USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Fitchburg > History of the Calvinistic Congregational Church and Society Fitchburg, Massachusetts > Part 4
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"1st Let a collection be taken up every month at the close of the preparatory lecture, the purpose for which the collection is made, being stated by the pastor at the time.
"2nd Let the money so collected be placed in the hands of the pastor whose duty it shall be to inquire into the temporal condition of his flock, and to ap- propriate from time to time such sums of money to the destitute as may in his opinion be sufficient to relieve their wants.
"3d Let the church appoint a committee consisting of one from each school district whose duty it shall be to aid the pastor in this work of charity by giving him such information in regard to the condition and wants of their brethren as may enable him to carry the charitable design into effect.
"4th Let the pastor keep the account of all the money placed in his hands for this purpose, keep a list of the persons to whom appropriations have been made, with an account of the sums appropriated to each, and
38
Church Improvements.
make a report of his doings in relation to this subject to the church at the close of the preparatory lecture next preceding the January communion annually.
"5th When there shall be any surplus funds in the hands of the pastor not needed by the members of the church they may be donated to any other charitable object by vote of the church, which report shall be duly audited by one or more of the directors.
Signed Abel Thurston Alpheus Kimball Abel Downe Samuel Smith Asa Sawyer."
The directors appointed were Abel Downe, treasurer, Joseph Downe and Alpheus Kimball. The committee appointed to assist the pastor, we find later, consisted of Edward Smith, District No. 7, Stephen Lowe, No. 2, Joseph Simonds, No. 3, Ephraim Osborn, No. 4, Joseph Downe, No. 5, John T. Farwell, No. 6, Abel Farwell, Nos. 8 and 9, Phineas Sawyer, Nos. 10 and 11.
January 12, 1827, the society refused to grant a re- quest to certain subscribers for a contemplated acad- emy, for sufficient land in the rear of the church upon which to erect a building, thereby breaking the ancient custom of keeping the church and school-house side by side.
CHURCH IMPROVEMENTS, CLOSING YEARS OF PUTNAM PASTORATE.
During this year a move was made to enlarge the meeting-house "provided it can be done without ex- pense to the society" and on September 17 it voted to receive proposals for building a new meeting-house and to ascertain on what terms an eligible site for the same can be secured. This plan was rejected and on Decem- ber 10 it was voted that the meeting-house be altered and enlarged according to plans proposed by Jonathan
39
Calvinistic Congregational Church.
Cutting, Jr. The contract was awarded to Joseph Downe, Jr., for $1620, and during the summer of 1828 the work was completed.
October 4, 1828, David Brigham, Joseph Downe and Levi Farwell, a committee on behalf of the donors, presented a steeple-bell weighing 1635 pounds to the church "for the use of said society so long as the pres- ent religious sentiments which are commonly called Orthodox or Evangelical shall continue to be main- tained; it being understood by the donors that the society either alone or in connection with the Inhabi- tants of the town shall cause it to be rung Sabbaths, lectures, funerals and on all proper occasions."
The sale of pews, the proceeds of which furnished the funds for remodeling the meeting-house took place November 4, 1828, and was as follows:
SOUTH ROW.
NORTH ROW.
Pew
No. NAME. Value.
No.
NAME.
Appraised Value.
52 Aaron Eaton
$39
51
$39
54
Levi Downe and Jona. Burrage 40
55 Alpheus Kimball .
42
56 Isaiah Putnam 41
58 Justin Stearns . 40
60 Horace P. Messinger . 33
59 David Brigham
33
62 Amos Durant and Walter Johnson 33
63
Abel Thurston 29
64
Elijah Brown
29
65 Joseph Battles
33
66 Samuel Caswell
33
68 William Downe
33
67 Samuel A. Wheeler 33
69 John Williams 32
70 Augustus H. Searle 32
72 Isaiah Putnam 31
74 Thomas Damon
29 75 Abel Downe
28
76 Levi Fullam 28
77 Abel Farwell 27
78
27
79 Lucy Davis .
27
80 Joseph Upton 27
53 Abel Downe 4.0
57 Moses Hale .
41
61 Nathan Tolman and Levi Simonds 33
71 Edward Smith 31
73 Samuel Smith . 29
November 21, 1828, a committee of five, composed of Rev. R. A. Putnam, David Brigham, Timothy Downe, Samuel Hale and Abel Thurston, were chosen to take into consideration the subject of the santification of the Sabbath, which resulted in the formation of an association auxiliary to the American Union of Boston
4.0
Appraised
Pew
David Boutelle.
PULPIT.
Abel Downe.
N. Giles.
00
Jos. Farwell.
Eph. Osborn, Jr.
Aaron Eaton.
52
51
10
Levi Downe. Jona. Burrage.
54
53
Abel Downe.
Isaiah Putnam.
56
55
Alpheus Kimball.
Justin Stearns.
58
57
Moses Hale.
12
H. P. Messenger.
60
59
David Brigham.
11
Wm. Downe
Abel Downe. L. Davis.
14
Saml. Caswell.
66
65
Jos. Battles.
13
Aaron Eaton.
E. Smith.
J. Hovey.
16
Isaiah Putnam.
72
71
Edward Smith.
15
Amos Wheeler.
Stephen Dole.
18
78 77
Abel Farwell.
17
David Lowe.
Jos. Upton.
80
79
Lucy Davis.
E. Osborn.
SOUTH GALLERY.
Amos Durant. Walter Johnson.
62
61
N. Tolman. Levi Simonds.
Elijah Brown.
64 63
OWNERS UNKNOWN.
67
S. A. Wheeler.
Aug. Searle.
70 69
John Williams.
Thos. Damon.
74 73
Samuel Smith.
Levi Fullam.
76 75
Abel Downe.
NORTH GALLERY
Wm. Downe.
68
SQUARE PEWS IN CENTER.
Abel Thurston.
Simeon Brown.
Joel Butler.
6
PEW OWNERS IN 1828.
Close of Putnam Pastorate.
for promoting observance of the Christian Sabbath, adapting itself to the especial needs of this town.
During the summer of 1829, a case of discipline is noted where two members had become offended with each other, the result of which was successful in bring- ing a Christian spirit to control the actions of the ag- grieved parties. This principle of arbitration whereby the tactful methods of the pastor and committee were able to remove a stigma from the fair name of the church is highly to be commended.
The salary of the pastor, which in 1830 was $600,- $500 voted by the parish and $100 by the church - was the assigned cause for his request for dismissal De- cember 6, 1830. In the attempt of the church to have his decision recalled, he stated that if he could be sure of receiving $600 and could look to the church for its payment, he would remain, but the uncertainties at- tending the payment by this dual responsibility made it difficult to fulfil. This responsibility the church could not take, and a renewal of his request for a council to dismiss him was accepted, and March 8, 1831, his res- ignation was officially accepted with the suggestion by the council that the church give Mr. Putnam $300 upon his departure, which was done, the church raising the amount by subscription.
Rev. Mr. Putnam was unswerving in following out what he believed to be his duty, yet by his devout and spiritual life his pastorate was effective in softening prevailing asperities and prepared the way for greater ingatherings, which soon followed.
This first council which convened was composed of the following persons: Phillipston, Rev. Joseph Chicker- ing, Ignatius Goulding; Westminster, Rev. Cyrus Mann, John Murdock; Harvard, Rev. George Fisher, Asa Wetherbee; Leominster, Rev. Philip Payson, Abel Wood; Groton, Rev. John Todd, Sewell Rockwood.
Rev. Mr. Putnam preached his farewell sermon April 24, 1831, at a very impressive and deeply affecting ser- vice, his text being "I shall drink no more of the fruit
41
Calvinistic Congregational Church.
of the vine, until I drink it new with you in the king- dom of heaven." After leaving Fitchburg he preached in Chichester, Cornish and Epsom, N. H. In 1854 he removed to Pembroke, N. H., where he died in 1873. Of his nine children, only one daughter is now living (1902), who writes as follows:
"He had a helper and sympathizer in my mother, who was an intelligent, highly educated, pious woman, whose devotion to duty was a constant source of strength to my dear, good, honest, faithful father."
PASTORATES OF REV. MESSRS. ALBRO AND EMERY.
On the ninth of December, 1831, the C. C. church withdrew from the Worcester North Association of churches and united with the Middlesex North Asso- ciation.
January 3, 1832, by a vote of 36 out of 41, the church extended a call to Rev. Joseph H. Towne of Bos- ton, which was declined, and on January 30 a call was extended to Rev. John A. Albro of Chelmsford, the parish concurring by a vote of 57 yeas, 5 nays, 10 neuter, offering a salary of $600. This call was ac- cepted upon condition that a certain case of church discipline, on account of a long-standing quarrel between two prominent members, be disposed of previous to in- stallation. A council was called for this purpose and in its findings it stated that "the case is now resting entirely on the two [aggrieved persons] whether peace and harmony are to be restored and the candle of the Lord to shine here as in times past, or whether this church is to be still distracted by division and thus be- come like Admah and Zeboim, depends now upon the spirit in which this result is received."
Rev. Mr. Albro was installed May 9, 1832, the ser- mon being preached by Rev. Leonard Wood, D. D., president of Andover Theological Seminary. The society appointed "seven marshals to conduct the procession
4.2
Pastorate of Rev. Mr. Albro.
and to keep order at the meeting-house." These were Levi Downe, Alpheus Boutelle, Benjamin Brown, Josiah Brown, Jacob Tolman, Ephraim Osborn, Jr., and John Thurston.
There immediately followed a great ingathering, fifty- three uniting with the church during the year 1832. In this list were many whose names are familiar and who gave the church by their devotion much of its efficiency and influence during its later years. Of this number all have passed on but one, our beloved and honored Dea. Abram Dole (1902).
June 4, 1832, the church voted it expedient to make an effort for the benefit of domestic missions. A com- mittee was chosen to carry the resolution into effect. Two months later, August 6, John T. Farwell was chosen the first treasurer of the benevolent fund and it was voted "that so much of the money collected by the committee on domestic missions, as may be neces- sary to make the pastor a life director of the American Home Missionary Society, be paid over to the treasurer of said Society, the remainder be devoted by said Soci- ety in behalf of missions in the valley of the Mississippi."
"Then had the churches rest." It seems to be a law of nature that during seasons of apparent quiet, forces are at work unseen which come suddenly to the surface, revealing a condition of unrest. It would be pleasant to record the various phases of effective spiritual work going on during the next two years; we may be sure of these, and with the exception of one case of disci- pline of a prominent church member, who was excom- municated for dealing in ardent spirits, all went on smoothly until August 4, 1834, when the pastor pre- sented his letter of resignation. The reason assigned was the unsettled and still smouldering quarrel which had divided the church before his installation. Unsuc- cessful attempts were made by the church to remove the difficulty before calling a council. On December 7, 1834, a communication from the Middlesex Union asso- ciation reading as follows: "Reflecting upon the un-
43
Calvinistic Congregational Church.
happy condition of the Calvinistic Congregational Church in Fitchburg-believing that it would conduce to their peace and spiritual good, to observe a season of fasting, humiliation and prayer," recommended set- ting apart a day for this purpose, which was done and January 29, 1835, was the day appointed. Meanwhile, Mr. Albro's request was accepted and he was dismissed December 15, 1834. The fast day services took place in the chapel, the church assembling at 9 o'clock at the chapel, and services were continued through the day, which were conducted by Pastors Rogers of Townsend, Brown of Shirley, Hubbard of Leominster and Mr. Emery from Andover. The case, however, continued to disturb the harmony of the church for a year longer. But a final disposal seems to have been effected (so far as the church was concerned), February 25, 1836, when it was resolved after a long discussion "that we individually, if we have said or done anything in the course of our past difference, that have given of- fense to any members of this church, we are sorry for the same."
After a pastorate of two years and eight months Rev. Mr. Albro was settled over the Shepard Memorial church of Cambridge, where he remained until his death in 1866.
February 26, 1835, the church voted to call Joshua Emery, a recently graduated student of Andover, to become its pastor. The parish concurred March 9, with the offer of a salary of $600. The church voted to give in addition $25 the first year, $50 the second, $75 the third, and $100 the fourth. His ordination took place May 13, 1835. The scrmon was preached by Rev. H. Winslow of the Bowdoin street church, Boston, and the charge to the pastor was given by Rev. Milton Badger of Andover.
Certain benevolent members of the society built a new chapel, which was presented to it and was formally accepted April 2, 1835.
December 21, 1835, quite a radical change in the
Pastorate of Rev. Mr. Emery.
interior of the church was ordered, when a new pulpit was proposed and the body pews were changed into slips. Alterations of the pulpit window were also made.
July 4, 1836, a "Vigilance committee" was appointed to converse with church members who were living in- consistently with their church vows.
June 5, 1837, after a pastorate of only two years Rev. Mr. Emery read his letter of resignation. A hint of the cause may be seen in the church's action when it said: "We deeply regret the existence of those things among us which have caused trials and discourage- ments to our pastor, sufficient to induce him to ask a dismission." Also in the following rebuke of the coun- cil, June 20: "While the eouneil sympathizes with this bereaved church, they deeply lament the unhappy diffi- culties which have marred your comfort, grieved the Holy Spirit and hindered your prosperity. Dear brethren, we hear there are divisions among you and we are constrained to believe in their existence. How can you expect the Great Head of the church will bless you, whilst in this condition ? Is not the spirit of the gospel peaceable as well as pure? Has not Christ commanded his disciples to love one another and to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace?" ete., concluding thus: "Brethren, our heart's desire and prayer to God is, that you may be kept from the fearful desolations which have come over some of the fairest portions of Zion in the indulgence of party strife, and that you may sometime be united again in the resettlement of the gospel ministry and made joyful by the goings of our God in the midst of you."
Again we are able to look baek and take in a broad view of a condition of affairs which those living in those days could not. That which seemed to our fathers faetion and strife unworthy the name of Chris- tian, was the first muttering of the greatest upheaval which the century saw, and which, a quarter of a cen- tury later, broke forth in the great Civil war.
If the C. C. church was rent by faction thus early in
45
Calvinistic Congregational Church.
the stage, it was not alone, but men of positive con- victions all over the nation were beginning the great struggle; in the shop, by the wayside and as members of the same church, in daily interchange of opinions. We need to keep this thought in mind as we watch the progress of church affairs through the succeeding years, until the final overthrow of human bondage, a system which had prevailed ever since the race began.
Mr. Emery was a most helpful worker and leader in Sabbath school work during his pastorate. On his de- parture he became pastor of the church in North Wey- mouth, Mass., where he remained more than thirty years.
46
CHAPTER IV.
PASTORATE OF REV. E. W. BULLARD .- SLAVERY QUESTION A DISTURBING FACTOR.
July 3, 1837, an attempt was made to unite in re- calling Rev. Rufus A. Putnam, two meetings being held in which the vote showed a strong division of senti- ment. The second one resulted in a vote of 30 yeas, 10 nays, 10 neuter. Unsuccessful in this, the church re- mained without a pastor a whole year, when finally a call was extended to Rev. Ebenezer W. Bullard with the offer of $700 as salary. This was accepted and he was ordained July 1, 1838.
Mr. Bullard was born in Sutton, Mass., educated in Amherst college and Miami university, Ohio, where he graduated in 1834, and from Lane Theological semi- nary, Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1837. These facts may have a bearing in the conflict which continued throughout his ministry over the slavery question and which resulted in the separation and formation of another church. Although of New England birth, his educational training at the plastic period when opinions are formed was on the Mason and Dixon line, where he was sur- rounded with those influences antagonistic to our posi- tive New England ideas upon these questions.
Mr. Bullard was a man of very attractive, winning personality, with a courtly bearing, graces which won for him a large and loyal following, while his lukewarm attitude toward anti-slavery doctrines created a stub- born opposition to him.
On the 20th of January, 1840, is recorded the fol- lowing :
"The church assembled in the chapel at one o'clock P. M. agreeable to notice given the Sabbath previous
47
Calvinistic Congregational Church.
by the pastor, to consider certain resolutions on the subject of American Slavery. The meeting was opened with prayer by the pastor and the following preamble and resolution were presented by him for action:
"'Whereas, upon the subject of American slavery and especially in regard to our individual duty in re- spect to it, there exists substantial and conscientious difference of opinion among members of the church, and whereas we all do cheerfully accord to each other the right of private opinion and private action, and of associated action upon the subject independent of the church; and whereas we deem it incompatible with the peace and prosperity of this church to force even upon a minority of our brethren, principles, resolutions or dissensions, to which they are openly, honestly and conscientiously adverse in the capacity of a church, therefore
"'Resolved that we will take no church action upon the subject.'
"The pastor was then requested to read the resolu- tions which were the subject matter of the meeting (condemnatory of slavery). He read them, after which Bro. Thomas Eaton rose to request, that the resolu- tions might be considered and that no action be taken upon the subject at that meeting, and before he pro- cecded in his remarks, a motion was made by Dea. John T. Farwell that the preamble and resolution first presented by the pastor be adopted by the church. After some remarks the preamble and resolution were adopted."
A month later, February 17, an attempt was made by Thomas Eaton to have the foregoing action rescinded, but it was defeated.
On October 31, 1840, and January 1, 1841, cases of discipline are recorded of persons who had joined the Baptist and Unitarian churches, of others who had absented themselves from communion. Answers were made that, First, The church did fellowship with slave- holders; Second, The action of the church the year
48
The Slavery Question.
previous upon the slavery question. The cases were continued to January 8, when other parties whose cases had been continued for the same offence were excom- municated. The later cases being acted upon, two votes were taken on accepting their reasons as sufficient, and 20 voted yea, 37 nay. Second vote, To excommunicate after three months, 27 yea, 22 nay.
Two days later Benjamin Snow, Jr., who had been an earnest worker in church and an ardent anti-slavery man, having requested letters of dismission (with his wife) and of recommendation to the First Presbyterian church in Troy, N. Y., their request was deferred until September 24. On that day he sent the following state- ment to the church: "I have thought of asking a letter of recommendation while here, to a church in Troy. I now wait the action of this church, as I am not sure that the church with which I wish to be connected, would not consider an excommunication, a better recommendation, knowing the circumstances." The church at once voted to comply with his request and granted letters to himself and wife.
December 25, 1842, at the preparatory lecture and business meeting, an effort having previously been made by members of the church to see if a better state of feeling could be effected among its members, verbal re- ports of what had been done were submitted. After further consultation, the subject was indefinitely post- poned.
It was then voted to rescind the vote of January 20, 1840, and a committee of five was appointed to take the subject of slavery under consideration and report at a future meeting. This committee consisted of Abel Thurston, Jacob H. Merriam, Daniel Lowe, Thomas Eaton, William Downe; the pastor was afterward added to the committee.
January 16, 1843, at a special church meeting held in the chapel, Jacob H. Merriam was chosen clerk pro tem. The following communication was read by the pastor :
49
5
Calvinistic Congregational Church.
"January 12, 1843.
"Rev. E. W. Bullard,
Dear Sir: We the undersigned members of the Cal- vinistic Congregational church, of which you are the pastor, request a dismission from the same, or such action respecting our case as shall render us at liberty to form another Congregational church in this place. Will you please present the subject before the church to be acted upon as early as practicable.
"Timothy F. Downe, Polly W. Downe, Samuel Smith, Abigail Smith, Abel F. Adams, Harriet O. Adams, Jere- miah Kinsman, Jr., Samuel H. Evans, Nathan Tolman, Mary Tolman, Abel Eaton, Harriet Downe, Timothy Kinsman, Joanna Kinsman, S. Melvin Caswell, Eliza- beth L. T. Caswell, Sarah D. Evans, Alpheus Kimball, Harriet Kimball, Amos Durant, Thomas S. Eaton, Mar- tha D. Eaton."
A committee was appointed consisting of Abel Thurs- ton, John T. Farwell, Samuel Hale and the pastor to draft a resolution in reply, which was as follows:
"Resolved, That the request of Timothy F. Downe and others for a dismission from this church or such action respecting the case as shall render them at lib- erty to form another Congregational church in this place, be granted and that when they are organized into an Evangelical Congregational church by a regu- lar ecclesiastical council composed of evangelical pas- tors with their delegates, their connection with us shall be dissolved."
March 3, 1843, at a church meeting, the pastor re- quested to be excused from acting with the committee chosen December 25 to take the subject of slavery into consideration and report thercon at a future meeting. The committee presented this report:
"The committee chosen to consider the subject of slavery, having received notice that the pastor declined serving on that committee and having proposed to our brethren who had absented from us on account of the
50
Slavery Discountenanced.
slavery question, that if they were pleased to unite with us in preparing resolutions to be passed by the church we would resign and have a new committec appointed; and having been informed that they declined said proposal, so long as the present pastor remains with us, have proceeded to prepare the following Prc- amble and resolutions as cxpressing the views of this church on the subject of slavery.
" While we deem it the duty of Christians at all times to oppose and denounce sin in whatever form it may appear, we feel called upon in a special man- ner as a church of Christ to raise our voice and cxert our influence against any evil which, by its magnitude or enormity may threaten any of our land and particu- larly when such evil claims the sanction of Christianity itself. Therefore resolved,
"First. That the institution of slavery is an evil of great magnitude, alike cruel, unjust and oppressive to the slaves, and detrimental to the Master; conducive of unmixed evil to the country and an abominable sin against God; and as such, ought speedily to be abolished, and that as Christians we can in no way countenance or uphold it, but deem it our duty in all suitable ways to exert our influence and use our best endeavors to put an end to it in our land.
"Second. Resolved that we can have no connection with this unfruitful work of darkness and therefore we will not invite to our communion-table, and that our pastor be requested not to invite to the desk any person who is guilty of the sin of slave-holding.
"Signed by the committee."
This report was accepted and the preamble and reso- lution were adopted without a dissenting vote.
"Voted that the pastor be requested to forward a copy of these to the offices of the Boston Recorder and New England Puritan for publication."
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