History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 116

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 116

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unto themselves, or to violate in any respect the plain precepts and examples of Jesus Christ. It was strictly a practical Christian movement, conscientiou ly and unselfishly regardful of individual, social and the universal welfare. Yet, while it transcended the semi-barbarism of existing human governmentalism, and threw off the trammels of its unchristian require- ments, it did not deny its usefulness under the over- rulings of Divine Providence, nor depreciate any of the good which it conserves, nor countenance any form of opposition by physical violence even to its greatest wrongs and evils.

There was not a particle of red revolutionism in it, nor of compulsory political socialism. It was thoroughly pledged against everything of this nature. Yet its noble design ultimately failed, and its sub- lime expectations were drowned in the dark waters of disappointment. But it accomplished something-so much, indeed, that, as has already been said, it laid a foundation without which the present town would probably never have come into existence. What it did accomplish and why it failed will now be told as briefly as the nature of the case fairly admits.

Its chief originator and his associates were Inde- pendent Restorationists in theology and moral reformers -believers in the fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of man, and the religion of Jesus Christ, as He taught and exemplified it, according to the Scriptures of the New Testament. And they became seized with a deeply religious and rational ambition to carry their faith logically into practice, socially as well as indi- vidually. Their premises and conclusions were in- vulnerable to just criticism. They were all tee-total temperance people, thorough abolitionists of the non- political type, sincere believers in the co-equal rights of the sexes and devoted Christian non-resistants, eschewing all forms of deadly and harmful force against human beings, even the worst. They ardently desired to commence an order of society and civiliza- tion-on this basis, wherein systematic practice should not persistently contradict and nullify gospel theory, but concordantly exemplify it.

They drew their inspiration and convictions of duty from such divine lessons and injunctions as the fol- lowing : "Blessed are the meek; for they shall in- herit the earth." " Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy." "Blessed are the peace- makers ; for they shall be called the children of God," " All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them." "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil" thus with evil. "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you ; that ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven ; for he maketh his sun to

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rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews." "Put up again thy sword into his place ; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so; but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is chief as he that doth serve." " Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." "Ye call me Master and Lord; and ye say well ; for so I am." " I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." "Ifany man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." " Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

We pondered these and kindred testimonies, and looked over Christendom to find in what empire, kingdom or republic thereof, such principles of truth and righteousness prevailed. We surveyed the nomi- nal church throughout its manifold contending divi- sions, and found all the popular sects, and even most of the unpopular ones, completely wedded to the worldly governments under which they lived, either in formal union with the state or as subservient co- governing constituents, pledged to abide by and carry out the will of the constitutional majority. We heard much of Christian patriotism, Christian politics, Christian soldiers and Christian civilizatian, but saw comparatively little of the pure Christianity taught and exemplified by Jesus Christ, so plainly set forth in the above-quoted Scriptures. We, therefore, resolved on attempting to institute a community more accordant with Christ's clearly indicated ideal.

It was a presumptuous undertaking. We were few in numbers, crude in our Christian attainmeuts, poor in pecuniary resources, inexperienced in social.con- struction and confronted by formidable obstacles. Faith and conscientious zeal constituted our chief capital. A declaration of principles, embodying all that was deemed essential to an ethical and religious covenant, was matured, together with a carefully elaborated general constitution. These were dis- cussed, considered and finally subscribed by about thirty persons, convened iu Mendon, Mass., near the end of January, 1841. And there, on the 28th of that month, we formed and organized what was styled " Fraternal Community, No. 1," afterward entitled " The Hopedale Community." In the course of 1841 we purchased the "Jones' Farm," so called, alias " The Dale," in Milford. This locality was christened Hopedale-the word Hope being prefixed to Dale, as significant of our high anticipations of a social future. The community commenced practical opera- tions immediately after April 1, 1842, with a joint stock capital of less than four thousand dollars, on a

worn-out farm of some two hundred and fifty-eight acres, in a single, time-shattered mansion, nearly one hundred and twenty years old, with a few rickety out- buildings. There was no shop, mill or mill-dam on the premises. The little river gurgled lawlessly down a stony fall of some twenty-six feet from an almost worthless swale at the north into a kindred one at the south, yielding only a few desirable fish. The ingress and egress were by roads of the cheapest kind.

The new-comers had to start with a very scanty outfit of everything necessary to their progress. The first settlers comprised seven or eight families, num- bering about thirty persons, men, women and children, all housed in their old domicile. From this humble beginning the community gradually increased in numbers and resources, amid innumerable difficulties, for nearly fourteen years, when they could muster a regular membership of one hundred, and an aggregate of three hundred souls-dwelling in fifty houses, on a domain of more than five hundred acres, with a respectable array of homely, but serviceable mills, shops and conveniences. We had also a school-house, chapel and a library of several hundred volumes. We had a handsome village site with good streets, where rough places had been made smooth, and crooked things straight. And our total capital had risen to over ninety thousand dollars.

How this culmination was reached, step by step, it would require a considerable volume to narrate, and it would be a book worth reading. The writer, over ten years ago, prepared such a volume for the press, and it will one day be published ; but, for the present, a few outlines must suffice.

We had in our membership, first and last, farmers, gardeners, a variety of mechanics, seven or eight ordained ministers of the gospel, one experienced and skillful physician, several competent educators in the useful branches, and altogether a common- sense, intelligent community. We have been repeat- edly pilloried by eloquent orators, who happened to know very little about us, as visionary dreamers, de- luded fanatics, idlers and incompetent financial econo- mists, who needed a strong master to save us from our imbecility. But, whatever our other faults and weaknesses, they were not of the kind charged or insinuated by these gracious orators. We were only such dreamers and visionaries as Jesus Christ and his apostles plainly taught us to be, honestly endeav- oring to carry into practice their precepts, instead of honoring them with our lips, whilst all the time sys- tematically conspiring with the world to nullify and set them at naught. Never was so much brick made with so little clay and straw. There was not an idler, spend-thrift or lavish consumer among us. All worked and saved. There were no time-killing, dawdling gentlemen or ladies daintily shirking man- ual drudgery. The leader and his wife were in the front rank of hard toilers, not merely with head and

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heart, by night and day, but with begrimed hands in the dingiest places of necessary duty. No one expended a mill for intoxicating beverages Even tobacco, though not expressly prohibited, was volun- tarily laid aside. Only a single elderly member ad- hered to its customary use, and he with regret, after many severe struggles to overcome a long-confirmed habit. Others triumphed over it by persistent will- power.

One venerable widow, at the age of seventy, bravely renounced her cherished souff-box, and con- secrated her savings to the common cause. We spent nothing on war, its preparations or glorifica- tions ; nothing on politics or its collaterals; nothing on litigation, but settled all controversies with our neighbors by amicable conference or arbitration ; nothing on police officers, constables, sheriff's or criminal prosecutions. At an early stage of our community a theft was committed on our poultry and potato field by some outlandish fellows. We bore it in silence, and waited further developments. We kept not even a dog to protect our property. No depredations were repeated, and not long subse- quently word reached us, in a roundabout way, that the ringleader of our marauders was sorry, and said, if he had known what sort of people we were, not a thing should have been touched. They came no more. This was probably as well for us and him as the popular penal reliances.

But it must not be inferred that our chief concern was to make and save money for our own comfort and aggrandizement, apart from the welfare of outside humanity. The very reverse was true. We were an earnestly religious people, not on the ground of escap- ing the merciless vengeauce of God after death, and securing a future endless heaven, but on the ground of escaping the dreadful evils of sin, both in this world and the future, and securing to ourselves and others the blessedness of the heavenly kingdom on earth as well as in the immortal world. We therefore sustained regular religious meetings twice or more on the Sabbath, and once or more during the intervening week, besides quarterly and general convocations in the regions round about. We had our weekly con- ference meetings, our young people's gathering on Monday evenings, our inductive communion meet- ings, our monthly meetings for discipline, etc. These and others, besides our Sunday-school. And all these were live meeting‹, dealing freely with a vast variety of topics by free discussion, and by practical training of old and young for the every-day duties of life. Many of them are remembered by their now scattered participants with reverent appreciation. Meantime, we sent out missionary preachers and lecturers very actively. All this cost time, effort and money. In furtherance of our objects we needed to publish a semi-monthly periodical organ ; also books, pamphlets and tracts. We did so liberally for many years. But Having reached the culmination of its prosperity these could not be expected to pay for themselves, | at the beginning of the year 1856, let us pause a mo-

like popular fancy literature, and were a continual draft on our heads, hands and purses.

We were all loyal adherents of the temperance cause, and were levied on for contributions to it from year to year. But that cause was under no obligations to help us. It sent us occasionally a poor, broken- down victim of intemperance to house and help reforni. To such we furnished asylum at more or less expense. We were all uncompromising Abolitionists, then poor aud hated. Those who were specially devoted to the liberation of the groaning slave had nothing but good will to give us. But they needed our money, and received a good deal of it; also a home and help for their colored protégés in need, and got considera- ble of that. There were "prisoners' friends " and reformers of penitent criminals in those days, who found Hopedale a nice place to take up contributions in, and to domicile their unfortunates. Before the war of emancipation there was an organized so- ciety of non-resistants in the land, and they received freely of our tribute. We were an alms-giving peo- ple, and were drawn upon almost continually to hand out food, clothing and money to suppliant needy inhabitants around us, especially to the then poor Irish of Milford. We had widely advertised our community enterprise to the world, aud were honored with visiting inquirers from all parts of the country. To these we gave hospitable entertainment-to some of them for weeks-and generally received nothing in return but criticism and cheap advice. We were a purely voluntary association, with doors that swung both inward and outward. So, when members became dissatisfied with our companionship, they were at perfect liberty to leave us and take away all their property. We had to meet drafts of this kind, occa- sionally occurring, to the extent of thousands of dollars, and, at times, greatly to our inconvenience. Finally, we were legally taxable on all our polls and estates as inhabitants of the town of Milford, and were bound by our principles to pay all taxes prompt- ly and peaceably. This we always did. We continu- ally increased their revenue, but never received a nod of credit from their officials, and, for several years, a very inadequate recognition of our legal rights. We educated our rising generation and con- structed our streets largely at our own expense. Yet the community never made them a pauper, or criminal, or a cent's costs for relief of its poor, or for police protection, or for any sort of governmental intervention. It did, indeed, receive, first and last, many little donations and helpful favors from outside friends, amounting to several hundred dollars in all. So it was really, not only a self-sustaining institution, but an unselfish and truly beneficent one. And cer- tainly it was not made up of imbecile visionaries and thriftless lazzaroni, but of intelligent, rational, indus- trious, economical, orderly and charitable people.

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meut to ponder the closing words of its president's annual address. The then president was Brother Ebenezer D. Draper, recently deceased. He said : " We may rejoice together in considering the degree of harmony that exists at the present time in our community-greater, I think, than ever before. And I hope and believe that, with our past experience and present advantages, we shall continue to increase iu love and wisdom, and so become more and more a light to those around us-proving to the world that Christian Socialism opens a more excellent way in which men may live together as social beings, and that it gives us, as it will all who yield to its saving power, peace and good-will to one another and to the whole human race. May the good God prosper and bless us all !"

Who could imagine, after such an address and benediction, that in less than two months afterward the Hopedale Community would be declared by the same man so hopelessly conditioned that he and his brother George Draper, who together owned three- fourths of its joint stock, must withdraw their inter- est and manage it for themselves? Yet such was the astounding fact. The grief, disappointment and mortification of the present writer was utterly in- describable. He saw that the noblest undertaking of his life, for which he had planned, prayed and labored with all his energies night and day, over fifteen years of his meridian manhood, was irrev- ocably doomed to final extinction. He saw clearly, in one flashing moment, that however the results might be posponed, modified, mitigated or overruled for good, the issue was absolutely inevitable, and he must make the best of a sad case. By divine grace he has done so.

What is the explanation of this deplorable sur- prise ? A few words only are required for it. The forementioned annual address of President Draper was delivered on the 9th of January, 1856. At that time the treasurer's report had not been completed. The numerous branches of industry had not all made up their accounts. So the meeting was adjourned. Meanwhile it began to be whispered round that the year's operations might show a small deficit. The adjourned meeting took place February 5th ensuing, and the treasurer's report announced a deficit of $145.15 in the whole aggregate of operations and financial interests. But a drastic discussion followed, iu which it appeared that the treasurer's statement had not taken into account the interest due to joint stock, $1652, nor made allowance for depreciation of buildings, machinery, &c .- which might. swell the deficit perhaps to $12,000. This was no suffi- cient reason for serious alarm, much less for dissolv- ing the unitary property and industrial arrangements. But things were said which plainly indicated that a crisis would soon be precipitated. A few days de- veloped it. Affairs must be wound up. It could be avoided only by the mass of small joint stock pro-

prietors paying off the two large proprietors. This was an utter impossibility. So the best terms possible were made, and the change consummated in a manner as satisfactory to all parties as so radical a revolution permitted.

Thenceforth the Hopedale Community had but a nominal existence. It struggled on as a mere re- ligious society till finally merged in the Hopedale Parish. Not another family ever located in its vil- lage site except under the common law of temporal advantage and expediency. Those of the old votaries who could remain with comfort and convenience stayed on. Those who felt obliged to seek hetter po- sitions departed. But the new masters of the situa- tion throve, prospered, made a generous use of their wealth and built up an enviable town. They were the only members of our community who had a lu- crative business outside of it. The rest of us either had small pecuniary advantages outside, or sacrificed such as they had to their new undertaking. They had done as much for that, according to their ability, as their two abler brethren, but it did not count in money. Fraternity of property was the keystone of our social arch. When that fell out the arch crum- bled. These favored brethren commanded that key- stone. It was in their power to preserve or to demolish the structure. The writer thought then and thinks now that they threw away a splendid opportunity to bless mankind and immortalize their memories. But they thought and acted otherwise, as they had an un- doubted right to do ou their own responsibility to the Supreme Judge. We deeply deplored their de- cision, but were reluctant to blame them. Probably a vast majority of the world's leading minds in church and state will pronounce their decision wise and good. And if they fell away from a high Chris- tian standard which they had professed to revere, they did so under very seductive and powerful tempta- tions.

So the Hopedale Community failed. Was its fail- ure a finacial and business one? Certainly not. As already shown, it paid its way, bore its heavy burdens and increased greatly in numbers and wealth down to the time of its so-called failure, excepting only during its last year's operations. Then, by estimating a real or supposed depreciation of buildings, machinery, etc., it was made to appear that we had run behind- hand perhaps twelve thousand dollars, perhaps less. Was this comparatively small deficit a sufficient cause for dreading bankruptcy ?- when there was plenty of money in the pockets of the members to wipe it out by assessment, and when a more prudent management of our numerous organized branches of business could probably retrieve it in a year ?

Look at any section of the business world during any fourteen years of operations, and see how many firms or corporations gained more and lost less, ac- cording to ability and means, thau our little commu- nity. The writer knows of several individuals, once

George Oraper

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our members, who since 1856 have lost, under the old unfraternal business system, more than all our frater- ternal institution sunk or was likely to sink, ranging from twelve thousand dollars to one hundred thou- sand dollars each. No; we made no financial failure. It was simply a moral failure. Doubtless we all fell far short of our high profession-, and became weary in well-doing. Certainly too many of us did. We sub- ordinated spiritual things to temporal and too faintly strove for personal Christ-likeness. Thus at length we lost the will to persevere in our noble enterprise under temptation. We failed from lack of a united will to hear the crosses of our mission. Although there were some basilar defects in our constitutional polity, still the failure was chiefy a moral one, and the writer is now reconciled to it, not because he has lost any of his convictions, principles or hopes as a practical Christian socialist, but because he desires no communal organization that cannot be sustained by fraternal, devoted, united free-will. Such organi- zations he firmly believes will bless future ages. For these he will pray, study and labor until discharged by divine mandate.

PROGRESS TOWARDS TOWNSHIP .- Ebenezer D. and George Draper, having decided that they could do better for themselves and the world on the old financial plane than that of Christian socialism, went resolutely forward to demonstrate it. They claimed still to adhere to New Testament Christianity on such points of duty as they deemed practicable in the existing order of society. They were men of rare business talent, enterprise and tact. They had a fortunate specialty of pursuit, and knew how to suc- ceed in it. They were shrewd, generous, public- spirited and honorable men of the higher type among civilized accumulators. They dropped the less profit- able branches of industry which had been carried on by the community, concentrated their resources on profitable ones in their own favorite line, called into partnership outsiders of inventive genius and capital, multiplied their productive facilities continually, brought out many valuable patents, and steadily as- cended to eminence as manufacturers of cotton and woolen machinery. Conspicuous among their new coadjutors was Mr. Warren W. Dutcher, from North Bennington, Vt. He was an ingenious mechanic, a moral reformer, and a benevolent man, with a good family. He and his made their mark among us. He brought strength to the Drapers, and gained wealth by the connection. One or two of our members were taken into the new corporations, and shared in the advancing pecuniary successes. Such of us as could carry on any kind of business to tolerahle advan- tage did so. The writer and remaining preachers received a small income for public services as religious teachers, also as printers, editors and edu- cators. Riches came only to the favored few and their well-salaried lieutenants. But our fortunate brethren grew in generosity with their increasing

means, and dispensed their donations with liberal hands in many directions, especially to the temper- ance and anti-slavery causes. As to the community (now reduced to a feeble religious society), its various surviving institutional agencies and instrumentalities were largely dependent on their contributions, and received them. In the days of its greater power it prepared the way for their importance by many dis- interested labors of head and hand, providing them with a village well-planned, and populated hy intel- ligent, virtuous and orderly inhabitants such as manu - facturing enterprise alone could hardly have gathered. It was, therefore, not only reasonable for them to preserve and build up the common interests, but for their own honor and pleasure, as virtual lords of a goodly vicinage. This they were happy to do. A church edifice was needed ; it was built by subscrip- tion in 1860. They headed the subscription liberally, and ultimately fathered the expense of completion. It was a neat and commodious structure, handsomely situated on Community Square, so called, amid beau- tiful surroundings. It cost over $6,000, towards which they contributed all but $1,423, though the minor portion drew harder on most of the givers, according to their ability, than the major on its donors. But all did well, and subsequent enrich- ments have followed from the superior patrons, to their great credit. Our religious teachers, editors, etc., received very little for their services in earlier times. Under the new régime one hundred and fifty dollars were raised by subscription in 1856, and divided among three or four officiators, who had their respective assigned Sundays. The same very nearly in 1857, '58 and '59. In 1860 the compensation was raised to six dollars per Sabbath, and the pulpit supplied by two ministers-the writer and Rev. Wm. S. Hey- wood. Substantially the same arrangement continued till 1864, after which. the same preachers received eight dollars per Sabbath till 1866. Then the junior minister removed from the place, and the writer sup- plied the desk for three-fourths of the time, and received twelve dollars per week of actual service. In 1867 the Hopedale Parish succeeded the com- munity organization, aud the writer was called to the pastorate on a regular salary of eight hundred dollars per annum, which continued till April, 1880. All these increases of pulpit support flowed largely from the purses of those who had risen to wealth since the so-called " failure " of the community.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 116

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1576

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576