USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Norton > History of the town of Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, from 1669 to 1859 > Part 40
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William Read commenced preaching to the society in April, 1850. He was ordained as pastor, Sept. 9, 1851. The sermon was by Rev. A. Pollard ; ordain- ing prayer, by Rev. John Read, father of the candidate. Rev. S. A. Collins gave the right hand. Mr. Read remained pastor of the society till April 1, 1853. From that time, H. C. Coombs supplied about one year ; S. A. Collins, about nine months ; and transient preachers, the rest of the time till April, 1856; when Mr. John J. Bronson commenced a stated supply of the pulpit. He was born May 6, 1828, in Stratfield, Conn. He was ordained Dec. 3, 1856. The sermon was preached by his father, Rev. Asa Bronson, of Fall River ; ordaining prayer, by Rev. B. W. Gardner, of Mansfield ; right hand, by Rev. A. Pollard, of Taun- ton. Mr. Bronson remained as pastor till April 1, 1858.
In October, 1858, Henry F. H. Miller took charge of the church, and is now the pastor.
Soon after the church was organized, a Sunday school was gathered, which now numbers about seventy pupils. The number of volumes in the Sun- day-school library is nearly three hundred.
We here give the names of those who have been ordained as deacons of the church : Tisdale Godfrey,
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chosen April 7, 1836 ; Simeon Derry, chosen May 5, 1836 ; Ichabod Perry, chosen Oct. 10, 1844. Calvin Hunt and Dennis Field were chosen Sept. 4, 1851; and they are now (1858) the acting deacons of the church, - the first three named being dead.
CHAPTER XXXV.
TRINITARIAN CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
" A trinity there seems of principles Which represent and rule created life, - The love of self, our fellows, and our God." P. J. BAILEY.
THE one great event in Rev. Pitt Clarke's ministry - to which we have already alluded, and which caused him much grief - was the withdrawal, in 1832, - a little more than two years before his death, - of a portion of his church and parish, and the formation of another religious society. The following document seems to have been the first important step (of which there is any record) in the chain of events that led to the separation : -
"To the Church in Norton under the care of Revd. Pitt Clarke.
" DEAR FRIENDS, - We the Subscribers, members of your Body, -feeling for a time past much dissatisfied with the sentiments exhibited by our venerable Pastor, and be- lieving it our solemn duty and our unquestionable right and privilege to maintain the great system of Evangelical Truth as understood by us and our Fathers, and to extend its in- fluence over generations yet to come through the ordinances of divine appointment, - do hereby respectfully request a dismission from your Body, that we may be organized into a Church for the purpose of enjoying those privileges, which,
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in our view, comport with the principles and precepts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
"This request is dictated by no feelings of ill-will to any one, but proceeds from a sense of duty to God, to ourselves, and to the cause of Christ.
" By complying with our request soon, you will much oblige yours. - March 7, 1832.
" LYSANDER MAKEPEACE.
JESSE BLANDIN.
JOHN PATTEN. LEAVIT BATES.
NATHAN PERRY.
SARAH MAKEPEACE. PHEBE PATTEN.
LYDIA SHEPARD.
NANCY M. PATTEN.
HANNAH BATES.
ELIZABETH BRIGGS."
" March 11th, 1832. - The chh. of Christ in Norton met, according to regular appointment, to hear the request of Ly- sander Makepeace and others, members of the chh., who ask a dismission that they may be organized into a separate chh.
" After mature deliberation upon this request, they ex- pressed their unanimous opinion, that they could not sanction their dismission without some other reasons besides what they had already given.
" Voted unanimously to request them, by a committee, to state more definitely their reasons for a dismission, and the ground on which they wished to form a separate chh."
A committee was chosen to present to them a written address unanimously agreed upon by the church. It is as follows : -
" To Lysander Makepeace and others, members of our church, who request a dismission from us to be organized into a Separate church, the following vote of the church of Christ in Norton is respectfully submitted : -
" BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE LORD, - As you are in covenant with us, and we have promised to treat you with all that christian affection and watchfulness which your sacred relation to us requires, we feel it our duty, in answer to your request, to state the rule which Christ has laid down for the mutual government of his followers, and the obligations we are all under to proceed according to the order of the Gospel.
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The plain rule of Christ is, if you have aught against your brother, first try to be reconciled by talking with him in private between you and him alone, and let him know dis- tinctly what you have against him. If he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, and thus try for a recon- ciliation. If, by these Gospel steps, you cannot be reconciled, then tell it to the church. We very much regret that these Gospel steps have not been taken.
" You say you have felt, for a time past, much dissatisfied with the sentiments exhibited by your Pastor, and believe it your solemn duty to maintain the great System of evangelical truth. We should have rejoiced if you had gone to him ac- cording to the rule of Christ, and let him know plainly what he has ever said contrary to evangelical truth. We have now a right to ask what particular sentiments he has exhibited in any of his preaching, which are contrary to the Gospel. Until we know this, we can form no correct judgment re- specting it. As you have requested a dismission from us to organize a separate church, before we can give our sanction to such a measure, we must have more substantial reasons than you have given, to think that such a division in this place will promote the cause of christ, who is the prince of peace, and entreats all to follow peace and holiness, without which no man can see the Lord. We have a right also to ask on what foundation different from us you wish to build your church, and whether in charity and christian fellowship with us or not. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Our- Church was built, and now stands, on this gospel foundation; which is the foundation of the Apostles & Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone. If you wish to build on any other foundation, we have a right to know it, before we can decide as to your request; For we cannot consent to your separating from the foundation of Christ, nor from that chris- tian walk which you solemnly promised to maintain according to the ordinances of the Gospel, nor from that ground of mutual love and charity which we think to be the essence of true religion. We are earnestly desirous of promoting love and peace in the church, and good feeling and christian fellowship among all christian churches. We heartily unite in the prayer of our blessed Lord, that all his followers might be one, even as he & the Father are one, - one in spirit and temper, one in affection & design, one in fellowship & co-
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operation in promoting the cause of Christ and good of souls.
" As to human and party names, we care to know nothing about them, any further than to know Jesus Christ, and him crucified, as set forth in the Gospel. We believe in God; we believe also in Christ. We believe, and are sure, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; and that, be- lieving in him, we may have life thro' his name.
" We have been thus open & fair in stating the ground on which we stand as a church, and the Gospel order which we feel bound to maintain in relation to your request. We ask you, as christians, to be thus open & fair in stating the ground on which you wish to separate from us and form your church, that we may know how to act respecting it.
" These questions are the dictates of duty which we owe to ourselves, to our God, and to the cause of Christ; and they proceed from feelings of christian love towards you, who are united with us in the profession of the Gospel.
" As we state these questions in writing for your considera- tion, it is our request that your answers and reasons may be made plain and definite on paper, that we may have a fair understanding of them. We assure you that we will receive your reply in a candid manner, give a prayerful attention to whatever you may present before us, and, after mature de- liberation, send you that result which we think the peace of the Church and the cause of true religion demand.
" Your Brothers in christian love & fellowship.
" DANIEL LANE, EPHRAIM RAYMOND, STILLMAN SMITH,
Committee appointed by the Church.
" MARCH 11, 1832."
In answer to this address, Deacon Makepeace sent the following communication : -
" MARCH 19th, 1832.
" To the Church in Norton under the pastoral care of Rev. Pitt Clarke.
" DEAR BRETHREN, - We rec'd your letter of the 11th inst., in answer to our communication requesting a dismission for the purpose of forming ourselves into a new Church. I have conversed with most of them since, and I believe they
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all think that the reasons we gave are sufficient to entitle us to a dismission on the common and acknowledged principles and practices of christian liberty. They are reasons, which, in other towns, - and, if we mistake not, in Taunton, - were deemed sufficient to entitle members of Churches, in circum- stances similar to ours, to a regular dismission. We deem it unnecessary to reply to all the topics suggested in your letter ; as our feelings and objects are all known, we presume, to the whole church.
.
" We now respectfully repeat the request in our last com- munication, with the hope and desire that we may, as soon as convenient, receive our dismission ; and, if this cannot be granted, we wish to be informed accordingly.
"We have no other than kind feelings to Mr. Clarke or the church.
" With respect, yours, &c., "L. MAKEPEACE."
The church met, March 19, to hear the communica- tion from the disaffected party ; and -
" Voted, as the communication made to the chh. was only from one individual, and not authorized by the body of those who requested a dismission, that they will adjourn to give them another opportunity to present any official communi- cation, according to the request made at the last meeting. Voted, that Brother Stillman Smith [communicate] this vote."
" Friday, March 30th, 1832. - Met according to adjourn- ment. No further communication was made from those who wished for a dismission. As the chh. had not been presented with sufficient reasons for granting their dismission, nor any statement of the ground on which they wished to build their chh., whether in charity and christian fellowship or not, they could not consistantly act any further upon it.
" As the feelings of some of them were hurt because the address from the chh. to them was read to the congregation, and their request was not read with it, the chh. Voted, that, if they desire it, their first petition, and all the proceedings of the chh. respecting it, shall be read to the whole congrega- tion. Voted also, that Stillman Smith communicate this vote."
40
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We find no further action of the church with reference to the petitioners for dismission. We think they should have been dismissed according to their request.
I am told by Deacon Stillman Smith, - one of the committee to confer with them, - that one, and per- haps the more weighty, reason why their desire was not granted, was because it was thought, if they were regularly dismissed for the purpose of forming a new society, that the society they organized would legally be entitled to their just proportion of the Parish Fund.
This would not have been the result : but the church feared it might be ; and therefore, for this and the other reasons given, they felt constrained not to grant the request of Deacon Makepeace and his associates.
The seceding members were organized under the title of the Trinitarian Congregational Church, April 3, 1832, by an ecclesiastical council; in which were represented the two Trinitarian churches of Taunton, the church in North Bridgewater, and the church in Raynham. The sermon on the occasion was by Rev. Daniel Huntington, of North Bridgewater. The con- fession of faith and covenant - which are still unal- tered - were as follows : -
" CONFESSION OF FAITH.
" ART. 1. We believe in the existence of but one God, - the Creator, Upholder, and Governor of all worlds and all beings, - and that He is unchangably possessed, in the high- est degree, of all perfections, natural and moral.
"ART. 2. We believe that there is a Trinity of Persons, - the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, - whose mysterious union is such as to constitute them but one God.
"ART. 3. We believe that Jesus Christ, though ' God over all, blessed for ever,' was manifested in the flesh, and died on the cross to make atonement for sin; and that there is 'no other name given under Heaven whereby we may be saved.'
"ART. 4. We believe that the Holy Ghost was sent down from Heaven to reprove the world of sin, of righteousness,
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and of judgment, and for the renewal and sanctification of God's people.
"ART. 5. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are of Divine authority, and are the only perfect rule of faith and practice.
"ART. 6. We believe that all men are by nature destitute of holiness; and therefore, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.
"ART. 7. We believe that the offers of life and salvation are freely made to all; and he that believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved with an everlasting salvation, and he that believeth not shall be punished with everlastingde- struction.
"ART. 8. We believe that there will be a Resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.
"ART. 9. We believe that there will be a day of Judgment, in which all shall receive according to the deeds done in the body.
"ART. 10. We believe that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is appointed for those, and those only, who truly believe and give credible evidence of a renewed heart, and profess faith in Christ ; and that such have a right to the ordinance of Baptism for their households."
" THE COVENANT.
" For the maintenance of these doctrines which you re- ceive on the authority of God's word, and for the cultivation of those Christian affections which you humbly hope the Holy Ghost has implanted within you, you do now publicly avouch the Lord Jehovah to be your God and portion, and the object of your supreme love and adoration; the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Savior from sin and death; and the Holy Ghost to be your Sanctifier, Comforter, and guide ; humbly imploring Divine assistance that you may be enabled to observe all the commandments and ordanances of God as revealed in the Gospel. You also bind yourself to this Church ; promising to watch over us in the Lord, to seek our peace and edification, and to submit to the government and dicipline of Christ in his Church as it is here administered. This you promise and covenant to do? (The candidate here gives his assent.)
"This Church, then, receive you as a member in full communion, and declare you entitled to all its privileges ;
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covenanting to watch over you in brotherly love, beseech the aid of Divine grace, that we may exhort, comfort, and ad- monish one another as our future circumstances may require, and that we may be enabled to walk together in all the com- mandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless."
To this confession of faith and covenant, twenty-two persons solemnly gave their assent ; viz., Nathan Perry, Leavit Bates, Hannah Bates, Lysander Makepeace, Sarah Makepeace, John Patten, Nancy Patten, Phebe Patten, Lydia Shepard, Elizabeth Briggs, Rhoda Lothrop, Jesse Blandin, Laban M. Wheaton, Eliza B. Wheaton, Josiah King, Clarissa King, Mason Stone, Abigail M. Stone, Harriet Patten, Polly Goodwin, Allen Tucker, Emma Field.
Previously to this, various persons had been em- ployed to preach; among whom, for occasional sab- baths, were Dr. Lyman Beecher, of Boston ; and Dr. R. S. Storrs, of Braintree. Rev. John West, of the Episcopal Church in Taunton, had also held a service for three months, the season before, on the afternoon of each sabbath. After the organization, the ministers of the association preached each of them a sabbath ; and, soon after, Rev. Spencer F. Beard was engaged as a permanent supply. The meetings at this time were held in the hall of the public-house.
The first object of the new church was to erect a house of worship; and measures were immediately taken to effect it. Subscriptions were raised in town, and some assistance received from individuals and churches in other towns, and the building commenced ; but it was not till Jan. 1, 1834, that it was finished, and ready to be dedicated. Rev. R. S. Storrs, of Braintree, preached the dedicatory sermon from Isa. xxxii. 1, 2; and Rev. Mr. Maltby, of Taunton, offered the consecrating prayer.
The church, by this time, had received considerable accession to its numbers, and henceforth went on to prosper.
Rev. Mr. Beard's engagement terminated early the following year (1835); and, on the 24th of April
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succeeding, a call was extended to Rev. Cyrus W. Allen to become the pastor. He accepted the invi- tation, and was installed July 8.
In 1836, the meeting-house was enlarged about one- third of its original size.
March 1, 1842, Rev. Mr. Allen was dismissed at his own request.1 Early in July following, Rev. Homer Barrows was engaged to supply the pulpit. His mini- stry continued three years, much to the acceptance of the church and people, who twice invited him to settle as their pastor, - first in March, 1843; and again in February, 1845 : but, on both occasions, he declined settling.
He was succeeded by Rev. William Barrows, who was called May 26, and ordained Sept. 4, 1845. Mr. Barrows was dismissed June 4, 1850.2
More than a year now elapsed before calling another pastor, during which time a decided advance was made,
1 Rev. Mr. Allen was born in Taunton, Oct. 28, 1806; graduated at Brown University in 1826, and from the Andover Theological Seminary in 1829. He was subsequently employed as an agent of the American Tract Society, in Illinois and Missouri, for about three years. Then, for about two years, he resided at Potosi, Mo .; having the charge of two churches. He was ordained at St. Louis, Oct. 6, 1833. Since leaving Norton, he has been the pastor of a church at Pelham, N.H .; Coleraine, Mass .; and is now settled at Hubbardston. June 6, 1837, he married Miss Mary Folger, of Nantucket; and has had eight children.
2 Rev. Mr. Barrows was born in New Braintree, Sept. 19, 1815; and was the son of William and Asenath ( Osborn) Barrows. He fitted for college at Phillips Academy, Andover; graduated at Amherst in 1840; and studied theology at the Union Seminary, New-York City. While a resident of Norton, Mr. Barrows took a deep interest in the public schools, and con- ferred a lasting good upon the rising generation, by insisting, in the face of much opposition, upon a uniformity of text-books in the schools. In the presidential contest of 1848, he voted for Gen. Taylor; which led to diffi- culties between him and his parish (most of them being of the " Liberty Party "), and, finally, to his dismission. He says, in a note to me, " My leaving Norton was not of my choice, till painful circumstances made it evident duty." The Sunday following his dismission, he preached an able sermon on "MINISTERIAL FREEDOM; " which was printed, and is well worthy of perusal by those who love "liberty" in practice as well as theory. Since leaving Norton, he has been pastor of a church at Grant- ville, and at Reading, where he now resides. He married, July 7, 1845, Miss Lucia A. Case, of Blandford; and had two children by her. She died suddenly, Dec. 6, 1847. Oct. 24, 1849, he married, for second wife, Miss Elizabeth A. Cate, of Cambridge; and has had three children by her. She was a native of Pembroke, N.H .; and was Principal of the Wheaton Fe- male Seminary, in this town, from April 19, 1847, to July 25, 1849, and did much to elevate the character of the school while connected with it.
40*
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among other things, in securing to the society, by donation and purchase, the possession of the pews in the house of worship. Thenceforth it was arranged that the public service should be sustained by their rent ; thus disposing of a question which had caused trouble in each succeeding pastorate, and providing for the salary without the formidable appearance of a subscription. The organ was given at this time by a lady of the church; as the bell had also been, in earlier years, by another.
July 31, 1851, a call was extended to Rev. L. S. Parker; which was declined.
March 20, 1852, another was given, to Rev. Franklin Holmes ; which was accepted, - the ordination taking place the 15th of September following. He is still the pastor.1
. The sabbath school connected with this society num- bers about seventy pupils. The number of volumes in the Sunday-school library is five hundred twenty- seven.
Upon the subjects of temperance and slavery, the opinion and feeling of the church have been frequently expressed. Soon after its organization, a vote was passed that no person should be admitted who should not first signify his assent to the temperance pledge. Deacon Lysander Makepeace 2 and John Patten were
1 Rev. Mr. Holmes is the son of Peter and Olive G. Holmes, and was born in West Boylston, March 26, 1823.
He graduated at Yale College in 1846, and from the Andover Theological Seminary in 1852.
Aug. 6, 1855, he married Miss Martha C. Sawyer, of Charlestown; and has two children.
2 Deacon Makepeace was the son of Peter and Abigail (Morey) Make- peace; grandson of William and Experience (Aldrich) Makepeace; great- grandson of William and Abigail (Tisdale) Makepeace, of Taunton and Freetown; great-great-grandson of William and Ann (Johnson) Makepeace, of Freetown and Boston; and great-great-great-grandson of Thomas Make- peace, who came from England, and was at Boston in 1637, - whose wife (married about 1641) was Widow Elizabeth Mellowes; and he was born Aug. 22, 1771 .*
Previous to the formation of the Trinitarian Society, he had been many years deacon of the Congregational Church (see p. 218). He was four
* For more particulars of his pedigree, see a Genealogy of the Makepeace Fami- lies, by William Makepeace, Esq., of Boston.
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the first deacons. Deacon Makepeace resigned during the ministry of Mr. Allen; and Mr. Seabury Thayer, resident of Taunton, was chosen his successor. Dea- con Patten resigned Jan. 3, 1850 ; and, on that day, Jesse H. Blandin was chosen to fill the vacancy. He and Mr. Thayer are the present deacons.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
WESLEY AN-METHODIST SOCIETY.
" On account of the rigidity with which its people adhered to method in the ob- servance of religious duties, they were first derisively called Methodists." - WILLIAM R. CLARK.
IN May, 1849, a few persons - members of the Re- formed Methodist Church at Rehoboth, encouraged and assisted by others - commenced a Wesleyan- Methodist meeting at Barrowsville, and employed the Rev. David Culver as their minister. The following winter, a meeting-house was erected by donation, in which the slips were to be rented yearly for the support of preaching.
In April, 1850, Rev. Solomon P. Snow began his labors among them ; and, on the 3d of May, a church was organized, which adopted the Wesleyan-Methodist discipline. It consisted of ten members, as follows : Rev. S. P. Snow, Maria J. Snow, Joseph Snow, Nancy Snow, David Cummings, Roxellana R. Cummings, Al- bert S. Tucker, Abigail Tucker, Jonathan J. Stanley, Polly Jones.
years a selectman of the town, and two years a tithing-man. He married Sarah Wild, Sept. 11, 1794; and had twelve children. She died June 21, 1842; and he married, for second wife, Mrs. Eunice Sweet, April 18, 1847. He died Jan. 24, 1859.
We had the promise of his lithograph for these pages, and regret that it has not been furnished.
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Their house was dedicated to the worship of God on the 8th of May, with appropriate services, by Rev. J. W. Horton, of Taunton ; Rev. William H. Brewster, of Lowell ; Rev. G. Clark, of Attleborough ; and Rev. S. P. Snow, the pastor. Rev. Mr. Snow continued his labors as pastor until April, 1854 ; when Lewis P. At- wood, a licentiate, was engaged to labor with them one year. In April, 1855, Rev. John A. Gibson com- menced his labors among them. He remained till April, 1858 ; and was succeeded by Rev. James Dixon, the present pastor.1
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