USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Norton > History of the town of Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, from 1669 to 1859 > Part 15
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" To the first church of christ in, and Inhabitants of, the first precinct in Norton.
" Dearly Beloved in the Lord, - whereas you have once and again (by your votes) manifested a desire of my settling with you in the work of the gospell ministry, I would now Inform you that I am determined and do accept of your Invi- tation, upon the offer you made me for my support ; Trusting in your goodness for a comfortable maintenance, if what you have ofered should not be sufficient ; and desire your prayers to almighty God that I may be a faithfull Pastor.
" JOSEPH PALMER.
" NORTON, October ye 25th, 1752."
Preparations were then vigorously made for the ordi- nation. A church-meeting was held Nov. 10, 1752, Benjamin Hodges, moderator ; and it was -
" Voted, they would ordain Mr. Joseph Palmer as sune as they could conveniently.
" 3ly, The church voted that the church-covenant should be red; and it was red: and they gave their assent to it by the sine of lifting the hand."
Benjamin Hodges and William Stone were chosen a committee to invite Mr. Palmer to meet with the
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church at an adjourned meeting, Nov. 17. At the ad- journed meeting, " the church voted that they would ordayen Mr. Joseph Palmer upon the first wendsday of Jenuary insuing the vote hearof." They also voted to send " to 10 churches to assist in the ordaining Mr. Palmer ; " and Col. George Leonard, John Andrews, Benjamin Hodges, and William Stone, were appointed a committee to sign the letters-missive to the churches. On the same day (Nov. 17, 1752), a copy of the origi- nal covenant (see page 68) of the church was brought forward, with the names of the original members attached to it. This covenant had been read and accepted, as we have seen, the week previous : and they now renew it, and deliberately and solemnly affix their names to the sacred instrument; for underneath the covenant is the following record, and the autographs of those who repledged themselves to the duties of their Christian profession : -
" We the subscribers, members of the first church of Christ in Norton, Having Read the Church-Covenant which our Fathers entered into when this church was first Geathred in this place, and voted our consent thereto (it Being a Congre- gationell Church), do now, in the Presance of God, Renew the same by subscribing our names thareto, this 17th day of No- vember, 1752. John Andrews, Benja. Hodges, George Leo- nard, John Austin, Samuel Clap, Ebenezer Eddy, Daniel Braman, John Wild, William Stone, Nathaniel Dunham, Samll Dean, William Coddington, Benja. Cobb, Seth Smith, Thomas Shepard, Jonathan Knap, Israel Fisher, 2d, Ephraim Lane, 2d, Benja. Copeland, Bartholomew Burt, William Hara- don, Silvanus Braman, Philep Cooye, Benja. Newcomb, Jona- than Hodges."
" Dec. 8th, 15thly, sd. Precint made choice of Capt. wil- liam Stone, Capt. Simeon wetherel, and Benjamin Cobb, for a committee to treet with and agree with some person or persons to provide Provisions and things necessary, and enter- tainment, for the ordination of Mr. Joseph Palmer; and then they made choice of Joseph Hodges and Jonathan Hodges to take [care] that on ye ordination-day there be sets in ye meeting-house Kept for ye council and ye church."
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DEATH OF REV. JOSEPH PALMER.
The church-records simply state the date of Mr. Palmer's ordination. On the parish-records, all I find is the following memorandum : -
"That, on the 3d day of January, A Domini 1753, the before-named Mr. Joseph Palmer was ordained the Pastor of the church of Christ in this Precint, by a council of twelve churches.
" Attest : " GEORGE LEONARD, Jr.,
" Precint-Clerk."
The record of the church-meeting, Nov. 10, 1752, says, as we have seen, that ten churches were invited ; and the names of those churches are given as fol- lows: -
"The first church in Rochester [Rev. Timothy Ruggles]; the church in Cambridge [Rev. Nathaniel Appleton]; the first and 2d churches in Stotun [Rev. Samuel Dunbar, now Canton, and Rev. Philip Curtis, now Sharon]; the church in Raynham [Rev. John Wales]; the first and 2d churches in Lankister [Rev. Timothy Harrington and Rev. J. Mellen]; the 2d church in Attleborough [Rev. Peter Thatcher]; the church at Miltun [Rev. Nathaniel Robbins ] ; the first church of Wrentham [Rev. Joseph Bean]."
The following extract from Rev. Mr. Dunbar's records has been kindly furnished me by S. B. Noyes, Esq., of Canton, which throws some light upon the or- dination services. Mr. Dunbar's record reads thus : -
"Jan. 3d, 1753. - Myself and the chhs.' messengers at- tended and assisted in the ordination of Rev. Mr. Joseph Palmer over the 1st chh. in Norton. The Rev. Mr. Wales, of Raynham, began with prayer; Mr. Mellen, of Lancaster [now Sterling], preached; Mr. Leonard, of Plymouth, gave the charge; and I gave the right hand of fellowship."
The parish-records say, as we have seen, that twelve churches composed the "council." The church-records name only ten churches. Mr. Dunbar's record shows that "Mr. Leonard, of Plymouth," took part in the services. His church would make the eleventh. Most likely, the church in the North Precinct (Rev. Ebene- zer White's) was the twelfth church represented.
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The sermon of Mr. Mellen was printed ; and a copy of it may be found in the Athenæum Library, at Bos- ton, " B. 228," p. 285. The text was 1 Tim. vi. 3. The subject of the sermon was the Duty of Ministers to preach Doctrines of Practice ; and it was well cal- culated to heal the dissensions which had been rife in the church and society for some years ; for it breathed a truly Christian spirit. The tenor of the discourse may be inferred from the following extracts from the "Improvement : " -
" Freedom of Enquiry in Matters of Religion, with Pru- dence and Virtue, ought not only to be tolerated, but incou- rag'd and urg'd, especially by the Ministers of Righteousness ; and party Distinctions and hard names, as much as possible, laid aside; according to the wholesome Advise of our pious Fore-Fathers, whose words are these : 'Let the Nick-Names of Zwinglians and Calvinists then cease, - the Marks rather of Faction than brotherly Union. What should we have to do with Luther? What should we have to do with Calvin ? We profess the Gospel; we beleive the Gospel.'
" Lastly, Forasmuch as it is Matter of Fact that Mankind do, and always must, think differently from each other with Regard to Things of little or no Importance in Religion, -that is, which have no considerable Influence upon Practice one way or the other, - a catholic Spirit among all Parties aught by all Means to be promoted toward each other in different Opinions and Practices.
" Nothing is so much wanted to set the Christian world right as a Spirit of universal love and Charity. A blind, un- charitable Zeal about uncertain Opinions and circumstantial Things, like the ' Worm at the Root of Jonah's Gourd, tends to eat out the Vitals of true Religion.' And, about these pre- carious & controversial Things, some pious, peevish Men think they do well to be angry, and are ready (with Pope Paul the fourth, upon his Death-Bed) to recommend (if not the Inqui- sition, as he did, yet) very severe and unchristian Methods for the Cure of these Evils. But did our meek Lord teach such a Doctrine as this? Does the Gospel countenance Persecution for Conscience' Sake? or could any Thing but Matter of Fact be sufficient to prove the Cruelties that have been exercised by Christians one upon another ? One of the most pernicious Errors in the World seems to be this, - that
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DEATH OF REV. JOSEPH PALMER.
Men are to be ill treated for their harmless Opinions. Charity is the most perfect Bond of Union among Christians, and is greater than Faith itself; and, where there are the greatest Measures of this, on that Side there is doubtless most Truth and most Religion."
In his address to the pastor elect, he says, -
"Your Office is to build up the Redeemer's Kingdom among Men, in Opposition to the Powers of Darkness; to preach the Doctrines of Godliness, and reform a vicious World ; and thereby promote the glorious Design of that Gospel of which you are made a Minister. Let, therefore, the Height of your Ambition be to serve the Interests of Truth and Virtue. . .
" Be an honest Inquirer after Truth - seek not the Ap- plause of Men, of any Party or Character; but the Appro- bation of God and your own Conscience. If you have the Happiness to keep up the Reputation of your Orthodoxy, you will find a mighty Advantage in it: like Charity, it will cover a Multitude of Sins. But this you may lose among some, and yet be a Friend to Truth. ...
" There will be always some ignorant, presumptous, and superstitious Men that will set themselves to oppose the Truth which is after Godliness, and the Preachers of it. In Meekness these must be instructed; for the Servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle to all Men, apt to teach, patient.
" From such as vapour about Questions and needless Con- troversies tending to Schism and Ungodliness, turn away : But Speak thou the Things which become sound Doctrine (Tit. ii. 1) ; namely, that Men of all Ages and Relations be- have suitably to their Characters, old and young, bond and free; for in this way, both of Preaching and Practising, are Christians to look for the blessed Hope, and glorious Appear- ing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."
In his address to the members of the society, he says, -
" Bretheren, You are all one Body, and you should en- deavour to be all one Soul; that is, you should be all of the same Mind toward each other's Persons, tho' differing from each other in Sentiments: hereby endeavoring to preserve the Unity, 'not of Opinion in the Bond of Ignorance, not of
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Practise in the Bond of Hypocricy, but the Unity of a Catho- lic Christian Spirit in the Bond of Peace & Love.'"
In a note to this last sentence, he says, -
" Unity of Opinion there cannot possibly be, or seem to be, unless men are equally wise and in the same Circumstance of Light, or equally wicked or Hypocritical, in making the same Profession. In no Principles, therefore, can there be Unity among Men, but in the one uniform Principle of the Love of Truth. This I take to be the true unity of Spirit; which, when joined to the Bond of Peace and Righteousness of Life, makes a really virtuous and good Man."
Quite an account was made, in those days, of the ordination occasions. They were not such every-day affairs as they have become in these later times ; and hence quite a parade was made in getting up the ordi- nation dinner, which was really one of the most im- portant features of the day. We have already seen that a committee was appointed to attend to this matter. Jan. 23, 1753, they made report that they had " agreed with George Leonard, Esq., to provide for sd. ordination ; and he has done it : and we have exam'd. sd. Leonard's accounts, and agreed that he shall have twenty-one pounds, six shillings, and Eightpence, Lawful money, for his providing as aforesd."
The records do not show that there was any particu- lar opposition to the call and settlement of Mr. Palmer; yet it is very probable there was a minority op- posed to him. Subsequent events will show that the flames of strife were not entirely extinguished. It is evident there were two parties, and that one was rather disposed to dislike what the other liked. Rev. Isaac Braman, of Georgetown, a native of Norton, and son-in-law of Rev. Mr. Palmer, in a letter to me, says, -
" When Father Palmer preached as a candidate for settle- ment, there were two men, either of whom loved to have the pre-eminence; and were always, in regard to public matters, somewhat jealous of each other. Judge Leonard said to Mr. Palmer, 'I want you to settle here ; but don't you
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DEATH OF REV. JOSEPH PALMER.
tell Capt. Stone.' Capt. Stone said, 'I want you to be our minister ; but don't you let judge Leonard know it.' Not knowing each other's minds in the matter, they were good friends to the minister during their lives."
Judge Leonard was one of the leading opponents of Mr. Avery : and Mr. Stone was probably one of Mr. Avery's friends ; for I cannot find that he ever took part in the war against Mr. Avery. And, besides, Capt. Stone's son Nathaniel married a connection of Mrs. Avery, as it is presumed, she being one of the legatees named in Mrs. Avery's will. These facts will, no doubt, enable us to understand why the two men should ap- proach Mr. Palmer as they did. It will be seen, by reference, that Messrs. Leonard and Stone were first named on the committee to inform Mr. Palmer that he had been invited to settle. This was done, no doubt, in order to secure the good-will of both parties. At any rate, it may be regarded as fortunate that both these men were favorably disposed towards Mr. Pal- mer.
There is little to record during the ministry of Mr. Palmer. He entered, it is true, upon his duties under very peculiar and embarrassing circumstances. The late minister had been dismissed and deposed from the holy office. He was still an inhabitant of the town, and had some strong adherents, who felt that he had been misused, - unjustly compelled to vacate the pulpit he had occupied so long. They would naturally be jealous of whoever should assume the sacerdotal robes. There is sufficient evidence to show that the spirit of strife and ill-feeling was not entirely subdued at the time Mr. Palmer was inducted into the pastoral office. There were still some who seemed to re- gard the Platform of Church Discipline of more import- ance than a truly devout and holy life. Mr. Palmer was liberal in his religious views, - certainly as liberal as was Mr. Avery ; and hence the opposers of Mr. Avery gained nothing by the change. He was no more in favor of ruling elders or of ordaining deacons than the former pastor; and probably no serious attempt was
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made for such a purpose. Soon after the settlement of Mr. Palmer, Rev. Mr. Prentice, of Easton, - whom we regard as an intermeddler in the affairs of this church, and probably one of the chief instigators to the dismissal of Mr. Avery, as we have already stated, - was himself obliged to leave his parish ; and, shortly after, moved from this vicinity. This circumstance had, no doubt, a tendency to allay somewhat the spirit of discord that had reigned in the church and precinct so long. The church was in a distracted state, as we have said, at the settlement of Mr. Palmer. Within a year from his ordination, the following petition was put into his hands : -
"To the Reverend Pastor of ye first Church of Christ in Norton.
"We your Bretheren and humble petitioners' Request is that you appoint a Church-meeting, to be as soon as may be Coveanint for the church to Com together, to Consult what is ·Best to be done in order to Reclame some of our Bretheren that hath withdrawn from our Communion ; and also to act and doo what they Shall think Best to be done in the method of admiting ye members to communion.
" Dated in NORTON, Nov., A.D. 1753.
" THOMAS SHEPARD. SAMLL. DEANE.
SETH SMITH. JOSEPH NEWLAND.
JONATHAN KNAP. BENJA. COBB.
BARTHOLOMEW BURT."
Probably several church-meetings were held to con- sider this and other kindred matters, but without arriving at any definite result. On the back of the above petition of Samuel Deane and others is re- corded the following memorandum, in the handwrit- ing of Mr. Palmer : -
" A chh .- meeting [was held] immediately after the Lecture, on ye 5th day of June, 1754, at wh. all those Things wh. were proposed to be then considered were refered to another Time; viz., on Wednesday, at three of the clock in ye after- noon, - a Fortnight from yt day."
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DEATH OF REV. JOSEPH PALMER.
Probably, as we shall soon see, other matters took up the time at the meeting, June 19; but another record, on the back of the same petition, tells us what action was finally taken : -
"At a chh .- meetting on ye 5 Day of August, 1754, [it] was voted by ye chh., yt ye within article (viz., to act and do what they shall think best to be done of admitting members to communion) be dismissed."
Other troubles had in the mean time sprung up, and were now engrossing the attention of the church. John Briggs, 2d,1 sends the church this letter : -
"To the first church of Christ in Norton.
"In answer to your request by your committy, dear bre- thren : My soul's desire is, you'ld consider the sollom covenant you Have made to God & with me, - to watch over me, & I you. Now, bretheren, in answer to a Good conseance, I must Tell you wharein I think you have gone conterarey to our Covenant. First, in Church-meetings, the church not being Willing to here a greaved brother, but, with hashness And anger, Give the agreaved brother the lie: & not deling In love and meekness as Christ Comanded; for, if we love Not our brother whome we have seene, how shall we Love God, whome we have not seen? Secondly, in not setteling mr. parmer, a Congregatinal minister, acording To platform, which the Church voted not to take any Into the church with- out the vote of the church; wich Was one Cause the church dissmised mr. avery. brethren, I wold have you seresly con- sider wether you deal one With another as members of christ body.
" The Request of John Briggs, 2d, of Norton.
"NORTON, May th 5, 1754."
On the back of this letter is written, -
"In a church-meeting, June 19th, 1754, I, the subscriber, desire to withdraw the whole of ye first Reason, as mentioned
1 This was not the John Briggs, 2d, who was dismissed from the deacon's office, during Mr. Avery's ministry, for being " disguised with strong drink ; " but he who, about that time, was called John Briggs, 3d: for John Briggs, 1st, or the eldest, or grand senior, died in 1750; and hence the two living would be respectively known as John Briggs, 1st and 2d.
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in the within-exhibited Reasons of my withdrawing, by Rea- son that it is Rong, and I was mistaken tharein.
" JOHN BRIGGS, 2d.
" The chh. then gave him Liberty to withdraw ye same. " JOS. PALMER, Pastor."
" At a chh .- meeting on October ye 2d, 1754, It was pro- posed to consider and act upon ye within-mentioned reasons ; But ye chh., by a vote, deferred ye same to ye next chh .- meeting, By Reason of ye Information yt ye subscriber could not conveniently attend this meeting."
We have found no record of the proceedings at " ye next chh .- meeting."
We now learn that George Briggs does not like the way things are managed, and neglects to meet with the church. Let us read his statement of grievances : -
" Bretheren, - I have not for some time met With you, by Reason of defucultyes & Stumbeling-Blocks in the way : first, in not haveing officers according to our Covenant ; secondly, in takeing in half-waye members; thirdly, in The way you Called & setteled a minister.
" GEORGE BRIGGS.
"JULY ye 30, the yeare 1754."
On the back of this note is written, -
" On August ye 5th, 1754, the within-written Reasons were exhibited to ye chh. then met, by George Briggs, & were considered by ye chh., and by them were voted to be insufficient for his Seperating from them.
" JOS. PALMER, Moderator."
" At a chh .- meeting on ye 2d Day of October, 1754, It was voted by ye chh., yt George Briggs be suspended from ye communion at ye Lord's Table for his unjust withdrawing & seperating from ym.
" JOS. PALMER, Moderator."
Probably about the same time, Bartholomew Burt became disaffected, and absented himself from the com- munion, as his letter will show : -
" To ye first church of christ in norton. honnored & be- loved, - I have not for some time communed with you; for I think you have gone contarey to ye church-covenant, if not
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to ye scriptures ; that in ye first of corinthians, seventh chapter, in suffering brother to go [to] Law with brother, and Look upon it only a privat offence ; altho' the accuser shall, from time to time, declare that ye accused was, he be- lieved, Innosent of the charge he laid against him. and now, brethren, if this way be according to scripture, I must ac- knoledge my Ignorance, and pray that you may be enabled to Lead, gide, and direct me in the right way. and now, may God enable you and I to keep this solam covenant that we have entered into ; that the sure mercyes of that covenant, which is well ordered and sure, may be our unfailing portion. so I desir to subscribe myself your brother in ye faith and order of ye gospel,
" BARTHOLOMEW BURT."
These documents, and the action of the church in reference to them, enable us to understand somewhat the state of affairs at the commencement of Mr. Pal- mer's ministry.
It required a man of sound mind, great prudence, and sagacity, to harmonize all these conflicting ele- ments, and pour out the soothing oil of the spirit of Jesus upon the troubled waters that had been casting up mire and dirt in the church for years. Happily, such a man was found in the person of the chosen minister. Rev. Mr. Prentiss, in his sermon at the ordination of Rev. Pitt Clarke, the successor of Mr. Palmer, in speaking to the society, refers to Mr. Pal- mer as their " late prudent, skillful, and faithful Pas- tor." Tradition universally ascribes to him the same character. There are some yet among us who remem- ber him well. They say he was not what is termed a " great preacher," but testify that he had the reputation of being a good and faithful minister; which is far more important than splendid talents and fine oratori- cal powers, with few of the graces that made the character of Christ resplendent with heavenly light. Although there were no serious outbreaks in the church ; although there are no records of ecclesiasti- cal councils to assist in returning to the Christian fold some unruly members who had gone astray, or to dismiss the pastor ; and but few church-meetings to
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discipline the refractory or suspend the perverse, - yet Mr. Palmer was called to endure some trials and petty annoyances. Our revolutionary struggle took place during his ministry ; and it would not be at all surprising, if he sometimes, at the end of the year, was minus a part or the whole of his salary. Provisions were high; money was scarce; a large family was growing up around him, with open mouths asking for bread, with shivering bodies calling for something wherewith to be clothed, - dependent principally, if not entirely, upon his salary for support. All these were, indeed, discouraging circumstances. But he trusted in Him who does not forsake the righteous, nor permit his seed to beg bread. In a letter to me, Rev. Isaac Braman says of him, -
" He gave himself wholly to the ministry; not laboring with his hands, as some have done, in order to eke out a scanty support. He was generally to be found in his study, when nothing special called him abroad in the parish. He probably felt more keenly than most clergymen the responsi- bility of his position. Mrs. Palmer has been heard to say, that in the early part of his ministry, when he drew near his church, he was so much agitated as to cause sickness at the stomach, and sometimes vomiting. His wife freed him, in an unusual degree, from family cares. She at one time took wool from one of the parish (Judge G. Leonard), and, with the help of her daughters, converted it into cloth, and re- turned the owner half of it. This must have cost them much labor, as there was no machinery in that day for carding, spinning, or weaving."
Rev. Pitt Clarke, in his " Historical Sermon," speak- ing of Mr. Palmer, says, -
" He suffered much from the depreciation of paper cur- rency. Several attempts were made to make up the depre- ciation ; but what little was added alienated the affections of some towards their worthy pastor, and diminished his society. Several became Baptists; some, Methodists. But, by his uncommon prudence and Christian deportment, he kept the greater part of the church and society together, and continued an able minister of the New Testament till his death."
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DEATH OF REV. JOSEPH PALMER.
We here give a few extracts from the parish-records, which serve to corroborate the statement of Rev. Mr. Clarke.
At a society-meeting, Aug. 30, 1779, " 3dly, voted to the Rev. Joseph Palmer four hundred pounds, as a gratuity for this present year." The currency was at this time very much depreciated. There was an arti- cle in the warrant for a parish, Feb. 28, 1780, " To take under consideration the Request of the Revd. Mr. Joseph Palmer for a further grant of money or produce to make up the great deficiency in his last year's salary, occasioned, in some measure, by Reason of the great depreciation of the currency since the last grant." At the meeting, there was voted to Mr. Palmer, " as a gratuity, in addition to his last year's sallary for the year 1779, £1,000." This vote was immediately re- considered, and £864 voted.
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