USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Medford > History of the town of Medford, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement in 1630 to 1855 > Part 25
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
the Universalist Society offered the use of their meeting- houses to the First Parish at such times as would be mutu- ally convenient. We love to record these acts of Christian courtesy ; for they were, in this case, offerings of the heart.
According to the New-England usage, the pews were sold at auction, after a committee had apportioned upon them a relative value sufficient to cover the cost of the house, vestry, etc. Those pews which were leased by the parish paid seven per cent on their appraised value. On the sale of the pews, a premium was given for the right of choice. The amount accruing from the sale of seventy- one pews was $ 12,397.
In the last report of the committee are these words : " Your committee have much pleasure in being able to congratulate the parish on the entire success with which this enterprise has been accomplished, and the good effects that have resulted from it."
There was a debt of something over two thousand dol- lars on the church when it was completed, but that was soon discharged ; and Mr. Stetson enjoyed in that church a pastorate of nearly ten years, which had been preceded by a settlement of eleven years, making his whole minis- try in Medford twenty-one years.
During that time he had baptized 210 persons ; married 143 couples ; admitted to the church 106 communicants ; and officiated at 304 funerals.
The average parish expenses from 1825 to 1850 may be fairly estimated by the following statement : They were, in 1825, $1,208.16 ; in 1830, $1,235.35 ; in 1840, $1,701.24; in 1845, $2,348.01 ; in 1850, $1,523.21.
Mr. Stetson resigned his office of pastor, March 24, 1848. The First Parish did not separate from him without expressing their deep gratitude for his long and acceptable services. Their letter to him ends with these words :-
" With such impressions of the character of your great ministry, accept, dear sir, assurances of our affectionate regard and sincere wishes for the happiness and prosperity of yourself and family."
He was a man whose heart was warm towards every good cause, whose hand was outstretched towards every needy brother; and high testimony has been borne to his learning, philanthropy, and ministerial faithfulness. Dur- ing a part of his ministry in Medford, the anti-slavery
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
excitement had been carried into many pulpits, and in: some parishes had caused permanent alienations between minister and people. The First Parish in Medford felt: somewhat the flux and reflux of the troubled waters ; and,. when afterwards arranging the terms for the settlement of Mr. Stetson's successor, they were led to take some ill -- advised action to check the discussion of the vexed ques -. tion.
SETTLEMENT OF REV. JOHN PIERPONT.
After the resignation of Rev. Mr. Stetson, the First Parish on the IIth of June, 1849, voted to extend an invi- tation to the Rev. John Pierpont to settle with them in the ministry for one year, with a salary of one thousand dollars, - provided the connection be dissolved on either side by giving a previous notice of six months. Yeas, 25 ;: nays, 24.
June 25, 1849: The above vote was amended so as to. read as follows : -
" That this parish do extend to the Rev. John Pierpont an invita- tion to become its pastor on a salary of one thousand dollars a year, -payable by quarterly yearly payments, - and with the understand- ing and agreement that either of said parties may put an end to the connection by giving to the other party six months' notice, in writing, of his or their intention so to do."
July 9, 1849: At a meeting of the parish this day, the following was introduced and voted : -
" Resolved, that, in view of the history of this parish, its present condition, and its future prospects, it is regarded as inexpedient, and hazardous to our best interests as a Christian church, for our pastor to preach any political abolition sermons or discourses in our pulpit. on the sabbath."
This vote was interpreted by some as "limiting the topics upon which the pastor is to be at liberty to treat in the pulpit." This, however, was disclaimed by the friends of the resolution. On the 23d of July the vote was unani- mously rescinded.
After anxious and patient weighing of the whole matter, with the assistance of friends, Mr. Pierpont accepted the invitation, July 5, 1849.
July 9 seven gentlemen were appointed a committee "to communicate with Mr. Pierpont on the subject of his settlement, and for conducting and making arrangements
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
for his installation." This committee report, April 8, 1850, as follows : -
" At a meeting of the special committee of the First Parish of Med- ford, appointed July 9, 1849, to make arrangements with the Rev. John Pierpont for the commencement of his pastoral labors in its pulpit, on conference with the pastor and with his concurrence, -
" Voted to dispense with the ceremony of an ecclesiastical council for the installation of our pastor.
" Voted that the committee hereby ordain the Rev. John Pierpont to become the pastor of the First Parish of Medford, and install him in that office.
"Voted that the term of his engagement commence on the first day of August, 1849, and his salary be paid to him from that date, quarterly, as provided in the terms of the vote of his election to the office of pastor of this parish.
"Voted to accept the report of the committee."
Mr. Pierpont was sixty-four years old when he com- menced his ministry in Medford; and believing that it was his duty to denounce evil and fight against sin whenever they were encountered, he had become noted, not only in Massachusetts but throughout the country, for his zealous support of the movement against human slavery and in- temperance ; and his weighty words were not always satis- factory to a part of his parishioners, who thought that intemperance and slavery should be kept out of the pulpit, and not be mixed up with gospel preaching. There was considerable feeling in regard to the course he pursued ; and since he knew the minds of a large minority of his parish by the resolutions they had discussed in regard to this matter, before he accepted their call, they thought him to be pugnacious and unwisely persistent in his action.
But in the spring of 1858, after a prayerful considera- tion of his position, he tendered his resignation, and it was accepted.
He was not a man to remain idle, though at that time he was seventy-three years of age. He was in the vigor of his intellect ; his heart was warmed with noblest emo- tions, and his spirit just ripening into immortal youth. He wrought vigorously in the reforms of the day ; preached, as he was called, to supply vacant parishes ; and when the war of the Rebellion broke out, though he was then seventy-six years old, he obtained from Gov. Andrew a commission as chaplain in the Twenty-second Regi- ment of Massachusetts Volunteers, and marched with the
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
regiment from Boston. Not long afterwards, his services were called into requisition in the Treasury Department at Washington; and there he performed excellent and very useful work, editing, arranging, and indexing the de- cisions and rulings of the law-officers of that department, which until that time had been almost useless for refer- ence from lack of order and classification.
In 1866 he visited Medford, which had been his home from the date of his settlement here; and he died very suddenly, Aug. 27, at the age of eighty-one years. The day before his death, he attended public worship in the church where for more than eight years he was pastor ; and there, forgetful of all past differences of opinion, and hav- ing in mind all the gifts, culture, refinement, and Christian graces that their reverend and heroic friend possessed, his former parishioners gathered in large numbers at his fu- neral services, and paid sincere homage to his worth.
Rev. John Pierpont was a man of versatile powers; but his great heart and his great faith in God and in humanity were his distinguishing qualities, and helped him to be- come philanthropist and patriot, preacher and poet, re- former and Christian. He early won an honorable position among our minor New-England poets ; and some of his productious, patriotic and commemorative, or tenderly ex- pressive of the family affections, still hold a place in our literature.
SETTLEMENT OF REV. THEODORE TEBBETTS.
Mr. Tebbetts was called to the pastorate of the First Parish on the 29th of December, 1856, on a salary of $1,500. The call was accepted, and he was duly installed in the spring of 1857. He soon became not only admired as a man and preacher, but found that the hearts of his people were with him. His pleasing address, courteous bearing, and sound learning, gave him the united attach- ment of his people, and a bright day seemed dawning upon the religious organization of which he was the effi- cient head.
But in February, 1859, he was suddenly prostrated by an attack of bleeding at the lungs, which made it abso- lutely necessary for him to seek a more genial climate. The parish were deeply grieved by this condition of their beloved pastor, and at once voted to supply the pulpit
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
during the time that he might be necessarily absent, and allow his salary to continue meanwhile. The change was favorable, and in the following June he returned much improved in health; but the climate was too stimulating for him, and, after preaching a single sermon, the hemor- rhage came on again, and he was never able to resume his charge.
In the following October he sent a letter to the parish tendering his resignation.
In that letter he expressed, in tender and most felici- tous language, the great happiness he had enjoyed while able to perform his pastoral duties, and the strong hope he had cherished that he might ere long resume them ; and he finally closed with the following touching and truly Christian words : "And therefore, though I confess that to write thus gives me a pang of unutterable sorrow, because I thus surrender not only the highest ambition but the chief happiness of my life, I resign into your hands the office of pastor, which I received from you two years and a half ago. And may the everlasting Father give us all a clear vision to discern, an unfaltering cour- age to do, and a cheerful patience to bear, what is his holy will."
At a parish meeting, held Nov. 7, 1859, it was voted as follows :-
" While we fully appreciate the feelings that have prompted our pastor to tender his resignation of that office in which he has become so greatly endeared to us, we do not see sufficient cause for severing the tie which binds us together in the affectionate relation of pastor and people ; therefore
" Resolved, That we feel the fullest sympathy for him in his illness ; that keeping in grateful remembrance the zeal, earnestness, and devo- tion with which he has ministered over us, strengthening us as a par- ish, winning the personal affection of all, and awakening in us, as we trust, a higher and deeper spiritual life, we cannot abandon the hope that God in his goodness will yet restore him to health and to his former usefulness in his sacred office, and therefore we respectfully decline to accept his tendered resignation."
Unfortunately those hopes were vain. Disease contin- ued to get a stronger hold upon the man so much beloved, and in June next following he was compelled to abandon all hope of ever resuming the duties that had been so precious to him.
Once more he tendered his resignation, which, with great sorrow, his people accepted.
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
At a meeting held the 9th of June, the parish passed resolutions of profound regret that they felt compelled to comply with his request; of deep and tender sympathy for him in his sickness ; and of warm and fraternal interest in all that pertained to his wishes, necessities, and happi- ness, the remainder of his earthly life.
They voted that his salary should continue three months from and after July I, and so, by generous action, proved their words sincere.
Mr. Tebbetts was never able to preach again, and after a long and trying illness passed on to the spirit life, in the reality of which he had long cherished unbounded faith.
SETTLEMENT OF REV. EDWARD C. TOWNE.
Nine months from the acceptance of their last pastor's resignation, the parish extended a call to Mr. Edward C. Towne; and he was duly installed as the successor of Mr. Tebbetts in April, 1861.
He was a man of marked ability, a good speaker, and attached to himself many warm friends; but the radical views that he pushed into the foreground of his ministra- tions were the cause of some complaint, and finally of disagreement in the parish, and resulted in the resignation of Mr. Towne in 1867.
SETTLEMENT OF REV. HENRY C. DE LONG.
Dec. 21, 1868, it was voted that Rev. Henry C. DeLong be called to the pastorate. He accepted the invitation ; and on the first Sunday in March, 1869, he entered upon his duties, and from that time to the present has filled the high office of a Christian pastor to the satisfaction of his people.
At a parish meeting held in May, 1882, it was voted to make extensive improvements in the church building ; and a committee was appointed to superintend the expendi- ture of $3,000 in that work.
RETROSPECTION.
In looking back through two hundred years, it can be said that Medford has not had more than its share of religious trials; and that, under them, it has borne itself with intelligence, dignity, and moderation.
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
The causes that led to occasional disagreements were not unlike those that all old parishes have experienced, and may be catalogued as follows : Location of the church building, terms of minister's settlement, amount of his salary, assessment of taxes, mode of raising money for various purposes, changes in the creed, in the Psalm-book, in certain forms of worship, and perhaps chiefly the ques- tion of the freedom of the pulpit.
In closing this history of the First Church, we must not forget what has been done for the children of the church.
Sunday schools have multiplied in New England greatly since 1820. This is now very properly called the "Chil- dren's Age." It was long ago seen that children in many homes were not religiously educated, and Sunday schools were established to remedy in part that evil.
There are no scales that can weigh moral effects, but there can be no doubt that the salutary influences of Sunday schools have been immense. The whole force of the common-school system being directed to unfold and sharpen the intellect mainly, moral culture in them is only incidental. The result, as we all know, has been realized in a most disproportionate development of mere intellect ; as if the aim of life were to empower a child to gain money and secure office. The consequence of this is, that the community becomes filled with men whose exten- sive knowledge, acute reason, boundless ambition, and unscrupulous selfishness make them leaders in public plunder and commercial infidelity. The more enlightened the intellect becomes, unguided by conscience, the more adroit it makes the villain. Mere secular instruction is no security against crime; therefore the Sunday school came to the relief and rescue of society when it main- tained that something more was necessary to make men good than to make them intelligent. It taught that the affections are the source of happiness ; and it endeavored to develop the moral powers, so as to introduce God and Christ, and truth and heaven, as permanent occupants of the soul. If it be true that the acquisition of mere sci- ence and literature imparts no adequate power to subdue vicious habit or restrain criminal passion, but often gives keenness to their edge and certainty to their aim, it fol- lows, as a solemn consequence, that every patriot, philan- thropist, and Christian is sacredly bound to sustain the Sunday school.
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
The First Parish was early influenced by these consid- erations, and hastened to establish a school which had its superintendent, also a teacher to each six children, and a juvenile library accessible to all the pupils. This school has had the sympathy and active co-operation of the best and most intelligent men and women in the parish, and some of its pastors have been devoted to its interests.
Many nurtured in the Sunday school have grown up naturally into the church, and here as elsewhere such additions have been the most reliable.
The communion-plate of the First Church has its history, and the reader will find in it some interesting and peculiar items as follows : -
" Two silver cups, bought by the church in 1719.
" One silver cup, gift of Mrs. Sarah Ward, 1725.
" One silver cup, gift of Deacon Thomas Willis.
" Two silver cups, gift of Mr. Francis Leathe, 1742.
" One silver cup, gift of Thomas Brooks, Esq., 1759.
" One large silver tankard with a cover, gift of Rev. Ebenezer Turell, 1760.
" One smaller silver tankard with a cover, gift of Francis and Mary Whitmore, 1761.
" One large open silver can, gift of Hon. Isaac Royal, 1781.
" One silver dish, gift of Hon. Isaac Royal, 1789.
" One silver dish, gift of Deacon Richard Hall, 1814.
" Two silver cups, gift of Mr. William Wyman, 1815.
" Two silver cups, given by Mrs. Preston.
"Two silver flagons, gift of Hon. P. C. Brooks, 1823.
" One silver dish, gift of Mr. David Bucknam, 1824.
" One antique silver cup, donor and date unknown.
" One silver spoon, donor and date unknown.
" Two silver cans, gift of Turell Tufts, Esq., 1842."
Previously to 1759, there were the following : -
" One pewter flagon, gift of Hon. John Usher.
" One pewter flagon, gift of Deacon John Whitmore.
" Four pewter flagons, bought by the church.
"Two pewter dishes, gift of Thomas Tufts, Esq., and two pewter Ones bought by the church.
" One silver baptismal basin, gift of Mr. John Willis, 1755."
The pewter dishes, by a resolve of the church, in 1824, were sold, and a silver one purchased. This made the furniture of the table entire and appropriate.
Here follows an item that is deserving of record as showing the spirit of the times in which the incidents therein related occurred :
Colonel Royal gave a silver cup to the church in Med-
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
ford ; but he being an absentee, suspected of opposition to the American Revolution, his agent could not deliver the cup without legislative authority. The following public document will sufficiently explain itself : -
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
IN SENATE, Oct. 26, 1781.
On the petition of David Osgood, pastor of the church of Christ in Medford, in behalf of said church ;
Resolved, That for the reason therein mentioned, the agent of the estate of Isaac Royal, Esq., late of Medford, an absentee, be, and is hereby, directed to deliver a certain silver cup, referred to in the said petition, belonging to the said absentee's estate, to the said David Osgood, for the use of the church in Medford, agreeably to the prayer of the said petition, and take a receipt for the same.
Sent down for concurrence.
SAMUEL ADAMS, President.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Oct. 27, 1781.
Read and concurred.
NATHANIEL GORHAM, Speaker.
Approved.
JOHN HANCOCK.
A true copy. Attest :
JOHN AVERY, Sec.
MEDFORD, Nov. 6, 1781.
Received of Simon Tufts, Esq., agent for the estate of Isaac Royal, Esq., an absentee, the silver cup mentioned in the above order of court. DAVID OSGOOD.
RECAPITULATION.
Rev. Aaron Porter, settled Feb. 11, 1713; died Jan. 23, 1722.
Ebenezer Turell,
Nov. 25, 1724 ;
David Osgood,
Sept. 14, 1774;
Dec. 8, 1778. Dec. 12, 1822.
Andrew Bigelow,
July 9, 1823 ; resigned Jan. 9, 1827.
Caleb Stetson, John Pierpont,
66 Aug. 1, 1849;
Apr. 30, 1856.
Theodore Tebbetts,
60
1857; 66 June 9, 1860.
Edward C. Towne,
April, 1861; 66 Jan. 30, 1867.
Henry C. DeLong,
66 March, 1869.
Feb. 28, 1827;
Mar. 24, 1848.
With a desire that full justice should be done to the his- tory of each religious society in town, what follows under the head of ecclesiastical history has been made up largely from material furnished by the officers of the various churches named; and in compiling it, we have stated nothing which had not the unqualified indorsement of those authorized to speak in the matter.
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
SECOND CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY.
As stated in a previous chapter, the First Church, after the settlement of Rev. Andrew Bigelow, found itself com- posed of members having different views of Christian doc- trines. It was evident that they could not walk together in harmony ; and, as already stated, several members took steps preparatory to a separation from the original church. In their letters addressed to that church, they disclaimed personal unfriendliness, and based their action solely on the ground of different views of the gospel ; particularly, as they said, " respecting the doctrines of the Trinity, the native character of man, the divinity and atonement of Christ, regeneration, and others allied to these."
The following is the closing extract from their request :-
" Under these impressions, dear brethren, we conscientiously and in the fear of God ask from the church letters of dismission, for the purpose of forming ourselves, in a regular manner, into a new and separate church ; and while we deeply lament the necessity which we think exists for such a measure, we wish to adopt it from the sole desire of enjoying religious instruction which accords with our views of the system of truth laid down in the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."
A most kind and Christian answer released them from their bond of church-fellowship; and on the 22d of June, 1823, they organized a new religious association, which they called The Second Congregational Society in Medford. After the following Sunday, the members of the new soci- ety fitted up a hall in the neighborhood as a temporary place of worship; and their numbers gradually increased.
The pulpit was supplied by clergymen in the neighbor- hood, and from the theological seminary in Andover, till Oct. 2; when the seventeen members from the First Church, with nine members of other churches, who had removed lately to Medford, bringing with them letters of dismission, were organized into a church by an ecclesiasti- cal council, of which Rev. William Greenough of Newton was chosen moderator, and Rev. B. B. Wisner of Boston scribe.
The names of the original members were as follows: -
Galen James, Jesse Crosby, Thomas Jameson, Gilbert Blanchard, Mary Clay, Hephzibah Fitch, Nancy Fitch, Mary Magoun, Mary Blanchard, Elizabeth Bailey, Harriet G. Rogers, Ann Clay, Mary R. James, Mary Blanchard,
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
2d, Nancy Jameson, Hannah Crosby, Mary Kidder, James Forsayth, Nathaniel Jaquith, Thompson Kidder, Thomas Pratt, John T. White, Janette Forsayth, Phebe Pratt, Cyn- thia White, Lucy Blanchard.
Feb. 21, 1824, an act passed the Legislature incorporat- ing the new society ; and the measures were put in oper- ation for the erection of a new church-building. This movement was successful; and on the Ist of September of the same year, the house of worship was dedicated to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
The interest of that occasion was greatly heightened by another service. Rev. Aaron Warner, who had labored with acceptance nearly from the time of the organization of the church, was at that time installed as pastor of the new organization.
His ministry of eight years was eminently successful. There were many accessions to the congregation, and above a hundred additions to the church.
He was dismissed at his own request, Oct. 2, 1832.
His successor was Rev. Gordon Winslow ; ordained June 12, 1833, and dismissed Nov, 12, 1834.
After him, Rev. Levi Pratt was installed pastor, Aug. 19, 1835. He died of fever in the midst of his labors, Aug. 9, 1837.
The next pastor was Rev. A. R. Baker, ordained April 25, 1838.
During his ministry, several precious seasons of revival were enjoyed, the church and congregation increased, and larger accommodations in the house of worship became necessary. From this time Zion's children began to say, in prophetic language, "Give us room, that we may dwell ;" and the church became, in an important sense, the mother of churches. Besides furnishing members from time to time for the organization of several evangelical churches of other denominations, in July, 1847, she sent out a strong colony, sixty in number, to form the Mystic Church of Medford. After a laborious and successful pastorate of over ten years, Mr. Baker (afterwards Rev. Dr. Baker) was dismissed Sept. 20, 1848. The number uniting with the church during this time was one hundred and seventy- seven.
The church remained destitute of a pastor four years, till the Rev. E. P. Marvin was installed Feb. 25, 1852. In 1853 and in 1860, the church-building was remodelled and
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HISTORY OF MEDFORD.
refitted, and an organ furnished. Sept. 9, 1860, it and all it contained was burnt to the ground. A new house was built, which was dedicated to the service of Almighty God June 12, 1861. June 25, 1857, it was voted unanimously to change the name of the church from the Second Con- gregational to First Trinitarian Congregational Church of Medford. The society retained its original name. In Janu- ary, 1865, Rev. Mr. Marvin resigned his office as pastor, and was subsequently dismissed by the ecclesiastical coun- cil that installed his successor. The number of persons admitted to the church during his pastorate was one hundred and forty-six.
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