USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Norton > History of the town of Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, from 1669 to 1859 > Part 19
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" GENTLEMEN, - I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a letter from you, containing an invitation extended to me, by the society of which you are a committee, to be- come their Pastor and Teacher. It is highly gratifying to me that I have been chosen to fill so high and responsible a situa- tion. The unanimity with which this invitation has been given increases my satisfaction. I accept it on the terms specified in your letter. I hope that nothing may occur which shall darken, in the least degree, the pleasing prospect which is before us.
"I remain yours respectfully, " ASARELAH M. BRIDGE."
The parish then " voted to have the ordination of Rev. Mr. Bridge in four or five weeks from this date;" and the Standing Committee were appointed a " Com- mittee of arrangement at the ordination."
The services of ordination took place Jan. 27, 1836. Sixteen churches were invited to form a council by
1 It appears that Mr. Bridge had not supplied the pulpit all the time from Aug. 2 to the date above. C. P. Cranch preached two Sundays in October; George A. Williams, four, up to Nov. 8; and Mr. Buckingham and Mr. Stone, one each, the fore part of December, - probably not as candidates.
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their pastors and delegates. The following was the order of services : -
Introductory Prayer by Rev. G. W. Briggs, of Fall River; Reading of Scriptures by Rev. J. D. Sweet, of Kings- ton ; Sermon by Rev. George Putnam, of Roxbury, -text, Jer. iii. 15 ; Ordaining Prayer by Rev. F. Parkman, D.D., of Boston ; Right Hand by Rev. H. G. O. Phipps, of Co- hasset; Charge by Rev. A. Harding, of New Salem; Address to Society by Rev. B. Huntoon, of Milton; Concluding Prayer by Rev. R. Stone, of West Bridgewater.
During his ministry, Mr. Bridge labored earnestly and faithfully in the work to which he had devoted himself. Probably, on entering upon his pastoral duties, Mr. Bridge could not find the church-covenant (there being no copy of it on the church-records) ; and therefore he prepared, and the church (Feb. 5, 1836) accepted, the following -
"DECLARATION OF FAITH.
" You do solemnly declare your belief in the Being, Per- fections, and Government of God; your faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of the world; and your ac- ceptance of the Holy Scriptures as the word of God, and a perfect rule of faith and obedience.
" You express your desire thankfully to receive salvation in the way prescribed in the gospel; humbly resolving, by the help of divine grace, to live in obedience to his holy com- mandments, and to look for the mercy of God unto eternal life.
"You promise to walk with this church, while you have opportunity, in the regular observance of Christian ordi- nances, in the exercise of Christian affection, and in a sub- mission to the regulations of the Church.
" You are now a member of this church. We have received you ; we trust God has received you.
" We engage, and are bound, to pray for you; and, as we have opportunity, to watch over you, and, if need be, to ad- monish you. We expect the same kind offices from you; in the mutual discharge of which, may we all be built up in the faith and practice of our holy religion, and become prepared for admission hereafter into the Church of the Redeemer in Heaven ! Amen."
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At a meeting of the parish, Aug. 31, 1840, it was voted, that their connection between Mr. Bridge, " as Pastor and People," be, by mutual consent of parties, dissolved after the first day of November next. And accordingly, on Nov. 1, 1840, Mr. Bridge preached his valedictory sermon, and retired from the office of pastor.
At a meeting of the church, Sept. 30, 1842, it was -
" Resolved, That we have full confidence in the Rev. A. M. Bridge as a pious, faithful, and devoted Christian minister; and that we cordially recommend him as such to those with whom he may be called to labor."
Rev. Mr. Bridge was the son of Josiah and Eirene Bridge; and was born in Lancaster, Mass., Jan. 21, 1810. His early education was acquired in the com- mon schools of that town and at the Lancaster Acade- my. At the age of fourteen, he entered a store in Boston, where he remained six years. He then studied two years and a half at the New-Salem Academy ; teaching school one winter at Hubbardston, and another at Petersham. In 1832, he entered the Divinity School at Cambridge; and graduated from that institution, July, 1835, a few days previous to his preaching his first sermon in Norton.
Since leaving Norton, he has been settled as pastor at Standish, Me., and Bernardston, Mass. For several years past, he has been the minister at Hampton Falls, N.H.
He married, July 31, 1838, Miss Martha S. Harding, daughter of Rev. A. Harding, of New Salem; by whom he had one child, - Frederick Harding, born at Norton, Sept. 1, 1839. His wife died at her father's house, May, 1841. She was a woman of very superior at- tainments.
He married, June 4, 1844, for second wife, Mary Ann Fullam, of Boston; and, by her, has had three children.
On Sunday, Nov. 8, 1840, -just one week from the time Mr. Bridge preached his farewell sermon, - Mr.
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THE CONGREGATIONAL PARISH.
William Phillips Tilden occupied the pulpit. After preaching four Sundays, he was engaged to supply till the 1st of April following. Before the expiration of this engagement, or on March 15, 1840, the parish, by a vote of fifty-nine yeas to two nays, invited him " to settle with them in the Gospel Ministry, if the salary can be made satisfactory ; " and chose Leonard Hodges, jun., Jarvis Smith, Earl Hodges, Stillman Smith, and Almond Tucker, a committee to report the doings of the parish to the candidate.
His salary was fixed at six hundred dollars per year, and the time of his settlement limited to two years ; three months' notice to be given if either party wished to dissolve the connection sooner. Mr. Tilden ac- cepted the call in the following note : -
" MARCH 15th, 1841.
"To the Congregational Parish in Norton.
" I have received by your committee a copy of the vote passed at your meeting, inviting me to become your Pastor.
" Would that I were more worthy of the confidence you have seen fit to repose in me! I have had, as you are all doubtless aware, but little experience in my profession. I could not, therefore, think for a moment of being settled as a minister to the spiritual wants of any people where I could not depend upon their sympathy and co-operation. But you have given me the assurance, by the unanimity with which you have given me the call, that I shall find here hearts that will sympathize with me in my labors, and be ready to make all reasonable allowance for my want of experience.
"Trusting, therefore, that I shall find in each of you a brother's heart, and that you will receive my imperfect services with that feeling of charity which covereth a mul- titude of faults, I accept of the invitation you have given me to become your Pastor, upon the condition named in the note which I have received.
" Yours in brotherly Love,
" WILLIAM P. TILDEN."
The Standing Committee of the parish were author- ized " to make the necessary preparations for the or- dination." It was decided that the ordination should
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take place Wednesday, April 14; and thirteen churches were invited to meet in council, and assist in the ser- vices. But, a violent snow-storm occurring on that day, none of the council appeared; and, consequently, the services were postponed one week. April 21, 1841, the council met at the house of Earl Hodges. After organization, &c., it was " voted, that the Council are satisfied with the proceedings of the Society and the Pastor elect, and are ready to proceed to his ordination at 11 O'clock, A.M."
The order of exercises was as follows : -
Introductory Prayer by Rev. J. D. Sweet, of Kingston ; Reading of the Scriptures by Rev. M. Allen, of Pembroke; Sermon by Rev. S. J. May, of South Scituate; Ordaining Prayer by Rev. A. Bigelow, of Taunton ; Charge by Rev. E. Q. Sewall, of Scituate; Right Hand by Rev. J. L. Stone, of Mansfield ; Address to the People by Rev. R. Stone, of West Bridgewater; Closing Prayer by Rev. A. Gushee, of Dighton.
The ministry of Mr. Tilden proved so acceptable to the parish, that, just before the close of the two years for which he was settled, - viz., March 13, 1843, -it was " voted unanimously to request the Rev. William P. Tilden to continue with said Parish in the ministry ;" the conditions being the same as before. A committee of three was chosen to inform the pastor of the doings of the parish. The committee attended to the duty assigned them, and soon returned with the following answer : -
"To the First Congregational Church and Society in Norton.
" I have received, by the hands of your Committee, a copy of the vote you have this day passed, by which you have unanimously invited me to continue with you as your pastor. I feel deeply grateful to you for this fresh proof of your kind regards for me, and shall accept of your invitation ; hoping and praying that our union, so long as it continues, may be blessed to the upbuilding of the Redeemer's Kingdom.
" Yours in the bonds of the Gospel,
" WILLIAM P. TILDEN.
" NORTON, March 13th, 1843."
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THE CONGREGATIONAL PARISH.
After continuing with them a little more than a year from the date of the above note, Mr. Tilden signified to the parish his desire to be dismissed from his pas- toral relations, on account of failing health. The parish met to consider the matter on the 15th of June, 1844, and voted that they "are desirous of retaining Rev. Mr. Tilden (in case he does now wish to be re- tained) as their minister, upon the same conditions that he was first settled;" and appointed a committee of three to confer with him relative to remaining. At an adjourned meeting, June 22, the committee received his answer. We here record it : -
" To the Congregational So. in Norton.
" DEAR FRIENDS, - The Com. chosen by you at your last meeting, for the purpose of conferring with me in relation to my still remaining with you as your Pastor, have attended to their duties. Truly grateful am I for the very kind wish, which, through that Com., you have expressed, that I should still sustain to you the relation of Pastor. It rejoices my heart to know, that, after spending near four years among you as your minister, you still deem me worthy of confidence, and regard me with unfeigned kindness and good-will. Be assured, the kind feeling is most cordially reciprocated.
" But as I have decided that it will be best for me to leave this field of labor, at least for one year, I still think that it will be better for you and for myself that the connection should be dissolved.
"I have not come to this decision without a struggle; for my heart still clings with sincere affection to the many tried friends whose sympathy and aid have cheered me on in my work among you : and my sincere and earnest prayer for you is, that you may be blessed with the services of one who shall break to you the 'True and living bread,' and help you on- ward in the divine life.
"Yours in Gospel Love, " WILLIAM P. TILDEN."
The parish then voted to accept the answer: and, accordingly, the connection was dissolved; and the pastor preached his farewell sermon, June 30, 1844.1
1 A portion of it was printed in the Christian World, Aug. 24, 1844.
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Rev. William P. Tilden was the son of Luther and Philenda (Brooks) Tilden; and was born in Scituate, May 9, 1811. He received most of his education in the common schools of his native State, having received only "one term of academical instruction." After leaving school, he spent his summers in the mackerel- fishery, and his winters in learning the trade of a car- penter; so that, without any figure of speech, it can be truly said, that he had an evangelical preparation for the ministry. His theological studies were pursued with Rev. Samuel J. May, of South Scituate.
May 15, 1834, he married, at Scituate, Miss Mary J. Foster; and has had four children. While residing in Norton, one of them "became an angel," Sept. 9, 1841.1
Since leaving Norton, Mr. Tilden has been settled as pastor of the Unitarian societies of Concord and Walpole, N.H .; and is now the minister of the First Congregational Church in Fitchburg, Mass.
The pulpit made vacant by the resignation of Mr. Tilden was supplied a few Sundays by Rev. William H. Fish : and, on the 3d of August, a parish-meeting was held to see about hiring him for six months ; but it was dissolved, without taking any action relative to the supply of the pulpit.
Who preached from that time to Nov. 17, we are not informed : but, on that day, Rev. William C. Tenney commenced a stated supply of the pulpit ; and continued to do so till April 27, 1845. Rev. T. H. Dorr preached during the month of May; and Rev. A. D. Jones, during the month of June.
Rev. Amory Gale, M.D., commenced supplying the pulpit, July 6, 1845 : and, with the exception of the month of August, - when the desk was occupied by clergymen from the "Hopedale Community " in Mil- ford, - he preached regularly till the 1st of January,
1 In the easterly part of the "Common " Graveyard, surrounded by a small circular wooden fence, may be seen a diminutive monument of white marble, with the inscription, " LITTLE JOSEPH." It marks the grave of "this dear boy."
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THE CONGREGATIONAL PARISH.
1848; and supplied a few Sundays after that date. Nov. 29, 1845, by a vote of fifteen to ten, he was in- vited to settle ; but, on account of the small majority by which the vote was carried, it was reconsidered. At an adjourned meeting, two weeks later, the Stand- ing Committee were instructed to hire Mr. Gale for one year. Before the expiration of this engagement, he was re-engaged for another year; which term of service expired, as we have already stated, at the com- mencement of the year 1848.
During his ministry, the church-covenant was again revised. By a unanimous vote of the church, April 2, 1846, they adopted the following 1 -
" COVENANT.
" You acknowledge your Faith in One only wise and true God, who is the God and Father of all men; you believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, the Redeemer and Savior; and you regard the Holy Spirit as your Enlightener, your Sanctifier, your Comforter.
"You accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the only infal- lible rule of life; and you propose, by the help of Divine Grace, to regulate your conduct by its spirit and precepts ; to observe its rites and ordinances ; and to live in the unity of the Spirit, and in the bonds of peace with your brethren. This you acknowledge ?
" We, then, -the Church of Christ in this place, - do receive and welcome you into our sacred fellowship and com- munion ; promising that we will regard and treat you with that Christian tenderness and affection which your relation to us, as a member of Christ's Church, requires.
" May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ bless you with all spiritual blessings in His Son; may your days on earth be useful and happy ; and may we all be finally ad- mitted into glorious mansions on High, to participate in the joys of the Just made perfect through Faith !"
1 The Declaration of Faith adopted during the ministry of Mr. Bridge was not recorded on the church-books; and Mr. Gale, not finding a copy, probably prepared this covenant, to use in the absence of any other: and it is the first covenant entered in due form upon the records since the or- ganization of the church in 1714.
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Also, during his ministry, Mr. Gale performed the laborious work of copying all the church-records on the old book into a new one. The faithfulness with which he performed the task was well worthy of the preamble and resolution we here record : -
"Whereas the Rev. Amory Gale has this day presented to the Church connected with the Congregational Parish in Norton a durable book for the records of said Church; and has, with much labor, copied the doings and records of said Church from their old book [which was much obliterated] for the last one hundred and thirty years, and from its commence- ment, into the same; and whereas said Church are desirous, as a body, of expressing their acknowledgments, not only for the book, but also for the labor bestowed thereon : -
" Therefore resolved, That the thanks of this church be presented to the Rev. Dr. Gale for the handsome and durable book of Records; and also for the neat and chaste manner in which he has copied the Records from their old Church- book.
" NORTON, April 2d, 1848.
" Per order of the Church, " CROMWELL LEONARD, " Chairman of a committee of said Church."
Dr. Gale was born in Warwick, Oct. 15, 1800; and was the son of Amory and Lucinda (Rich) Gale.
Besides attending the common schools of his native town, he spent some time at the academy in Chester- field, N.H., and also at New Salem, Mass. For two or three years before attaining his majority, he labored on a farm in summer, and taught school in winter. In the spring of 1821, he commenced the study of medicine. He attended medical lectures at Dartmouth College, N.H., in 1822 ; and subsequently at the medical school of Brown University, R.I., where he received the de- gree of M.D. in 1824.
He commenced practice in Petersham; but soon left, and entered into partnership with Dr. Batcheller, of Royalston, - his old medical preceptor; and subse- quently removed to Barre, where he remained about
.
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THE CONGREGATIONAL PARISH.
six years, and then left on account of ill health. When his health was somewhat restored, he entered into practice at Amherst, N.H., and was there a num- ber of years ; but sickness again compelled him to give up the active duties of his profession. He was sub- sequently at Canton and South Scituate, Mass.
In his earlier years, he had desired to be a clergyman ; but, on account of some bronchial difficulty, he relin- quished the thought of the ministry. But, as years wore away, the cherished desire of his youth revived.
While at Amherst, N.H., he wrote some sermons, and preached occasionally in the neighboring towns ; his first effort being at Brookline, N.H., in 1837. While at Canton, he preached there and elsewhere ; and, when he removed to South Scituate, it was with the view of studying theology with Rev. Samuel J. May.
In the years 1843 and 1844, he preached about six months each at Wayland, East Bridgewater, and Pem- broke ; being also engaged, at the same time, in the active duties of a physician. He was ordained, as an evangelist, at Kingston, Nov. 19, 1844; 1 and, at the time he accepted the invitation to preach at Norton, was supplying the pulpit at Southington, Conn.
After leaving Norton, he preached for several months, during the summer and autumn, at Barnstable ; but a return of his bronchial disease obliged him to give up public speaking. In 1849, he settled in the practice of medicine at Woonsocket, R.I .; where he remained till the autumn of 1853, when he bought a farm at East Medway, and removed thither; and is now there, attending to the duties of physician and far- mer.
He was originally of the allopathic school of medi- cine; but, while in Norton, became a convert to homœo- pathy, and has since been of that school. He married, Nov. 3, 1825, Miss Martha Leland, of Warwick; and has had five children.
1 Christian Register, Nov. 30, 1844.
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After Mr. Gale closed his labors, Rev. John N. Bel- lows preached a short time as a candidate. The parish took action relative to his settlement, May 31, 1848, and decided not to invite him. July 8, 1848, a meet- ing was called to consider the petition of Thomas Copeland and forty-six others, which was to see if the parish would invite Rev. William P. Tilden again to become their pastor ; and, by a vote of twenty-one to two, he was re-called to assume the duties of that office, and was offered six hundred and fifty dollars yearly salary. Deacon Almond Tucker was authorized to communicate the vote to Mr. Tilden.
Under the date of July 21, Mr. Tilden, in a long letter, after expressing his grateful acknowledgments for this fresh proof of their confidence in and kind regards for him, says, " I do not think, under the cir- cumstances, that it will be best for me to take again the office of pastor among you. I feel, therefore, that I must respectfully decline your kind invitation."
This decision was a sad announcement to many of his old friends ; but they were not disheartened. No doubt his appeal to them, in the letter referred to, not to let " the disappointment " resulting from his decli- nation "render them in any way indifferent to the settlement of a true Christian minister," did much good. They again looked about for a candidate; and in a few days, or on Sunday, Aug. 6, Rev. Frederic Hinckley preached his first sermon from their pulpit. His services were acceptable to most of the people ; and, on the 11th of September, the parish voted, eighteen to six, "to invite Rev. Frederic Hinckley to settle in said society as a Gospel minister," and offered him six hundred dollars yearly salary. Three months' notice was to be given if either party wished to dissolve the relation. The Parish Committee were charged with the duty of informing the candidate of these votes.
At an adjourned meeting, Sept. 25, Mr. Hinck- ley's letter of acceptance was read. It was in these words : -
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THE CONGREGATIONAL PARISH.
" NORTON, Sunday Eve, Sept. 24th, 1848.
GENTS, - In reply to your letter of the 11th inst., en- closing a copy of the vote of your society inviting me to settle with you, I return my acceptance of said invitation.
"If agreeable to your Society, I will commence my duties on the 1st of October. The vote offering me $600 salary [says] nothing of the time of payment. If that could be semi-annually, in Jan. and July, it would be very acceptable to myself.
" Yours in Christian sincerity,
" FREDERIC HINCKLEY.
" To Dauphin King, Stillman Smith, Parish Committee."
James O. Messenger,
It was then " voted to comply with Mr. Hinckley's request to commence on the first of Oct." - " Voted, that the installation be performed on the sabbath ; the parish reading the invitation of the society, and the ac- ceptance of said invitation by Mr. Hinckley." The following we take from the church-records : -
" Oct. 1st. - Rev. Frederic Hinckley, recently of Leicester, was this day installed as minister of this church and society. Dea. Stillman Smith read a statement of the engagement that had been entered into by the society and Mr. Hinckley; and, in the name of the former, welcomed their new Pastor to his new sphere of duty. In response, Mr. Hinckley accepted his trust, and continued the services by a discourse on the ministerial relation."
After a pastorate of about two years, Mr. Hinckley resigned ; and preached his farewell sermon, Oct. 27, 1850.
Rev. Frederic Hinckley was born in Boston, Nov. 3, 1820; and was the son of Allen and Hannah Hinck- ley. He attended the Adams Grammar School in his native city till nearly thirteen years of age, when he took the "Franklin Medal; " after which, he spent three years in a city store; then he was two years in the Public Latin School, and one year with a private tutor. - He subsequently spent three years at the Divinity School, Cambridge ; and graduated therefrom
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July, 1843. He was ordained at Windsor, Vt., Dec. 13, 1843. He also preached for a time at Leices- ter, after leaving Windsor. Since leaving Norton, he has been settled at Haverhill; Hartford, Conn. ; and is now pastor of a Unitarian church in Lowell.
He married, Jan. 2, 1844, Miss Sarah A. Hews, daughter of Abraham Hews, Esq., of Boston ; and has had several children.
The Parish Committee were authorized, Dec. 30, 1850, to invite Mr. George A. Carnes to preach till the annual meeting in March; and he did so.
From the 1st of April, 1851, to the middle of No- vember of the same year, the following persons preached, - probably not all of them as candidates : Charles Robinson, Francis B. Knapp, Benjamin Kent, George W. Lippitt, Charles Briggs, William W. Heb- bard, Herman Snow, F. A. Whitney, D. W. Stevens, and J. K. Waite. George Osgood supplied from Nov. 16, 1851, to Jan. 26, 1852. From that time to the middle of April, Josiah K. Waite, Warren Bur- ton, Samuel F. Clark, Solon W. Bush, and Charles Briggs, supplied the pulpit.
Rev. George Faber Clark - after the society had heard some twenty candidates, more or less - com- menced preaching April 18, 1852. He remained four Sundays. Rev. N. Whitman, in accordance with a previous arrangement, preached the last three Sun- days of May.
Mr. Clark returned, on the 1st of June, to fulfil an engagement of four weeks more. On the 26th of June, 1852, - having preached here seven Sundays, - the parish " voted unanimously to invite the Rev. George F. Clark to settle with said Society as their teacher and Pastor," with a yearly salary of six hundred dol- lars.
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