USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > History of the First church in Springfield. An address delivered June 22, 1875 > Part 4
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IHISTORICAL ADDRESS.
About this time there was an important change in the policy of the church as to the tenure of the office of deacon. From the earliest period of its existence, this office. had always been regarded as one to be held for life. For some years, great difficulty had been experienced in finding men qualified, who were will- ing to undertake its duties. Vacancies were fre- quently occurring, and most of those whom the church selected to fill them were unwilling to accept the office. In the hope to obviate this difficulty, it was decided, at a meeting held July 12, 1850, to elect two deacons for the term of five years. Daniel Rey- nolds was elected, and accepted the office. . Two others were successively chosen, but both of them declined. From that time to the present, the church has adhered to the policy of electing its deacons for limited terms, sometimes for five years, sometimes for three years. By a permanent rule of the church, adopted in 1871, the tenure is now fixed at six years. Under the limited term system thirteen different per- sons have held this office.
Upon the retirement of Dr. Osgood from the active duties of his pastorate, the church and parish with great unanimity extended a call to Rev. Henry M. Parsons, then a student in the Theological Seminary at East Windsor, to be his successor. That call was accepted, and Mr. Parsons ordained on the fifteenth of November, 1854. He continued here just sixteen years, enjoying the affection and confidence-ever increasing-of this church and people, when, from a conviction that duty called him to another field of la- bor, he sought and obtained the reluctant consent of his people to a dissolution of his pastoral relation to
THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY
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HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
this church. The history of his labors here must be left to later times. To him succeeded our present pastor .* Long may it be before it will be time to re- cord the events of his ministry.
Having now brought down this history of the church and parish as far as I propose, I. now recur briefly to an earlier period, in order to state some matters of interest, that could not be conveniently introduced in the regular course of the narrative. There are some things in our early parochial history, which appear strange to our modern ideas. One of these is the practice that, from the time of the erec- tion of the first meeting-house down to the present one, seems to have prevailed, of a periodical assign- ing of seats to the congregation. Thus in 1664, when the town and parish were identical, a vote of this kind is recorded: "Dec. 30, 1664. It is ordered yt the Selectmen and Deacon or deacons shall from tyme to tyme seate persons in ye meeting house either higher or lower according as in their sound discretion they shall judge most meete." What a strange jum- ble of officials here, selectmen and deacons, uniting in this delicate and difficult duty of seating persons "higher or lower," at their discretion. A month later, in January, 1665, is found recorded an order of the selectmen, which I transcribe in full as a curious specimen of the way in which the parochial police of those days was administered. It is in these words: " Forasmuch as order is beautifull & especially in !" house of God & ve want thereoff is displeasing to God & breeds disturbance among men-And where- as it doth appear yt divers young persons and some- times others, notwithstanding their being called upon
* Rev. Edward Allen Reed.
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HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
. Doc yet neglect to attend unto such order, as is pre- scribed them either for their sitting in ye meeting house, or for their reforming of disorders in & about ye meeting house in tyme of Gods Publike worship- It is therefore hereby ordered that whosoever of this Towneship shall not, from tyme to tyme to their sit- ting in ye meeting house, submit themselves to the ordering of ye Selectmen & Deacons, or such as are impowered to seate & order persons in ye meeting house-All such persons as shall refuse or neglect to attend unto order as aforesaid shall forfeite as is here- in after expressed, viz .: Hee or shee that shall not take his or her seate ordered ym fro tyme to tyme but shall in ye days or tymes of Gods Publike worship Goe into & abide in any other seate, appointed for some other, Such disorderly person or persons for ve first offence shall forfeit three shillings four pence to ye towne's treasury." By the same authority it was ordered that the seat formerly called the guard seat should be for smaller boys to sit in " that they may be more in sight of ye congregation.". In this seat none were permitted to sit "above ye age of 14 or 15 yeares."
It appears that in the earlier period of our paro- chial history, care was taken that the men and women should be seated in separate seats. The first innova- tion upon this practice appears to have been in the year 1751, when the parish "voted that the commit- tee for seating the meeting house be directed to seat the men and women promiscuously." But in order that those of tender sensibilities should not be shocked by so great a departure from long-established custom, the committee were directed, upon applica-
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HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
tion being made to them by any person or persons desiring "not to be seated promiscuously, to 'gratifie' them as near as they can." It is not surprising that the Parish selected John Worthington, Esq., and Mr. Luke Bliss, two of the wisest and most popular men of the town, to perform this delicate duty under this new condition of things. After a time this matter of new seating the meeting-house came to be attended with a good deal of difficulty. At a parish meeting in December, 1790, the parish voted to choose a seat- ing committee of five persons. Twenty-two were chosen to the office, all of whom refused to serve. The meeting was then adjourned two days. At the adjourned meeting, it was voted to reconsider the vote, providing for a committee of five, and as a sub- stitute, it was determined that a committee of three should nominate a committee of twenty-one persons, of which the nominating committee should be them- selves members, and from these twenty-one, seven persons were to be drawn (by lot I suppose) who should seat the meeting-house, and report at an ad- journed meeting about one month later. This was done and the report of this committee, charged with this delicate duty, was finally accepted. This seating held good for four years, but in 1794 it was found necessary to reseat, and substantially the same proc- ess was repeated. The practice of seating the meet- ing-house continued until the erection of the present house in 1819. A record of a parish meeting held April 5, 1737, indicates the rule by which the assign- ment of seats was then regulated. It was "voted that the age of Persons and theire own Estates as they stand upon the list (Negros Excepted) are the
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HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
Principal Rule that said Comtee are to be governed by in theire proscedings and any other Dignity that any Parsons may be Clothed or attended withall shall be Left Discressionary with sd Committe."
In these modern days, when our city maintains with so large, and yet at so reasonable and proper an expenditure, its organized and paid fire department, with all its equipment of fire steamers, reservoirs. hy- drants and telegraphic fire alarms, but few, if any, among the present inhabitants of our city. are aware how largely the means for extinguishing fires, not a century since, were provided and controlled by this parish. Yet the record shows that in November, 1792, the parish granted for the purpose of defray- ing the expense of building the engine-house the sum of six pounds, eleven shillings, two pence and two farthings ; and in March 1794, voted to pay the ex- pense of five poles for the fire wards, and also to pay for two fire-hooks and six leather buckets fer the use of the fire-engine. And the same year, Pitt Bliss was paid two pounds, twelve shillings and six pence for the six buckets and "for repairing the hose to the en- gine." Not content with repairing the old hose. the parish, in 1798, voted that "Jonathan Dwight, Esq .. William Ely and Pitt Bliss be a committee to exam- ine the hose belonging to the engine, and if they judge it necessary, to procure a new one at the ex- pense of the Parish." Precisely how the extinguish- ing of fires came to be regarded as a parochial duty, may not be quite clear, but certainly there can be nothing in it inconsistent with practical Christianity.
Looking back from the stand-point we now occupy. upon the past history of this church, and tracing it
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HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
through all the vicissitudes of two hundred and thir- ty-eight years, down to the present moment, we can see that, while it has had its alternations of prosper- ity and of trial-sometimes depressed by disasters the most discouraging, at other times rejoicing in the consciousness of vigorous growth-the tokens of a kind Providence, watching constantly over and pro- teeting it, have ever been conspicuous. Many col- onies have gone out from it, that have become strong and prosperous churches .* To some of these in their infancy this church extended a helping hand, until they ceased to need help. All of them, without cx- ception, have become centres of influence, diffusing Christian light and love through the community around them. To all these, this church can point with maternal affection and pride and say, "These are my jewels." These repeated drafts, that have been made upon the numbers of this ancient church, have not in any degree exhausted its resources, or impaired its strength. It stands to-day-on the spot where it had its birth, and where, through alnost two centuries and a half, it has ever stood - with a larger member- ship than ever before. United in itself, and united in a pastor, whom it loves and honors, it can with reverent gratitude to God exclaim:
"How are thy servants blessed, O Lord, How sure is their defense, Eternal wisdom is their guide, Their help, Omnipotence."
*Appendix II.
APPENDIX.
-
A. .
MR. JOHN NORTON, "one of the reverend elders of Ipswich," was selected to write an answer to Mr. Pynchon's book " with all convenient speed." It was recommended that Mr. Pynchon should take this answer home with him " to consider thereof "-
For his share in the attempt to convince Pynchon of his error Mr. Norton was awarded twenty pounds by the General Court, and his production ordered to be sent to England to be printed.
After his return to England, Mr. Pynchon wrote and published a reply to Mr. Norton's book.
B.
The use of the ground at the foot of Elm street as a training- field soon gave way to its use as a burial-ground. The lots thus occupied were on either side of Elm street, extending from what is now Water street, within a few feet of the margin of the River bank. The general care and control of these lots was ex- ercised by this parish. Nearly all the burials in this part of the town were in them until the opening of the present cemetery in 1811. By an arrangement between the parish and the proprietors of the cemetery, to which the consent of friends, so far as pos- sible, was obtained, all the remains in the old burial-grounds were removed to a new resting-place, more remote from the rum- ble of the cars and the shriek of the locomotive.
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APPENDIX.
C.
Mr. Brewer published one sermon delivered by him, March 26, 1724. entitled, "God's help to be sought in time of war, with a due sense of the vanity of what help man can afford." This dis- course I have never seen. Rev. Dr. Sprague says of it: " It is a respectable performance, and indicates a spirit of ardent piety."
D.
"The following entries in the records of deaths in Springfield indicate the individuals referred to :
" Reice Bodurtha was drowned dead March 18 1683
John Bodurtha was drowned dead March 18 1683
Lydia Bodnetha the wife of Joseph Bodurtha was drowned dead March 18 1683."
E.
Mr. Breck's letter of acceptance is recorded as follows :
" To the inhabitants of the First Precinct in Springfuld. GENTLEMEN :
I can't but with pleasure and Thankfullness take Notice of the Greate kindness and affection which you have Expressed to me in that after so many Difficultys you have Done me the Honour to invite me to settle with you in the work of the Evangelical Ministry and Now being Desired to signifie to you my inelina- tion relating to that affair I would say that I Look upon it to be a matter of importance and very well worthy of a serious consid- eration and therefore I have Indeavored in the best manner I was able to weigh it with all the cirenmstances and consequences of it, and upon the most calm and deliberate Examination of the matter I have found many obstacles in the way whch have bn a greate discouragement to my accepting your call. particularly the uneasyness of some of the Neighbouring ministers, which I sup- pose you are all sensible I have Indeavored to Remove, and it was my Design to have used some further methods with them to remove their uneasiness Relating to the affaire of Mr. Clap (as I hinted to you at your Last meeting) but finding that there have since some other difficultys arose Relating to my Examination at Boston whch cant so well be issued by the Neighbouring min- isters alone and also seeing (as I apprehend) that some of them
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APPENDIX.
have been Industrious against me, I find myself dishartened from using any further endeavours with them. Not that I design or desire that these things should be husht up in silence but that they may have a full and faire hearing before Proper Persons. An- other greate discouragement to my accepting your invitation is the dissatisfaction I find amongst some of your own People whom I am very loth to greive. And also the greatness of the work, and my own inequality to it; these I say have been very greate Dis- youragements to me, but notwithstanding also I am unwilling to disoblige auy either of the Ministry or of your own People yet after Repeated application to the Throne of Grace for direction and to my friends for advice and also after the most careful ex- amination of the case, I cant but think it my duty to comply with your desires and humbly Relying upon the Gracious Pres- ence and assistance of God, I accept your call, asking your prayers for me that God would carry me through the greate work which he seems in his Providence to call me unto. For who is suffi- cient for these things. And let it be our united prayers and en- . deavours yt bouth you and I may be under the divine Conduct and direction, that my settlement may be made happy amongst you, and that we may be made Great Blessings to each other. May we Live Happyly togather in this World and spend a happy Eternity togather in the world to come. Now that Grace, Mercy and Peace may be multiplyed unto you is the harty Prayer and sincear desire of
Your friend and servant
ROBERT BRECK"
I do not know whether the peculiar spelling in this letter as recorded, is due to Mr. Breck, or to Mr. Thomas Stebbins, the Parish Clerk of that day, but conjecture to the clerk.
F.
The covenant. entitling those consenting to it to baptism for themselves or their children, called the " Halfway Covenant," was in these words : "You professing your serious belief of the Christian religion, as it is contained in the Sacred Scriptures, do now seriously and very solemnly give up yourself to God in onr Lord Jesus Christ, resolving with his help to conform your life to the rules of his holy religion so long as you live, and repenting of all things wherein you have transgressed, you give yourself to
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APPENDIX.
the Lord Jehovah, who is the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost, and receive him as your God and portion. You give yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ and rely upon him as the Head of his peo- ple in the covenant of grace, and as your Prophet, Priest and King forever. You do submit to the laws of his kingdom, as they are administered among this his people, and will herewith be at pains to obtain that further preparation of the Sanctuary, which may embolden your further approaches to the enjoyment of God in all his ordinances."
G.
The origin and earliest history of the Sabbath school here is involved in some uncertainty. When the present church edifice was first occupied, in August, 1819, for religious worship, the Sabbath-school was a recognized institution. Its history in the interval between the demolition of the old meeting-house in the spring of 1819, and the occupation of the new in August, can be traced. A few persons remember the school in the old house. but when it was first gathered there and how long it was taught there, can not so clearly be ascertained. The result of many in- quiries and much investigation, points to 1818 as the year when the first school was gathered in the old meeting-house.
It is probable that at first it was under the supervision and in- struction of a few ladies, with occasional aid from gentlemen, but soon came to have a corps of male teachers. There is in some minds an impression - perhaps a recollection - that still earlier there was instruction given on the Sabbath in a private house to a few children, probably girls, and it is quite likely that this may have been the nucleus of the school afterwards gathered in the old meeting-house about 1818. When the old house was taken down, the new church, which had been erected just in the rear of it, was not ready for use. The religious services of the congre- gation were conducted during the interval in the old Court-house, which then stood on the east side of Market street, right where Sanford street now intersects it. A part of the Sabbath-school was held in the old brick school-house, which then stood just in the rear of the old town hall on State street. This part was probably superintended by Judge Hooker, one of the deacons. Another portion of the school met at the school-house then stand- ing near the southerly end of Main street, and was superintended
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APPENDIX.
and taught by Oliver B. Morris and Rev. Seth Bliss, with the assistance of a few other teachers.
The present meeting-house was dedicated, August 19, 1819, and about the same time the school was gathered in this edifice. Judge John Hooker is supposed to have been its first male super- intendent, probably from 1819 to 1823. About the latter date, Frederick A. Packard became the superintendent, and from that time new energy appears to have been infused into the school. It was at first kept up only during the warm or moderate season of the year. There were no means of warming the meeting- house prior to 1826. Probably about that time winter Sabbath- schools were introduced. But every spring and autumn a re- organization took place, as if for a new school.
Down to about 1828 two sessions a day appear to have been held, one in the morning, the other in the afternoon. Certainly in 1832 and ever since, only one session a day has been held. At first, this was either in the morning or at noon. Latterly the afternoon has been devoted to the exercises of the school. These exercises originally consisted in the recitation of verses of Serip- ture, hymns, and answers from the Assembly's Catechism, which had been committed to memory during the week. At the close of the school in the autumn, cards of proficiency were given to the scholars, certifying the number of hymns and verses that each had recited.
No record of the school prior to 1826 has been preserved. The record from 1826 to 1830 contains merely statistics of the attend- ance, with an occasional brief remark. The first record of the names of teachers and scholars, and the organization of the classes, bears date in 1830.
In 1832, the Springfield Sabbath-school Society was formed, and the managers of that Society had for many years the charge of organizing the school, appointing the superintendent and libra- rian, and assigning the teachers and classes.
At a much later period, the selection of superintendent was left for a short time to the school, which chose that officer by bal- lot. Afterwards, that responsibility was devolved upon the teachers.
At present, the church has the entire charge of the school, and annually elects all its officers.
An important event, in the history of this church and Sabbath-
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APPENDIX.
school, was the erection and completion, in June, 1871. of a new and commodious chapel and Sabbath-school room.
II.
The first colony from this church was in 1696, when a church and parish was formed on the west side of the river, including the members then residing in what are now West Springfield, Hol- yoke and Agawam.
The church and parish of Longmeadow were separated from this in 1703.
Wilbraham, then known as " Springfield Mountains," followed in 1741, and Chicopee in 1750. Until Chicopee was incorporated as a town, in 1848, the legal designation of the oldest parish there, was the "Second Parish of Springfield." The secession of the Unitarian Society, in 1819, and the formation of a parish, made that the Third Parish of Springfield. The Fourth, or Olivet Church and Parish, was formed in 1833. Eleven members of the First Church, at their own request, were dismissed to form a new church on the hill.
Thirty-four members of the First Church were dismissed, at their request, to be formed into the South Church, in 1842.
The North Church, which was organized in 1846. and the Memorial Church in 1865, although not strictly colonies from this church, received large contributions of members from it.
STEREOSCOPIC VIEWS
-OF-
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
No. 1. New Court House and First Church.
2. New Court House. A.
3. New Court House. B.
4. New Court House. C.
5. New Court House. Main Entrance.
6. City Ilall.
7. Old High School Building.
8. New High School Building. A.
9. New High School Building. B.
10. New High School Building and Unitarian Church.
11. Massasoit House.
12 Haynes' Hotel.
13. Railroad Depot. A.
14. Railroad Depot. B.
15. Railroad Depot and New Railroad Bridge.
16. Interior New Railroad Bridge.
17. New Railroad Bridge.
18. Boston & Albany Railroad Building.
19. Agawam National Bank Building.
20. Daily Union Building.
21. City Library Building.
22. City Library Building. B.
23. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co's Building.
24. Savings Bank Building.
25. State Street M. E. Church.
26. Unitarian Church.
27. Salem Street Church.
28. Old South Church.
29. Old South Church. Interior.
30. Summer House, George Howard's Estate.
31 .. Main Street, north from Park Street.
32. Howard Street, from Main Street.
38. Elliott Street, from State Street.
3.1. O. II. Greenleaf's Residence.
35. United States Arsenal.
36. Officers' Quarters, Armory Grounds.
37. Panorama from the Arsenal. A.
28. Panorama from the Arsenal. B.
39. Panorama from the Arsenal. C. 40. Panorama from the Arsenal. D. 41. Panorama from the Arsenal. E.
42. Panorama from the Arsenal. F.
43. Panorama from Crescent Ilill.
44. Panorama from Long Hill. A.
45. Panorama from Lang Ilill. B.
46. Panorama from Long Hill. C. 47. Panorama from Long Hill. D.
48. Panorama from Long Hill. E.
WHITNEY & ADAMS, Publishers,
Springfield, Mass. Mailed to any address on receipt of 20 cents each.
" Old Corner Book Store."
"PITZMAROON,"
-OR- "The Magic Hammer,"
A FAIRY STORY, By CHARLES A. BEACH,
,
With 27 Spirited Illustrations by the Author.
Price, $1.25.
WHITNEY & ADAMS, Publishers,
SPRINGFIELD, ALLSS.
"OLD CORNER BOOK STORE."
BIRD'S EVE VIEW -OF-
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
This work, giving the location of nearly every building, street, park, &c., in the City, has been prepared with great care and expense, and will be by far the best general view of Springfield ever produced.
It is valuable to every one, as we give the exact location and style of every Home, as well as every Public Building, as nearly as possible in a work so extensive.
Real Estate and Insurance Agents will find this particularly valuable, as from this map will be shown the location and surroundings of nearly every Building. The work is executed by the very best workmen in the country, is finished in colors, and in itself will make a beautiful picture. Pics, $5.00.
We also publish maps of Holyoke, Westfield, Chicopee and Chicopee Falls. PRICE, $3.00 each.
WHITNEY & ADAMS. Publishers.
Corner Main and State Streets.
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
2849 83. 6
MAY 75
N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA
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