mr. Clarke, requesting him to settle with them in the gospel ministry, and at the same time proposing to give him an annual salary of $600. The church, on the other hand, forwarded the following strong, but re- spectful remonstrance to Mr. Clarke, against his accept- ing the call of the town :
" To Mr. Samuel Clarke, candidate for the Gospel Ministry.
" Dear Sir :- The Church of Christ in Princeton, being appri- sed of the call you have received from the town of Princeton to settle with them in the work of the gospel ministry, take the liberty to address you on the subject, to which we invite your serious and candid attention. However much we may need a minister of the gospel to reside among us ; and however desirous we may be to obtain one who shall preach to us and to our children the unsearchable riches of Christ, yet we cannot con- sent to receive one under such circumstances and with such prospects as are now presented to our view. We are brought to this conclusion not through disaffection to your person, nor
* Abijah Ilarrington.
Thirty-four male members.
115
REMONSTRANCE OF CHURCH.
any deficiency in your abilities, or any fault we find in your moral character ; but especially for the following reasons, which are with us of primary consideration, and which we presume you cannot view with indifference. We present them to you distinctly. The first is, because we cannot consent to give up our rights and privileges, and sanction the irregularity of receiv- ing a minister in whose call and settlement we have not a prima- ry and distinct choice.
" We understand it to have been the invariable custom of the New-England churches, in their earlier and better days, and which has not till of late been disregarded, in the first place to make choice of their own minister, and then to invite the town or parish to concur in their election and call, and to aid in the settlement. This is the practice to which we have ever been accustomed, and which we view as our natural, inherent right, founded in reason and the sacred principles of Christianity, and which we are, at present by no means prepared to surrender. We hold it as an unquestionable truth, that every church of Christ has an inalienable right to choose its own pastor and teacher ; and that the exercise of this right is conducive to the prosperity of religion and the welfare of civil society, while the denial or suspension of it is of the most inauspicious tendency. We cannot therefore view with indifference the introduction of a different practice among our churcehs, nor without the deep- est concern the attempt to introduce it in this place, by the circumstances of the call with which you have been presented.
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