History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 18

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 18

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The record in reference to the action of the town in response to the proposal of the proprietors' com- mittee is as follows :

The committee of the proprietors who was chosen to manage the af- fairs relating to the settlement of the worship of God io this Town, having made application to the Town at this meeting, that a committee may be appointed by this Towo to joya with them to move forward and carry on proper managemente and agreements for said service-

Voted unanimously that the Town do now choose five persons to be a committee to joy with the Proprietor's committee aforesaid, who shall from time to time represent the Town in order to building and furnishing a Meeting-honse in said Town, and it is Resolved, that William King, Samuel Stearns, Benjamin Marsh, Joho Stockwell and Freegrace Marhle or the Major part of them, he a comittee for said service.

At a town-meeting held March 17, 1719, it was voted,

That there should be a rate levied on the settlers of the four thousand acres, according to every man's right, of one hundred pounds to defray the charges of building the Meeting-house.

Voted the same day that William King, Samuel Stearns and John Stockwell shall be a committy to get a minister, by the second Sabbath io May, and so on for three months.

Another town-meeting was held December 25th, at which it was voted that Mr. Macinstree should have fifteen pounds for three months' preaching.

The meeting-house was built during this year. Its location was on the west side of the Common, and near by that of the Central School-house. It fronted toward the east, was about forty feet by thirty-six, had folding-doors in front and single ones at each end. It was lighted by two small windows of diamond glass set in leaden sashes, at each side and end for the lower floor, and one window of the same fashion and size in each side and end for the gallery.

The pulpit was on the west side of the house oppo- site the front door, which opened into the broad aisle. The seats first used seem to have been nothing more than ordinary benches with backs. The gallery ex- tended across the front side and each end, and had two rows of seats through its whole extent. Behind these seats there was a narrow platform which the children who could find no other place occupied. " A very con- venient place," Deacon Leland quaintly remarks, " for idlers ; not much chance, however, to escape detection, as the tything-man, in his official capacity, was ready to notice every delinquent."

From this point we leave the " Annals of Sutton," and shall give the further history under its appro- priate "Topic," illustrating the character of the town by its public acts in support of churches, schools and

libraries ; by its enterprise and thrift on the farm and in the manufactory ; by its prompt patriotism and self-sacrifice in both the earlier and the later war ; by the personal history and public renown of many who have gone out from the town and others more potent in their influence on its history who have remained to mould its character; only giving the following data as essential to its history and not included therein :

March 13, 1823, "voted to petition the General Court, at the next sessions, for the Inhabitance of Hassanamisco that dwell on the southwestward side of the Blackstone River to be laid to this Town."

The northeastern part of the town, embracing the Indian reservation of Hassanamisco and a small por- tion of territory in addition, was incorporated as the town of Grafton in 1785.

April 10, 1778, the town of " Ward," comprised of parts of Sutton, Worcester, Leicester, and Oxford, was incorporated. The name was afterward changed to " Auburn."

June 11, 1813, the North Parish of the town was set off' as a separate town by the name of " Mill- bury."

November 3, 1828, the church erected 1751 was burned.

November 24th measures were taken for erecting a new house, and the Building Committee was as follows : Amos Armsby, Jonas L. Sibley, Daniel Tenney, Elisha Hale and Nathaniel Woodbury. June 15, 1829, the corner-stone was laid, and the new church was dedicated February 24, 1830.

CHAPTER CXXVI.

SUTTON-(Continued.)

CHURCH HISTORY.

THE religious history of this town is coeval with its civil. When the Governor, Council and Assembly of the province confirmed the purchase and made a grant of the land to the proprietors in 1704, it was upon the condition " that they settle a town of thirty families and a minister upon said lands within seven years after the end of the present war with the In- dians."

At the first town-meeting, held at a private dwell- ing, December 2, 1718, a prominent object of the meeting was to provide for the establishment of the Gospel ministry. Measures were taken in March fol- lowing to erect a house of worship, which was com- pleted in the course of the year.

In the fall of the year 1720, a number of the christian inhabitants of the township of Sutton, embodied into a church state, noder the direction of Rev. Mr. Swift, of Framingham, and the Rev. Mr. Breck, of Marlboro ; at which time (after the Publick services of a Day of Fasting and prayer, io which the Reverend ministers mentioned assisted), the following per-

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

sona, whose annies are as followeth, sigaed n solemn covenant to walk together in church relation :

Timothy Manning.

John Whipple.

Sammel Steurne.

John Stockwell.

John Page.

Ebenezer Stearns.

Elisha Johnson.

William Larned.

Samuel Sibley. Sanmel Parker.

The persons entering into covenant.

At the same time Timothy Manning was chosen Monitor.

The above is the only record of the organization of the First Congregational Church in this town, and it is found in the handwriting of the Rev. David Hall, the second pastor. The records of the church for the first eight years of its existence are lost, having been carried away by the first pastor.

The church was organized upon the Congregational platform of the simplest and most rigid character, and has ever maintained the principles of such organiza- tion. Tradition says it was owing to a difference upon the matter of church government with the first pastor that led to his dismission. Subsequently an effort was made to introduce the eldership into the church, according to the Cambridge platform, but the proposition was unanimously rejected.

On the 9th day of November, 1720, the Rev. John Mckinstry was ordained pastor over them as a Con- gregational Church, they calling him thereto, and calling in the help of sister churches.

The ministry of Mr. Mckinstry continued about eight years, when, from difficulties arising as stated above, he was dismissed, and was subsequently set- tled in Ellington, Connecticut, where he died.

Mr. Mckinstry was dismissed September 2, 1728, and on the 30th day of the same month the church solemnly renewed their covenant and subscribed their names to the same. The following is a record of the transaction :

Sept. 30tb, 1728. The Brethren of the Church here renewed their solemn covenant with God and one with another and subscribed thereto as following :

I. We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, Promise this day to re- new our Solemn Covenant engagements to serve the Lord God Almighty with his grace assisting ns ; apprehending ourselves called of God into the church state of the gospel, dlo first of all coafess ourselves to be un- worthy to be so highly favored of the Lord, and admire that free und rich grace of his which triumphed over so great unworthiness, and with a Humble reliance on the uids of his grace thereia promised for them, that, in a sease of their inability to do any good thing, do humbly wail on him for all-wo now thankfully lay hold on his covenant and would choose the things that please him.

2ndly. We declare our serious belief of the christian Religion as con- taiaed in the sacred Scriptures, and with such a view thereof as the con- fession of faith in our churches has exhibited. Heartily resolving to conform our lives uato the Rules of that Holy Religion as long as we live in the workl.

3rdly. We give up ourselves nute the Lord Jehovah, who is the Father the Son, and the Iloly Spirit, and avouch him this Day to be our God, our Father, our Saviour, aud our Leader, and receive him as our Portion forever.

4thly. We give up ourselves unto the Blessed Jesus, who is the Lord Jehovah, and adhere to him as the Head of his People in the Covenant of Grace, and rely upon him as our Priest, and our Prophet, and our King to bring us unto Eternal Blessedness.

5thly. We acknowledge our Everlasting and Indispensible obligations to glorify our God in all the Duties of a Godly, and a Sober, and a Right- eons life ; and very particularly in the duties of a church State and a body of People associated for an obedience to llim in all the ordinaaces of the |

Gospel ; and we herenpon depend upon his gracions assistance for our faithful discharge of the doties thus incumbent on us.

őthly. We desire and intend, and (with Dependence on his promised and powerful grace) we engage to walk together asn Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in the faith and arder of the Gospel, as far as we shall have the same revealed unto ns-conscienciously attending the Publick worship of God, the Sacraments of his New Testament, the Discipline of his Kingdom, and all His Holy institutions in Communion with one another, and watchfully avoiding sinful stumbling-blocks and contra- tion as becomes a people whom the Lord has bound up together in the Imadle of Life -- nt the same time we do also present our offspring with us unto the Lord, proposing with his Help to do our parts in the methods of a Religious Education that they may be the Lord's, And all this we dlo, flying to the blood of the Everlasting Covenant, and praying that the glorious Lord, who is the Great Shepherd, would prepare and strengthen ns for every good work to do bis will, working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

The men subscribing were by name as followeth :

Sutton, September 30th, 1728.

Percival HIall.

Nathaniel Dike. John Singletary.

Samuel Rich.

Elisha Johnson. John Whipple.

Elisha Putnam. John Sibley. Obadiah Walker.

Ebenezer Stearns. Simon Dakin. John Stockwell.

Samuel Bigsby. Israel Putnam, Ebenezer Stockwell.

Gershom Wait. Solomon Holman.

James Leland.

Samuel Dudley.

John Page.

After this transaction, which took place the same month, Mr. Mckinstry was dismissed ; we have the following interesting record, showing with what zeal the infant church, after a severe trial, put itself in readiness for the work of maintaining the covenant which they had so solemnly renewed :

At a meeting October 4th it was "agreed upon and voted to observe the 23d of the Instant October as a day of Humiliation-and the Rev. Mr. Parkman and the Rev. Mr. Troop to preach on said day if the Town acquiest therein," and then the meeting was dissolved.

Early in November following Mr. David Hall was invited to preach to the people in this town. He supplied the pulpit several months, to the great acceptance of the people, and in March, 1729, received a unanimous call to settle with them in the ministry and become their pastor, the church and town con- curring in the call.

This invitation was laid before Mr. Hall, and on July 24, 1729, his acceptance of the same was laid before the church, at a meeting called to consider the same.

The following is Mr. Hall's answer to the invitation :

To the Chh. & Christian Inhabitants of the Town of Sutton. The In_ vitation which you gave me to settle with you in the work of ye maistry, 1 March ye 26th, bas been with me as a matter of serions advice and Re- ligions Consideration and I have also thought upon the Inconragment which you coujoyned therewith and would manifest a sense of gratitude to you for your Respect and good will discovered in both. The value of a hundred pounds which you offer me in work and materials for my In- couragaient ia settling with yon, I Return you my hearty Thanks and shall be willing to manifest a cordial acceptance of it provided 1 um or- dlained among you. As for the hundred acres of Land yon Proposed to Lay out to the ministry and as such promised to give me a Lease or deed of it to be ye Sole Propriety of me and my heires after me : I would with respect Thereto take notice of your good will therein mani- fest towards me, but must be excused from accepting of it under such a proposal. But if I amy have a cleare and secure Title to it from ye Pro- prietors of ye underided lands in Sutton and not as included in ye fonr huadred acres of ministerial Land (as there is a fair Prospect that I may)

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it not being as yet laid out to the ministry, upon this proviso I will thankfully accept it. and the Same shall discharge you from your obliga- tions in Reference thereto. Lastly as to the Sallery you have offered me I observe with a suitable Resentment yt you have made provision yt it shall be honourable & as you have made a honourable Pursuance there- of for the present Considering your abilities and my present necescities in voting a hundred pounds sallery in money, equivalent to silver at six- teen shillings an ounce, which is the standing value of money, wherein you have agreed that I shall receive my yearly sallery according to which standard I do accept of an Hundred pounds a year at present, and doubt not and expect that as my necessities shall require, you will continue to make Good your obligation as God shall bless you, that my necessities and charges if they should increase may nevertheless be honourably supplied, and with these provisos, I do now accept of your call, which, if you will please to receive and record in confirmation of and compli- ance with what amendments I have made, and prove yourselves a willing and Honourable People unto me, I shall account that necessity is laid upou me as at this day, aud, according to help from Christ, will endea- vour to labor with and for you in the gospel.

July 15th, 1729.

DAVID IlALL.

After this answer was read to the church, "it was put to vote to see whether the church would accept of the said answer, provided Mr. David Hall would be ordained according to the church platform, i.c., in the Congregational way; and the vote passed in the affirmative."

A committee was then appointed to wait upon Mr. David Hall to see whether he would take office according to the fore-mentioned vote.

The following is the answer of the candidate :

In compliance with the Terms of the church with respect to Governing the same I shall as far as I am concerned therein endeavour to conform to the platform drawn up by the Synod of our churches of New England in every article so far as it may be thought in reason to be consistent with the interest and peace of the church provided it be agreeable to the great rule of the gospel. DAVID HALL.

This was acceptable to the church, which then pro- ceeded to take measures for Mr. Hall's ordination.

This extreme jealousy for their liberty and rights as a Congregational Church arose in part, if not wholly, from the controversy with Rev. Mr. Mc- Kinstry, their first minister. The answer of the can- didate exhibits a degree of caution, even while assenting really to the proposition of the church, worthy of all praise. He would consult their interest, while maintaining the integrity of the Gospel in all matters of church government and discipline.

October 15th, 1729. The Rev. Mr. David Hall was ordained to the Pastoral office in Sutton. The Rev. Mr. Troop, of Woodstock, began with prayer. The Rev. Mr. Williams preached the sermon from 1st Thess. 5 : 12-13. 'The Rev. Mr. Swift, of Framingham, gave the solemn charge. The Rev. Mr. Campbell, of Oxford, gave the Right-hand of fellowship.

The young pastor thus ordained to the work of the ministry in this town commenced his labors with con- siderable zeal, and prosecuted them faithfully for a period of nearly sixty years.

The records of the church during his administration furnish little more than a few hints concerning its history except as to its discipline, which seems to have been faithfully and kindly administered, con- tributing largely to its almost uniform prosperity. At times the pastor and people passed through great trials, and at others great peace and prosperity

attended the preaching of the Word and administra- tion of the ordinances. One fruitful source of trouble was the admission of persons to the ordinance of bap- tism, but not to full communion in the church. This is called in the records of the church the covenant of baptism, but is known in history as the "half-way covenant."

There is no record of any form of covenant used in the admission of such members.

The list of the names of those who were thus ad- mitted is preceded by the following introduction :

The following have owned the covenant of Baptism, and some of them were baptized.

The first entry is made May 10, 1730, when "Joseph, John, James and Elizabeth, children of Joseph Sibley, owned the covenant and were baptized." It would seem from this and other entries that some took this step for themselves, while others owned the covenant and had their children baptized. The last entry is made October 28, 1781, when Nathaniel Cheney and Mary Cheney, his wife, owned the covenant and had their children baptized.

Out of this unscriptural measure grew up many things to trouble the church. It led, in large part, to the separation of a portion of the members, both from the public worship and ordinances of the church. With these separating brethren and sisters the pastor and church had long labor and severe trials, in all which they seem to have been actuated by the gentle- ness and forbearance of Christ.

All those who occasioned the trouble finally returned to the church and were restored to its fellowship. Another subject that at times was a source of trouble was sacred music. At first, and probably for a long time, the singing was congregational, led by one who was called the precentor or chorister. The hymn or psalmn was lined by one appointed for that purpose. The tunes were few and simple, and were not sung by rule, as it was called, for this gave great offence to some. It seemed to them less devotional if there were any rule or order about it. The objection to singing by rule seems to have led to the resignation of the choristers at a certain time.

Under date of April 8, 1779, is the following record :

The church was stayed on account of some uneasiness about singing by rule, but the church adjourned the matter to April 19th.

April 19th. The Church and Pastor being notified assembled upon that occasion-a letter was read from the Choristers before deputed-John Woodbury and John Hall giving up that service. After some discourse the church voted :

Ist. To encourage singing by rule.

2nd. That some of the old tunes be studied and learnt, as 100 Old and New, and Canterbury.

3dly. That Amherst and the six line metre be sung.

4thly. They desire new tunes be not multiplied, though they mean not wholly to exclude them.

5thly. Chose John Woodbury and John Hall to be Choristers.

In all these votes the People of the Parish voted concurrence and no vote in opposition when put to the Parish.

Subsequently, in November following, in conse- quence of the refusal of the above-named to act as

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choristers, the church and parish in meeting assembled requested by vote David Town and John Harback " to be helpful in that service, and that they don't set the tune called the 34th Psalm tune which so many have been offended at."

But the trouble was not yet at an end, for in May following, 1780, at a church meeting, "after a long discourse on the affair of singing, voted to choose a committee of three brethren to consider what tunes were proper to be sung and confine the Choristers not to exceed, and see if they could get one to set the tune, and the church by vote chose Deacon Putnam, Bartholomew Town and Caleb Chase, and afterwards · Nehemiah Putnam, to act in the affair and make re- port to the church at their next meeting-and then the church meeting was adjourned to the first Mon- day in June next at 4 o'clock, by vote of the church. June 5th, 1780. The church met on adjournment and after long reasoning the church voted the following tunes be sung in our Publick assembly-Buckland tune, Bangor, Barley, Canterbury, Funeral Thought, London New, Little Marlborongh, New York, Plym- outh, Portsmouth, 50th Psalm, Rentham, 100th Psalm Tune old, Quincy, Amherst, St. Martyns. Standish, Southwell, Windsor, Brookfield, Colchester new, 113th or Proper Tune, Trinity, Aurora. No objection being made against them."

This measure of the church did not, however, satisfy all the members, for in January, 1781, after two meetings of the church called to treat with two of the brethren who had absented themselves from public worship and ordinances, it is recorded that the " mat- ter of great uneasiness expressed by both was respect- ing the singing of new tunes at which they were offend- ed." It is also stated that this expression of their un- easiness was accompanied by some "unbecoming reflections."

At what time the change was made from congrega- tional singing to singing solely by a choir no mention is made, but it must have been about this time, and this increased the trouble. Tradition states that on the Sabbath when this took place, Dea. Tarrant Put- nam, whose office it was to line the hymn, began as usual to discharge his duty, but after reading the first two lines, the singers took the matter into their own hands, and proceeded without pausing for the re- mainder; the good deacon, however, kept on, and lined the hymn as usual, both reader and singers reaching the end of the hymn about the same time, though not in exact harmony. The congregation were in great commotion, and the pastor rising to ex- plain that he had no hand in the matter, was saluted by one of the offended brethren with the declaration : " David Hall, you lie!" then turning to his wife, seizing her hand, he said, "Sally, it is time to go." They left the house of worship and never entered it again. This trial in relation to sacred music, involved both church and parish.

The ministry of Dr. Hall was long continued and

nnusually blessed among the people. At his settle- tlement the church consisted of forty-nine members- twenty males and twenty-nine females.

Religion was in a low and languishing condition, and wicked men abonnded. There were about eighty families in the town and not far from four hundred inhabitants. The profaneness and other vicious practices of the people seemed to have greatly dis- tressed the pastor, both before and after his ordina- tion. He says in his half-century sermon : "I can never forget my vehement struggles at the throne of grace just before I was here ordained a pastor, lest I should fail of success among this people." Immedi- ately after his settlement religion was greatly revived. In a communication published in " Prince's Christian History," giving an account of the work of God among his people in 1741-42, he says : "There was, soon after my settling here by the favor of God, some considerable abatement of that too common profane- ness and other vicious practices visible among us, and within the space of two years we had a very large ad- dition to the church, more than doubling the number of communicants." In five years' time eighty-one persons were added to the church, the most of them on profession of faith.

In the years 1741-42 there was enjoyed a season of great religious prosperity. The labors of the pastor were abundant and successful. It was a season of great religious excitement throughout New England. This powerful and wonderful work of God in this town continued for some months, with various de- grees of power. It seemed to be free in a great mea- snre from those excesses that were witnessed in some other places. Dr. Hall set himself resolutely against these, and discountenanced all extravagances; though some over-zealous brethren (as he calls them) gave him considerable trouble.

By this religious interest the whole face of the com- munity was changed. The additions to the church during this period were ninety-eight by profession and forty by letter.

During the first fifteen years of Dr. Hall's ministry, two hundred and sixty-one persons were added to the church-one hundred and eighty-one by profession and eighty by letter. These additions, considering the small number of inhabitants, show that the people had been greatly prospered in spiritual things. There were at times, during the ministry of this faithful pas- tor, seasons of revived religious interest, and others ot great trial from laxness and indifference. Dr. Hall continued to labor and feed the flock over which the Holy Ghost had made him overseer, until the time of his departure drew near. He closed his labors in the pulpit but a short time before he was called to a higher and purer service in the sanctuary above. He died May 8, 1789, aged cighty-four years, having preached the Gospel to this town more than sixty years. He came to his grave " in a full age like as a shock of corn cometh in his season."

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 18

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1464

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464