History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 66

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700

USA > Massachusetts > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I > Part 66

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The next pastor was Rev. I. D. Clark, who began his min- istry with the church November, 1862, and continued it until March, 1866. In him was a remarkable combination of ex- . cellent and exceptionable qualities,-singularly self-confident and strangely given to hyperbole, a sagacious manager and indefatigable worker, with peculiar eccentricities, which gave him notoriety and always drew him a large audience. During his pastorate the church edifice, having been damaged by fire, was enlarged and neatly repaired at a cost of more than $3000, and suitably rededicated December, 1864, by a sermon from the pastor. Near the close of his labors here he was assisted by Rev. A. B. Earle in a series of revival-meetings, which added 70 to the church by baptism, which then numbered 309, 146 having been received by baptism during Mr. Clark's labors, and a sufficient number by letter and otherwise to make the net gain 180.

In April, 1867, after an interval of one year, Mr. Clark was succeeded by Rev. G. L. Hunt, of Athol, Mass. The late Dr. Ide, of Springfield, preached the installation sermon. Mr. lunt's friends regarded his effort in the pulpit his strong point. " His sermons were rich effusions of intellectual cul- ture." He taught the people, and was esteemed a preacher of uneommon ability. His ministry here, however, was that of the sower, having baptized only three.

Mr. Hunt was followed by Rev. C. Y. Swan, who began his labors as pastor Jan. I, 1870. Ile was regarded as an able preacher,-plain, fearless, and earnest, and somewhat peculiar. The congregation immediately increased, and a fresh impulse was given to the religious activity and zeal of the church. A revival of considerable power was enjoyed under his min- istry ; meetings were multiplied, and the pastor assisted by his father, Rev. I. Swan, of Connecticut. During this pas- torate the church gained in strength ; 44 were added by bap- tism and 21 by letter and experience, so that its membership November, 1872, when Mr. Swan resigned, was 333.

Immediately after Mr. Swan retired, Mr. E. T. Hiscox, son of Rev. Dr. Hiscox, of Brooklyn, N. Y., was engaged as a temporary supply. He was called to become pastor March, 1873, and was ordained the following May, his father preach- ing the sermon. Mr. Hiseox was a young man of rare excel- lence, liberally educated, and delivered well-written, instruct- ive sermons. " The church esteemed him very highly as a Christian brother." Nevertheless, wanting flueney and ear- nestness in the pulpit, he failed to interest and attract the people. His pastorate elosed April, 1875, during which five were received by baptism and seven by letter. In the mean time the membership of the church was reduced by erasures, exclusions, and dismissions to 250.

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

Mr. Hiscox was succeeded by Rev. A. W. Jefferson, of South Boston. Accepting the call of the church, he at once began his labors with them. Installation June, 1875; ser- mon by Dr. Adams, of Holyoke. The congregation imme- diately increased. The following December a series of revival meetings was sustained, in which Mr. Jefferson had assistance from neighboring pastors. Good was accomplished, Chris- tians revived, sinners converted, and the young people's prayer-meeting re-established. Mr. Jefferson's resignation took effect Aug. 1, 1878. While he had warm friends and was generally regarded as a devoted Christian, anxious to do good, he failed to eommand as a preacher the confidence and respect of the people. During his pastorate thirteen were received by baptism and fifteen by letter and experience. Since the close of Mr. Jefferson's labors the pulpit has been supplied by Rev. D. M. Crane, to whom the church extended a call, March 16, 1879, again to become their pastor. Having accepted it, he returns to finish his work in this beautiful town.

The present membership of the church is 243. It has had twelve pastors and twelve deacons; nine of the former and nine of the latter are still living.

THE UNITARIAN CHURCH.

The Second Congregational Society in Northampton was organized on Feb. 22, 1825, six years subsequent to the preaching of the celebrated sermon on " Unitarian Chris- tianity," by Dr. Channing, in Baltimore,-a sermon that did more than any other agency to bring about a separation of the two elements which had long existed in all the Congrega- tional churches of New England, known as the Calvinistie and the Unitarian, or Armenian, parties. Fortunately, or unfortunately, in Northampton, the rupture was postponed several years beyond the time when it would naturally have occurred, owing to certain circumstances of a local character, among which was the fact that the church of the town was presided over by a minister who was far advanced in years, whom both elasses respected and loved, and for whom neither party wished to make trouble by taking the initiative in any important movement that would be sure to break up the hitherto harmonious and pleasant relations that had subsisted between members of differing beliefs in the one and only church of the town.

But when the time came for the settlement of a new and young man as colleague pastor, the liberals felt that their reasonable wishes must be fairly recognized and respected. What they wanted-and the utmost they at any time de- manded-was that the new minister should occasionally give them the opportunity of hearing in their own church the preaching of views which to them were fundamental in Chris- tianity, by exchanging with neighboring Unitarian ministers. The demand was not an unreasonable one, when it is con- sidered that the liberal party represented a third part of the taxable property in the society and embraced some of the most respectable people in the community, and also that the town, having jurisdiction in the matter, passed the following preamble and vote :

" Whereas it is well known that there are many members of this society whose religious sentiments differ from those of their present pastor, but who are desirous to preserve the spirit of unity in the bonds of peace, and are willing to concur in the settlement of a colleague whose religious sentiments are different from their own : Therefore, voted, unanimously, that this society are willing that the colleague who may be settled with us in pursuance of the vote passed in November last should exchange with, or invite to preach in the desk, any pious clergyman of any denomination of Christians."

This vote was passed by the town on the second day of February, 1824. It was afterward unanimously voted in the same inecting to extend to Rev. Mark Tueker an invita-

tion to settle over the society as colleague pastor with Rev. Mr. Williams. As this colleague pastor figured largely in the events which resulted finally in the separation, it will be necessary to go back and narrate somewhat in detail some previous circumstances in relation to the differences in contro- versy, in which he was a prominent actor. Within a fort- night after Mr. Tucker came to town, some time in the early part of January, 1824, to preach as a candidate, Judge Howe, a prominent member of the liberal party in the church, sought and secured a lengthy interview with the future pastor. This gentleman stated the fact to him that " he differed from him in his religious opinions, and was desirous to avoid any division in the society ; but that he and some others had made up their minds that they would not concur in the settlement of any person as a colleague, unless upon the principles of Christian liberty and perfect toleration ; that in former years it was sufficient that a man was settled and known as a Chris- tian minister (if his life and conversation were such as became his station) to entitle him to all the courtesies and civilities of Christian intercourse ; that for a few years past a different course had been pursued ; the clergy had assumed the right to sit in judgment on their fellow-mortals, to institute a scrutiny into the private sentiments entertained by them, and to decide upon their correctness. This circumstance had led the members of this Ministerial Association to refuse to make any exchanges with neighboring ministers, while Unitarian ministers, of regular standing and unexceptionable morals, had been suffered to attend meeting here through the day without being invited to preach."

The candidate replied that he had heard something of the difficulties which had existed here, and expressed bis decided disapprobation of the course which he had been informed the pastor, Mr. Williams, had pursued ; that he thought he should have no difficulty in relation to the subject ; that he should not undertake to decide who were or who were not Christians ; that he had long lived among and had intercourse with Chris- tians of other denominations, but that he had avoided all diffi- culty by putting them all on the same footing .*

The candidate on this occasion stated to Mr. Joseph Lyman- afterward known as Judge Lyman-that " he should pursue such a course here in relation to invitations and exchanges as would satisfy the expectations of all."

On the evening next previous to the town-meeting already alluded to, another interview was held between several of the liberal party and certain members of the eburch who differed with them, to see if any arrangement could be made on the subject of exchanges. One gentleman of the latter party said that "he should have no objection that Unitarian ministers who should happen to be here, and who had not rendered themselves obnoxious by their actions or writings, should be occasionally invited to preach." To this it was explicitly affirmed on the other side that it would be no satisfaction to the liberal party to have a Unitarian minister occa- sionally smuggled into the pulpit; that it was the principle they were contending for, and not an idle ceremony or child- ish gratifieation.

In the forenoon of the following day the liberal party, after much discussion, secured in town-meeting the passage of the preamble and resolutions given above. In the afternoon a committee was appointed to wait upon Mr. Tucker and in- form him of the vote of the town, extending to him a call to settle. The chairman of that committee first read to him the vote of the town in relation to ministerial exchanges, and asked him if he had any conscientious seruples about carrying it into execution. Ile replied that he had none ; that he cor- dially approved of the vote, and was glad it had been adopted. The vote of the town was then communicated to him, ex-

* From " Statement of Facts in Relation to the Call and Settlementof Rev. Mr. Tucker."

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HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY.

tending to him a call to become the colleague pastor of the church.

Notwithstanding all the fair promises received from the newly-elected pastor, that the vote of the town relative to ex- changes should be duly respected by him, various significant events, subsequent to his settlement, convinced the liberal portion of the society that they had really nothing to hope from him in that regard. They were therefore forced to the painful conclusion, after employing all honorable means look- ing to an amicable composure of their differences without avail, that union between the two parties on the old basis was no longer possible. The formation of a new society they felt to be their only honorable recourse left. But of course their property rights involved in the act of separation must be fully recognized, and, if possible, equitably and peacefully adjusted.

The second article in the warrant, calling for a town-meet- ing to be held on the 21st day of February, 1825, only one day previous to the formation of this society, reads, " To see if the town will adopt any measures for the relief of those persons who are disappointed at the course pursued here in relation to ministerial exchanges, and to pass such votes as may be neces- sary to effect their object." At a certain stage in this meeting, the question being on the disposition to be made of the afore- said article, the following vote was offered : " Whereas, our numbers have greatly increased since we erected our meeting- house, and are still increasing to such degree as to render it expedient to make further provision for public worship,

" And whereas, circumstances have occurred since the set- tlement of a colleague pastor which induced many members of this town to form themselves into a new society for religious worship,

" Therefore voted, That an advance ought to be made by the town to those individuals who form themselves into a new society, for their interest in the present meeting-house, propor- tioned to the amount of their property as set in the valuation of the present year." The question being on the adoption of this motion, it was voted down.

A motion was then made for a reconsideration of this vote, which, after considerable discussion, was also negatived.

Next a motion was offered to grant to the disaffected the use of the meeting-house six Sabbaths in the year, and this was lost.

Next a motion for the indefinite postponement of the whole subject failed of an adoption.

Thomas Shepherd then submitted the following : " Voted, to choose a committee to wait on the colleague pastor to see on what considerations he will ask for a dismission ;" and this was not carried.

Bnt the following vote, next offered by a Mr. Strong, was carried : " Voted, that in case any article or articles affecting the character of the Rev. Mr. Tucker in his relations to this society be proposed for insertion in any future warrant, the selectmen be instructed to insert them, if at all, in a distinct warrant to be issued for that purpose." Thus completely foiled in every attempt, outvoted, routed, and fairly driven from the field, the liberal party probably that same day went out in a body from the ancient church in the town, and the day following, the 22d of February, 1825, they celebrated the birthday of the great Father of this country by organizing themselves into, so giving birth to, the "Second Congrega- tional Church and Society of Northampton," which should forever stand for freedom of thought and a common and equal recognition of the rights of conscience.

The corner-stone of the building that should shelter and be a home for the new society-the simple but beautiful edifice that the society still worships in-was laid with Masonic cere- monies on Wednesday, May 25, 1825, on which occasion prayer was offered by the Rev. Mr. Hall, afterward the pastor of the society, an address delivered by Charles E. Forbes, Esq., now living, and the then clerk of the society, and a concluding

prayer given by a Rev. Mr. Trumbull, pastor of the Baptist Church in Cummington. The house was completed and dedi- cated on the 7th of December of the same year, the dedicatory sermon being preached by Rev. Henry Ware, Jr., of Boston. In the early stages of the building's construction a catastro- phe occurred, which the enemies of the movement were only too ready to take advantage of by calling it "providential," furnishing as it did an opportunity to be improved to " point a moral" of supernatural warning of a still greater retribu- tion that awaited the little company of " infidels" in the final catastrophe of the future. When about a third of the frame of the building had been raised and firmly secured, as was supposed, in its upright position, it was blown down by a gale of wind, many of the timbers being broken and rendered use- less, but without the slightest injury to a single workman,-a providential circumstance that seems to have been entirely overlooked by the seekers after providential signs and warn- ings of another kind.

Rev. Edward B. Hall was ordained the first minister over the society, on the 16th of August, 1826, whose happy and successful ministry was continued up to the time of his resig- nation, self-compelled by sickness.

The next minister of the society was Oliver Stearns, after- ward president of the Meadville Theological School, and later Parkman Professor of Systematic Theology in Harvard University. The length of his ministry was eight years.

He was succeeded by John Sullivan Dwight, the present conductor of " Dwight's Journal of Music," who remained with the society only a year and a half.

Next came Rufus Ellis, the present pastor of the First Church in Boston. He was ordained over the society in May of the year 1843, and dismissed in May of 1845, having re- ceived a call to settle in Boston.

Rev. Wm. Sillsbee was installed as pastor on the 1st of May, 1855, and, after a useful ministry of eight years, resigned. Ile is now settled over the " Reformed Christian Church" of Tren- ton, N. Y.

Rev. Wm. Lincoln Jenkins was called to the pastorate, and installed therein on May 1, 1865. Resigned May 1, 1870.

Mr. Wm. H. Fish was ordained for the work of the min- istry, and settled as pastor of the society on the 18th of May, 1871 ; his ministry covering the space of two years.

The present pastor, Rev. Charles B. Ferry, was installed ou the 10th day of June, 1874.

The society numbers not far from 80 families, with an aver- age congregation of 150. It has a good Sunday-school, and is, altogether, in a healthy and prosperous condition. 1ts in- fluence in the community, and in the vicinity, in liberalizing the theology of the churches and in promoting the Christian religion of daily life among men, has been, from first to last, very marked. As a social factor in the life of the town (al- though as a church it has been numerically comparatively small) it has been second to none. Its history and its present outlook can be said to fully justify the hopes and the faith of its brave and noble founders.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The minutes of the New England Conference show that there was Methodist preaching in Northampton in 1830 by W. Ward and J. Knight. From this time to the organiza- tion of the church in 1842 the following preachers officiated here : Erastus Otis, O. Wilder, E. Scott, D. Leslie, E. M. Bebee, Asa Niles, and Geo. W. Green.

The church was organized in 1842, and the following is a list of the pastors who have served from that time to the present, with the date of their appointment and years of ser- vice: W. Ward, 1842, two years; MI. Dwight, 1844, two years; W. R. Bagnall, 1846, one year ; C. Baker, 1847, one year ; J. W. Mowry, 1848, one year; T. Marcy, 1849, one

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

year; D. Wait, 1850, one year ; G. Haven,* 1851, two years ; J. S. Cushman, 1853, one year ; W. C. High, 1854, two years ; J. S. Barrows, 1856, one year ; J. E. Rounds, + 1857, one year ; II. F. Morse, 1858, two years; J. Capin, 1860, two years ; S. Jackson, 1862, one year; H. P. Andrews, 1863, one year ; G. Hlews, 1864, one year; C. D. Hills, 1865, two years ; J. H. Mansfield, 1867, two years; J. S. Whedon, 1869, two years ; G. W. Mansfield, 1871, two years; D. Richards, 1873, two years; 1. H. Packard, 1875, two years ; Albert Gould, 1878, two years.

The present church edifice was completed in 1851, and dedi- cated April 15th of that year by Rev. C. K. True,; D. D., tben of Springfield. The present trustees of the church are as follows: Roland Lewis, Zenas Field, Edward S. Barrett, Frank Knowlton, Ira II. Stevens, Henry N. Ensign, Chas. W. Rowley.

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.

The first Protestant Episcopal Church services were held in this town in August, 1826. The corner-stone of the church was laid June 13, 1829, and the church was opened for divine service Dec. 22, 1829. It was consecrated by Right Rev. A. V. Griswold, D.D., on Jan. 13, 1830. The principal mover and largest contributor to this enterprise was Mr. Joseph Coggeshall, then proprietor of a large boarding-school for boys on Round Hill. The church building was materially altered in 1855.

The rectors of the church have been as follows : Rev. Geo. Griswold, Rev. Joseph Muenscher, Rev. D. S. Devans, Rev. William Chatterton, Rev. Henry Burroughs, Rev. John P. Hubbard, Rev. O. Sievers Barten, Rev. Ilenry H. Bean, Rev. Royal Marshall, Rev. E. D. Tompkins, Rev. J. F. Spaulding, Rev. J. K. Lombard, Rev. - Foxeroft, Rev. Gordon M. Bradley. The present rector is J. Sturgis Pearce.

The following are the present officers : William C. Robin- son, David W. Crafts, Wardens; E. C. Clapp, Wm. War- nock, A. L. Hall, Vestrymen; Lewis Warner, Treasurer; W. C. Robinson, Parish Clerk.

ST. MARY'S (CATHOLIC) CHURCH.

Previous to the erection of a church the Catholics of North- ampton and vicinity assembled for worship at the house of a man named Foley, in what was then termed "Straw Hollow," now Leeds, and in the upper part of the Indelible Peneil Shop. The first Catholic elergyman that ever came to Northampton was the first bishop of Boston, M. Cheverus, on the occasion of the conviction and execution of two Irish boys some fifty years ago. These lads were accused of having robbed and mur- dered a mail-carrier in the vicinity of Whately. On this occa- sion Cardinal Cheverus preached to an immense crowd at the Old Church. As an interesting fact connected with this it may be added that years afterward, on his death-bed, the real mur- derer of the mail-carrier acknowledged his guilt and vindicated -too late-the innocence of the lads who were executed for the erime.

In 1834 the King Street lot was secured for the erection of a church, and ten years afterward Rev. John Brady erected the church which has since been, at various times, enlarged and improved by his successors.

At first Northampton was attached to the Cabot (now Chico- pee) parish, and was afterward transferred to the Holyoke parish, being occasionally visited from these places by Father Brady, Father Strain, Father Benkinsop, Father O'Callaghan, and Father O'Sullivan.

In February, 1866, Northampton was erected into a parish by Bishop Williams. The history of the parish is, therefore, for the most part yet to be made. The late Rev. P. V. Moyee was appointed the first resident pastor. He enlarged the church

by the addition of galleries, erected the beautiful churches of Haydenville, Easthampton (since destroyed by fire), and Am- herst. His labors here are so recent that they are well known.

The society has become a large one, and plans have been already discussed for the erection of a larger and more conve- nient church.

The present efficient pastor of the church, Rev. M. E. Barry, took charge of the parish in February, 1872. He is a native of South Boston. His early education was obtained at the schools of Cambridge and New York City. Ile was pre- pared for college in St. Mary's Latin School at Boston. Sub- sequently entered St. Charles College, near Ellicott City, MId., and in 1860 finished his college and seminary course at St. Bonaventure's College, Allegany, N. Y. Father Barry was ordained June 12, 1869, and assigned to the Springfield parish, from which Cathedral parish he came to Northampton.

THE PRESS. THE HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE.

One of the veteran newspapers that seem to live through all time without growing beyond an influence acquired in their youth is the Hampshire Gazette, published at Northampton. It is now nearing the close of a full century of existence. It is a historical paper. In the midst of the excitement growing out of the Shays rebellion, when meetings were held at which the supposed grievances of the people were strongly depicted, it became necessary to establish a paper to convey information to the people in the interest of the government and to stem the current of popular insubordination. The Hampshire Gazette was the paper thus established. Among the writers for its columns in its earlier years were Caleb Strong, afterward Governor of the State; Maj. Joseph Hawley, the eminent patriot ; and Rev. Joseph Lyman, D.D., of Hatfield. It be- came the duty of patriotism, in the infaney of the republic, to crush at once the schemes of the demagogues then floating with the debris of the Revolution throughout the country, taking advantage of the scarcity of money and the heavy taxes to excite the people to revolt, and it was only by means of newspapers that this could be effectually accomplished. Open insurrections and rebellions are physically suppressed by military power, but the only way to reach the minds of the people, and unite sections and communities in the bitterness of their supposed troubles, is through the newspaper, which penetrates to the heartbs and heads and hearts of every family, and silently and effectually accomplishes its object.

After the suppression of the Shays rebellion the Gazette con- tinued in existence, and became a permanent institution, pros- pering far beyond the majority of country papers. It ranks as the ninth oldest paper in the United States, and the third in Massachusetts. The two papers in this State that outrank it in age are the Salem Gazette, established Aug. 5, 1768, and the Worcester Spy, established July 17, 1770.

The Gazette was established Sept. 6, 1786, by William But- ler, then a young man of twenty-three years of age. He came to Northampton from Hartford, Conn., where he served an apprenticeship with Hudson & Goodwin, printers and pub- lishers. Ile also had a job printing-office and a book-bindery, and kept a book-store. School-books and the Westminster Catechism were prominent among the books that he sold. His store, printing-office, and bindery were for many years in the wooden building on Pleasant Street opposite the present residence of Maj. Ilarvey Kirkland, and now occupied by Dewey & Loomis, grocers ; but at first it was " a few rods cast of the court-house." The size of the paper was 14 by 18 inches, three columns per page, and the type small pica, long primer, and bourgeois, old style. There being no mails in this region in those days, the paper was eirenlated by post-riders, of whom there were eight. The post-routes were about as follows: 1. To Hadley, Amherst, and Belchertown. 2. To lloekanum, South Hadley, and Granby. 3. To Easthampton

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 66

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 700

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700