USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > History of the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, with genealogical registers > Part 20
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" At another time Mr. Veazie told Mr. Torrey, the reason why he did not join with the people on Sabbath-day noons in reading and prayer in the meeting-house, was because he had no communion with God in prayer.) Mr. Torrey told him he did not know that, or it was more than he knew. Mr. Vea- zie's talk being so censorious and uncharitable without any provocation, especially to one who came into the town to serve it, we think it unsufferable and not to be borne with.) Fur- thermore, when Mr. Veazie was reading Mr. Alden's reasons, that he gave into the Church, why he absented himself from the table of the Lord, he did not read it as it was written, but made an alteration that very much altered the sense. > And also we remain very much dissatisfied about our brother Al- den's suspension, and think the Church has been irregular in their proceedings with him.
Duxborough, September the 20th 1743.
JOSHUA SOULE,
JOSEPH FREEMAN, PHILIP CHANDLER, SAMUEL ALDEN."
1744-5, Mar. 18th. At a meeting of the town on this date, they " voted to choose some persons to take care of their meet- ing house to keep out of it itinerant preachers." Rev. Joseph Croswell, an itinerant " New Light," frequently preached dur- ing the excitement, from house to house .*
1746. In the summer of this year, an ecclesiastical council was convened, to which Mr. Veazie addressed the following note :
" The occasion of this, viz., things being so circumstanced with us that I am very uncomfortable, and not able in any good measure to discharge my ministry, having received of my people for salary since the year 1743, if I mistake not, but about £91 4s. Sd. old tenor. There being also a great sepa-
* About this period the church on the other hand voted, that their min- ister might ask whomever he pleased into his pulpit.
196
REV. SAMUEL VEAZIE. [1747.
ration from our church and ministry, and appearing no dispo- sition to return, or probability of any accommodation, I there- fore desire the judgment of this venerable council whether it be not advisable for me to ask a dismission from my pastoral office." After the decision of this council, Mr. Veazie sent this communication to the town :
" By advice of this council I propose to the town as a con- dition of my leaving them, that they pay me my salary to the time of my separation from them, according to what they voted me in the year 1744, i. e. £170 per annum, and if they are not willing to do this, that we refer the case of my salary to five men, mutually chosen by us, and we oblige ourselves to be set down by this award. I likewise desire the town to discourse with a committee of the council about my house and land here, to see whether I may not have some security with regard to my little interest in this place.
" Hull, Nov. 11th, 1746."
1747. In Dec. of this year the subject was referred to the Justices of the Court of General Sessions at Plymouth, and Gamaliel Bradford and Capt. Samuel Alden were chosen on the part of the town to answer to the complaint. This Court advised Mr. Veazie and the town agents, to call an ecclesias- tical council, and at a meeting of the town, Jan. 25th, 1748, "after several times reading the advice" of the justices, and " considerable debate thereon," it was voted to receive it, and also to "axcept those Gent., nominated by Mr. Veazie and ye town agents, viz., ye Rev. Mr. Eells of Scituate, ye Rev. Mr. Bass of Hanover, ye Rev. Mr. Auger of Bridgewater, and Elijah Cushing, and Thomas Foster, Esqrs, to come and advise and assist in ye affairs." This council assembled, and the following petition signed by forty of his parishioners, was laid before them.
" To the Reverend Council here met. Revd and Hond Sirs,
We having laid before you the ground of our uneasiness with our Reverend Minister, who seemed to us erroneous in his preaching, unchristian and unbecoming in his conduct, we pray you to resolve this case for us, which very much troubles and perplexes our consciences - whether a man that betrays such weakness of understanding (as we call it,) in the doctrine of the Gospel, such unsoundness of speech, if not gross errors in his preaching and conversation (all this for divers years past to this day,) be one that we ought to be easy under and submit ourselves unto as our pastor and spir- itual guide, and may with safety intrust our souls and the souls of our children to his ministerial instruction and care."*
Mr. Kent's MS. Coll.
197
REV. SAMUEL VEAZIE.
1749.]
The affair seemed not to be settled here; but was again to be referred to the Court. At a meeting of the town, May 12th, 1748, after some consultation, Mr. Miles Standish was sent to Mr. Veazie, to make an agreement, if he could, as the case was depending at the Court to be holden the next week. Mr. Veazie then appeared in town meeting, and declared that he was willing to have a compromise. Messrs. Gamaliel Bradford, Samuel Alden, and Samuel Seabury were then chosen to meet him, and were also directed that if they could not agree, to answer him in Court. In the July following, Mr. Veazie sent the following note to the church, asking his dismission.
" To the Church of Christ in Dux :
Though I would gladly and willingly serve you and yours in the work of the ministry with all the strength and grace that God should afford to me, yet for the want of a support and merely for the want hereof, I am obliged to, and now do ask a dismission of this Church from my pastoral office and charge, which I have taken of this church and congregation.
Pastor of the Church SAMUEL VEAZIE.
in Duxborough : July 5: 1748."
This request was considered on the same day, and of the twenty-one members present, a majority of nine voted not to grant it.
On one of the occasions, when Mr. Veazie entered a lawsuit for the recovery of his salary, he placed his case in the hands of the elder Otis, while the town rested their cause in the ability of the younger Otis, his son. The trial came on, and the latter rested his defence on the ground, "that the charter and laws mentioned, that every town should support a faith- ful, pious and learned minister, neither of which as he would be able to show from MS. sermons of the plaintiff in his pos- session, could he possibly be." Mr. Otis then read from these sermons, and commented upon their spirit, doctrines, grammar, and orthography, with so much skill and severity, that he gained for the time his case .*
1749. The disputes still continued between them, though frequent measures were taken for some final settlement. Sept. 14th, the town appointed Capt. Samuel Alden, Samuel Sea- bury, and John Sampson to settle the difficulties. A meeting was held with Mr. Veazie, but without success.
1750, April 18th. A council of four churches, - that of Hanover, the first of Plymouth, that of Halifax, and the first of Marshfield, met at Mr. Veazie's house in Duxbury. "After
* Mr. Kent's Notes.
198
REV. SAMUEL VEAZIE. [1749.
prayer for direction, and hearing what the pastor and church had to say, this council came to the following conclusion. That they think it advisable that this church give the Rev. Mr. Veazie a dismission from his pastoral relation to them, attended with suitable recommendation, that some way may be made for his usefulness in the ministry elsewhere. Persu- ant to this advice the church upon Mr. Veazie's request gave him a dismission as follows : *
" The church of Christ in Duxborough, having for some years set under the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Samuel Veazie, and he now applying to us for a dismission from his pastoral relation to us, we in answer to his request say : that Divine Providence having permitted an unhappy controversy to arise some years ago, relating to our said pastor, which still sub- sists, though we have used many means, which we judged most suitable, to put an end to it, and to regain our dissatis- fied brethren, particularly that of an ecclesiastical council mutually chosen, the result whereof our Rev. Pastor unre- servedly complied with, we (though with great reluctance,) for the sake of our pastor's comfort and serviceableness, judge it convenient (in consequence of the advice of an ecclesiastical council, convened at our and our pastor's call, ) to give our said pastor a dismission from his pastoral relation and office over us. And accordingly we now dismiss him, and freely recom- mend him to the work of the ministry, where Providence may open a door for his re-settlement, trusting that by the soundness of his doctrine, and by the holiness of life he will approve himself a workman, that need not be ashamed, and praying that he may be an instrument of turning many to righteousness, who may be his crown of joy and rejoicing in the day of Christ.
Signed by PHILIP DELANO, 1 In the name and by the vote of the chh.
JAMES ARNOLD, EZEKIEL SOULE,
" The church having thus dismissed the Revud Mr. Veazie, the council do declare that they look upon this as a regular and valid dismission, and do heartily join with the church in recommending Mr. Veazie to the work of the Gospel ministry, hoping that Divine Providence will open a door for his ser- viceableness in that work in some part of Christ's vineyard. Finally this council declare their hearty sympathy with this church, under their present broken circumstances, and would earnestly beseech and advise them, together with their breth-
* The originals of the two following papers (on one sheet) are in Mr. Kent's MS. Col., 152. The first in Mr. Soule's, and the second in Mr. Cotton's hand.
1749.]
REV. SAMUEL VEAZIE. mostly a quarter
ren of the congregation, to humble themselves before God for what has been amiss in them in this time of division and temptation ; and we would particularly take notice, that we think this town very FAULTY in wholly withholding from their minister his temporal support for several years, and also in suffering the House of God to lye waste, which we take to be a great contempt of the Divine Majesty, and beg leave to express our earnest wish, that every man would lay his hand upon his heart and solemnly inquire, what have I done? And we would entreat them all for the future to pursue those measures, that tend to peace, so far as is consistent with truth and holiness, and particularly to endeavor to unite in settling a pious and orthodox minister in this place, as soon as conve- niently may be, withal praying that the great shepherd of the sheep would undertake for this flock, and heal the divisions subsisting in the town, and give them another pastor after his own heart, that may prove a lasting blessing to them and theirs. ( And now, Brethren, we recommend you to God and to the word of his grace, who is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified. Amen.
ISRAEL THOMAS,
BENJAMIN BASS, Modr,
JOHN ATWOOD, NATHANIEL LEONARD,
EBENEZER FULLER, JNO. COTTON,
SAMUEL SKIFFE,
SAML. HILL."
He was afterwards presented with letters of recommenda- tion to the church of Hull, over which he was settled April 12th, 1753, and here he died in 1797, at the advanced age of 86 years.
·There are extant* several drafts and addresses, written in these contentious times; but without dates, so that it is diffi- cult to place them under their proper year. It appears there was an address framed for His Excellency, stating the sad condition of the church and town; that nothing could be procured to pay the minister, who has had nothing but by particular men for several years ; that a vote to pay him was passed in the negative by five or six majority ; that "several big men " persuade the lesser, that Mr. Veazie can never get his salary at law, if they do not pay him; that after two years non-payment, Mr. Veazie was persuaded to bring it before the Quarter Sessions, and procured Mr. Kent, a lawyer of Boston, but the action was withdrawn ; that several coun- ( cils had been held between the minister and one man, all of which were decided in the minister's favor; that notwith-
* Mr. Kent's MS. Coll. 122, 137, 199.
130
200
REV. SAMUEL VEAZIE. [1749.
standing he has so many hot headed fellows, who come to meeting on all occasions, and so many neglect, that the case is brought to this pass; that we have spent as much in law as would support a minister for a year, and that many are willing to pay the minister, but not to be at an expense of keeping him from his just dues.) In conclusion they desired His Excellency's advice, that they might be set at peace, and be able to build a new meeting house, or repair the old, which they affirm to be a shame to the town. Another paper is a note, addressed thus : "To the Revd Mr. Veazie, a number of your aggrieved people make our complaint, and request as follows." This was because he had not complied with the advice of an ecclesiastical council, which sat here " last summer," and has since given us offence; Ist, because he asserted that a true saint is merely omnipotent; 2d, be- cause he said that unbelief was the only soul damning sin,) and that sin against the Holy Ghost was not a sin under the Gospel; 3d, in declaring that conversion was but the return of the soul to itself; 4th, that the devil has not a greater stratagem to delude souls to hell, than waiting God's time,) &c. Thus going on and giving nine reasons in the substance of the paper of Sep. 20th, 1743, they conclude, asking for redress or an ecclesiastical council.
Another paper, a draft of an address of the adherents of Mr. Veazie, of which this is an abstract :
" Although we have had divisions, yet we have reason to say with the Psalmist, the Lord reigneth. Although we were much divided in our thoughts, what would be most for the glory of God, and for the peace of this place ; and were almost broken up, (which was a great joy to our enemies, who have been a long time striving to molest our peaceable worship,) we were brought to such a pass, that we may well say, that our feet had well nigh slipped, and had we not had God's help, we had despaired of ever again having a reconciled church here. The door our minister was to be thrust out of, appears now to be nearly shut, and that it may be shut quite, we the subscribers do think well of him, and desire to over- look his faults, and that he would forgive ours. We forgive our brethren, and may they forgive us. We are fully resolved not to part with our minister without other grounds, than merely to satisfy the Spirit, which has arisen among us. We resolve that our minister have an honorable support, and as soon as can be a suitable house of worship. We pray that the difference among us may not prevent any from joining our church. We do not think that our bad case would be made better by dismissing our pastor, and pray that we may all seek peace in doing justice to our Minister and one another."
201
REV. SAMUEL VEAZIE.
1749.]
In his farewell sermon, Mr. Veazie used these words : - " Brethren, (said he) I shall probably not come to you again in this place until I come in the clouds !" which occasioned the remark of one of his elder hearers as he was leaving the house, who said to a particular friend, " Why, the creature does not expect to come again until it rains toads !" *
1749, March 15th. Ezekiel Soule was chosen Deacon of the Church ; he removed to Woolwich in 1766.
1750. Dea. John Wadsworth " deceased, May ye 3d, Anno Domini, 1750, between ten and eleven a clock at night, being seventy-eight years, one month and twenty-one days old."- He was clerk of the town until his death, and for many years a selectman. A virtuous and honorable man.+
1750. The town voted to raise £400 for the ministry.
May 7th. The church " think it proper to have a day of fasting and prayer under their present broken circumstances."
May 14th. It was voted to build a new meeting-house, and three gentlemen of the neighboring towns were chosen to select the site; but it was afterwards agreed to enlarge the old one.
July 25th. Gaml. Bradford, Geo. Partridge and Saml. Sea- busy were chosen to join the church committee to choose a preacher as a candidate for the winter.
1751. Voted by the town £500 for the ministry.
1752. Appropriation for the ministry £53 6s. 8d.
The question of building a new church was again agitated ; but in 1754, the old one was repaired at an expense of £176, and fifteen new pews were built and sold, £20 13s. 4d. being the highest price paid for one.
1753. The church and town (Sept. 3d) united in extend- ing to Mr. Jonathan Vinal an invitation to become their pas- tor, which he, in a communication dated Oct. 13th, declined. The church, April 18th, (confirmed by the town May 27th, ) voted to call Mr. Cornelius Jones, who also declined.
* Rev. Benj. Kent's MS. Notes; where is related another anecdote. Mr. Veazie was frequently visited by Gideon Soule, a crazy person, whom he generally put in the attic to lodge, where he spent the night in boister- ous preaching. On coming down one morning, Mr. Veazie said to him in a passion, " Gideon, I wont have it. You must not disturb me so over my head with your eternal preaching ! I cannot sleep a wink all night for your bawling and clatter ! " "Preaching, Brother Veazie," returned Gideon, " You can't sleep a wink all night for my preaching! Well, I can sleep soundly all day in spite of yours."
t Dea. Wadsworth acquired, and lost, in different ways, a large estate. In the time of his prosperity, he bought and paid for Lindall's Row, a lane leading from Merchants' Row to the north of Long wharf in Boston. He afterwards lost this, with his money also, as another person appeared with a better title than the one who sold it .- B. K.
26
202
REV. CHARLES TURNER.
[1755.
REV. CHARLES TURNER, * a graduate at Harvard College, of the class of 1752, was the next settled minister. An invita- tion was extended to him by a vote of the church, Nov. 14th, 1754, which was concurred in by the town, Dec. 16th, and Samuel Alden and James Arnold were chosen to wait upon him and ask his acceptance. He complied, and was ordained July 23d, 1755. The services at his ordination were a prayer by the Rev. Jacob Bacon of Plymouth ; a sermon from Eph. v. 8, by Rev. William Rand of Kingston ; the charge by Rev. Ebenezer Gay of Hingham, and the right hand of fellowship by Rev. Thomas Smith of Pembroke. A large concourse of people was assembled, and scarcely more than half could get within the church. The sermon by Mr. Rand was published. 1755, Aug. 7th. "Voted, that ye sacrament of ye Lord's Supper should be administered seven times in a year ;" also, " Voted, that when persons should desire to join with the church in full communion, previous to their admission into i, their knowledge, &c., should be inquired into by ye pastor, with two or more of the brethren, unless the persons choose rather to make relations."
1755, August 21st. Peleg Wadsworth, son of Dea. John Wadsworth, was chosen a deacon, which office he held for thirty-five years, until 1790; serving for a part of the time as the treasurer of the church also.
1755, Sept. 25th, died Dea. James Arnold, æt. 56 years, who held that office fourteen years, having been chosen after the death of Dea. Alden, June 24th, 1741.
1760. The town chose a committee to take care of the wretched boys on the Lord's day.
1762, Sept. 25th. Dea. Samuel Seabury died, aged 70, hav- ing for many years held the office; though not, at the same
* He was born September 3d, 1732, and was a descendant of Humphrey Turner, an early settler of Scituate. This Humphrey, a tanner, married Lydia Gainer, and died in 1673. His children were Thomas, John, Joseph, young son John, Daniel, Nathaniel, Mary Parker, and Lydia Doughty. Thomas married Sarah, da. of Thomas Hyland, in 1652, and had several children, one of whom, Charles, was born 1664, and married Mercy, da. of Samuel Curtis, and was the father of Charles, who married Eunice, da. of John James, and he was the father of REV. CHARLES, born as above. He married Mary, da. of Rev. Mr. Rand of Kingston, and had children, -- I. Hon. Charles Turner, June 20th, 1760, member of Congress, and master of Marine hospital at Chelsea, who married Hannah, da. of Col. John Jacob, and was the father of Theodore, and Samuel A. Turner, Esq., (who m. Lydia Turner) ; II. Eunice, June 9th, 1758 ; III. William, April 8, 1762 ; IV. John, July 7, 1763; V. Mary, June 5, 1764, died June 26, 1769 ; VI. Persis, April 19, 1768, died July 5, 1769 ; VII. Mary, Nov. 27, 1770. - Deane's Scituate ; Duxbury Records. Mr. Turner's annual salary was £73 6s. 8d.
203
REV. CHARLES TURNER.
1775.]
time, exempt from the civil duties of the town, being employ- ed frequently in the town offices, and representing it in the General Court.
1770. Voted, "to desire Dea. Peleg Wadsworth to pur- chase a silver tankard for the church as soon as he can con -. veniently."
1772, March 16th. They voted to build a new meeting- house, if a place could be agreed upon. And two years later, (March 16th, 1774) they passed a vote to place it on Joshua Cushman's land; which vote was reconsidered, and the old site preferred. Nothing, however, was done.
1775. The ministry of Mr. Turner was particularly happy, and by far more productive of good than either of his prede- cessors since the days of Mr. Wiswall. During his settlement one hundred and thirty-one were admitted into the church. Nothing happened to sever the ties of friendship and break the bonds of happiness between the pastor and his flock. Possess- ed of eloquence and judgment, and with fine powers of com- municating his thoughts to others, he was met on the Sabbath day by a concourse of his people, who listened attentively to his teachings. And finally, when the limit he had assigned to his ministry in the town had expired, it became necessary, as also on account of continued ill health and bodily infirmi- ties, for him to ask a dismission. This was granted (April 10th), though with reluctance, feeling that they should be de- prived of an instrument of the greatest good among them. It was concurred in by the town on the same day. In a letter of recommendation to the second church in Scituate, they thus speak of " their late worthy and beloved pastor : " - " We lament that the righteous Governor of the world has in his Holy Providence deprived us of the ministerial labors of a man, so universally esteemed by us as a friend, a minister, and a Christian, and with whom we have lived in peace and happiness for this almost twenty years. But while we deplore our important loss, we heartily wish him the restoration of health, that he may yet be extensively useful in the world, and largely contribute to the happiness of mankind, in such a way as God in his wisdom shall see fit."
Mr. Turner then returned to his father's house in Scituate. As he was the most popular man in the district at the time, when a convention was called to act upon and offer to the people the Federal Constitution, he was chosen one of its number. He was at first decidedly opposed to it, thinking it not liberal enough, and, as he had previously expressed him- self in Duxbury, determined to resist it step by step. He was however convinced of his error by Theophilus Parsons and others, and declared in the assembly just before the final question was given, his determination to vote in the affirma-
* 204
REV. CHARLES TURNER. [1775.
tive, and his reasons for it. This came rather unexpectedly on the ears of the opposite side, and one of their number, Dr. Matthew Spring, a member from Watertown, immediately rose and exclaimed, " Help, Lord, for the godly man ceas- eth!" He was also a member of the convention which formed the State constitution, and several years a State sen- ator. He was appointed chaplain of the castle in Boston harbor, and for three years preached there to the convicts. After his establishment in 1790, he was met by Judge Par- sons, who esteemed him very highly, and who congratulated him on his appointment. "Why do you so ?" asked Mr. Turner. "Because," replied the judge, "your hearers are convicted already, and you will have nothing to do but to convert them." Another anecdote is related of him. On one occasion on leaving the chapel, he passed the famous Stephen Burroughs, who had been compelled for some misdemeanor, " to ride the wooden horse." Mr. Turner observing him, said, " Why, Burroughs, what are you doing here ?" "I am running, sir, the christian race, steadfast and immove- able," was the quick reply of Burroughs .* Mr. Turner afterwards settled in the town of Turner, Maine, where he died in 1813, at the advanced age of 81. In his private and public life, virtue and integrity, firmness and decision, equali- ty of feelings, mildness of disposition, and a bland and courteous deportment, secured for him the affections of those with whom he was associated; and the happy influences of his holy deeds of benevolence, of purity and of religion, still breathe upon the mind of the present generation, exerted by a kind remembrance in the hearts of their elders, who were the partakers of his toils, and the recipients of his goodness. Going from their midst, he carried with him the good wishes of all who knew him. In his character, Mr. Turner was thoughtful and contemplative, t and his life a continual series of thoughts and meditations. His mind was studious, and his heart eager for the discharge of every duty which became him as a Christian, and a man. He was, as one of his people called him, a man with whom you could not differ, a peace maker, and yet a man of few words.
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