USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Lancaster > History of the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts : from the first settlement to the present time, 1643-1879 > Part 30
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380
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
were honest people, and appear not to have tried to evade an obligation.
Dea. Hooker Osgood had purchased two Silver Tankards with £5-10sh. of the money, old tenor. The church voted that the legacy should be made good out of the other money in the treasury ; and then, in compliance with the exact terms of the will, the church empowered Br. William Richardson to " procure a Silver Cup for the communion table equal to said legacy, with the said Mr. Sawyer's name inscribed at large upon it." The finale of this business occurred at a meeting December 30, 1762, when the " church was informed that Br. William Richardson had agreed with Mr. William Swan of Worcester, to make a silver cup for the communion table equal in value to Mr. Sawyer's legacy, and that he was expecting the church would receive it at said table the next Lord's Day." Then comes this, "N. B. The said cup was received on the next Lord's Day." This Thomas Sawyer was son of the first Thomas Sawyer. He came into the place before the town was incorporated, and his son Thomas, the donor of the silver cup, was born in 1649. His death occurred in 1736, three years after his will was made. He died in the eighty-ninth year of his age.
The other item of business proposed at the meeting of September, 1761, was the request of Dea. Hooker Osgood, that the church would elect another deacon in " consideration of a paralytic disorder incommoding him in the distribution of the sacramental elements." His request was granted and Br. Joseph White was chosen. There were now two deacons White, Josiah the aged, and Joseph. The new deacon de- sired time for consideration, which was granted. Dea. Israel Houghton next desired that " another person might be elected to the office of deacon in consideration of his distance from the meeting-house." In due time Br. David Wilder, the sturdy juror of whom we read in revolutionary times, was chosen.
381
CASES OF DISCIPLINE.
There is an entry in the Records, September 29, 1763, which was followed by subsequent action, and the case was not closed till nearly thirty years had elapsed. It is one of those cases which is read with sadness long after the parties have passed away, and when the person involved was exonerated in his own lifetime. A male member of the church, his name need not be mentioned, was " sworn to be the father of a spurious child." He denied the charge, and " affirmed his innocence in a most solemn manner." As however he could not prove a negative, the brethren were not satisfied, and he was desired to abstain from the " communion in the holy supper for the space of six months next ensuing." The design was to give opportunity for further light. At the next meeting his sus- pension was made indefinite, or until the church " should see further light and satisfaction." The sequel came in August, 1793, when the church took up the case of the accused brother, and as a final result, upon mature deliberation, voted " that in consideration of the sober life and conversation of our brother , during the long time of his suspen- sion, he be restored to communion and fellowship with this church." During nearly thirty years he had the burden of shame and ignominy, but by an upright life had compelled the confidence and esteem of his townsmen, and of his breth- ren in the church.
In Willard's History there is a condensed statement of the case of Moses Osgood and his wife, which lingered through fifteen years before reaching a final settlement. The chief feature of interest in the whole transaction was the infinite patience of all the parties concerned, so far as can be judged at this late day. The matter came before the church " after the afternoon service on Lord's day, January 27, 1765." The parties had " absented themselves from communion in the holy supper more than twelve months." By vote of the church brother and sister Osgood were required to give the " reasons of their absenting themselves " in writing, to be communi- cated on the first Sunday in March. The pastor sent a copy
382
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
of the votes by Br. Benjamin Ballard ; but for a " special rea- son he delivered the said copy to Br. Joseph Abbot, who, in the presence of Br. John Sargeant, delivered it to the said Br. Moses Osgood in his own house."
The occasion of the trouble was the introduction of a new version of the Psalms. In many places the bringing in of in- strumental music caused divisions and unseemly demonstra- tions even in the house of worship. But it is stated that the most violent form of dissent in Lancaster was the shaking of one Mr. Wheelock's head when the pitch pipe was sounded, and the departure of a Mr. Holt at the sound of the same harmless instrument, or when " funeral thought " was sung. Many however were grieved by the use of the new version. Dunster, president of Harvard College, had made an improve- ment on the translations of earlier New England writers, as John Eliot, Welde and Richard Mather, and his work was used in Lancaster till after the death of Mr. Prentice. The intricacies of the case need not be given, though interesting to a student of the past. Mr. Osgood was asked if he did not esteem it his duty to have made a regular application for redress of any grievance, instead of withdrawing from the Lord's table, and replied in the affirmative. Being called upon for their reasons for withdrawing, Mr. and Mrs. Osgood joined in the following statement to the church.
" We being called upon by you to give the reasons of our withdrawing from the Lord's Supper, they are as followeth, viz. The bringing in the New Version, (that of Tate and Brady,) as we think, not in a prudent and regular way. - Also we find in said version, such words and expressions as are unknown by us, so that we cannot sing with the under- standing also. - The composers of the said version we find have taken too great a liberty to themselves, as we think, to depart from the Scriptures. - And as for the Hymns taken from other parts of the Bible, we know of no warrant in the Bible for them, and shall humbly wait on such as are the main- tainers of them to produce and demonstrate the warrantable-
383
CASE OF THE OSGOODS.
ness for them from the Word of God. - We are therefore waiting the removing, or in some way or other the satisfying the abovesaid doubts ; for they are a matter of grievance to us, and we think we are wronged in our highest interest. - But if peace and love should again reign among you as for- merly, we should rejoice thereat ; and should be glad to rejoice again with you as heretofore in all things. - These are rea- sons, why in conscience, we cannot join with you in special ordinances. From yours in sincerity.
MOSES, MARTHA OSGOOD.
May, 1765."
These reasons were voted unsatisfactory, and then Judge Wilder, jr., one of the deacons brought forward other grounds of complaint. One was that they had said, "the Church had broken covenant with them in bringing in the New Version of the Psalms, which they affirmed to be made for Papists and Arminians, to be full of heresy, and in an unknown tongue." Another was " their affirming that Mr. Harrington asserted at the conference meeting that he was half the church, and that he would disannul the meeting." And lastly " their positively denying that they had affirmed that the New Version was full of heresy."
The third point was not insisted upon, and the brother and sister " made such satisfaction as was accepted " in relation to the second. Dea. Wilder and his witnesses were then heard ; and the accused offered what they had to say, under the first article of complaint, when the church adjourned to the close of the next public lecture, which was July 11, 1765. At that meeting the action of the church was modified to read as follows : "that they esteemed the said reasons insufficient to justify their said brother and sister in the manner of their late withdraw." .
The trial was prolonged from meeting to meeting, until the church voted that the Pastor should send a letter of admoni-
384
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
tion to the erring parties. In the meantime they were sus- pended from communion. The letter was a solemn and faith- ful remonstrance, sustaining the action of the church and urging the brother and sister to perform their duty. The fol- lowing entry shows how such business was done formerly. " October 25, 1765. Agreeable to the vote of the church on September 4, 1765, the Pastor proceeded to the house of the said Moses Osgood, and in the presence of Daniel Rugg and Joseph Abbot, brethren of the church, read the above letter of admonition and suspension to him. And as the wife of the said Moses was not at home, left a copy of it."
The case was before the church again, next year, but with no satisfactory result. Growing out of the difficulty, was the following rule, declared by vote, June 8, 1768, by the church, " that she expected of all her members who might henceforth labor under any grievance, that they should strictly pursue all those measures for redress prescribed in the constitution of these churches, before they withdraw from her commun- ion."
In 1770 the church were on the point of voting " admoni- tion and suspension," in the case of another member, Br. Benjamin Osgood. His offence was withdrawing from the Lord's table for more than two years before his reasons were demanded. What his reasons were we are not informed. But before the church took final action, he made the following con- fession. "I acknowledge, brethren, that my withdraw from communion was just ground of offence to you ; for which I desire to be humbled before God and you ; and ask forgive- ness of God and you, a restoration to your charity, and to the table of the Lord." He was restored, and on his request, was dismissed to the church in Swansey, where Mr. Harrington formerly ministered.
But nothing appears to show that Moses Osgood ever ac- knowledged the error of his ways, or that he was restored. Neither does it appear that he was excommunicated. His death occurred in the year 1776, and we may charitably hope
385
ELECTION OF DEACONS.
that he went where the " service of song" is more agreeable than any human performance.
Not so with Mrs. Osgood, who made a statement to the church, May 3, 1780, fifteen years after the trouble began, and four years after her husband's decease, that she had not concurred in any of the words used by her husband in his list of reasons, but that in withdrawing from the Lord's table she had acted irregularly through ignorance of the constitution, and contrary to her covenant engagements with the church, for which she asked forgiveness. She was restored to full com- munion.
In 1766 Dea. Josiah White, agreeable to his own request, was dismissed from the office of treasurer of the church, and received thanks for his fidelity. Dea. Joseph White was chosen his successor.
In 1777, April 2, Josiah Wilder, Esq., Capt. Benjamin Houghton and Mr. Cyrus Fairbank were elected deacons. In September, 1781, Mr. Josiah Ballard was chosen to the same office by ballot. John Whiting became deacon in 1789. This was Gen. John Whiting, who was chosen treasurer of the church in the following year.
The action of the church in the two following cases, evince discretion and a Christian spirit. A division of feeling had arisen between Dea. Cyrus Fairbank and Br. Joshua Fletcher. Being brought before the church, that body refused to take cognizance of it, but voted " seriously to recommend to them both to converse together freely on the subject, and recipro- cally endeavor to bury their animosities in everlasting obli- vion. But should they fail of obtaining so desirable a good, Br. Fletcher is most earnestly requested to examine himself, hoping that he may thereby be satisfied that it is his duty to return to the table of the Lord from which he has absented himself."
Mother Ann Lee came to Lancaster about the year 1781, and by her preaching and conversation, awakened much in- terest in her peculiar views, especially in the northern section
25
386
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
of the town. Some members of the church living in that lo- cality were led to " separate from their communion and join the sect of Shaking Quakers," in regard to whom the church, June 18, 1783, passed these votes. "1. That the said mem- bers did not appear to them to be so composed in mind, at the present, as to be capable of receiving any benefit from coun- sel, reproof or admonition ; and therefore, 2. That commit- ting them to the mercy and grace of God, the church would wait until they were become more capable of receiving ad- vantage from their Christian endeavors for their recovery."
These few cases seem never to have raised contending par- ties in the church, nor to have caused alienation between Mr. Harrington and his people. During his ministry there was violent agitation in neighboring churches and parishes, lead- ing to a dissolution of the pastoral connection. In all these cases, the church in Lancaster was involved, both by neigh- borhood, and by the fact that the disturbed churches were all daughters of the mother church. The churches referred to were those of Leominster, Bolton and Sterling.
The Rev. John Rogers, the first minister of Leominster was settled in 1743. He married a daughter of Rev. John Prentice, and was well known to the people of Lancaster. At the time of his ordination, and for some years after, he was considered sound in the orthodox faith. But in the course of ten or twelve years, he began to avow opinions which caus- ed grave anxiety among many of his people. This ultimate- ly led to a proposal for a mutual council, which he declined. An ex parte council was then called, composed of pastors and delegates from fourteen churches, near and remote. Two del- egates accompanied each pastor. The council found Mr. Rog- ers defective in several fundamental doctrines of the gospel, and the result was his dismissal from the church in Leomin- ster, and suspension from the ministry.
Mr. Rogers was a man of ability and considerable learning, but as he had confessedly ceased to preach the body of truth which he engaged to advocate at his ordination, the manly
387
ORTHODOX OR HETERODOX?
and Christian course for him to take was to withdraw from his church, and seek a more congenial field of labor. But leaving this, the special point of interest to the reader of our local history, respects the conduct of the minister of Lancas- ter on the occasion. Was he honest or hypocritical in join- ing with the rest of the council in condemning Mr. Rogers ? It was claimed by some, that Mr. Harrington had gone through the same change as Mr. Rogers in his religious opinions, and that he gave his voice and vote in opposition to his convic- tions, to avoid suspicion and trouble at home, and in his lar- ger ecclesiastical connections. Mr. Willard rather inclines to take a lenient and favorable view. In this the historian of Leominster, Dr. David Wilder mildly concurs, though evi- dently in spite of grave doubts. But it is easy to believe in the entire honesty and sincerity of Mr. Harrington in the whole affair. The change from Orthodoxy to Arminianism, Arianism and Unitarianism was very gradual, and without ob- servation. If, as is generally supposed, Mr. Harrington be- came an Arminian, so called, in the latter part of his life, there is no decisive evidence that he ever went the length of Mr. Rogers in the way of denying many main points of the Orthodox faith. And there is no proof at all, that at the time of Mr. Rogers' trial, only nine years after his own set- tlement in Lancaster, he had become conscious of the least departure from the system of truth which he avowed when installed in this place.
Mr. Harrington had not a leading mind. He was a good seholar, but not an original investigator. He took the doc- trines in which he had been educated, or which became preva- lent afterwards around him. He was like a man whose vessel imperceptibly glides along with the current, and who finds at length, that he is at some distance from his point of depar- ture. Or as a man, leisurely ascending or descending a moun- tain, as the case may be, becomes conscious, after a while, that the air has become murkier or clearer, and that he is in a new atmosphere, so it is quite supposable that Mr. Harring-
388
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
ton, in later years, had imbibed the views which had become quite rife in fashionable circles, not only in Cambridge and Boston, but in the Nashua valley.
The troubles in Sterling and Bolton had a different origin, but the particular point which threatened disturbance here was the same in both instances. It became a question as to the relative power of the church and the clergy. The minis- ters claimed, not only the right as moderators of the church meetings, to give a casting vote whenever there was a tie ; but as ministers and pastors, they sometimes claimed that no measure could be carried without their assent. In a word, they asserted the veto power.
It will be sufficient for all the purposes of this hisory, to give a brief relation of the Bolton case. The difficulties arose in Bolton from the alleged misconduct of the minister, Rev. Thomas Goss. A majority of the church dismissed him, and a respectable minority, claiming to be the church, adhered to him. An ecclesiastical council was called which acquitted Mr. Goss of the charges brought against him, and censured those who had voted his dismission. They tried also, as a logical result, to exclude them from partaking of Christian ordinances with other churches. This was on the ground that the major- ity, by uncongregational action, had unchurched themselves. In this condition of things, a committee of the majority, call- ing themselves the church in Bolton, applied to the church in Lancaster, to know whether they would be permitted to hold communion in special ordinances ; or in other words, would be recognized as members of a Congregational church, in good and regular standing. The matter came before the church, July 8, 1772, when they were called, in the words of the Rec- ords, to " consider a letter from a number of the brethren in Bolton, styling themselves the church in Bolton." The sub- ject was considered, and "after some considerable debate, without either receiving or rejecting the said letter," the meeting was adjourned to the twenty-first of July, nearly a fortnight, that due deliberation might be exercised.
389
VETO POWER OF THE CLERGY.
When the meeting came, the question took this form : " Whether the church be so far in charity with the brethren of Bolton, whose letter is before them, as to be willing to receive them to communion with them in special ordinances occasion- ally ?" The vote was in the affirmative.
Mr. Harrington then added the following note and state- ment of his non-concurrence.
" Which vote was non-concurred by the Pastor as follows. Brethren, I think myself bound in duty to God, to the Con- gregational church in general, to this church in particular, and to my own conscience, to declare, which I now do before you, that I cannot concur in this vote.
" This vote shall be recorded, but my vote must be record- ed with it.
" And as the brethren from Bolton now see your charitable sentiments towards them, I hope they will be so far satisfied .-- But as the church-act in their favor is not perfected, I hope they will not offer themselves to communion with us, till their society is in a more regular state."
Here we have the assertion of the veto power on the part of the pastor. It is not known that the brethren of Bolton ever put the matter to the test, by presenting themselves at a season of communion. But if they had, there can be no doubt as to the result. They would have been permitted to partake of the elements, unless they had come for the express purpose of carrying their point. In that case, probably lead- ing members would have advised them to retire, and wait till better times. The claim by the clergy to exercise the power of vetoing the action of the church has long been obsolete. In Congregational circles the claim would now be considered extravagant and intolerable. But no alienation seems to have resulted between Mr. Harrington and his flock.
And herein we have an illustration of the influence he had over them. He must have been a lovable man, for his peo- ple clung to him, and respected him to the last, notwithstand- ing political differences, and great changes in religious and
390
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
ecclesiastical opinions and usages. The words of Mr. Wil- lard may be here fitly quoted : " Mr. Harrington continued to live in harmony with his people during a long and useful min- istry ; no lasting disturbance injured his good influence ; no root of bitterness sprang up between him and his people. He is represented as possessing respectable powers of mind, with great mildness and simplicity of character. Liberal in his feelings, he practised charity in its extended as well as its nar- row sense. True piety and an habitual exercise of the moral and social virtues, rendered him highly useful in his sacred office, and an interesting and instructive companion in the common walks of life."
Mr. Harrington was born in Waltham, on the tenth of Feb- ruary, 1716 ; he was in Harvard College in the presidency of Rev. Benjamin Wadsworth who died in 1737, the year when Mr. Harrington took his first degree. He was not an author, though three of his sermons were given to the press. One of these was from the text in Hosea 7: 9. "Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not; yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he knoweth it not." The subject was expressed in these words : " Prevailing wick- edness and distressing judgments, ill-boding symptoms on a stupid people." Another, preached in 1753, when the town was one hundred years old, has been drawn from largely in the earlier part of this history. It is creditable to the author by its fulness of matter, lucid arrangement and ease of style. It has been reprinted several times, with notes, in connection with the " Removes " of Mrs. Rowlandson.
Mr. Harrington was twice married. His first wife and the mother of his children, was Anna Harrington, of Lexington, a cousin, born June 2, 1716, and died May 19, 1778. Their children were Henrietta, who married John Locke, of Tem- pleton, brother of Pres. Locke, of Harvard College ; Are- thusa, born in 1747, at Lexington, as was her eldest sister ; received into the church in Lancaster, in 1768, and ancestress of many respectable families. Eusebia, born in Lancaster,
391
CHARACTER OF MR. HARRINGTON.
May, 1751 ; received into the church the same day as the two former, wife of Paul Richardson; Timothy, born in 1753, graduated at Harvard, 1776, a physician at Chelmsford ; Dea. Thomas, born in 1755, settled in Heath ; Anna, born in July, 1758, married Dr. Bridge, of Petersham, and after his death, Dr. Joshua Fisher, of Beverly. Other children died in in- fancy. His second wife was the widow of the Rev. Mr. Bridge of Framingham.
The death of Mr. Harrington occurred on the eighteenth of December, 1795, in the eightieth year of his age. Mr. Thayer, his colleague, preached a funeral sermon, December 23, which was printed, in which he speaks in high terms of the worth of his venerated predecessor. The intellectual fac- ulties, the literary culture, the mildness, the affability and the remarkable charity of Mr. Harrington are extolled. His pub- lic discourses " exhibited ample proofs of the scholar and the divine. The purity, pertinency and fervor of his addresses to the throne of grace " were acknowledged and applauded by all. "In him," says Mr. Thayer, "was discovered a happy union of those qualities which gratify in the man, which please in the gentleman, and which delight in the Christian. He could so temper his gravity with cheerfulness, his decision with mildness, and his earnestness with moderation, that per- sons of both sexes and of every age esteemed, respected and loved him. The child looked to him as its father ; the young as their friend and conductor ; the aged as their companion and brother."
The annual list of admissions to the church shows a steady accession throughout the ministry of Mr. Harrington, Oc- casionally a year would pass when the addition was small, but the average number received, during the whole term of his pastorate, was a fraction over ten. The whole number ad- mitted to full communion, in forty-seven years, was four hun- dred and seventy-eight. By reason of age and infirmity, Mr. Harrington did but little service in the pulpit, or in pastoral visitation, during the last five years of his life. Fifteen hun-
392
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
dred and thirty-one were baptised ; probably the large ma- jority of them in infancy or childhood.
It is known that Mr. Harrington, like his predecessor, did not desire the presence and aid of the celebrated Whitefield, in his own parish. It is quite possible that he mistook or under- valued the spirit and influence of the great pulpit orator and evangelist. If so, he was sustained by many of his clerical brethren who were steadfast in the formulas of the ancient faith. There is no evidence that the two ministers of Lancaster, in the time of Whitefield dissented from his statement of doc- trines ; they differed from him in methods. Many then as now believed that a parish minister could do more good in ten or twenty years, without help, except in times of extraordinary interest, than by the occasional aid of evangelists. Many now as then, believe that there is a numerous class in congrega- tions and communities, who will never be aroused from spir- itual sloth, and led to decision in religion, unless they are awakened by means out of the usual course. On this sub- ject good and useful men may differ. Mr. Harrington took his course, and has gone to his account. The church appears to have had a large share of influence, and to have increased quite up to the average, in his day. His own personal and pastoral influence was always in favor of pure, earnest, vital godliness.
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