USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newburyport > History of the First Religious Society in Newburyport, Massachusetts > Part 5
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IN THE NEW MEETING HOUSE
Certainly this obituary presents the characteristics of a notable personality.
The society voted to defray the expenses of his funeral "includ- ing mourning for the family of the deceased, the erection of a monument over his grave and all other incidental expenses." Publication of the funeral sermon was ordered and it was voted "that every person who pays a tax and every widow in the Society be entitled to one copy."
Mr. Cary's funeral absorbed the attention of the town. It occurred on November 26th. At 12.30 noon, the church bells tolled. At 2 o'clock a procession formed at his home on High street with the members of the Merrimack Humane Society, of which he had been a member, at its head. They were followed by the trustees of Dummer Academy, of whom he had been one, parishioners, six clergymen, the body with its bearers, mourners and inhabitants of the town to the church. Perhaps nothing could show better the standing of the man and the foremost place the society occupied than this great funeral procession. The sermon, preached by Mr Andrews, was reported as very affecting. Mr. Cary was buried in the Old Hill Burial Ground and the monument erected to his memory was similar to and near that of the Rev. John Lowell.
He left two sons and a widow. Thomas Cary, son of Esther Carter Cary, seems to have been a fascinating and brilliant young man, but somewhat dissipated and unfortunate in having too much money. He is mentioned sometimes in Newburyport histories as taking part in town affairs. The other son was Samuel, son of Deborah Prince Cary, who, years later, was associated with James Freeman Clarke at King's Chapel in Boston. Eleven children had been born into the Cary family, but only these two lived to adult life. Neither of these left children.
After Mr. Cary's death and *"during the next ten or fifteen years there was considerable uneasiness and dissatisfaction among the members of the society, aggravated by political opinions and doctrinal views occasionally uttered in the pulpit. While this condition of affairs lasted, the Sunday worshipers gradually dimin- ished in number. It became necessary, however, for those who
*Ould Newbury, by John J. Currier.
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST RELIGIOUS SOCIETY
desired to dissolve their connection with the parish to notify the clerk in a legal manner, in order to escape taxation; and frequent communications like the following are entered upon the records :-
'Newburyport, 8th, March, 1809.
To the Clerk of the First Religious Society in Newburyport,
Presuming that I may be better and more particularly ac- quainted and instructed in the principles of the gospel of our Lord, under the pastoral care of the *Rev. John Giles than elsewhere, I have, for that and other special reasons, thought proper to attend devotional worship in his society in preference to that of the First Religious Society in Newburyport. You are therefore notified that I am no longer a member of that society, and request in future not to be taxed there as such.
Abel Stanwood'."
Among the disaffected in this year of 1809 was James Kettell. He had been an active member of the parish for many years, serving on its building committee and as moderator at many of the parish meetings. Without his name for a few pages the record book has an unfamiliar look. Joseph Marquand, another old parishioner, writes as follows:
"Newburyport, 29 April, 1814.
To the Clerk of the First Religious Society in Newburyport,
Sir, Joseph Marquand, being aggrieved at Mr. Andrews' Pulpit being a Vehickle of Slander on the 22nd February and 4th of July annually against the Government of the United States, wishes to withdraw his name from the Books of the First Religious Society in Newburyport, and does hereby give notice that he is no longer a member of said Society.
Jos. Marquand."
*Rev. John Giles, Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church of Newbury- port.
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IN THE NEW MEETING HOUSE
Three other letters are interesting.
"Newburyport, April 27, 1816.
Jacob Gerrish, Esq.
Sir, I wish my name to be withdrawn from the rekods of the First Religious Society in this Towne as I can gow where I can hear preaching that sutes me & my famyly better.
Jos. Granger."
"Newburyport, April 13th, 1817.
To the Clerk of the First Religious Society,
Sir, this will inform you that I attend public worship at St. Paul's Church under the Pastoral charge of the Revd James Morse, and wish not to be taxed at your meeting.
Stephen Hodge."
"Newburyport, Sept. 30th, 1818.
Joseph Gerrish, Esq., Clerk of the First Religious Society in the Towne,
Sir. This may certify that I, the subscriber, have left the meeting and the Pastoral charge of the Rev. John Andrews & it is my wish never to be taxed again by that Parish.
Jacob Johnson.
N. B. I shall hereafter be taxed at the Rev. C. W. Milton's."
There is a most pleasant memory of the first decade of the 19th century. In 1806 the meeting house of the First Parish in Newbury was pulled down in order that a new one might be erected on its site. An invitation extended to its congregation to attend services at the new Pleasant street meeting house was accepted. The pastor, the Rev. John S. Popkins, D. D., said : "One of her daughters, who has ever reserved a kindly affection, is now ready to receive her to her kindly bosom, while she renews her outward tabernacle."
Amiable relations and harmony of religious principles pre- vailed with these two churches for a century. Both exerted a liberal influence in the sister communities. Later pastors of the Newbury church inclined to a stricter Calvinism, and cooler relations followed.
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST RELIGIOUS SOCIETY
When the First Religious Society in Newburyport had com- pleted the great undertaking of building a new meeting house its ambition seems to have grown somnolent. It lost its energetic leadership by removals from the city, deaths and sometimes by reverses of fortunes. Reaction and change were in the air not only in religious matters, but politically, economically and socially. Doctrines were changing and few knew whither they were tending. Dr. Popkins, of the Newbury church, was a brilliant preacher; and members of this parish were often found in his congregation. The old Federal dominance in government was waning. France and England were preying on our shipping and partisanship for one or the other caused sharp antagonisms. New fortunes were being built up while many of the old aristocracy were sinking to poverty. Embargoes killed the shipping and after the war of 1812 Newbury- port was no longer an important port. Manufacturing began to take the place of shipping, but with it came a new social order.
It was a time when many new churches had recently been built, or were being built. These drew from all of the older established societies. Dr. Andrews' sermons were liberal and lacked the old time fire which many craved. Nevertheless *"he retained so much of the savor of the olden faith, that he continued to exchange pulpits with several ministers of our denomination (Congregational) till the close, or near the close, of his active ministry in 1830."
An interesting letter, written by the Rev. Horatio Wood of Low- ell, and read on the 150th anniversary of the founding of the parish, is in part as follows: "My recollection goes back to within a single decade of that time (1801). Tithingmen were not then extinct. I shall never forget the painful grip upon my arm when about four years old, made by one of these Sunday police, just outside my father's gate, and of being carried to him with a severe rebuke for venturing into the street on the Lord's day out of meeting time. In my early days the leading men of the church wore their long queues, the minister wore breeches or short clothes, with silver knee buckles and large buckles to his shoes.
"Col. Wigglesworth, of revolutionary fame, was a conspicuous member of the parish, dressing in similar costume and wearing a
*Contributions to the Ecclesiastical History of Essex County.
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IN THE NEW MEETING HOUSE
three cornered hat. Notes used to be read from the pulpit desiring prayers in sickness, death, afflictions, and for sea-faring men 'gone to sea,' rendering thanks for a 'safe return'; and married people, in their gratitude, thus publicly returned thanks 'for mercies received.' The pews then were filled with large families. (I was one of eleven children). Many of the little ones in church were obliged, for want of room, to sit on crickets. These large families assembled for wor- ship, and filling the pews, presented a beautiful sight to my youthful inexperience. I congratulate myself that I received religious instruction in the Pleasant street church. Dr. Andrews was my teacher, first in simple lessons in a room in the Court House. This was before Sunday schools were generally established. His dis- courses from the pulpit were not only controversial but straightfor- ward utterances of undisputed truths, with their application to daily temper and life. The proof of his wisdom and his example were manifest in his family and many other families in his parish."
That Newburyport offered its people nothing more deeply rooted in eternal truth by which men have been ascending since time began than they heard from the pulpits of the two churches of this society, or saw in the examples of its ministers seems evident. Yet the latter were not perfect and may have lacked in tact at times. Dr. D. T. Fisk, of the Belleville Congregational church reports that: * "One member who left, and united with a neighbor church, has often told me that what finally decided her to leave, and made her unwilling to hear Dr. Andrews preach ever after, was his saying to her, when on one occasion she had been stating some of her religious views, 'If I believed as you do, I would throw my Bible into the fire'."
In 1811 a fire swept through the business section of the town and practically destroyed it. The flames almost reached this beautiful building before they were checked. It was a matter of deep thankfulness when it was seen to stand untouched near the edge of blackened ruins. After this fire much of the newly built up business tended to locate on Pleasant street so that this new meeting house, like the old one in the market place, lifted its spire from the midst of an industrial center.
*Contributions to the Ecclesiastical History of Essex County.
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST RELIGIOUS SOCIETY
It has been said that this society advanced in liberalism faster than its pastor. Dr. Andrews felt constrained to retire from the ministry in 1830. This dissolution of his pastorate "was mutual, harmonious and honorable to both parties." The society raised $1500 as a gift to him.
Like the preceding pastorates this one had lasted more than forty years. Perhaps the most notable event in it, after the erection of the new meeting house, was the establishment of Sunday schools. Although he had resigned the pastorate of the church Dr. Andrews, by its unanimous desire, continued to administer the ordinance of the Lord's supper until the settlement of his successor, the Rev. Thomas Fox, who thus describes his character :
"Dr. Andrews finished his long and conscientious pastorate, and the years of his retirement from it, one of the kindest and best of men in this community; where he was known of all for sterling integrity, for the frank simplicity and gentleness of his disposition, the uniform excellence of his daily walk and conversation, free from all envy, jealousy and every shadow of uncharitableness ; ever acting up to his light and standing in his place in his day, a diligent laborer in the vineyard. His successor may and will be pardoned for thus bearing his testimony to the memory of this excellent Christian man, this model ex-minister ; from whom during years of intimate intercourse he received the paternal, considerate, ever disinterested treatment, that could not have been heartier, or showed a more anxious regard for his welfare and happiness, had it been extended toward an own son. Reason, indeed, has he to cherish and recall a worthiness that was so examplary."
*"Some of us," said Mr. Nathan N. Withington, "can remember Dr. Andrews as a venerable figure, one of the last to appear upon the streets of the town in small clothes, silk stockings and silver buckled shoes, benign and dignified of aspect, and still vigorous at a great age."
Dr. Andrews died on August 17th, 1846. He was buried in the Old Hill Burying Ground. His daughters, the Misses Hannah, Jane and Margaret Andrews survived him, and also one son, John. The latter was a book seller in Newburyport for many years. Two of
*Oration, 100th Anniversary of the present building.
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IN THE NEW MEETING HOUSE
his daughters, Mrs. Caroline Cushing Leighton and Miss Jane Andrews, attained considerable literary distinction. Among the several books written by the former are "Life at Puget Sound" and "A Swiss Thoreau." Miss Jane Andrews was at one time an in- structor at Antioch college, Ohio, under Horace Mann. Later she became widely known as a writer of children's books. One of them, "Seven Little Sisters," has been translated into several languages.
In 1818 the warrant for a legal meeting of the parish contained this item, "To see if they will consent to have one or more stoves erected in the meeting house." At the subsequent meeting it was voted "to allow any person or persons to put up at their own expense one or more stoves." Probably stoves were installed, and provided some warmth for the shivering congregation during winter months. Until this time congregations endured a winter temperature in the church, tempered only by foot stoves, with a fortitude that finds no parallel in present day congregations. More than twenty years later, 1839, a committee was chosen to consider means of providing "more effectual warming of the meeting house." It was voted to allow $150 to defray the expenses of building furnaces. Just how the committee spent this sum is not recorded; but no furnaces were installed.
One of the interesting happenings of Dr. Andrews' pastorate was the replacing of the old bell, purchased for the first meeting house, with a new bell which came from the foundry of Paul Revere and Son. The vote, taken in 1819, specified that the bell was not to exceed 1200 pounds in weight nor to be lighter than 1000 pounds. The treasurer of the church was authorized to borrow, if necessary, $500 to make the purchase.
In 1825 the society was known in the town as Unitarian. In his history of Newburyport, published in that year, Caleb Cushing says that it was the only one of that denomination in the town.
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CHAPTER VIII THE REVEREND THOMAS FOX
Thomas Fox was chosen as the successor of Dr. Andrews. He was ordained on August 3rd, 1831. The ordination sermon was preached by the Rev. Charles Lowell, a descendant of the first minister of the parish. Mr. Fox was born in Boston on the 20th of August, 1808, and was graduated from Harvard college twenty years later. He was, therefore, another young man who had his initial experience in the ministry here.
For the first time since the founding of this parish the pastor of the Newbury church, the Rev. Leonard Withington, refused to take part in the ordination service. His example was followed by all the ministers of Newburyport. Various reasons have been given for this drawing away from the First Parish of Newburyport. The name Unitarian, by which the society was now known, has usually been considered the cause, but Mr. Nathan N. Withington, son of the Rev. Leonard Withington, says; * "It seems to me that this growing difference in the religious world was not so much theolo- gical as it was the attitude of either party toward the life that now is. Theological disputes between orthodox theorists were fully as bitter, if not more acrimonious, than those between the orthodox and Unitarians. But the orthodox retained a great deal of the old Puritan contempt for the graces and beauties of life. It was wrong to read almost any novel except the Pilgrim's Progress. With many it was wrong to dance, and with all it was a deadly sin to play a game of cards or to attend a play at the theatre. The Unitarians had sloughed off these prejudices with the Calvinist creed. They cultivated the graceful and beautiful and the chief objection to Mr. Fox which I heard from my orthodox friends was, that instead of preaching against the exceeding sinfulness of sin and the awful doom of the sinner in a future state, he preached of the beauty of the flowers, the glory of the sunset and the loveliness of the universe in which we dwell. This was horrid in the eyes of conservative people, the joys of whose traditional religion consisted in contemplating the tortures reserved for their unregenerate neighbors in another world."
*Oration of Nathan N. Withington, Centenary of Pleasant Street Church.
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST RELIGIOUS SOCIETY
The population of Newburyport at the time of the ordination of Mr. Fox was 6859. This was nearly seven hundred less than it had been a decade earlier. Since the beginning of the century five churches had been built in Newburyport. Every one of the older congregations must have contributed members to form these new congregations at a time when the whole number of church going persons was being reduced by the decrease in the town's population.
So, despite the excellent qualities of Dr. Andrews, and the esteem in which he was held, his lack of fiery eloquence, possibly some monotony in his service and sermons, when in some pulpit in town a new face could be seen and a new voice heard, the attendance fell away. There seemed danger of apathy falling upon the parish. With the advent of Mr. Fox a new spirit came over it. With his youth it became young again. Attendance at the services rapidly increased. He was especially successful in interesting young people.
*"Mr. Fox found a difficult task before him. It was during his incumbency that more than one attack was sure to be made upon the position of this church, as the parish church of Newburyport .If Mr. Fox was not wholly successful in resisting such dissent, if at times he sacrificed himself and his parish for good ideals we must still more admire the power with which he counter- acted such losses. He did this, it appears, in three ways; as a preacher, an administrator and a pastor. We are well assured that in Mr. Fox's time this church was thronged twice a day from Sunday to Sunday-literally thronged, its floor pews all filled, its gallery equally so and on special occasions there were many standing throughout the church. . . At this time the church boasted of a congregation frequently numbering 1200."
In the church record book kept by Mr. Fox there are entries regarding help given to indigent members of the parish, and many invitations to ordinations of ministers in other towns are noted. So if the churches of this town held aloof, obviously there was develop- ing a strong cooperation and union between the various Unitarian congregations of the vicinity.
As a preacher Mr. Fox §"insisted on interpreting the Old by the New Testament, and both by the light of reason, of common sense,
*From an unsigned paper found among the church records.
§Oration of Amos Noyes on the 150th anniversary of the founding of the parish.
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THE REV. THOMAS FOX
and in conformity with natural laws ...... There was more doctrine preached than had been for a century ; and the discourses, when not doctrinal, were moral essays."
As an administrator he introduced some innovations. He brightened the church services with flowers, he instituted picnics as a parish festivity ; and in many ways he interested the young people. ** 'Whatever the private opinion no audible objections were heard in the society, but outside it many were scandalized. Not a few of the good mothers in Israel made it an especial topic for gossip and tea table talk. 'Poses in the meetin' 'us on a Sabba Day!' Why, it savored altogether too much of popery." This matter of flowers in the church seemed an abomination to many of a higher grade of intelligence. Mr. Fox was the target of denounciatory sermons berating the idolatrous desecration of the house of God.
The Sunday school picnics were another source of gossip. §"Mr. Fox was a great student of nature, and he interested his scholars in his pursuits. The autumn after the school commenced, on a lovely Saturday afternoon in early October, the boys and many of the girls and teachers walked with him to the Devil's den and basin. Several private carriages conveyed the smaller children and others unable to walk. Many of the parishioners joined the party during the afternoon. All brought well filled baskets, and an appetising, delicious supper was spread under the trees. This excursion gave such pleasure it was repeated at the Laurels on the banks of the Merrimack the next June. Some of the large, old style stage coaches were hired from the stage company for conveyance, besides private teams. The next summer Mr. and Mrs. Curzon invited the school to their pleasant home at Curzon's Mills. This was a very grand affair . Instead of the repast on the grass, tables with seats were put up, the tables set in good style with flower decorations and the speaking and singing were properly arranged. The school filled thirteen stages and hacks. These with a number of private carriages made so imposing a procession as it proceeded up High street that it attracted much observation and 'Fox's Caravan' was ridiculed by those that in a few years became most active in getting up picnics in their own societies."
*§Newburyport News, an article signed by Sarah Ann Emery.
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HISTORY OF THE FIRST RELIGIOUS SOCIETY
As a pastor Mr. Fox was a man of amazing energy and re- sources. He preached two sermons on Sundays and was present at the sessions of the church school, which for six months of each year were held before the morning service and for six months after the afternoon service. He adopted a practice for a time of preaching a half hour sermon for the younger people and children after the regular afternoon service. These "little sermons" were so popular that not only did the young people and children attend them, but many of their elders remained to listen to a third sermon for the day. Miss Emery tells us that Mr. Fox showed no sign of weariness at these extra services. He interested the young people in botany and geology, occasionally gave them talks on such subjects, and encouraged them to bring to him any interesting or unique specimens of plants or rocks which they might find. The young people adored him.
Following the fashion set by his predecessors in the First Parish pulpit, Mr. Fox brought a young bride to the town. She helped him loyally in his work and *"was so free from fault and so charm- ing that even the most rigid of the orthodox concluded that she was safe even if she was a Unitarian."
As a citizen of the town Mr. Fox achieved a success that incurred the disapproval of some and invited new and bitter critcism. §"He wrote and worked for education. His work in this field was exceedingly efficient and valuable. Newburyport soon expended per child more money than any city in the county except Salem. But this was not without angry opposition. The letters in the Newburyport Herald against him were intemperate and personal, and but thinly disguised the parsimonious spirit of their authors. Public education was a delusion by reason of the small number of teachers employed. It was this discussion that led to their adequate increase. He used his influence to remove many incompetent teachers, not choosing in this the path of peace. He was especially active in starting the Female High School, a movement, which co-operating with like movements in every large town of the Com- monwealth, has already had vast revolutionary results and promises to exert still greater on the relations of the sexes."
*Newburyport Herald, Item upon Newburyport Churches.
§Oration of Amos Noyes, 150th anniversary of the founding of the parish.
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THE REV. THOMAS FOX
The Female High School thus founded is believed to have been the first girls' high school in the United States.
During this pastorate the pulpit in the church was lowered to its present position. Originally it was not only higher, but it extended farther into the body of the church. It was reached by a flight of steps that ascended from the back porch, or what is now called the minister's room. This arrangement permitted the minister to reach his place unobserved and appear in the pulpit to the sur- prise of the uninitiated.
There are two brief references in the church records to this matter. A meeting of the proprietors was called in June, 1839, "to see if they will authorize their committee to make any and what alterations in the Pulpit." It was voted at a later meeting "that those desirous of altering the Pulpit may do it at their own expense- Provided that it shall not be lowered more than one foot-and the plan be submitted to the Proprietors' Committee."
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