History of the town of Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, Part 10

Author: Hobart, Benjamin, 1781-1877
Publication date: 1866
Publisher: Boston, T. H. Carter and son
Number of Pages: 552


USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Abington > History of the town of Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement > Part 10


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In this collision of the two bodies, Mr. Niles was placed in a very unpleasant sitnation. He was accused by the favorers of fast singing to be in favor of the other side. He, however, manifested great prudence and impartiality in the controversy, but did not escape censure. As a specimen of the deep excitement of the times, and to show the difficulty of his position, it may be stated, that a lady of intelligence and of good standing, the mother of a large family of children, (Mrs. S-,) in an excited moment, said of Mr. Niles,-" He went up into the pulpit with the Bible under his arm, and the devil in his heart." Mr. Niles called on her afterwards ; she apologized for her hasty speech, and a reconciliation took place.


On account of these party divisions, Mr. Niles, as he remarked to me, was much embarrassed in his preaching. He was constantly accused of being pointed in his sermons, and of alluding to the town's party. He said he took all pains possible to avoid anything of this kind.


There were great exertions made to settle these difficulties by individuals in and out of town, and by the church. A singing-master was agreed upon as an umpire, to decide upon the time or mode of singing ; but he, unfortunately, instead of taking middle ground betwixt the two extremes, favored the slow mode of singing. The partisans of that mode were accused of tampering with him, and the other side fell from their agrcement. Sermons were preached by neighboring


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ministers in allusion to this subject. I recollect one discourse by the Rev. Jacob Norton, of Weymouth ; his text was,- "For the divisions of Reuben, there were great thoughts of heart." It has occurred to me, at times, that there was something of that hallucination which led, in former times, to the persecution of individuals in Salem, for witchcraft. Reason seemed to be banished, and passion and prejudice to reign triumphant. As time passed away, however, the excitement began to abate, and an agreement between the church and town was entered into,-simply, " that the church should nominate candidates for choristers, and if any one was rejected by the town, in their parochial capacity, another should be offered ; and so on, until a choice should be made by the election of the same by the town."


Another event which took place about this time (1807) was quite distressing to Mr. Niles,-a separation of a part of his church and society, to form a new society in the south part of Abington. This was the breaking up of many old associa- tions, and interrupting a long course of intimacy. Mr. Niles felt this change deeply, and wished it might not happen in his day. I recollect well, that as soon as it was known by him that my father, Col. Aaron Hobart, favored this move, he, with his wife, made us an evening's visit, and took tea. He expressed much anxiety to avert the move ; was sad, lost his usual good cheer and vivacity, and, I might add, his appetite. He was aware that, if my father and my brother, Aaron Hobart, jr., did not approve of the proposed movement, it might be delayed for some years, and used many arguments and persuasions to induce them not to favor it. I recollect one,-which was to construct a new road from the south-east part of the town, directly across Mill-pond Meadow, so called, to his meeting-house. This would have made a saving of one- third of the travel to meeting from this part of the town. My father answered, that the time had come for a change ; that he and his father, with their families, had attende.l meeting there for about one hundred years ;- distance, three miles,-six in going and returning,-travelling far enough,


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allowing three persons to attend each Sabbath during that period, for one person to travel around the globe four times, besides attending meeting on lecture, Thanksgiving, and Fast days. He was willing to invest a portion of his estate in a meeting-house for the benefit of his children. From this interview, Mr. Niles was convinced the project would succeed. The number, at first, who seceded, was small, many holding back from attachment to Mr. Niles. A union with quite a number of the inhabitants of East Bridgewater helped the movement.


Mr. Niles had eight children, - Samuel, who died in infancy ; Mary Dodge, Sarah, Clarissa, Elizabeth, Mehitable, Samuel, and Laura. Mary Dodge marricd Joseph Torrey, of Hanson ; had one son, who died in infancy. She left no children. Sarah married Jacob Dyer, and had four children : Ezekiel Dodge, Samuel Niles, Mary Dodge Niles, and Nathaniel Niles. Mrs. Torrey and Mrs. Dyer are both deceased. Samuel N. Dyer had three children. Mary D. N. Dyer married Gladden Bonney, and had eight children and two grandchildren. Mehitable was married, resides in Ver- mont, and has no children.


Mr. Niles' descendants are very limited : only two of his daughters had any children that lived to grow up; his grand- children were twelve, and there are two great great grand- children.


In closing these remarks respecting Mr. Niles, it may not be amiss to allude to the situation of his children, now residing together on the old homestead. There are four of them,- Elizabeth, Clarissa, Samuel, and Lanra. It is now over forty-six years since their father's death, (their mother lived a few years longer,) and they have lived during all this time as a united family. Their father died insolvent ; paid about seventy cents on a dollar. IIe left a mortgage on his estate of a large amount due to the town of Abington : he always paid the interest during his life-time, out of his limited salary, which drew hard on his means of living. There was paid on this mortgage, principal and interest, over three thousand


10*


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dollars. Two thousand six hundred dollars of this sum was paid by Clarissa and Elizabeth ; four hundred dollars was paid to the town by its taking wood, and some meadow land. The two thousand six hundred dollars was paid solely by the earn- ings of these two daughters, principally by keeping school. They may have had some little help from their other sisters, Mehitable and Laura. They have sold considerable of their real estate, (about one thousand dollars worth,) for their support. They are in debt now about one thousand dollars. If the estate is worth four thousand dollars, which I consider a high estimation, the whole amount left for the three daughters, composing the family, will be about one thousand dollars to each. Samuel has no property, and has, for the forty-six years since their father's death, been provided for and supported principally by the hard earnings of his sisters. Hlad it been otherwise, as their brother is an invalid, the expense must have inevitably fallen upon the town. Estimat- ing the expense at one hundred dollars per year, (and it would have been over that, including interest,) this has made a difference in the town's expenses of about five thousand dollars. The aged ladies are now embarassed ; have to exert themselves beyond their strength to maintain the family. They take boarders for this purpose, which brings much care and labor upon them. I called there a few weeks since, at about ten o'clock, A. M., and the oldest sister (over eighty) was out in the fields gathering greens for dinner ; and when she came into the house, apologized to me for leaving the room, as she must attend to preparing dinner. Her sisters, also, were busy ; and all looked feeble and overtasked. At this time, also, they were distressed, the collector having just called on them, as he had often done before, with his bills for unpaid taxes, amounting to about one hundred and thirty dollars. They knew of no way to pay him, and feared that he might take personal property, and sell it. He preferred to take real estate, as that would, as it is supposed, be less dis- tressing to them .*


* Since the above was written, Clarissa and Elizabeth have deceased.


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In view of these circumstances, I should certainly be in favor of relinquishing their taxes. If there are objections to this, as there is a debt of a considerable amount justly due to them from the town, some other way ought to be adopted by the town to be just and liberal towards them. If aid cannot be extended to them in this way, I hope some other method will be adopted by individuals or associations to relieve them from their embarassments. This would not only be a kind act to them in their declining years, but an expression of grateful remembrance of their honored father, who labored faithfully and ably during all his active life, for the best interests of the generations now mostly passed away, among whom were many of our dearest relations and friends.


CHAPTER XII.


Rev. Holland Weeks, Fourth Minister of the First Religious Society.


THE fourth minister of the First Religious Society was Rev. Holland Weeks.


In speaking of him, I shall refer, mainly, to documents already published ; and especially to his trial before an ecele- siastical council, on account of a change in his religious senti- ments after his instalment ; quoting some of the allegations on the part of the church brought against him, and also from the doings and report of the council, and from statements of Mr. Weeks before them, respecting his new views.


It has already been stated that Mr. Weeks was installed as pastor, August 9, 1815; he was a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1795. He continued in the ministry until 1820, when, in consequence of a change in his doctrines, he was requested by liis church and society to ask a dismission ; he did not choose to comply with this request, but proposed a


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mutual council, which was agreed to; and the council met July 26, 1820, at the meeting-house in Centre Abington.


The council was composed of the following members, agree- ably to letters missive from the Rev. Holland Weeks, pastor, and a Committee of the First Church of Christ in Abington, viz. :- from the church in Franklin, Rev. Nathaniel Emmons, D. D., pastor, and Deacon James Metcalf, delegate ; from the church in Attleborough, Rev. Nathaniel Holman, pastor, and brother Daniel Babeoek, delegate ; from the First Church in Dorchester, Rev. Thaddeus Mason Harris, D. D., pastor, and Rev. brother Paul Jewett, delegate ; from the First Church in Dedham, Deacon Samuel Fales, and brother Samuel Haven, delegates ; from the Fourth Church in Bridgewater, (now North Bridgewater,) Rev. Daniel Huntington, pastor, and brother Perez Southworth, delegate.


The council was formed, and the Rev. Dr. Worcester having been mutually chosen by the church and pastor, was requested to take his seat as Moderator. The Rev. Mr. Huntington was chosen seribe, and the Rev. T. M. Harris, D. D., assistant seribe. The Rev. Otis Thompson communicated the records and votes of the church and parish relative to their doings, preparatory to the calling of this council, and aided them in their investigation.


Assembled at the time and place as above stated, the couneil were in session two days, and spent the time in a patient investigation of the subject submitted to them, till they came to their final report, which was quite lengthy. That portion of it, however, which relates to Mr. Weeks' new doc- trines, and his defence of them, and their final conclusions, are as follows :-


" In the allegations exhibited on the part of the church, against the Rev. Mr. Weeks, and which are referred to in the letter missive, as ' certain difficulties which had been specified,' it was stated, 'we believe you have adopted sentiments in divinity different from those you professed to believe at the time of your settlement, and so far embracing the system of


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Emanuel Swedenborg, as to be subversive of the fundamental principles of the gospel, calculated to introduce error and delusion, and tending to licentiousness and vice ; and that in a number of instances of late you have preached false doctrines.' Reference was then made to certain specified sermons ; and several doctrines or opinions, alleged as advanced or held by Mr. Weeks, were mentioned in distinct articles.


" Mr. Weeks answered to these allegations with a very becoming deportment, and with a highly commendable readi- ness and frankness. Such of his sermons as were called for, he advanced ; such portions of them as were desired he read ; and with respect to no point of inquiry did he show any dis- position to conceal, or to embarrass.


" He admitted explicitly that he had adopted sentiments in divinity different from those which he professed at the time of his settlement ; that he had embraced the system, scheme, or doctrines of Emanuel Swedenborg, in as far as he had read and understood them ; that he had read several of the principal works of that writer, and that he had no reason to think that he should disapprove of any part of his system or sentiments ; and that he believed he had said, and he was still free to say, that 'previous to reading the writings of Swedenborg, he now considered himself to have been a very unprofitable preaelier, because, prior to that, he did not understand the spiritual or internal meaning of the Word.'


" In the same frank and explicit manner, in answer to other allegations and inquiries, he made also the following particular avowals, viz. : 'That he does not hold the generally received doctrine of the resurrection of the body at the last day ; but believes that every person immediately after death rises or is clothed with a spiritual body, and that this is what he under- stands by the resurrection. That he does not hold the gener- ally received doctrine of a last day, and a universal judgment ; but believes that at the close of each of the successive dispen- sations, there is a general judgment of all who live under that dispensation. That he does not hold the doctrine of three persons in the Godhead ; but believes in a trinity subsisting in


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Him in whom dwelleth the fulness of the Godliead bodily ; a trinity, consisting of Divine love or the Father, Divine wisdom or the Son, and Divine operation or the Holy Spirit. And that he believes, as stated in the seventh of the forty-two pro- positions, published by the committee of the New Jerusalem Church in London, 'that the doctrines universally taught by the Old Church, (by which is meant the general body of pro- fessing Christians, in distinction from the New Jerusalem, or New Church-to which church he would consider all spiritual men as virtually belonging,) particularly the doctrines respect- ing three Divine persons, the atonement, the justification by faith alone, the resurrection of the material body, &c., are highly dangerous to the rising generation, inasmuch as they tend to ingraft in their infant minds principles diametrically opposite to those of the New Church, and consequently hurtful to their salvation.' That he holds that all prayer should be directed to Christ as God, clothed in a Divine body and a human form. That he believes that, as 'the earth abidetli forever,' the sun and moon will continue to rise and set as they do now to all eternity. That he is expecting, and has for years been expecting, a new or further revelation. That he believes, as stated in the thirty-second of the forty-two propositions, published by the members of the New Jerusalem Church at Great East, London, 'that there is not a single genuine truth remaining in the Old Church but what is falsified ; '-and, also, as stated in the thirty-ninth and fortieth of said propositions, ' that now is the second advent of the Lord, which is a coming, not in person, but in the power and glory of the spiritual sense of His holy Word, which is Himself,' and ' that this second coming of the Lord is effected by means of His servant, Emanuel Swedenborg, before whom He hath manifested Himself in person, and whom He hath filled with His spirit to teach the doctrines of the New Church by the Word from Him ;'-that he has read Swedenborg's Treatise ' On the Pleasures of Insanity Concerning Scortatory Love,' and finds nothing in it, which, as he understands it, he dis- approves ; but that it cannot be rightly understood, except in


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connection with the preceding treatise 'On Conjugial Love,' which is considered by Swedenborg as eminently pure and holy, in distinction from Scortatory Love, which he condemns and would restrain.


" The admissions and avowals now recited, comprise all the important points of doctrine distinctly specified in the allega- tions of the church, and all concerning which Mr. Weeks was particularly inquired of before the council.


" Though we would not advance an opinion relative to these sentiments, derogatory to the Christian character of the Rev. Mr. Weeks, or of any who honestly maintain them ; believing that they may be received by their advocates in a constructive sense more favorable to the interests of truth and piety, than that which presents itself most obviously to us ; yet we deem it our sacred and indispensable duty to declare our opinion, that the writings and sentiments in question, according to the interpretation which they generally receive, are anti-scriptural and dangerous.


"For the reasons now brought into view, and also because we consider the adoption of the Swedenborgian system as a virtual renunciation of this church, and all disclaiming the principles of the New Jerusalem Church, we deem it expedient that the connection between this church and their pastor, the Rev. Holland Weeks, be dissolved.


" The council have not come to this result without serious and prayerful deliberation ; and we would in conclusion ex- press, with great tenderness, our Christian regards towards the Rev. Mr. Weeks,-with devout prayers that the spirit of unerring wisdom may guide all his researches after truth and duty, and enable him, wherever Providence may cast his lot, to acquit himself to Divine acceptance."


In connection with this I will add an extract from a letter which I received nearly forty years since from Mr. Weeks :-


" HENDERSON, N. Y., April 19, 1823-67.


" My Dear Sir :- It has ever been my intention to write to you since I came to this place. My children have often asked


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me why I did not write to you, and expressed a wish that I would do it. I have as often said, I meant to do it soon. Whatever may have been the occasion of this delay, it has not been a disposition to treat you with the least degree of neglect. My coming with a family into this new place, has, of course, been attended with a multiplicity of cares. Having a house to build, and a farm to stock and cultivate, has necessarily taken much of my attention. As it will be your wish to know something concerning my circumstances, both temporal and spiritual, I will take tlie liberty to give you a brief statement of both. As the temporal are of minor importance, but necessary in subordination to the spiritual, I will, in the first place, give you the outlines of them. My farm is one hundred and twenty acres, the best of soil, more than one-third of it under improvement, in the centre of the town. My house is better than the one I had in Abington, finished and painted inside and out, with a cellar under it thirty-eight by thirty, bottomed with a rock as smooth as polished marble, eight and a-half feet below the sills of the house, with a perennial spring in the part of it near the foot of the stairs, with a natural trench to carry off the water. My barn and sheds are equal to three such barns as that I owned in Abington. The farm is stocked with oxen and cows, and sheep and swine, and poultry and horses. I owe no man anything, except a trifle to some of the mechanics. I have cash in hand fifty dollars, and notes on interest sixteen hundred dollars, besides a lot of new land in Vermont of one hundred acres. The quarterly com- mission on the business of the post-office, is worth to me some- thing. My family consists of only myself, and my son, and four daughters, with the occasional addition of hired help to work on the farm."


It seems, by the above statement, that Mr. Weeks was not left destitute in his temporal concerns when he was dismissed from his pastoral office, but a better home was prepared for him than he had here; and this seems to have been the result of the leadings of a remarkable Providence, as the


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following statement of Edwin Burnham, Esq., Mr. Weeks' son-in-law, in connection with an extract from a letter of Mr. W. to his children, will show :-


Letter of E. Burnham, Esq.


"CHICAGO, ILL., May 3, 1864.


" It was while my beloved father-in-law, Holland Weeks, was a Congregational minister, (at Pittsford, Vt., I think,) in the year 1803, that he was visited by his brother-in-law, Mr. Jesse Hopkins, who was agent for the sale of lands for Mr. Henderson, a large landliolder, and whose name was given to the town of Henderson in Jefferson County, N. Y., where his lands were mainly located. Mr. Henderson resided in the city of Brooklyn, N. Y .; Mr. Hopkins was resident agent in the then newly settled town of Henderson, N. Y., a remote forest country on the border of Lake Ontario-a then far-off, border country, where wild lands were only one dollar per aere, and slow sale at that. My father-in-law always loved a fine horse-never could tolerate a slow one. At the time of Mr. Hopkins' visit he owned a beautiful one, which Mr. Hopkins so much admired and desired, that he offered Father Weeks a deed of one hundred and twenty acres of land, which he would select for him in Henderson, in exchange for his beautiful horse. Father Weeks said, (afterwards,) ' I had the impression, at the time, that it might be a place for a home in my evening of life. It proved so.'


"The exchange of the horse for the land was accepted and made ; and seventeen years afterward, when dismissed from the old church in Abington, and finding no other means open for a support for his family of five motherless children, he removed from Abington to Henderson, late in the autumn of 1820, with means enough to erect a comfortable house upon the land, so long before provided by Divine Providence for a ' home in his evening of life.'


" I enclose to you a letter, written by him eighteen years afterwards, in which he alludes to this subject."


11


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Extract from Mr. Weeks' Letter.


"HENDERSON, N. Y., October 8, 1838.


" My Dear Children :- Your esteemed favors, all dated in September, came to hand on the 6th instant. I thank you for your kind offer of affording me a home with you at Detroit. It may be the case that some time hereafter I shall come. At present it seems to be my duty to remain where I am. I have something to do, by which I can not only do good by subserv- ing my own necessities, but by protecting and nourishing the little flock in this vicinity. * The door began to be opened for my coming here as long ago as 1803; when I bought my place in Henderson, I had the impression at the time, that it might be a place for a home in my evening of life. It proved so. The Lord was pleased to provide for me and my children, when other means would be withheld. It was not quite sufficient ; and so I had the post-office provided for me, until the spring, when the last of my children was otherwise provided for. I have now some remaining neces- sities, and a calling provided by the Divine Providence, by which nearly half of my living can be obtained. The de- ficiency is supplied by the interest of what is due for my place. The Lord has known what would be my wants, and has always provided precisely in proportion to my necessities. When I needed more, I had more ; and when I needed less, I had less. No miracle has been wrought. The provision has been in the ordinary way, in connection with the use of means. The manna has been given from heaven; but it had to be gathered by little and little, from day to day. Our Father in the heavens has given me day by day our daily bread. It has been as it was with the sons of Israel in the wilderness : 'He that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack. They gathered every man according to his eating.'-Ex. xvi. 18.


" I am, yours, very truly, "H. WEEKS."


CHAPTER XIII.


Rev. Holland Weeks, Fourth Minister of the First Religious Society.


[Concluded.]


IT may reasonably be supposed, that after perusing what precedes in regard to Mr. Weeks, my readers will be desirous of some more information as to the causes which led a man filling so important a place in the church as Mr. W. did, and of such very respectable abilities, to adopt sentiments so dif- ferent from those in which he had previously been, and which he had previously taught, as are those of the New Church. As I am fortunately provided with the means of gratifying such desire of information, it appears to be my duty to furnish it. I find in the Abington Standard of September 5, 1856, the following letter of Mr. W., in which he gives to a friend a somewhat circumstantial history of the mental experience con- nected with his change of sentiments.




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