USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Gardner > History of the town of Gardner, Worcester County, Mass., from the incorporation, June 27, 1785, to the present time > Part 39
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the sixteenth century, such noble martyrs as Henry Barrowe, John Greenwood and John Penry, who were willing to testify to their love of religious liberty, by the sacrifice of their own lives. Hence arose, in England, that religious sect, called Puritans, whose aim was, at first, not separation from the Es- tablished Church, but a reformation of what they regarded as its abuses. Gradually, however, they became convinced that what they sought in connection with this church, they were not likely to obtain.
Hence came that separation, which, subsequently, resulted in the formation, at Scrooby, in the house of William Brewster, of a church of Separatists, from which place, in 1607, " by a joint consent, they resolved to go into the Low Countries, not as individuals, but as a church, for which their native country had no place of rest." After a sojourn, of eleven years, at Amster- dam and Leyden, we find these Puritans seeking, for themselves and their children, some place beyond the sea, where they might enjoy that religious freedom, in behalf of which, they had suffered so much, and for the establishment of which, upon other shores, they were willing to imperil their lives. Their lan- guage was, "all great and honorable actions are accompanied with difficulties, which must be met and conquered with corresponding courage. What though the dangers be great, they are not des- perate. What though the difficulties be many, they are not invin- cible. Some of the things, so greatly feared, may never befall us ; others, by foresight, care, and good use of means, may, in a great measure, be prevented ; and all of them, by fortitude, patience, and God's help, can be borne and overcome. Such attempts, it is true, are not to be made without good ground and reason ; but have we not good ground and honorable rea- son? Have we not in the providence of God, a lawful and urgent call to the proposed undertaking? May we not, there- fore, look for God's blessing upon it? Yea, though we should lose our lives in this action, yet may we have comfort in the same, and our endeavors will be honorable."
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
The meaning of this language is, that such was their love of religious liberty and the rights of conscience, they were willing to sacrifice their lives, for the supremacy of these, among men. Having received abundant instruction and counsel, from their excellent pastor, John Robinson, August 15th, 1620, a hundred and twenty souls embarked, upon the Mayflower, at South Hampton, for their voyage across the Atlantic, " to begin the great work of plantation, in New England." They had bidden farewell to Leyden, " that goodly and pleasant city, which had been their resting place for nearly twelve years. But they knew that they were Pilgrims, and looked not much on those things, but lifted up their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country, and quieted their spirits." After a voyage of sixty-three days, during which one of their number had died, they discovered land, and soon were safely moored in the harbor of Cape Cod, November 9th, 1620.
The testimony, which the Dutch magistrates, of the city of their almost twelve years sojourn, concerning this people, was, " Never, never did we have any suit or accusation against them." There was no desire, on their part, that these exiles, from their native land, for conscience's sake, should withdraw from their midst ; but inspired with " a hope and inward zeal of advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ, in the remote parts of the New World ; yea, though they should be but stepping-stones unto others, for performing so great a work," the Pilgrims sought and found these western shores. Should any one inquire for the motive, moving these men, with their wives and children, to seek a habitation in " the wilderness," the answer will be found, upon the lips of the eminent men of those and subse- quent times.
Said the venerable Higginson, of Salem, in his election ser- mon, 1663, " It concerneth New England always, to remember that these are originally a plantation religious, not a plantation of trade. The profession of the purity of doctrine and dis- cipline is written upon her forehead. Let merchants and such as are increasing cent per cent., remember this : that worldly
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
gain was not the end, nor the design of the people of New England, but religion. And if any among us make religion as twelve and the world as thirteen, such an one has not the spirit of a true New England man."
To the same effect, is the language of Dr. Increase Mather, when, in speaking of the Pilgrims, he says, " They did not, in coming hither, propound any great matters to themselves, re- specting this world ; only that they should have liberty to serve God, and to walk with him, in all the ways of his worship." Says Rev. William Hubbard, of the fathers, " they came not hither for the world, or for land, or for traffic ; but for religion, and for liberty of conscience, in the worship of God, which was their only design."
With this sole end, of religious liberty in view, the Pilgrims, landed upon Plymouth Rock, bringing with them these social, civil and religious, institutions, out of which, has come so much of good, to this nation. They had lived long enough, in Eng- land, as lovers of liberty of conscience, to make their influence felt to such an extent, as to compel the sceptical Hume to ad- mit, that the English nation is indebted to the Puritans, for all the liberty of its constitution.
In the judgment of Bancroft, our philosophical historian, the Calvinian theory, which these founders of our republic brought to these shores, instead of being narrow, illiberal, or irrational, " combines and perfects the symbolic wisdom of the Orient, and the reflective genius of Greece ; conforming to rea- son, yet enkindling enthusiasm, guaranteeing absolute freedom, yet invoking the inexorable restraints of duty ; awakening the inner man, to a consciousness of his destiny, and yet adapted with exact harmony, to the outer world."
Referring to the compact, which the Pilgrims signed, in the cabin of the Mayflower, this same historian says, " This was the birth of popular constitutional liberty. In the cabin of the Mayflower, humanity recorded its rights, and instituted govern- ment on the basis of ' equal laws,' for the general good. As the Pilgrims landed, their institutions were already perfected. Dem-
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
ocratic liberty and independent Christian worship, at once ex- isted in America. Enduring every hardship themselves, they were the servants of posterity, the benefactors of succeeding generations, who scattered the seminal principles of republican freedom and national independence."
With these ends in view, we can easily see how the original government, of the colonies, should be of the nature of a theocra- cy, in which, the great head of all power and authority was Christ, to whom, above all earthly sovereigns, they paid most devout homage and reverent obedience. Hence, there existed, at first, and for a long time, a union of state and ecclesiastical affairs, in the same body, called the Court of Assistants. To this Court, all matters of the church and state, were referred.
So close was the union of church and state, that, in 1631, " to the end, the body of the commons may be preserved of honest and good men, it was likewise ordered and agreed, that for time to come, no man shall be admitted to the freedom of this body politic, but such as are members of some of the churches, within the limits of the same." In 1636, it was ordered, " that no person, being a member of any church, which shall hereafter be gathered, without the approbation of the magistrates and the greater part of the said churches. shall be admitted to the freedom of this commonwealth." It was also ordered, " that none but freemen, shall have any vote, in any town, in any action of authority, or necessity, or that which belongs to them by virtue of their freedom, as receiving inhabitants and laying out of lots, etc." These freemen were obliged to take an oath, of great scope and sanctity, that they would defend the interests of the colony, to the extent of their ability, and as would best conduce and tend to the public weal of the body, without respect of persons, or favor of any man."
In these acts of legislation, by the Great and General Court, we discover, not only the close alliance of religious and secular interests, but also the motive which led to this union, which was, that the religious liberties, here planted by the Pilgrim Fathers, might be carefully guarded and preserved, by the
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
highest authority then existing. Looking at the basis on which the Plymouth and Massachusetts colonies were founded, we cannot regard this result as unnatural. These men came to these shores as Congregationalists, or as members of a church whose government was in the hands of its male membership. Naturally, would they seek to foster this religious order and mode of worship, even though it should require, what to us now seems so unwise, the strong arm of the Great and General Court, for its support.
Had not the church and state been thus identical, for several years, succeeding the landing of the Pilgrims, we can hardly see how the principles of civil and religious liberty, could have become so strongly rooted in this American soil, as to warrant their continuance, to the present time. This policy made the Congregational, the established church, to which, all members of the colonies must give their support, or suffer the penalty imposed, by the secular power. Every man was obliged, for a time, to worship God, in accordance with the rules of the estab- lished church. For its support, he must be taxed. The rigor of this law, after a time, began to abate and men were allowed to worship, in accordance with their own preferences. They were exempt from punishment, for not worshiping with the established church, but not from taxation, for its support. Thus, the dissenter was obliged to hear a double burden, if he should worship, in accordance with his preference.
By successive acts of legislation, this law was so modified, as to allow any one to connect himself with the religious assem- bly, of his own choice, providing he should bring a certificate from the proper authorities of that religious body, to the offi- cers of the Congregational parish, established within the limits of his town, that he was a regular attendant upon divine service, in connection with that body, and contributed to the support of the same.
Subsequently, the law was so changed, as to annul all con- nection between town and parish, and all persons were allowed to identify themselves with any religious body they should pre-
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HISTORY OF GARDNER. 473
fer, or with none at all. So that, at the present time, there is no compulsory, but only a voluntary support, of religious in- stitutions. This liberty was granted in 1833.
The inhabitants of this and every town were compelled, by law, to support preaching, while the town and parish were identical. This explains the votes of the town, acting in its capacity of town and parish, interchangably, which will be in- troduced hereafter, from the Town Records, wherein we find the secular and the sacred, strangely mixed on the same page. As for instance, on page 199, vol. 1, we have such votes as these : " Voted, The Rev. Jonathan Osgood eighty pounds, for one-half of his settlement and seventy-five pounds, for his two years salary." .. Voted. That the lowest bidder take the meet- ing-house, to sweep it four times a year, well, and open the doors, at all public meetings, and see that the doors and win- dows are kept shut, after the meeting is over, and bring water for christening." " Voted, To let swine run at large, under the regulations of the law." In these records the minister, meeting-house, schools, christenings and swine, have, to us of the present day, an almost ludicrous intermingling ; but to the men of those days, these were matters of grave importance.
But, not only did the Great and General Court provide for the enforced maintenance of gospel preaching, they also pro- vided for the gospel ministry. Says Johnson, in his Wonder- working Providence, A. D. 1654, " it being as unnatural for a right New England man to live without an able ministry, as for a smith to work his iron without a fire," therefore, the people delayed " seating themselves" in a town's estate, until they " came to hopes of a competent number of people, as might be able to maintain a minister." The Court required " all towns to be supplied with a minister, a meeting-house and a parson- age," and all inhabitants to be taxed, for their support. In case of any defect, in any congregation, or town, to provide " for the settlement and encouraging maintenance of ministers," the County Court ordered what the maintenance should be, and issued warrants to the selectmen, to assess the inhabitants.
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
The General Court, as early as 1654, held it to be their " great duty, to provide that all places and people, within their gates, should be supplied with an able and faithful minister of God's holy word." Presidents of County Courts and Grand Juries, were to present all abuses. As late as the year 1800, we have the exact penalties which towns should pay, for neg- lecting to supply the people with good preaching. If the neglect continued, three months out of six, the penalty was from thirty to sixty dollars ; if repeated, the penalty was from sixty to one hundred dollars. This law, of the Great and Gen- eral Court, explains the fact, that the first public act. in all these towns, after getting their municipal machinery in motion, was to select a spot, in the geographical centre of the town, and proceed, at once, to the erection of a meeting-house, and to provide themselves, immediately with " a learned gospel minister." This was not a matter of option with the founders of a new town. It was the mandate of the highest civil au- thority, which could not be set aside.
This explains, to us, the action of the first settlers of this town, who were so prompt and earnest, and self-denying, in erecting their first church edifice and supplying themselves so early, with a gospel preacher. Nor should our readers forget the character, of the ministry of the early days of our colonies, and of these New England States. History supports us in saying, that these early ministers were men of no common powers, nor learning. Says Stoughton, in his Election Sermon, 1668 : "God sifted a whole nation that he might send choice grain, into this wilderness. They were men of great renown, in the nation from which the Laudian persecution exiled them; their learn- ing, their holiness, their gravity, struck all men who knew them, with admiration. They were Timothies in their houses, Chrys- ostoms, in their pulpits, Augustines, in their disputations."
They were the men, who founded the College at Cambridge, and wrote upon its forehead, Christo et Ecclesia. So great was the learning, wisdom, probity and piety, of many of the cler- gymen, of our early history, that their counsel was often sought
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by statesmen, and the advice given from their pulpits, espec- ially, in their election sermons, was incorporated into legisla- tive enactments. Of Dr. Jonathan Mayhew, it was said, by Robert Treat Paine, that he was " The father of Civil and Re- ligious Liberty, in Massachusetts and America." President Adams called him " a Whig of the first magnitude, a clergy- man equaled by very few of any denomination, in piety, virtue, genius or learning ; whose works will maintain his character as long as New England shall be free, integrity esteemed, or wit, spirit, humor, reason and knowledge admired." It was this distinguished man who in 1766, suggested to James Otis, the idea of a " Committee of Correspondence," which had such a powerful effect in producing concert of action, between the colonies. " You have heard," said he, " of the communion of churches. While I was thinking of this in my bed, the great use and importance of a communion of colonies, appeared to me in a strong light."*
This was the kind of clergymen, who came, originally, to aid, in founding the colonies, to prepare and shape the events, which preceded the Revolution, and to fire the hearts of their coun- trymen, with that courage, zeal, fortitude and patience, which caused them, guided by Providence, to win the liberties which are ours to-day. When we consider who these men, and their associates in all public affairs, both civil and religious, were, and what they did really accomplish, in working out the problem of civil and religious liberty, for themselves and their posterity, we can afford to look, with charity, upon some things in their conduct, that to us of more liberal ideas, seem severe and even unchristian, if not positively inhumane.
With these preliminary statements, regarding ecclesiastical matters, in the days preceding the incorporation of this town, we may now direct attention to the action of the early settlers of the town, in regard to matters of religious importance.
*Thornton's Pulpit of the Revolution, p. 44-45.
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
FIRST PARISH AND CHURCH TILL 1867.
It will be remembered, that the town was incorporated June 27th, 1785, and that the first town meeting was held August 15th, of the same year. The second town meeting was held the 6th of the following month, the object of which, was to see about a county road, going through the Centre of the town. But, upon November 7th, 1785, a little more than four months from the date of incorporation, the town was assembled to act upon the following articles, with some others of a different nature : " To know their minds concerning giving security for the meeting-house grounds, and take a deed of the same." " To know their minds concerning building a meeting-house and to aet anything relating thereunto, as they shall think proper when met." "To know their minds concerning hiring of preaching."
At this town meeting, the citizens of Gardner, passed the following votes, relating to the erection of a meeting-house, and furnishing themselves with preaching : " Chose Joseph Bacon, John White, Capt. Kelton, Moses Hill and David Fos- ter, a committee to draw a plan of the meeting-house and to see what stuff it will take." "Chose Simon Gates, Elisha Jack- son and Capt. Kelton, a committee to hire preaching." " Voted, To hire four days preaching." It will be observed, that the town did not call a meeting, to see if they would build a church and provide a preacher, as is done now ; that matter was already settled for them, by the General Court. They were obliged to do this, by the law of that court, and their duty was, to pro- ceed at once. At an adjournment of this meeting, Nov. 14th, the town " Voted, To take a decd of the land already surveyed, for a site for a meeting-house common and burying yard." The town then heard the report of the meeting-house committee and " Voted, To build a meeting-house, forty feet wide and sixty-five feet long, with three porches. Then chose Joseph Bacon, John White, Andrew Beard, William Bickford, Capt. Kelton, a committee to lot out the timber and stuff, in small lots."
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This meeting was then adjourned, to January 2d, 1786, at which, the town, acting as a parish, " Voted, To reconsider that part of the third article respecting the bigness of the meet- ing-house, and voted to build the house forty-five by sixty, and two porches. Voted, To vendue the timber and stuff, for build- ing, in small lots. Chose Joseph Bacon vendue master. Chose Capt Kelton, Samnel Stone, Peter Goodale, a committee to draw conditions of sale. Then adjourned one-half hour; then met and accepted the conditions of sale. Voted, That the hewing timber be cut by the last of June next." Then chose " a com- mittee to accept of the timber and stuff."
The following are the conditions of sale, of " the timber and stuff," which, together with the schedule of the articles used, in the construction of the first meeting-house, as presented by the committee chosen "to draw a plan of the meeting-house and to see what stuff it will take," with the price, at which each piece was bidden off, and the name of each person, agree- ing to furnish the same, we here introduce, in full, partly as a matter of curiosity, and partly to show the intelligence and skill of Mr. Joseph Bacon, a master workman of those days.
" Be it known, to all whom these come before, that those whom any part or parts of the materials for building the meet- ing-house be vendued to, or any other way, do undertake to provide and deliver, on the spot, that the town shall appoint, do engage to fulfill and deliver on said spot, and further, do engage that the materials be good, and to the town's acceptance, or to the acceptance of a committee that may be appointed for the accepting of the same. And do further engage, that in failure of any of the above mentioned articles, and that for each article not delivered on said spot, do engage to pay the town nine pounds, to be paid on demand ; and do further en- gage, that all the hewing timber be cut by the last of June, 1786, and that all the materials be delivered by the first day of April, 1787."
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HISTORY OF GARDNER.
SCHEDULE.
£ s. d.
Reuben Haynes, 1 pitch pine sill, 60 ft. long, 12 by 12, at .... 0 15 0 Jude Sawyer, 1 pitch pine sill, 60 ft. long, 12 by 12, at ... . .. 0 14 6 William Bickford, 2 pitch pine sills, 45 ft. long, 12 by 12, at .. 1 10 0 Joseph Clark, 2 white pine sills, 45 ft. long, 12 by 12, at. . 1 4 0
Ezra Moore, 2 white pine sills, 45 ft. long, 12 by 12, at 1 2 0
Moses Hill, 2 oak posts, 27 ft. long, 12 by 12, at .. 0 15 0
Ephraim Pratt, 2 oak posts, 27 ft. long, 12 by 12, at. 0 18 0
Moses Hill, 2 oak posts, 27 ft. long, 12 by 12, at. 0 15 0
Joseph Holland, 2 oak posts, 27 ft. long, 12 by 12, at. 0 16 0
Ephraim Pratt, 2 oak posts, 27 ft. long, 12 by 12, at. 0 16 0
Moses Hill, 2 oak posts, 27 ft. long, 12 by 12, at 15 0
Gideon Fisher, 2 oak posts, 27 ft. long, 12 by 12, at. 0 15 0
Ephraim Pratt, 2 oak posts, 27 ft. long, 12 by 12, at .. 0 15 0
Samuel Stone, 2 white pine plates, 63 ft. long, 9 by 10, at. 1 60
Benj. Kendall, 5 white pine plates, 13 ft. long, 10 by 10, at ... 0 10 0 Benj. Kendall, 5 white pine plates, 13 ft. long, 10 by 10, at ... 0 10 0 Samnel Stone, 4 white pine beams, 48 ft. long, 12 by 14, at . . 3 9 0 Joseph Wright, 2 beams, the six beams to spring 18 inches in the midst of each one, at. 1 14 0
Reuben Haynes, 2 white pine gallery sills, 45 ft. long, 12 by 14, 1 5 0 Jesse Hill, 1 white pine gallery sill, 40 ft. long, 12 by 14, at 0 11 0 Reuben Haynes, 4 oak girts, 17 ft. long, 10 by 12, at 0 15 0
Seth Heywood, 7 oak girts, 13 ft. long, 8 by 10, at. 0 10 0
Gideon Fisher, 8 oak girts, 13 ft. long, 10 by 12, at. 0 16 0
Seth Heywood, 2 oak girts, 22 ft. long, 10 by 12, at. 0 7 0
Joshua Whitney, 6 pitch pine sills, 14 ft. long, 8 by 12, at. .. 0 15 0
Jabez Partridge, 6 white pine plates, 19 ft. long, 8 by 8, at ... 0 10 0
Seth Heywood, 4 oak posts, 15 ft. long, 8 by 8, at .. 0 60
Seth Heywood, 4 oak king posts, 16 ft. long, 12 by 12, at. 0 13 0
Renben Haynes, four oak girts, 14 ft. long, 8 by 9, at . 0
8 0
Peter Goodale, 3 oak girts, 12 ft. long, 8 by 9, at. 0
4 0
Peter Goodale, 6 oak girts, 13 feet long, 8 by 9, at 0
7 0
Moses Hill, 4 oak rafters, 29 ft. long, 9 by 10, at .. 0
8 0
Ephraim Pratt. 4 oak rafters, 29 ft. long, 9 by 10, at. 0 9 0
Moses Hill, 4 oak rafters, 29 ft. long, 9 by 10, at . 0 8 0 Ephraim Pratt, 4 hackmatack span braces, 25 ft. long, 9 by 10,
to spring one foot, at .. 60
HISTORY OF GARDNER. 479
£ s. d.
Moses Hill, 4 hackmatack span braces, 25 ft. long, 9 by 10, to spring 1 foot, at . 0)
6 0
Elisha Jackson, 5 oak braces, 25 ft. long, 8 by 8, at 0 16 0
Seth Heywood, 5 oak braces, 25 ft. long, 8 by 8, at 0 15 0 Moses 1Till, 5 oak ridge poles, 14 ft. long, 7 by 7, at. 0) 7 0 Jabez Partridge, 24 pieces of oak or beech slitwork, 11 ft. long. 4 by 5, at . 0 50
Ephraim Pratt, 24 pieces of oak or beech slitwork, 13 ft. long, 4 by 5, at 0 80
Reuben Haynes, 24 pieces of oak or beech slitwork, 13 ft. long, 4 by 5, at .. 0 80
Jabez Partridge, 24 pieces, 11 ft. long, 4 by 5, at 0 70
Benj. Kendall, 24 pieces, 11 ft long. 4 by 5, at. 0 7 0
William Bickford, 24 pieces, 11 ft. long, 3 by 4, at. 0 4 6 William Bickford, 24 pieces, 13 ft. long, 3 by 4, at. 0 4 6
Seth Heywood, 24 pieces, 13 ft. long, 3 by 4, at 0 60
Israel Keyes, 24 pieces, 11 ft. long, 3 by 4, at . 0 7 0
Benj. Kendall, 24 pieces of slitwork, 16 ft. long, 5 by 6, at. . . 0 14 0 Ephraim Pratt, 24 pieces of slitwork, 16 ft. long, 5 by 6, at ... 0 14 0 Elisha Jackson, 23 pieces of slitwork, 16 ft. long, 5 by 6, at. . 0 13 0 Benj. Kendall, 24 pieces of oak slitwork, 14 ft. long, 4 by 5, at 0 14 0 Benj. Kendall, 48 pieces of oak slitwork, 14 ft. long, 4 by 5, at 0 15 0 William Bickford, 24 oak, 13 ft. long. 4 by 5, at. 0 12 0
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