USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Berkley > History of the town of Berkley, Mass. : including sketches of the lives of the two first ministers, Rev. Samuel Tobey, and Rev. Thomas Andros, whose united ministry continued ninety-one years > Part 2
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During his ministry twelve new churches were organized in
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the County of Bristol, and he had no little influence in the for- mation of most of them, and in the settlement of their pastors, who were mostly young men. Without disparaging any of his compeers, we may say that he stood eminent among them for the soundness of his doctrine and ability in contending for the true faith. He published more from the press than all the members in the two or three associations to which he succes- sively belonged.
There were raised up in the church during his pastorate ten ministers, who were pastors of churches ; eight of them were graduated at Brown University-a greater number than in any other church in the county.
When the choir fell into some difficulty, as singers are apt to, and took their seats below, and thus proclaimed their dis- agreement to the whole congregation, Mr. Andros made them blush by reading the account of Paul and Silas singing at mid- night, and applied the subject in this manner : "Thus Paul and Silas could sing at midnight in prison, though we can have no singing at midday, while enjoying our liberty." Then Deacon Sanford rose, and in his clear voice set the tune, and the house echoed to the song.
An eminent scholar, who received his carly training under his ministry, William Mason Cornell, S. T. D., editor, Boston, in one of his publications says of Mr. Andros, that he can say the same of him that Cicero does of the Poet Archias :
" As far back as my memory extends, and can recall the in- cidents of my boyhood, I perceive that he has been to me my guide and assistant in undertaking and pursuing the chief studies of my life."
Neither did he indulge in demonstrations against other de- nominations which he considered erroneous. Every preacher must have his peculiar style and method. He aimed at imitat- ing no one ; but in his pulpit exercises appeared to forget him- self, and to be absorbed in the subjects which filled his mind.
Ile possessed the descriptive talent in no small degree, but had very little mastery over the tender emotions, and had no great skill in the delineation of character, except the character
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of the natural heart. In this he excelled every one I have ever heard. He considered every man unrenewed as " dead in trespasses and sins." In describing the natural state of man, he would use expressions drawn from the word of God, nor did he think any expressions too strong to portray the evil of the natural heart. He would say that its deceitfulness cannot be fully known by us. He, however, judged tenderly and charitably of all men ; and when I asked him respecting the conversion of an individual, he said he did not know men's hearts, but waited to see how they lived. He was not a sensa- tional preacher, never sought for startling expressions or bold metaphors, but let the truth appear in its plainness and sim- plicity. Some have said there are no naked truths in Chris- tianity ; but that in order to be received by the intelligent or refined, they must be dressed in tasteful and eloquent language, and receive a finish and embellishment which rhetoric only can give. Without this they want the chief signature of div- inity. But he thought otherwise, and never studied the gloss or drapery which the imagination may throw around such truths to make them pleasing.
HIe aimed to give efficiency to what he preached by having it exert its proper influence on his own mind, that with it he might impart to others the sentiments of his own soul. He never sought to set forth divine truth tricked out in the garb of an artificial rhetoric, or a prettiness of style, or in labored sen- tenees, or with an insipid floridness. His sermons were not essays, nor were they obscure, but came from the soul in the language of strong feeling. He laid down his doctrine and illustrated it under specified beads, that his bearers might re- member. Thus he touched the great springs of the soul, lay- ing a quickening hand on our love and veneration, our hope and our joy.
Since the days of President Edwards. theological style has become more succinct and free from verbosity and a more lively, vigorous and colored style has obtained. Could the learned student peruse the writings of Mr. Andros, he would find many qualities that never can become obsolete-a clear-
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ness of expression and a singular appropriateness between the language and the thought ; especially would he see the skillful arrangement or plan of his discourses, and that the main points were not lost sight of. IIe was eminent in his devotional exercises, especially in public.
When he settled in Berkley there was no stipulation made with him by the society that he might enjoy a vacation of a month or two in the summer to recruit his health and visit his friends abroad. When once in a few years he was absent on a journey to Connecticut, he almost invariably provided a supply for his pulpit without any expense to his people.
So strong was his habit of writing his thoughts every week that he practised it after he left the pulpit. When I called on him one day he told me he had been revolving in his mind an important subject, and had just been writing it out in a sermon which perhaps he should never preach ; but it was a relief to him to write it.
IIe said, when his mind was low and his thoughts grovelling, it elevated him to contemplate the works of God, to reflect that. this diurnal sphere, the earth, had been sent forth by him and sustained in its revolutions for thousands of years without gaining or losing a second of time ; that the Eternal Father had his throne above millions of rolling worlds like this. No miracles were more convincing to him of God's almightiness than these facts, which filled him with profound admiration and adoring gratitude. Besides all, he said, to contemplate the wondrous plan of redemption which God had always had in His mind, which He had been executing by sending ITis Son into the world, and giving his Holy Spirit to effectuate the redemptive work, impressed him with exalted views of the divine character. Such was his flow of thought and freedom of expression in petition and praise, that he was often too long in public prayer, and as he was not weary, he was unconscious that the people were weary standing. He rarely addressed Jesus Christ in public devotion, though he spoke of him as God, and believed that "in him dwells all the fulness of the godhead bodily."
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There was no studied oratory in his manner. In delivering his carnest thoughts, he sometimes clinched his hand, and would bring it nervously down upon the desk-never stretched out his arm as if conscious of doing it, or as if thinking of him- self, but as if impelled by the thoughts he wished to impress on his hearers.
When preaching at a private house one evening, he touched upon the subject of prayer, and, toward the conclusion, being wrought up into a calm ecstacy, he stretched out his long arms, and with a countenance radiant with a sense of divine benevolence, cried as with the voice of a herald, " Come to the fountain of living waters ; look unto Him, and be ye saved ;" and so went on for some time, uttering the most startling and quiekening expressions, of which some more than forty years afterwards have reminded me.
Ile was not a politician in the ordinary sense of the term, but a firm supporter of our national polities. It can scarcely be said he was of no party, for he advocated peace when our government was waging war against Great Britain. Though he had suffered every thing but death in the British prison ship, he saw the injustice of the war made to help France. He was fearless in exposing national wrongs, just as our pulpits during the late rebellion spake out freely and plead for national union.
During the war of 1812, he, on Fast and Thanksgiving days preached against it and against French influences. He said he rejoiced that Governor Strong withheld the troops, for if he had not, the bones of many of our citizens would be bleaching on the plains of Canada.
On Fast day it was usual to have two public discourses in the meeting house. One morning of a Fast day Mr. Andros preached a sermon well filled with political matters, the war under Madison raging, and Rev. Mace Shepard of Little Compton R. I. who was present, perceived that some of the hearers were a little irritated. In the afternoon Mr. Shepard was invited to the pulpit, and he commenced his sermon thus, " You have this morning been receiving instruction on the sub-
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ject of politics, and such instruction as the Bible confirms. I shall now endeavor to clinch the nail which has been driven by the master of assemblies."
During his long ministry in the same parish, he became well known through an extensive region of the country. Hence, he was often called to attend church councils, and assist at or- dinations. Ilis judgment and advice were sought because he well understood the congregational system, and preferred it, though he was on friendly footing with all evangelical bodies. To the Lord's table he invited all in regular standing, saying this is the Lord's table, not ours, and he welcomes all his friends. He exhibited a rare example of Christian charity, and was free from that narrow-minded jealousy which confines the privileges of salvation to its own little coterie.
It is certain that he not only kept up with the times, but in many things in advance of them. This is evident from his preaching and his published writings. Yet no man was ever more strenuous for the main doctrines of oxthodoxy.
It might justly be said of him :
" With words succinct, yet full without a fault,
Ile said no more than just the thing he ought."
IIe was beneficent sometimes ahnost to a fault, considering his moderate income. The same kindness was shown by him to all with whom he transacted business.
In his family he was always cheerful, considerate, generous and indulgent; always praying for the absent, especially those exposed to the dangers of the sea. The proof of his good in- fluence in his family was that his children were industrious, well educated, intelligent and upright.
Ile was very much affected by the death of his daughter Clarisa, who was a very amiable girl. She died of fever brought on by sitting near an open window in the meeting house. The air blew on her, and she had not courage to rise to close the window or change her seat. " It was in her bridal hour, and when fond man pronounced her bliss complete." She was as beautiful as young, and the first of his family taken from him. When her fair form was let down into the
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grave, he writhed and trembled as he sat in his carriage, over- come with grief. The next sabbath he preached her funeral sermon, in which he described the soul as it leaves the body and enters on immortality and the awards of eternity in such vivid colors as almost to startle some from their seats. That consolation which he had often endeavored to administer to others in a like case he now found difficult to apply to himself. Greater and better men in weeping over a fallen child have said, " Would God I had died for thee." For what so afflicts the soul, as to see one, flesh of our flesh, "the human face divine," made in God's image, covered with the elods of earth.
He was uniformly opposed to putting any confidence in dreams, and considered them unreliable. But his daughter Clarisa had a remarkable dream, which so impressed her that she told it next morning to her friends, and said she thought she should not go to her school. It was this : she would close her school in one week; would then be taken sick, and in one week more would die. This was announced to her by some one whom she saw in her dream ; all which was fulfilled in every particular. After this Mr. Andros was never heard to con- demn dreams, but seemed to admit that some might be worthy of consideration.
No man was more free from superstition or from belief in apparitions and spectres, yet, as he was riding home one evening and turning the corner near Mr. Abner Burt's, he said that he saw as the moon shone through the broken clouds, his wife walking a few rods before him, he knew her gait and figure and in a few minutes as he was about to speak to her, she van- ished like Eurydice from Orpheus.
In argument or repartce few were equal to him. At a store he met a man whose nick-name was " Razor Ben" who think- ing he would have a joke with the minister, asked him why a hog's head was called " minister's face," " Why ; said Mr. Andros," it proceeds from the depravity of the heart just as the term " Razor Ben " does.
When he was criticising a sermon that had a long introduce-
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tion, he said it was like making the porch larger than the house.
When he read Rev. Jacob Norton's pamphlet on Creeds which, commencing with many bland expressions, proceeded to denounce them, he said it made him think of the prophetie beast, which had horns like a lamb but spake like a dragon.
Some one observed to him how. prudent he was in being able to support his large family on so small a salary, "yes," he replied, "if I can keep my chin above water, it is all I can expect."
In the westerly part of the town was a good lady who went by the name of Aunt Beck. On her premises was found a hen's egg, on which was written as if with indelible ink, this sentence, " Woe to the inhabitants of Berkly." She thought it portended some calamity, as it was a time of contention in the town, and said she would show it to the minister. As he soon came that way she brought it to him that he might interpret it. On ex- amining it he said, it is not from any heavenly messenger, for the word Berkley is spelled wrong. This reply relieved her fear.
When Mr. Andros was asked if it was proper for a minister to marry a woman who was not a professor of religion, he said, " yes, if she is not a heathen."
When a baggage wagon loaded with tea chests was overset near the "rock house " corner and the neighbors came out to give assistance, numbers of them filled their pockets with tea from the broken chests. The next sabbath he preached a sermon from these words, " and the barbarous people showed us no small kindness," in which he showed how unkind and unjust it was to illtreat persons who have met with misfortunes. And though he named no persons, all knew to whom his dis- course applied.
If there were any improprieties in the young in holding night assemblies for mirth and jollity, he was sure soon to bring out a discourse which would indirectly but plainly enough apply to the whole case, though none were arraigned or pointed
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out. In this indirect but faithful manner he rebuked the evil practices of the times.
When an intoxicated stranger in the gallery one sabbath began to make disturbance by climbing over from one pew to another, Judge Tobey, the warden, rose and requested the constable to put him ont. After this had been done, and quiet was restored, Mr. Andros arose and said : I have for some time thought of preaching to you on intemperance, but what you have now witnessed should be equal to a whole discourse ou the subject.
It was mentioned to him that some went to the tavern across the road on sabbath noon to take a drink, because they had a head ache. " Well," said he, " I should let my head ache a long time before I would do it." It has been said that all ministers and church members were formerly in the habit of taking a little, but he was never known to, either on public or private occasions,
Great deference was paid to his judgment and decision in all church and society matters. When he was coming out of the inner door of the meeting house, a young lady was intro- dneed to him as desirous of being admitted to the communion ; he took her by the hand and asked her if she could leave the vanities of the world and follow Christ. She said she thought she could. " Well," said he, "I will propound you at the close of the service."
When a young man was going to preach in a neighboring place, some one observed, he doubted whether the people would be satisfied with him. "They will not," said he, "unless he can make them believe he knows something."
HIe received the honorary degree of A. M. from Brown University in 1790. What President Quincy of Harvard said of William Wit, who was never a member of any college, might as truly be said of Rev. Mr. Andros, " You are proof that a college education is not essential to every professional man." Mr. Andros was always sensitive in respect to his literary and scholarly reputation.
As he was walking home from Boston where he had been to
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attend the Anniversaries, Dr. J. Codman fell in with him and learned his straitened circumstances. A few days afterwards the Doctor sent him fifty dollars. He never let the narrowness of his means distress him but said it stimulated him to preach better, and he hoped he could say with Paul, " As poor yet making many rich," and that he could say of his ministry as Goldsmith did of his Muse, "She found me poor and keeps me so." Yet he was not really poor, or involved in debt, but by his industry lived comfortably. His library was small, but what he had were standard works and were read and well understood. He highly valued Milner's Church History and said, if he had had it at the beginning of his ministry he should much more have profited by it. The bulky Commen- taries he needed not, for his thorough study of the scriptures with collateral history supplied their place. He said, when he preached on some difficult points in theology, and some did not well understand them and made objection, that he had one man in his church, meaning Deacon S. who always understood them and could defend them.
When one somewhat skeptical complained to him that if he preached such doctrines as he had done his hearers would fall off, " No," said he, " they will fall off; if I do not preach them." He believed that the plain exhibition of the doctrines of the gospel was more attractive to people than to preach them partially or incompletely. Hence when he was sent as a delegate to the General Association and was appointed to preach the As- sociational sermon, he took two sermons with him, one some- what philosophie and erudite, which he intended to preach before that leamed body, the other plain and evangelical. But on arriving at the place, and perceiving the divines and others to be spiritual and scriptural people, he laid aside the learned sermon he had intended to preach, and delivered the other.
Hle was quite sensitive in regard to certain itinerant preach- ers who sometimes came into the outskirts of the town and held meetings. IIe considered that such a course led to divi- sions in parishes. But when Rev. James Barnaby, a Baptist, whose services were highly acceptable, came to visit his
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friends in his native town, Mr. Andros always invited him to his pulpit.
Ile had an appointment to preach at the house of Nathan French. When he arrived there Mrs. Lney King, a woman of great memory and some prejudices gave him a text to preach from like this, " And as ye go, preach, saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand,-freely ye have received, freely give," supposing no doubt it would einbarass him. But after a moment's meditation, he arose and preached an excellent ser- mon. Sudden occasions like that often quiekened his powers of invention.
There was a time in his ministry when he dwelt much on certain points of Calvinism, but longer experience taught him that many were not by them won to the Saviour. Yet he never withheld any truth which he considered evangelical, however distasteful to prejudiced minds.
Every intelligent and sensible Christian knows that a minis- ter who has pursued his profession for many years, preaches more from his own experience of divine truth than from books ; while the beginner has not the extended views that longer study and practice will give.
The exercise of discipline in his church was strict and meant to be scriptural. In 1807 large numbers were admitted. In a few years there was a sifting out of eight or ten who were false converts. I have heard him complain that in the course of years he had had in his church almost every kind of crimi- nal, yet it was in fact as a whole, a very spiritual and devoted church.
He was strongly opposed to the practice of members remov- ing from one church to another for " better edification," and when some applied for letters of dismission to go and unite with a Taunton church he contended against it.
One cold sabbath morning, that his family might ride, he came walking up to the meeting house clad in a shawl, before shawls were much worn by gentlemen, and some thought it was a milled blanket. Not many days afterwards, some of the principal women came together and procured for him an
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excellent broadeloth cloak. HIe was like many talented men, somewhat negligent in his dress, and could not bear to spend much time in fitting himself out for public services.
At funerals, so tender were his sympathies, he found it diffi- cult to control his emotions, and seemed like Euripedes in the drama when personating a man who had lost a child, he grasp- ed the urn that contained the ashes of his own son, and ponred forth such lamentations as threw the whole theater into tears. Yet no man knew better how to present the consola- tions of the word of God to the bereaved, for he had often been bereaved and could use the motto of the poet Virgil, " Miser miseris succurere disco,"-miserable myself, I learn to succor the miserable.
He lived to follow to the narrow house all the church and society who invited him to become their minister.
As he lived two miles from his meeting house he could not visit his people as he wished, but when he heard of any that were sick, old or young, he made it a point to see them, and many too who never contributed any thing for the support of the ministry. He considered it the great duty of people to attend public worship and said, "it was the chief duty of the sabbath." When a man who usually attended only in the forenoon asked him to preach on a certain text, he said he would, but perhaps it would be on some afternoon,
He had such confidence in his people and they in him that he could say anything he wished. There were but a few ca- pable of offering prayer, or speaking in meetings to edification, not having acquired the habit in their youth. I heard him say in a religions meeting he wished those only to take a part who were capable.
He said he was always glad when he could talk to his people, and his " Lecture room talks " were always interesting.
When he was old he was still esteemed by those who knew his worth and faithfulness, as may be inferred from the fol- lowing : A young minister just graduated at Andover, came home and by invitation having preached in his pulpit, a re- spectable lady was asked how she liked the young minister.
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" Well," she said, "he preached quite well for a beginner; but, ' no one when he hath drank old wine straightway desir- eth the new, for he saith the old is better.'" This answer, told to the aged pastor, was quite cheering.
After serving the people in the ministry nearly fifty years he resigned, as there were some divisions that caused the calling of several councils which unhappily failed to produce general harmony. He resigned because" he thought some were tired of him and desired a young pastor. But his old friends gath- ered round him anew, and wishing to show him some new proof of their respeet, chose him representative to the General Court, in 1836.
He never left the church or the sanctuary, but always at- tended on the sabbath when health permitted.
After his resignation numerous ministers occupied the pulpit. Some were settled for a short time. Among those employed, I may mention the reverend gentlemen, Messrs. Ebenezer Gay, J. U. Parsons, Richardson, Rockwell, Gould, Babeoek, C. Cham- berlain, Smith, Lothrop, Eastman, Davis, Barney.
It may be determined by the present generation whether the settling and removing of ministers every few years, is more beneficial to a religious society than to settle a man for life, who, expecting to live and die with his people, will have time to improve and instruct them.
Not long after his resignation another altar was set up, a new church formed by advice of council, as most expedient on ac- count of unhappy division, and disagreement, and two young ministers were employed to preach to his divided congregation. An intelligent lady expressed the sentiments of some when she said those young ministers were good men. though they had not called at her house, but she doubted whether both would fill the place of the old minister.
Installation exercises of Mr. John U. Parsons, March 14, 1838. Sermon by Rev. E. Maltby. Charge, by Rev. P. Colby. Address to the people, by Rev. E. Sanford. Prayer, by Rev. Baalis Sanford.
Mr. Parsons was born at Parsonsfield, Me. Graduated at Bowdoin Col- lege, 1828. Studied at Andover Seminary, and licensed 1831, at New York.
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