USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Abington > History of the town of Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement > Part 18
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13. According to the Bible, we believe that it is the duty of Christians to give the Gospel to the whole world, and there- fore that it is the duty of every one of us, upon the first day of the week, to lay by him in store of his substance, as God hath prospered him, for the purpose of sustaining the preaching of the Gospel, both among ourselves at home, and among the destitute of our fellow-men abroad.
COVENANT.
As we trust we have been brought by Divine grace to embrace the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the influence of the Holy Ghost to give ourselves up to Him, so we do now, in the presence of Almighty God, and with His help, renewedly take Jesus Christ for our Master, and God's Word for our guide, renouncing the world as long as we live. And we do now most solemnly covenant with each other that we will walk together in brotherly love; and we will honestly endeavor to
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keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace ; that we will exercise a Christian care and watchfulness over each other, and faithfully warn, rebuke, and admonish one another, as the case shall require ; that we will not forsake the assem- bling of ourselves together, nor omit the great duty of prayer, both for ourselves and for others ; that we will participate in each other's joys, and endeavor with tenderness and sympathy to bear each other's burdens and sorrows; that we will en- deavor to bring up such as may be under our care in the nurture and admonition of the Lord ; that we will seek Divine aid to enable us to walk circumspectly and watchfully in the world, denying ungodliness and every worldly lust; that we will strive together for the support of a faithful Evangelical ministry among us ; that we will sustain our pastor by our prayers and co-operation, in the great work of the Gospel ; that we will endeavor, by example and effort, to win souls to Christ, and through life, amidst evil report and good report, that we will seek to live to the glory of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvellous light.
CHAPTER XXV.
Congregational Society and Church in North Abington.
I HAVE received the following communication from Deacon James Ford, respecting the formation of the society and church in North Abington ; the names of the original members are given, and twenty-eight others after, and the number of mem- bers which have since joined, with an account of the religious organization of the church, and the ordination of the two first ministers ; and the church articles of belief, covenant and discipline ; the Sabbath school.
The statement is very lucid and particular, and no doubt will be very interesting to many.
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In concluding my introductory remarks respecting the church and society in North Abington, I would add, the location of that society and meeting-house is very central for that part of the town, and is in a very pleasant and growing village, near the Grammar and High School, with other schools ; and but a short distance from the Old Colony Rail- road Depot, the immediate neighborhood of which will, doubtless, become a place of population and business, it having already made mueli progress in this direction. No one society in town has an area of territory and population around it so extensive and remote from any other religious society as this, and none more needs a place of public worship and the ordi- nances of the Christian religion.
The following is a statement respecting the church and society at North Abington, as named above :-
Pursuant to a warrant given by Micah Pool, Esq., of East Abington, and notice by Josiah Shaw, the North Congre- gational Society in Abington was organized at the house of Thomas Beals, April 8, 1839. The church edifice was built, at a cost of about four thousand dollars, during the summer, on land given by Thomas Beals, and has sixty-two pews ; and, with the gallery for the choir, will seat three hundred and ninety persons. It is located on Randolph Street, a short distance west of Bedford Street ; was dedicated to the worship of God October 3, Rev. Dennis Powers preaching the sermon.
The North Congregational Church was organized October 3, 1839, by an ecclesiastical council composed of delegates from the following churches :-
Second Church in Abington,-Rev. Daniel Thomas, pastor ; Brother Christopher Bates, delegate.
Second Church in Randolph,-Rev. D. Powers, pastor ; Brother Daniel Faxon, delegate.
Third Church in Abington,-Rev. Lucius Alden, pastor; Deacon Ebenezer Reed, delegate.
Rev. Daniel Thomas was Moderator, and Rev. Lucius
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Alden Scribe of the Council. The church, at its organiza- tion, consisted of forty-nine members, forty-six of whom were from the First Church in Abington.
James Ford, jr., was chosen Deacon, October 22, 1839, and Samuel Wales was chosen Deacon, August 26, 1840.
About the time the church was organized, a Sabbath school was established, and James Ford, jr., was chosen Superinten- dent, who still continues to superintend the school. The school has numbered from one hundred and sixty, being the lowest number on record, to two hundred and sixteen, which is the largest number. In 1859 the number of members was two hundred and niue.
Rev. Willard Pierce was installed pastor of the church April 8, 1840, by an ecclesiastical council, of which Rev. Calvin Park, D.D., was Moderator, and Rev. Lucius Alden, Scribe. The installation services were as follows :-
Introductory Prayer by Rev. James W. Ward ; Sermon by Rev. Calvin Park, D.D. ; Installing Prayer by Rev. Lucius Alden ; Charge to the Pastor by Rev. Daniel Thomas ; Right HIand of Fellowship by Rev. Wales Lewis; Charge to the people by Rev. Calvin Hitchcock ; concluding Prayer by Rev. Dennis Powers.
Rev. Mr. Pierce continued pastor of the church until May 1, 1850, when he was dismissed by an ecclesiastical council, of which Rev. R. S. Storrs, D.D., was Moderator, and Rev. James W. Ward, Scribe.
During the ministry of Rev Mr. Pierce seventy-two were added to the church,-fifty-three by profession, and nineteen from other churches.
October 23, 1850, Mr. Isaac C. White was ordained and installed pastor of the church by an ecclesiastical council, of which Rev. D. Huntington was Moderator, and Rev. H. D. Walker, Scribe.
The services were as follows :-
Invocation and reading Scripture by Rev. W. M. Harding ; Introductory Prayer by Rev. Mr. Norton ; Sermon by Rev. A. C. Thompson, of Roxbury ; Ordaining Prayer by Rev. D.
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Huntington ; Charge to the Pastor by Rev. J. P. Terry ; Right Hand of Fellowship by Rev. II. D. Walker ; Address to the people by Rev. James W. Ward; Concluding Prayer by Rev. Luther Sheldon.
Rev. Mr. White continued pastor of the church until March 1, 1860, when he was dismissed by an ecelesiasiastical coun- cil, of which Rev. R. S. Storrs, D.D., was Moderator, and Rev. E. Russell, D.D., was Scribe.
During the ministry of Rev. Mr. White, fifty-six were added to the church,-forty-four by profession, and twelve by letter.
The whole number who have been connected with the church is one hundred and seventy-seven. Fifty-three have been removed by death or otherwise, and the church numbers at the present time one hundred and twenty-four members, and is now ministered to by Rev. William Leonard.
The church of this society has adopted the following Articles of their Belief, Covenant, and Discipline, as their rule and gnide :-
ARTICLES OF BELIEF.
1. There is a God, and one only, who is a Spirit, self- existent, eternal, and unchangeable ; infinite in wisdom, power and goodness .- Deut. vi. 4; 1 Cor. viii. 4, 5, 6; Gen. 1st chapter ; Heb. iii. 4; Neh. ix. 6 ; 1 John iv. 8.
2. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were written by the inspiration of God, and are the only, the infallible and sufficient rule, both of religious faith and practice .- 2 Tim. iii. 16 ; 2 Peter i. 21 ; Gal. i. 3, 9 ; Rev. xxii. 18, 19 ; Psalm xix. 7-10.
3. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit : "the same in substance, and equal in power and glory."-1 John v. 9; Matt. xxviii. 19 ; 2 Cor. xiii. 13, 14 ; John i. 34; IIeb. i. 3-8.
4. " The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, accord- ing to the counsel of his own will, whereby, for his own glory he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass."-Eph. i. 11;
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Rev. xvii. 17; Eccl. iii. 14; Isa. xlv. 7; xlvi. 9, 10; Prov. xix. 21.
5. "God executeth his decrees in the work of creation, which is his making all things of nothing ; and in the works of Providence, which are his most holy, wise and powerful, preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions."-Amos iii. 6; Daniel iv. 35; Rom. ix. 11.
6. God made the first man upright, or perfectly holy, but he fell from his original state, by voluntarily eating of the forbidden fruit ; in consequence of which fall, all his posterity, according to the Divine constitution, come into the world with a carnal mind, or heart, which is enmity against God, and are, by nature, dead in trespasses and sins, and children of wrath. -Gen. i. 26, 27; Eccl. vii. 29 ; Rom. v. 12-19 ; 1 Cor. xv. 21,22; Eph. ii. 1.
7. Jesus Christ, who is truly God, and truly man, in two natures and one person, did, by His sufferings and death, make a proper and sufficient atonement for the sins of all mankind. -Matt. xxvi. 28; Rom. viii. 32; 2 Cor. v. 14, 15 ; Mark xvi. 15 ; Eplı. ii. 8 ; Rom. iii. 28.
8. Salvation is freely and sincerely offered in the Gospel, to all men, upon condition of faith ; which faith includes a cordial approbation of the law, character and government of God, and of the person, offices, words and works of Christ ; with which condition all, who hear the Gospel, have natural power, and are bound in duty to comply .- Isa. xlv. 22 ; lv. 1, 2, 3 ; Matt. xi. 28, 29 ; Mark xvi. 15; Eph. ii. 8; Rom. iii. 28; iv. 5-14; v. 1; Acts ii. 38; John iii. 15; Luke xiii. 3.
9. " God, of his mere good pleasure, from eternity, clected some of mankind to everlasting life ; " whom He renews by His Spirit, and keeps by His power, through faith unto salva- tion .- Phil. ii. 13; Romans ix. 11; xi. 5; ix. 16; Acts xiii. 48.
10. Those who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, will be punished with endless misery ; " whereunto
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also they were appointed."-Rom. ix. 17, 18; v. 7-9 ; Prov. xvi. 4 : Phil. ii. 13.
11. Good works, which are such as flow from holy love, are evidences, but not the ground of justification, which is wholly of grace, through the atonement of Christ .- Romans ii. 6 ; iii. 20 ; ix. 31, 32 ; Matt. x. 42 ; vii. 20 ; Luke vi. 44. James ii. 18.
12. Visible and professing believers only, ought to be admitted to the Lord's Supper, and they ought to be baptized with water .- Matt. xxii. 11, 12, 13; 1 Cor. x. 16-21 ; xi. 23-29; Acts ii. 47; Matt. x. 32, 33 ; xxviii. 19 ; Acts ii. 38, 39 ; iii. 12, 36, 37, 38 ; xvi. 15, 33.
13. The Congregational mode of church government, and Presbyterian ordination, are agreeable to the will of Christ .- 1 Tim. iv. 14; 3d chapter ; Phil. i. 1; Acts xiii. 43 ; xiv. 23.
14. At the end of the world, Christ will raise the bodies of all the dead to life, and judge all mankind in righteousness, according to their deeds .- Acts xvii. 31, 32; Eccl. xii. 14; Jude vi. 14, 15; 2 Peter ii. 4; Matt. xii. 36; Luke xviii. 30; Rom. ii. 6, 7; Heb. x. 26-31 ; Rev. xxi. 8.
COVENANT.
In the presence and fear of God, who searcheth our hearts, and before whom we expect shortly to stand, to give account for all the deeds done in the body, we do solemnly, and with a sincere desire to promote the Divine glory, covenant to walk together as a visible church of the Lord Jesus Christ. We promise to adhere to the preceding articles of our faith, in their true and proper sense and import ; and so far as in us lies, to preserve and transmit them pure and entire, and to defend them against all gainsayers and opposers. We avouch the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to be our God, and the supreme object of our affections. We promise, relying on Divine assistance, to walk in all the command- ments and ordinance's of the Lord blameless. In particular, we promise to make the sacred Scriptures our study ; to observe the first day of the week as a holy Sabbath; to
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assemble together, statedly, for the public worship of God, and the administration of the Word and ordinances, and of the discipline of Christ's house, at such times and places as a majority of us shall appoint ; to avoid giving offence to each other, either by immoral practices, heretical sentiments, or schismatical conduct ; to walk honestly toward them that are without ; to maintain the worship of God in our families; to give a religious education to our children and those committed to our trust, and to have the privilege of baptizing our chil- dren, and allowing them all the gospel privileges to which the children of believers are entitled. We covenant to submit to the regular discipline of the church ; to confess and make Christian satisfaction for our offences ; and to deal faithfully with our offending brethren and sisters according to the rule given us by Christ, in the eighteenth chapter of His Gospel by Matthew. In fine, we covenant to do all in our power,-as duty may call,-to promote the peace, order, purity and growth of this church, the spiritual welfare and edification of every member, the spread of the Gospel in the world, and the great interests of Zion universally.
This, our solemn covenant, we promise to keep faithfully and unblamably to the end of our lives ; deeply impressed with a sense of our own weakness and unworthiness ; looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, as our Saviour and only hope; to the Spirit of all grace, as our sanctifier, to work all our works in us; and to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that He would graciously keep us, by His mighty power, through faith, unto salvation.
ARTICLES OF DISCIPLINE.
1. A church consists of a number of visible saints, who unite and bind themselves by a public profession of the Christian religion, and by a mutual covenant, to maintain religious communion, in the worship and service of God, and the ordinances and discipline of the Gospel.
2. Such a company of saints possesses all the power which the Lord Jesus Christ has given to His church ; and is war-
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ranted, independently of any other body, to exercise in His name the authority which He has given in the Scriptures for the maintenance of the peace, order, purity, and happiness of His churches.
3. A church may exist, and has a right to act, respecting all its interests and concerns, previously to the election and appointment of its standing officers.
4. It is the duty and privilege of a church to choose and appoint its own officers, who are bound, when they are regu- larly inducted to office, to act as servants of the church for the promotion of its spiritual interests in the duties of their appointment.
5. The ordinary and necessary officers of a church are ministers and deacons ; but a church has a right to appoint any of its members to the performance of any service that may be accounted necessary or expedient for the advancement of its spiritual interests.
6. It is the office and duty of a minister to preside in the church, to preach the Gospel, to administer the ordinances, and to labor publicly and privately for the spiritual welfare of all the souls that are committed to his charge.
7. It is the office and duty of a deacon to perform any stated or occasional service that is assigned by the church, and particularly to serve the church at the administration of the Lord's Supper, and in the communication of their charity, to relieve the temporal necessities of its needy members.
8. A church is bound by its covenant, and by the require- ments and exhortations of the Scriptures, to be attentive to the conduct and state of all its members, to maintain and manifest a spirit of Christian affection and sympathy, and to watch for the prevention of unchristian and disorderly conver- sation and behavior.
9. If any member of a church do any injury or give any offence to another member, it is his duty to go without delay to the one whom he has injured or offended, and make a Christian acknowledgment and confession of his fault, and render satisfaction to his offended and injured brother.
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10. Whenever any member of a church is guilty of a scan- dalous offence, it is the duty of any other member, who has knowledge of the offence, to go directly to the offender, and proceed with him, according to the instructions of the Lord Jesus Christ, in thic eighteenth chapter of Matthew's gospel.
11. None ought to bring a complaint against a member of a church before the body, unless they are satisfied there is just cause of complaint, and evidence of the offence, nor until they have taken the private methods to convince and reclaim him.
12. A church ought not to receive a complaint against a member, unless it be brought by two or three, who testify that the private methods to reclaim him have been taken without success, and that he ought to be called to an account by the church.
13. A church ought to excommunicate every offending member who persists in his offence, or does not afford evidence of repentance and reformation, after dealing with him accord- ing to the Scriptures.
14. An excommunicated person may not be restored but upon a public confession of his sin, a profession of repentance, and a reformation of his conduct.
15. As Psalmody is a very important part of religious worship, it is the duty of a church to take proper measures for the decent and devout performance of this service.
16. It is expedient for a church to obtain the judgment and advice of other churches in important and difficult cases.
The first officers of the church were James Ford, jr., and Samuel Wales, deacons.
First pastor, Rev. Willard Pierce.
The original members of the church were Thomas Beals, Ruth Beals, Dean Blanchard, Susanna Blanchard, Bracket Bowen, Susan Bowen, Elisha Faxon, Elbridge G. Ford, James Ford, James Ford, jr., Joseph Ford, Lewis Ford, Solomon Ford, Deborah II. Ford, Lucy G. Ford, Lurana Ford, Lydia Ford, Lydia S. Ford, Lydia T. Ford, Ruth Ford,
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William Gurney, Rachel Gurney, Luther Jackson, Sally Jackson, Cephas Noyes, Luther Noyes, Mary F. Noyes, Emerson Orcutt, Lydia Remington, Brackley Shaw, Ebenezer Shaw, Josiah Shaw, Anna Shaw, Hannah Shaw, Mary Shaw, Polly Shaw, Mary Smith, Huldah Smith, Joseph Smith, Seth C. Sprague, Betsey Sprague, Stephen Thayer, Sarah Thayer, Betsey Tirrell, Hannah Tirrell, Samuel Wales, Joanna Wales, John Wild, Lucy Wild.
Members added since the formation of the church, up to 1842 :-
Lydia Julio, Mary Orcutt, Susannah Hammond, Calvin Shaw, 2d, Olive Stetson, Annise W. Shaw, Esther Thayer, Almeda Norton, William Jones, Clarissa Jones, Elbridge Gurney, Brackley Shaw, 4th, Simeon Wales, Lewis Orcutt, Samuel Ellis, Lydia T. Beals, Emily Lamb, Lydia Cole, Salome Remington, Noah P. Ford, Phebe Ford, Willard Pierce, Eleanor W. E. Pierce, Abiel Orcutt, Betsey Orcutt, William P. Clark, Francis P. Holden, Lydia Holden. Mem- bers added since, one hundred. Total, March 1, 1860, one hundred and seventy-seven.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Historical Sketch of the First Universalist Society, Abington.
THE following account of the First Universalist Society of Abington has been kindly furnished me by Rev. Jos. Crehore, its present pastor, under whose able and devoted care that society appears to be enjoying unusual prosperity.
A meeting of the friends of Universalism was held April 6, 1836.
William W. Cushing was chosen Clerk. Reuben Loud, Captain Thomas Hunt, Captain Nathaniel Nash, Edward E. Bennett and Jesse Dunham, were appointed a committee 19*
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to circulate a subscription paper, and make arrangements for holding religious services on the Sabbath.
Reuben Loud, William W. Cushing, Jesse Dunham, Captain Thomas Hunt and Daniel Hall were chosen to take into con- sideration " the expediency of forming a society."
This was the first movement in Abington, of which we have any record, towards an organization of those interested in the doctrines of Universalism, though there had been occasional preaching by different clergymen of the denomination previous to this time ; the meetings being held at what was known as the " Pine Wood School-house," situated on or near the spot occupied by the present school-house on Plymouth Street.
At an adjourned meeting, April 20, this committee, to whom this matter of forming a society was referred, reported favorably, and the business was at ouce proceeded with. A Constitution was presented and adopted, the names of mem- bers subscribed, and officers chosen.
No special declaration of faith was made, or statement of belief adopted, but the purpose of the society as set forth in the Second Article of the Constitution was "the promotion of truth and morality among its members, and also in the world at large, by maintaining the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and aiding in any other practicable way in spreading a knowledge of it."
Among the names subscribed to the Constitution as its members in this the beginning of its history, we find those of Reuben Loud, Isaac Hersey, William W. Cushing, Nathaniel Nash, Edward E. Bennett, Nathaniel B. Bennett, Daniel Hall, Ezekiel Reed, Micah P. Beal, Hickford Ferris, Benjamin Dunham, Thomas Hunt, James O. Nash, Merritt Nash, Jesse Dunham, Robert D. Warren, William Nash, Bela Smith, Luther Glover, Lysander Dunham, Jacob Lovell, Jonathan Arnold, Charles Meserve, Robert Meserve, John P. Lyon, Frederick Lyon, Josiah Cushing, and some twenty others.
After a few Sabbaths preaching by different clergymen, an engagement was effected with Rev. Thompson Barron. Mr. Barron, therefore, was the first pastor of the society, and this
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was his first settlement. What was the extent of his term of labor, or when he closed his connection with the society, the record does not show. From the data given in other matters, together with what is told us by those then active in the work, we judge that he remained less than a year.
Immediately succeeding his labors, there seems to have been a period in which the society depended upon the services of such clergymen as could be procured from Sunday to Sunday, till April, 1838, when an engagement was effected with Rev. E. Hewitt. Mr. Hewitt commenced his labors at once, preaching every alternate Sunday, till April, 1840, when he was engaged to devote his whole time with the society, and continued pastor till 1845. He was succeeded by Rev. Z. H. Howe. Mr. Howe remained with the society but a little more than a year. In July, 1846, an invi- tation was extended to Rev. Leander Hussey. He ac- cepted and entered at once upon his labors. His term of pastorship was a little less than two years, closing in April, 1848. The following June, Rev. J. Whittier assumed the duties of the office, and continued his connection with the . society till October, 1849. Another period of about five months now ensued, in which the pulpit was supplied by such clergymen as could be employed from Sunday to Sunday. April 1, 1850, Rev. N. Gunnison accepted the invitation of the society. His engagement continued till November, 1853, when he resigned, and the pulpit was supplied for a few months by Rev. T. W. Silloway. From April, 1855, to April, 1856, Rev. E. S. Foster filled the office of pastor, when continued ill-health obliged his resignation, and Rev. Varnum Lincoln became his successor. Mr. Lincoln remained with the society till April, 1860. He was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. J. Crehore, who commenced his labors in July of the same year.
The meetings of the society, as has been remarked, were held at first in what was known as the "Pine Wood School- house." At the commencement of the third year-1838- finding the school-house insufficient for their accommodation,
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it was voted to remove to the Town House. Arrangements were accordingly made, and the meetings held there till the completion of the church, which was erected in 1841. The first movement toward this work, of which we have record, was made at the annual meeting in April, 1841, when the raising of funds for the purpose was put into the hands of William W. Cushing. The success of Mr. Cushing was such, that preparations for building were soon in progress, and the corner-stone was laid, with appropriate ceremonies, on the Fourth of July. The house was finished, and the services of Dedication were held December 22, in the forenoon. The sermon was preached by Rev. S. Cobb. Revs. J. M. Spear, E. HI. Lake, and R. Tomlinson also took part in the services. In the afternoon of the same day Rev. E. Hewitt was installed as Pastor. The Sermon was by Rev. Hosea Ba'lou of Boston, from the text, Jeremiah xxx. 19. Installing Prayer, by Rev. J. M. Spear. Charge to the Pastor, by Rev. S. A. Davis. Right Hand of Fellowship, by Rev. J. S. Barry. Address to the Society, by Rev. R. L. Killam.
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