History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 179

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 179

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At this juncture Brookfield, hitherto silent, inter- posed a vigorous protest against any scheme, as it

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

termed it, of its neighbors of the Farms to benefit themselves at the expense of Brookfield, giving as a reason for the delay of its protest that it had never been officially notified of the petitions. The full pro- test of Brookfield, for which there is no space here, gives credit to the adroitness of its anthor, and was without doubt the cause of the subsequent action of the Council, to whom it was referred.

The committee, appointed April 20th, reported June 14th that the tract of land known as Braintree Farms, that part of Hardwick east of Ware River, and seven families in Brookfield, with their estates, viz. : Joseph Pepper, Moses Abbott, David and Jona. Gilbert, Sarah Barnes, Eben. Spooner and Joseph Pep- per, Jr., be erected into a distinct and separate pre- cinct, and invested with all powers and privileges ac- corded other precincts. The same day the Council refused to accept this report, and ordered the petition- ers to be dismissed and sent it to the House for con- currence. The House refused to concur and ordered that the report be and hereby is accepted, and then sent it back to the Council for concurrence. The Council referred it to the next General Court, but after pigeon-holing it for three months, reconsidered its action and ordered it accepted. Here the fight ended. What reasons or persons, if any, influenced the Council to decide uniformly against the popular voice, as expressed in the petition and uniform action of the House, is a matter of conjecture. It is noted in this connection that all but eight of the original pe- titioners for a union of West Wing with the Farms withdrew their request for that nnion three weeks be- fore the report of the committee, recommending that union, was made.

FIRST DOINGS .- June 13, 1751, the conrt issued the final order constituting the precinct and appoint- ing Eleazer Warner to call the first meeting. Agreed to by Council and signed by Lientenant-Governor. The powers conferred included all rights of towns ex- cept that of representation in General Court. Nor did the precinct become a town until 1776, when it be- came so by a general law of the province. The name of New Braintree was given to the precinct the next April. A space of one hundred and ten years inter- vened between the date of the original grant and its incorporation. There were at this time forty-five families in town. The first meeting for the choice of officers was held March 13, 1751, at the house of David Ayers (on the site of the present residence of Francis Shaw). Officers chosen : Eleazer Warner, moderator ; David Woods, town clerk ; Eleazer Warner, David Gilburt and Cornelins Cannon, selectmen and asses- sors ; James Woods, treasurer ; James Thompson, constable; James Blair, tything-man. Two of these had already taken part in the organization of Hard- wick, 1739 -- Cannon as its first town clerk, and War ner as chairman of its first Board of Selectinen.

CHURCH BUILDINGS .- At the next meeting, March 25th, voted " to find the centre of the tract of land al-

ready laid off in this district, and that it be the pre- fixt spot for a meeting-house." This vote was re- scinded at a later meeting, and a deed of another piece of land for the meeting-house was accepted, but no record exists of the deed or by whom given. Teu pounds were appropriated for preaching, and a com- mittee chosen "to procure a preacher as soon as con- veniently he could be had."

October 4th the town finding it difficult, by reason of smallness of its numbers and straitness of its circum- stances, to secure sufficient support for a minister, pe- titioned the General Court for authority to lay a tax of twopence per acre on all lands, improved or otherwise, in the district. The conrt granted them one-half the sum asked for for three years. This tax amounted to fifty pounds, and was the sum annually paid the min- ister for twenty-five years. The next step was the erection of a meeting-honse. A yote was passed in November to procure the material the coming winter. Robert Hunter was chairman of the building commit- tee. January 1, 1752, voted " To build a house 40 by 50 feet and 20 feet between joints," "to be enclosed and clay-boarded." The price of labor per day in winter in its erection was one shilling fourpence. It was not ready for occupany until July, 1753, and then but little better than a barn. For fourteen years it was minus lath and plaster. It faced the west on site of present building, and for twenty years nothing was erected to shield the worshippers, when the doors were opened, from the cold blasts that swept thirty miles in a straight line unimpeded. Our forefathers must have valned highly Gospel privileges to sit four hours each Sabbath in a room the natural tempera- ture of which was at zero, with nothing but their own breaths and a few foot-stoves to warm them. In 1772 porches were added at the east and west ends. It is said that one winter the cold was so intense that the snow on the south side of the meeting-house roof never melted a drop for six weeks in succession. For a long time there was no belfry, and the bell hung by itself on the Common. The house was colored a dingy yellow. The fore-doors on the south side were double. There was a single door at each end. The broad aisle led directly from the fore-doors to the pulpit on the north side and the deacons' seat in front. The main floor, for a space of ten feet in from the walls on all sides and ends, was assigned for the pew-ground. This was divided into twenty-one lots, appraised at three to seven ponnds each, old tenor, according to its dignity (location), and assigned by a special com- mittee, appointed by the town, to twenty-one free- holders, according to their ability to pay, age and in- fluence in the community. James Blair had the first choice. The bounty money received from sale of pew-ground was used to build a "decent " pulpit, deacons' seat and a "suitable body of seats." In ad- dition to the bounty, each purchaser of pew-ground must build his own pew and ceil the walls against it. The seats in the body of the house were plain benches

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occupied hy the other members of the district, seated annually by a special committee who were governed in their duty by the same law as that which assigned the pew-ground, viz. : the relative standing in the community of the attendant. A feeling of uneasiness arising in the pit that the pews had got their privil- eges too cheap, an " indifferent committee was selected from Brookfield and Hardwick to fix the bounty."

On the two ends and south side were galleries, the west half occupied by men and the east half by women. Young men must receive special permission to oc- cupy these seats. Five shillings annually were allowed the sexton, James Thompson, for sweeping the house and shutting the doors. As the town grew in numbers and wealth the pews encroached upon the pit, the pit becoming better able to build pews. Every available foot of ground on main floor and in galleries, and even in the porches, was used for pews. From 1790 to 1800 the town had the largest population of any time in its history, and the old house was not only too small, but unsuited to the improved tastes and pockets of the people. The erection of a new house was begun in 1800 and completed in 1802. The frame is the same as that of the present structure. Henry Penniman gave three hundred dollars to buy a new bell, and his son, Henry, and son-in-law, Joseph Bowman gave two hundred dollars to buy a new town clock. In 1806 Henry Penniman, Jr., asked and ob- tained leave of the town to place an organ in the new church. The value of this addition in church wor- ship seems not to have been appreciated hy all, for one deacon was heard to remark that he'd "rather hear the filing of his old saw than that noise." In this building no alterations were made until 1846, when it was lowered six feet and entirely remodeled, with town-hall and vestry below; dedicated October 26, 1846, the fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of Rev. John Fiske, D.D. A new organ was bought at a cost of eleven hundred dollars. In 1877 house re- paired at a cost of six hundred dollars, of which three hundred dollars was contributed by Edward Fiske, of Brooklyn, N. Y.

Although one of the first acts of the new district was the selection of a committee to provide a preacher, two years passed and none of the many candidates heard were sufficiently acceptable to be called. Dis- couraged, the district appointed February 23, 1753, a day of fasting and prayer for divine help, and in- vited the neighboring ministers to take charge of the services. In July, voted to hear Rev. Benjamin Ruggles, of Middleton, on condition that he be dis- missed from the pastorate he then held. In this they were both shrewd and honorable. Mr. Ruggles came, was liked, and invited to preach longer. Five of the neighboring ministers were consulted as to the ad- visability of settling him, and invited to preach a lecture to the people Jan. 23d. Feb. 4th, a call was extended to Mr. Ruggles. The settlement given him was thirty pounds, and annual salary fifty pounds.

This call Mr. Ruggles accepted, “ sensible in a meas- ure of the difficulty of the calling, but relying upon the sincerity and fidelity of the people." Ile was in- stalled April 17, 1754. To the council installing him was referred by the district a petition of several of its members for the free use of the meeting-house two Sabbaths yearly that the sacrament might he ad- ministered in the Presbyterian way by one of their order. The council decided that though willing to promote union and communion between the sects, yet, considering the circumstances and fearing the conse- quences, they did not deem it wise to grant it.

Of Mr. Ruggles a successor writes that he was " a man of average ability and sincere piety, and his re- lations to the people were entirely harmonious and productive of great blessing." To this end he con- tributed more than his share. A letter from him to the town, when the matter of a colleague and his pro- portionate salary was under consideration, reveals some of his trials and the spirit in which he bore them. He writes "My salary has never been paid when due. Not only for one year, but for the twenty years I have been here it has heen six and seven months overdue, so that I have been straightened for money to buy the necessaries of life, and often obliged to borrow so small a sum as half a dollar of the Treasu- rer (Dea. James Woods), who, out of his own money, would give me a dollar, or if I asked one dollar he would give me two. Every town around, altho' poorer than this town, has paid their minister more. In those days," he adds, "I kept these things much to myself, careful that neither by word or deed it might get abroad to the discredit of the town." His name heads the long roll of the Brookfield Associa- tion of Ministers, of which he was one of the original five founders when it was organized, June 22, 1757. Mr. Ruggles was sole minister twenty-four years and associate senior pastor six years, until his death, Jan- uary 6, 1784. The whole period of his ministry was fifty-nine years.

After a period of five months on probation, in July, 1778, Rev. Daniel Foster received a call from church and town to become associate minister with Mr. Rug- gles, with one thousand pounds settlement and sixty- six pounds, thirteen shillings and four pence annual salary, and thirty cords of wood eight feet long at his door, the salary to be regulated hy the follow- ing standard, i. e., rye at four shillings and Indian corn at two shillings eight pence per bushel. Mr. Foster accepted the call, "relying upon their generosity as to Temporals while he ministered to them in Spir- ituals." October 28th was set apart for the ordina- tion. Seventeen churches were invited. Committees were chosen to carry the letters missive, to prop the meeting-house and to keep the doors and reserved seats. In his examination by the council Mr. Foster differed in a measure in his theological views from the majority of its members, but it was finally voted satisfactory and the ordination proceeded. He was

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

born September 1, 1750; ordained October 28, 1778. January 28, 1779, married Miss Betsey Reed, of West- ern. February 17, 1779, bought of Rev. Benjamin Ruggles the premises now occupied by Mr. Frank Gaffney for $2350.

His ministry continued until his death, September 1, 1795. Mr. Foster was a man of much personal magnetism, especially popular with the young men, who, at his decease, out of respect wore a badge of mourning on their left arms for thirty days. He was fluent and often extravagant in speech. A good din- ner appeared to be more to his liking than spiritual penance. He was an unbeliever in creeds. Soon after his settlement some of the church-members avowed their belief in his denial of some of the funda- mental truths of the Gospel and presented their grievances at a church-meeting. The church sus- tained its pastor. Several attempts, among them an appeal to the Association, were made to reconcile the differences. In most cases they seem to have been successful. One or two, however, joined the Baptists, two absented themselves from church and rode every Sabbath to Rutland for conscience' sake.

Rev. John Fiske, D.D., writes that he seems to have overcome opposition and ultimately won the affections of his people. His death was the occasion for many popular expressions of grief; all the min- isters in the association were invited. The town paid all the bills and had printed the funeral sermon. After Mr. Foster's decease the town was without a minister more than a year. August 15, 1796, a unan- imous call from church and town was given Rev. John Fiske, with a settlement of two hundred and thirty pounds, and an annual salary of ninety-five pounds. He was installed October 26th. Rev. Dr. Lyman, of Hatfield, preached the sermon, afterwards published. The installation services occupied two days and closed with a ball on the evening of the second day, in which all that could, joined.

Rev. John Fiske was born at Warwick, October 26, 1770. Fitted for college partly with his pastor and partly with his brother, Moses; graduated at Dart- mouth, 1791; studied theology with Dr. Lyman, of Hatfield; licensed to preach and ordained to the ministry at Hadley, May 6, 1794; labored for a sea- son in Northern New York ; attacked with fever and ague and returned to Massachusetts; preached a while at Milford and North Brookfield. Overtures to settle at both places were made him, which he de- clined ; received degree of D.D. in 1844 from Am- herst College, of which he was one of the founders and long a trustee-published a spelling-book in 1807; "Fast Day Sermon," in 1812; "Dedicatory and Semi-centennial discourse," in 1846; was chosen first president of the Brookfield Auxiliary Foreign Missionary Society 1824, and held that office twenty years. During his ministry of fifty-eight years in New Braintree he was called to one hundred and twenty-one councils and attended one hundred and

fifteen. As Dr. Fiske's pastorate covered a period of marked changes and great contrasts in not only the social customs, but also the moral and religious sentiments and practices of the people of this town and all New England as well, a glimpse at the state of society at the close of the eighteenth century through his eyes may be of interest : "There were really two classes of ministers as to theological doc- trines and the methods the gospel reveals whereby sinners are to obtain an interest in Christ, altho' no division had taken place nor had it entered into any one's heart to conceive of it. There was then no Unitarianism in this Association, but the character of Christ was not frequently brought into view in preaching. While some of the older ministers were sound in the faith aud preached the doctrines of grace with consistency and earnestness, others had become comparatively lax, and were disposed to avoid in their preaching what they esteemed doubt- ful points and things not well understood nor re- ceived by the people. There were great objections to metaphysical subtilties. Thecharacter of the preach- ing was defective as to doctrine and pungency. The great day of labor of the minister was the Sabbath. It was expected of him that he deliver two sermons on the Sabbath and administer the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper once in two months, except in winter, when it was the canse of much suffering. No custom existed of holding an evening or third service. He was wont to exchange one-fourth to one-third of the time and to go and come to the place of exchange the same day-such arduons labors were generally thought to require the sustaining power of comfort- ing cordials and the best dinner that could be pro- vided between services and were always furnished without grudge or measure. He was often called upon to preach a service to an aged person unable to at- tend church at his own home. On the records of the Association, which he was expected to attend three times yearly, no allusion was to be found to seasons of prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the churches, for no such seasons were held. Noth- ing was said concerning the state of religion in them. No question proposed for discussion was selected on account of its relation to the spiritual condition of the people, or aim at the conversion of sinners or edification of believers. Formalism reigned. No multiplied meetings or visitations ; no efforts to pub- lish the gospel at home or abroad or diffuse knowl- edge by lectures, conferences, Sabbath-schools, Bible classes or anniversaries.

"Of the church it might be said 'Like people, like priest.' If the minister did little, the church would do less, and be less concerned for its own or others' salvation. In some of the churches there had been revivals of religion, but in most of them there never had been any, nor were they expected, and in some not desired. No efforts were made to obtain them, -no weekly prayer-meeting. There were no young

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people in the church by profession of faith. Their membership was neither expected nor sought after. It was held in the estimation of sober people that when persons entered into family relations and be- came parents, they should join the church and have their children baptized, but in one-third of the churches the latter was performed and the former neglected. Religion among professors and others alike was seldom a topic of conversation. There were many social gatherings and festivities and much story- telling, but little said or done to promote godliness. There were some godly persons in church who were waiting and praying for better times, but their num- ber was so few that they found their cross too great to venture forth against the strong current of public sentiment. The people at large were apparently (but only apparently) more religious than now. Every person, except a few obstinate Baptists and occasion- ally an emigrant from Rhode Island, all of whom were looked upon as pestilent fellows, paid a tax in pro- portion to his worth in support of the Congregational ministry ; exemption from this tax was no more thought of than exemption from support of Govern- ment. Both were paid on same principle, viz. : from necessity laid on them by the strong arm of the law. There was one advantage in this custom. Every in- habitant had a right to such services of his minister as he might need. 'There was no stealing of preach- ing or begging of prayers.' There was much ignor- ance of the nature of personal religion. Infidelity prevailed. Paine's 'Age of Reason' was widely circulated and had many believers. The Bible was almost a proscribed book, but little read in families by youth. Morals were much vitiated. There was much lewdness in language and action ; much Sab- bath-breaking. The great roads were filled with teams on their way to and from market, and with droves of cattle, sheep and swine.

"All classes of persons, Christians and sinners, high and low, rich and poor, could meet on same platform so far as drinking rum and brandy was concerned; almost all men would drink, and multitudes to re- pletion, on such occasions as town-meetings, rais- ings, huskings, auctions and trainings. Especially was indulgence thought to be not only allowable, but praiseworthy, on the glorious Fourth of July. It would have been looked upon as a most indecorous thing in the year 1800 had a Christian funeral been attended at which the mourners, bearers and other friends were not comforted together in well-filled

tumblers of grog.

It was a dark day for New Eng-

land churches. But at the beginning of the 19th century light began to dawn out of darkness. Min- isters began to talk and pray and preach differently. They appointed church-meetings for conference and prayer, instituted Bible-classes and Sabbath-schools for the young, preached the Gospel to the poor, and interpreted literally the last command of Christ. They found many supporters in the church, and 43

the result was not one, but repeated visitations of the Holy Spirit upon pastors, churches and congre- gations, that recalled the day of Pentecost." Dr. Fiske was, from the first, fully in spirit and action with these movements. As a result, from 1800 to 1821, with one exception, the church received yearly accessions to its membership by profession of faith. From 1809 to 1811, forty-five ; 1819 to 1821, one hun- dred. In 1810 it was formally and publicly re-or- ganized with articles of faith essentially the same as in 1850. The later largest accessions during Dr. Fiske's ministry were in 1826, thirty; 1831, twenty- five; 1845, forty-three.

1817, Sabbath-school was first organized.

The church was first gathered and formed (as by memorandum of Deacon Jonathan Woods), April 18, 1754, date of the installation of Mr. Ruggles. No records exist for forty-two years, except in 1778 and 1779. Since 1800 there has been from it a constant emigration. Its membership, in 1800, was fifty-eight; 1888, seventy-three; and reaching as high as two hundred in the interval. Its deacons have been William Witt, Samuel Ware, James Woods, Jonathan Woods and Jonathan Gould chosen previous to 1775; George Barr, between 1775 and 1800; Abijah Bigelow, 1805; James Woods, 1808 ; Jacob Pepper and Samuel Warner, 1815; Phinehas Warner, 1817; Francis Adams, 1828; Amasa Bige- low, 1830; Welcome Newell, 1830; Henry M. Dan- iels, 1855; Elbridge Gleason and Moses Pollard, 1862; Dwight G. Barr, 1871. In 1819 a legacy of one hundred dollars was left by Lieutenant Jonas Newell to the church for the purchase of furniture for the communion table.

Of Dr. Fiske, Rev. Mr. Hyde wrote :

It was especially true of him that he was young when he was old and lived until he died. In person, tall and well-proportioned, with large and regular features and but slightly bended form, with eye still bright and voice still strong and c'ear, with slow but solid footstep; generally reading, writing, singing or talking when he was not visiting or sleep- ing, he seemed, when I first knew him, at 83 years of age, to be about as vigorous as he was venerable, -with a serene and intelligent counte- nance, with mild and dignified manners, with an active and well-bal- anced mind,-discriminating in judgment, skillful in management, cautions and yet determined in action, in conversation at oare inquisi- tive and instructive, deeply interested in the practical affairs of men and with as deep an iusiglit into their character and motives, he made his presence to be felt by all around him, without ever attempting to exert an influence or make an impression. Fixed in his opinions and ways, hut seldom arbitrary, strict in his prieciples, severe in his sense of pro- priety without being sanctimonious, equable in temperament and yet playful in feeling, generous in sympathy and uncommonly companion- able to those who really knew him, siding always with a noble impulse and a steady faith in favor of whatever seemed right or useful, ner- vously sensitive to suffering, timid and sometimes impatient, hut always submissive and trustful, thoroughly republican in simplicity, truly patriarchal in hospitality, he presented to my eye a rounded complete- ness of character seldem found, except in those who have grown old with a silent and natural growth without any special excitement or con- straint, but in the quiet service of the Gospel. In the pulpit he spoke aot with enticing words ner impassionate appeal, but with ster- ling good sense and with great appropriateness, particularly in prayer. In all the councils of the Church, especially in difficult cases, he was eminently wise and efficient.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 179

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