USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Princeton > History of the town of Princeton in the county of Worcester and commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1759-1915, Volume I > Part 12
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Whether each of these gentlemen availed himself of this privilege during the following Winter and Spring does not appear, but no call to settle was extended to either. In the Summer of that year, however, an invitation to the pastorate was extended by the church with the concurrence of the district to Mr. Sewall Goodrich, which was declined notwithstanding some flattering inducements in the matter of salary were proffered him.
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Rev. Timothy Fuller. Attention was then directed to Mr. Timothy Fuller whose voice had been heard the previous Spring, and in March, 1767 a call was given him to settle with them as their minister, in which call the district unanimously concurred.
The salary tendered Mr. Fuller, practically the same as that previously offered Mr. Goodrich, is thus defined upon the records.
" Voted to give Mr. Timº Fuller a Settlement and salliry as follows (viz) Ist his settlement of £133:6:8 to be paid as follows (viz) £66:13:4 within eight months after his ordination & also £66:13:4 within one year & eight months after said ordination.
2. His salliry £53:6:8 to be paid yearly so long as he shall Continue to be their Minister & fulfill ye work of the Ministry in this District & likewise an addition of £6:13:4 to begin at ye end of five years after his ordination & to be paid yearly as aforesaid & also an other addition of £6:13:4 at ye end of ten years after said ordination & to be paid yearly so long as he shall Continue to be their Minister & fulfill the work of the Ministry as afore said."
Mr. Fuller's reply to this invitation, under date of May 16th, signified his acceptance of the proposals and his interest in the church and town, adding, " I am far from desiring that my people should find the gospel burdensome, therefore, though your offers are not great, yet considering the infant state of your society, your great unanimity and kind dispositions, I look upon it as a call from God and am encouraged to accept in dependence on your generosity as your ability increases to contribute of the means with which God in his providence shall bless you to my necessi- ties, to my comfortable and honorable support. As far as I know my own heart, I undertake with a single aim at the glory of God in connexion with your best interest. I think I must be far removed from the least suspicion of having any lucrative views in the case but assuredly my highest views are to advance the kingdom of Christ which is not of this world. I would take this opportunity to
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express my gratitude for the good opinion you have mani- fested of me, hoping I shall always walk worthy of your esteem and friendship."
Ordination. Mr. Fuller was ordained on the 9th of September following. The customary ecclesiastical council called by the church was large and influential, nine churches being represented by delegates. This first ordination of a preacher of the Gospel and settlement of a minister in the district must have been a notable occasion. It was eight years since the incorporation of the district - and some of the families had been on the ground for a longer time than that - and thus far without stated religious services and the accustomed privileges of the public wor- ship of God. It can be readily imagined, therefore, that this 9th of September was hailed with joy by the majority of the inhabitants.
The meeting-house was still in a rude and unattractive condition, but that was capable of improvement and need not, as doubtless it did not, lessen the enthusiasm of any of those who had been long waiting for the coming of one to " go in and out before them."
New Covenant. Soon after Mr. Fuller's ordination the church adopted a new form of Covenant differing in some respects but substantially the same as subscribed to by the original members in 1764. At this time Timothy Keyes and Adonijah Howe were chosen as the first deacons of the church and arrangements were made for the orderly con- duct of the church in its work. Among its votes was one " that the Sacrament be administered once in two months; but may be omitted at particular times as the pastor may judge expedient."
Gifts. The church was indebted to Hon. Moses Gill for the gift in April, 1768 of a flagon, tankard, cup and dish for the communion service and also a baptismal basin. These articles are still preserved and are now in the Town Library Building. In 1772 three additional tankards, a dish and a cloth - were purchased, a portion of which are still in use by the Congregational Church in the town.
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Bible. A Bible was also presented by Mr. Gill in 1769. His letter to Mr. Fuller upon this subject is interesting.
" Boston, December 9, 1769.
Rev. and Dear Sir, - You may remember sometime in the summer past, you mentioned to me your desire that I would present you with a large Bible, that the Scriptures might be publicly read every Lord's day. I believe my answer was: I was afraid it would have a tendency to make you shorten your other services; however, upon my return home in the summer I spoke to a stationer for a large folio Bible, which is now come: but I have one difficulty in my mind against sending it up; that is, I have observed in some country places they are not fond in general of having the Scriptures read in public, because their time is taken up in that part of service that may as well be performed at home; though I don't know that this is the case with you, as I never changed a word with any of your people about this matter. Now, sir, if I should send it up, - you should introduce it, - your people generally dis- satisfied, - it would perhaps make such a breach between you and them, as may never be fully healed; and if I should be the means of it, I could never forgive myself, nor make amends to you; though I am clear of an opinion that the Scriptures ought to be publicly read every Lord's day, as one part of the religious exercises. These are the difficul- ties that lay in my mind; how far they have any weight in them, you can judge.
" The Bible is ready, and will be sent up whenever you shall say; in the meantime you will make use of your known prudence and good judgement in introducing it. There is bound up with it the Church Services, the Apocrypha, and Sternhold and Hopkin's Psalms, all which I think superfluous, and may be taken out by rebinding, if you think proper."
Political Differences. Mr. Fuller was a graduate of Harvard College in 1760, a man of good ability, of intel- lectual worth and of sterling integrity. His public services
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both in the church and the town and his private ministra- tions were generally acceptable and appreciated by the people until about the year 1775, when there began to be signs of disaffection.
The true and probably the only real cause of this was a suspicion that Mr. Fuller did not fully sympathize with the majority in the then engrossing subject relating to the establishment and maintenance of the rights of the people. The whole country was stirred as never before and the events of the Lexington Alarm and the Battle of Bunker Hill served to bring out all the patriotism and fervor of the people - and every indication of lack of sympathy for the colony was sufficient to create suspicion and arouse distrust. In response to a request of the parish he had preached a sermon to the minute men, taking for his text, " Let not him that girdeth on the harness boast himself as he that putteth it off."
There was a flavor about the sermon that was not acceptable to an excited people ready for active, revolution- ary measures, although Mr. Fuller probably intended simply to advise caution. The General Court of the Province recommended a day of fasting and prayer (the Governor declining to appoint such a day) and naturally the people of Princeton desired Mr. Fuller to arrange for its observance. This Mr. Fuller unfortunately declined to do and immediately the charge was made against him of being a Tory, or at least of not being in harmony with his fellow townsmen in the struggle then upon the country. However well Mr. Fuller was able to reply to these charges and to show his fidelity to the people and his sympathy with their active measures for relief, they were not ready to listen with minds unbiassed, for as usual in such cases, the people suddenly began to find various other and serious causes of dissatisfaction with him. The more the matter was talked over by the fireside, in the meeting- house and throughout the town, the greater appeared his delinquencies until it came to be the determination of many to sever the connection between pastor and people.
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The suggestions from the Provincial Congress urging the importance of keeping a watchful eye upon all those in- habitants subject to suspicion offered an opportunity to investigate Mr. Fuller's position, which was embraced at a town meeting on the 24th of May, 1775, when the follow- ing action is recorded.
"Voted on reading the paper received from the Congress that the com- mittee of correspondence retire to receive the complaint of any person against any one suspected to be unfriendly to their country and that they make their report of such persons complained of to the town for their further consideration. The committee upon their return reported that the Rev. Mr. Fuller and Lieut. Caleb Mirick are complained of as persons suspected to be unfriendly to their country; Mr. Fuller for refusing to call a Fast last year, and for his public discourse to the minute company the last Fast as tending to discourage people in defending their rights and liberties, and Mr. Caleb Mirick for taking cattle suspected to be Col. Jones' property and for entertaining tories at sundry times; which com- plaint being read the town then voted that Mr. Fuller and Lieut. Caleb Mirick be inquired of for their conduct touching said complaint."
Mr. Fuller's Reply to the serious charge does not appear upon record but the original is said to have been carefully preserved by his descendants and is here presented.
To the Committee of Correspondence, Mr. Thomson, Chairman, to be laid before the Town, -
Gentlemen, -
I am very much surprised to find that any among you should suspect me of entertaining Principles inconsistent with ye cause of liberty, since I have uniformly espoused and supported it, both in public and private from ye very beginning of our controversy with Great Britain. I have always submitted to ye advice of Congresses both pro- vincial and continental; subscribed with my Hand ye Non Importation and Non Consumption agreement; strictly adhered to it; have never opposed any public Measure taken to preserve ye Rights and Privileges of ye People; and though I have thought that ye people have run into some Irregularities; yet not more than might be expected from every opposition to unconstitutional and oppressive acts of Government. It has always been my firm Opinion
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that ye Parliament of Great Britain in exercising ye Right claimed of binding America in all cases whatsoever would reduce us to absolute Slavery. I have, years ago, laid aside ye use of Tea, and urged you to do ye same, that we might defeat their Design of raising a Revenue from us, encouraged our manufactures and pressed a Union in this, and all ye Colonies, that our Resistance might be formidable and successful.
I think we have a Reason and a Right to Complain and when our Complaints are not heard, and our Griev- ances redressed, we have a Right to resist. We of Right ought to be as free as ye People of England, according to Charter.
I am sorry to be so unhappy as to fall under the suspicion of being unfriendly to ye Common Cause. I believe I am as hearty a Lover of my Country as any among you, or any in ye Country. I am ready when Necessary, to fight in ye Defense of it, and of Religion. I think ministers are not called to War, unless ye rest of ye Community are unable to defend it without them, and in such a case I am ready to do my part; I would not count my Life dear to me, but would brave every Danger of War."
In conclusion: " What your design is in calling me in Question I may not determine. If any were so mistaken and ignorant of my Principles as to be really jealous, I am sorry; but I am willing to give account of myself, without being offended, and am persuaded that what I have offered above will give you entire satisfaction as to my firm attach- ment to ye Principles of civil liberty, and to remove every doubt from your minds; if not, I am willing to carry ye matter before the provisional or continental Congress.
Princetown, May 29, 1775. Timothy Fuller."
" To the Committee, William Thomson, Chairman, to be laid before the Town; -
Gentlemen, -
I beg Leave now to make some Additions with respect to several things in the Paper which I read to ye Town on
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Friday last. I do not believe ye Parliament of Great Britain hath any right to make any Laws whatever binding on ye Colonies, nor to lay any Taxes or duties on us without our Consent. I am clearly of opinion that ye acts, called ye Boston Port Bill, that for Altering the Government of this Province and that for sending Criminals to Great Britain for Tryal, and ye Quebec bill, are unreasonable and unjust, and that ye Parliament have no right to enact, and that ye Colonies are so far from being obliged to submit to them, that it would be criminal in them, and they would be ruined by such submission. It is our Duty, at present, to unitedly exert ourselves to ye utmost, with Dependence on the blessing of Heaven on our righteous Cause, to resist by Force and Arms, the Execution of those Acts. I look upon it (as) a favorable Providence, that the Colonies of this Continent, and this in particular, are generally so happily agreed in asserting and defending our civil and religious Rights against ye Invasions of the British Ministry and Parliament and their venal Army. It is, I think, ye duty of every man to encourage and according to his Ability, to promote ye Success of the Army, now raised by this Colony, for its necessary Safety and Defense."
Notwithstanding this positive statement of his views, his assertion of loyalty to the cause of liberty, and his expressed willingness to give himself if necessary to fight for its maintenance, the people in their excitement could see nothing satisfactory in it and voted to hear him "a fortnight longer in order to inquire further into his late conduct." Mr. Fuller still appeared "willing to give account of himself without being offended " and his letters certainly have the appearance of candor and sin- cerity.
In a private letter of a later date Mr. Fuller wrote " You & I are steady & immovable in ye warmest attachment to ye Interest of the Country, however, we may be tho't at sometimes to mistake ye means best adapted to pro- mote it."
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In fact, throughout the whole period of this unhappy affair the communications of Mr. Fuller evince a kindly, christian spirit even though the action of the town and of individuals must have been very embarrassing and trying, if no harsher term is employed. A second response from him may add something to the views expressed in the first.
Action by the Town. But the town flatly rejected this paper and appointed a committee " to draw up a paper " for Mr. Fuller to sign. The committee consisted of Messrs. Sadey Mason, Boaz Moore, Adonijah Howe, Charles Brooks and Joseph Eveleth. The character and well-known opinions of these gentlemen warranted the town in expecting an " iron clad " declaration which no one but a " patriot " would care to sign. And yet, when the paper was offered in town meeting on the 20th of June it was " voted that Mr. Fuller sign the paper before the town act upon it; accordingly agreeable to said vote, the paper was signed by Mr. Fuller in presence of the town; it was then put to see if the town were satisfied with said paper for his past conduct so far as it appeared unfriendly to the common cause, and it was voted not satisfactory." What would have been satisfactory and dispelled the suspicions resting upon him it is difficult to imagine. One may see what trifles were seized upon and what slim arguments were used against him by the following related by Mr. Fuller's grandson. " A man got up in town meeting here, in 1775, and said; ' I know Mr. Fuller is not pious, and is a Tory, for I caught hold of him suddenly, the other evening, and in his surprise, he said; 'Let alone of me, by George!' Now as he said ' by,' he could not be pious; and he must have meant George the Third, and of course, then, if he would swear by him, he must be a Tory."
Meeting after meeting was called both by church and by town in endeavors to adjust the difficulty, or perhaps more correctly to bring matters to a focus.
But suspicions very readily gave place to belief and the town passed a vote, August 16, requesting Mr. Fuller to ask a dismission. The committee of correspondence of
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the town reiterated the charges against him bringing out another denial. In October aid was solicited from neigh- boring towns through their committees of correspondence " to advise respecting Mr. Fuller's conduct as a tory." Finally the town decided to call in conjunction with the church an ecclesiastical council for consideration of the whole matter. This council consisting of delegates from three churches, Worcester, Westminster and Shrewsbury, convened at Caleb Mirick's house, March II, 1776. Unable to agree with Mr. Fuller upon the subject of a mutual council, an adjournment was held to the 16th of April. But the same difficulties then presented them- selves, and notwithstanding several attempts to make arrangements for a council agreeable to Mr. Fuller's views, the whole project was abandoned and the council (enlarged by delegates from churches in Dedham and Weston) proceeded to consider his relation to the church. The result was a recommendation for the dismissal of Mr. Fuller from the pastorate, which was done by vote of the church on the 20th of April and of the town on the 24th.
A committee of seven able-bodied men representing the " bone and sinew " of the town was appointed " to keep Mr. Fuller out of the pulpit," which they succeeded in doing without difficulty or any lowering of dignity on their part or on his. In a pamphlet, published by Mr. Fuller several years after his dismission,1 he replies with vigor to the charges made against him and fully explains his posi- tion in regard to the council. He asserts in respect to the charge of toryism " my principles did not forbid my offer-
1 This is a pamphlet of twenty-three pages entitled "Remarks on that part of the Strictures on the Rev. Mr. Thacher's pamphlet which relates to the Controversy between Mr. Fuller and the people of Princeton with a concise narrative of said Controversy. By Timothy Fuller A. M., Pastor of the Church in Princeton. 'Doth our law judge any man before it hear him?'" &c. &c. It appears that Rev. Peter Thacher, D.D., published a pamphlet upon "The Present State of the Clergy of New England," to which "J. S." replied, referring to Mr. Fuller's case. Mr. Fuller's pamphlet is in review of the latter. We have been unable to find a copy of the "Strictures of one J. S."
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ing the petitions of the people for relief; but I readily joined with my people, on all days set apart by any court or Congress, for public devotion, and led them in their addresses to heaven for aid and deliverance."
He " made it a rule to catechise their children twice a year " and " never neglected to visit persons in sickness." As to levity in church matters, he explains by supposing " the moderator laid down his head on the seat before him, shivering with the cold, which the people might fondly construe into a shake of laughter." But the larger portion of the pamphlet is devoted to the question of the methods pursued by the Council and its unjustifiable action.
The day before his dismissal by the town he sent a long communication to the selectmen (see files) asserting that he had been condemned unheard - that the conduct of the Council was illegal " such as never before heard of in ye Land of Light & Liberty," &c., &c., signing the letter "I am your much abused & aggrieved tho' faithful Pastor." In accordance with his views of the illegality of the council, he subsequently made demands for salary which he alleged was due to him.
Princeton, Oct 8, 1778.
To the Select Men to be laid before ye Town.
Brethren. My Inviolable Affection for you & Attach- ment to your Interest & Happiness which no Injuries & Outrages can abate, constrain me now to assure you that altho' I am at present removed from among you yet I have been, still am, & shall be ready to return, & to serve you in the gospel Ministry whenever you shall signify to me that I may proceed therein & that you will attend my ministrations.
I remain your real Friend & faithful Pastor
Timothy Fuller.
Princeton, Oct 8, 1778.
Fearing ye Treasurer might be Negligent of his Duty, I address you upon ye same subject upon which I have wrote
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to him, & hereby Demand of you thirty Pounds lawful Money which is due to me from ye Town as Salary for my ninth years serving them in ye Ministry, also ye Sum of one hundred & twenty-five Pounds, six shillings & eight Pence due for my tenth & Eleventh years Sallary & also as much more as shall be sufficient to make ye sª sums of Money as good to me as when I first settled here in ye Ministry, a speedy Compliance may save ye Town from many disagreeable Consequences which may attend a Neglect.
Am with Respect yours, Timothy Fuller Pastor, of ye Chh of Princeton.
To ye Select Men of Princeton.
Two communications found among the town files indi- cate his persistency and shrewdness.
Suit against the Town. Soon after his dismissal Mr. Fuller removed to Martha's Vineyard and preached at Chilmark. He returned to Princeton for a short time but removed to Middleton in 1782 when he commenced a suit against the town for recovery of his salary, basing his claim upon the grounds above stated.
A committee consisting of Moses Gill, Caleb Mirick, Joseph Sargent, Adonijah How and Samuel Woods was appointed by the town to arrange for the defense, and eminent counsel were engaged. The case was finally tried at Salem before the Supreme Judicial Court and after four days spent in arguing the case " in which the patience of the Court and Jury were remarkable," a verdict was rendered in favor of the town. The cost of the defense was very large but the town settled the bills with quiet satisfaction. The report of the above-named committee is spread in full upon the records " to the end that posterity may know the rights of Chhs and the grounds upon which the separation between the Town and the said Mr. Fuller took place, and that it may stand as a Lasting Monument to shew the Trouble and Expence this Town has Sustainª in order to
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assert and Maintain those rights and preveledges the God of Nature has Instrusted them with."
Thus ended this unfortunate controversy. Not long after this Mr. Fuller returned to Princeton, occupied his farm on the west side of the Mountain, and rendered good service to the town as a teacher and in various other official positions as well as in the more personal duties of a neighbor and citizen.
The ill feeling once so bitter against him appears to have given way to respect and warm attachment, and in 1788 he was chosen to represent the town in the Constitutional Convention, Hon. Moses Gill being the opposing candidate. Mr. Fuller cast his vote against the adoption of this Con- stitution on the ground of its recognition of slavery.
In 1786 he removed to Merrimac, N. H., where he died July -, 1805. Rev. Humphrey Moore, a native of Princeton, preached the funeral sermon.
Supplies. For ten years after the dismission of Mr. Fuller, the church was without a pastor but public worship was maintained during a greater part of the time, the pulpit being supplied by neighboring ministers or as could conveniently be arranged. Thanksgiving and Fast days appear also to have been appropriately observed and preachers secured that the people might not miss the accustomed services.
Supplies for the pulpit were not so readily obtained then as now and much exertion and often much travel were necessary to accomplish any satisfactory results. And this difficulty often led to the employment of a preacher for several consecutive Sundays. Rev. Paul Litchfield preached many weeks; at a later date Rev. George Hub- bard preached thirty-three Sundays within ten months, and in 1784 Rev. Moses Haven twenty-four consecutive Sundays.
The expenses incurred in seeking supplies for the pulpit were not inconsiderable and this was one strong reason for securing a stated supply for long periods. The following items, copied from original papers, indicate labors and
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