USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Townsend > History of the town of Townsend, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from the grant of Hathorn's farm, 1676-1878 > Part 9
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"Since the formation of said society, we have had occa- sional preaching by Rev. William Elliott and others."
In 1827, the Rev. Benjamin Dean "labored here as a missionary under the direction of the domestic Baptist Missionary Society of Massachusetts."
In April of that year, this society decided to be formed into a church, and in order to accomplish this object, they
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instructed Mr. Dean to call an ecclesiastical council by addressing letters to the neighboring Baptist churches. The letter sent to New Ipswich (which is spread on the records) was as follows :-
"To the Baptist Church of Christ at New Ipswich :
"The Baptist society of Townsend send christian love, Beloved Brethren. Sensible of the importance of exhibit- ing the light of the Glorious Gospel of peace, in all its doctrines and ordinances as they were delivered to the saints, and viewing ourselves incapacitated in our present situation to attend to the ordinances regularly, and having a prospect of being enlarged in numbers, have voted unanimously that it is expedient to invite our brethren to visit us and in an ecclesiastical council on the 9th day of May next, and should you see cause, after having exam- ined our situation, to constitute us into a visible Gospel Church.
BENJAMIN DEAN LEVI BALL JOSEPH WALKER SOLOMON STEVENS"
The churches in the towns of New Ipswich, Mason and Milford in the state of New Hampshire. and Chelms- ford, Harvard and Littleton, in Massachusetts, were rep- resented in this council by a pastor and delegate. The fourth resolution adopted by this council was the follow- ing :-
"4. Resolved that we humbly trust that we have the approbation of the great Head of the church in acknowl- edging Brethren and Sisters, Asa Baldwin, Joseph Walker. Solomon Stevens, Joseph Simonds, Levi Ball, Susanna Holt. Chloe Ball, Elizabeth Stevens, Unity Manning.
12.
BAPTISTS AND UNIVERSALISTS.
Lucy Ball, Chloe Stevens, Almira Stevens, and their as- sociates, The First Baptist Church of Christ in Townsend. and under this impression. we cheerfully fellowship them as such."
On the same day Levi Ball was chosen deacon of this church, and regularly ordained by the council. The ministers, who constituted this council, were Rev. Joseph Elliott, of New Ipswich, Rev. Bela Wilcox, of Mason. Rev. Samuel Everett, of Milford, New Hampshire. Rev. John Parkhurst, of Chelmsford, Rev. Abisha Sampson, of Harvard, and Rev. Amasa Sanderson, of Littleton. Mr. Sampson, was moderator, and Mr. Sanderson, scribe.
These ministers in particular were invited to partici- pate in this council because most of the persons who asked for the inauguration of this new church were members of the churches in their several towns.
The business of the council being completed. "Voted to adjourn to the congregational church, at 2 o'clock, for services." At that time and place. Levi Ball was ordained deacon of this church, by the reverend gentlemen of the council, with considerable "pomp and ceremony," each and all of these ministers taking some part in the services.
It is certain that no better man than Mr. Ball could have been chosen and ordained to till this office. The ancestors of Mr. Ball came from Wiltshire, England. He was the grandson of Ebenezer Ball, who was the second child born (1729) in Townsend. He was an industrious, enterprising man. and greatly interested in the success of the baptist church and society. He died in 1849.
There were two or three families in Townsend. of the baptist faith, about the commencement of the present century. These people were obliged, by law, to pay a
17
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
regular tax for the support of the town's minister, besides being under a moral obligation to contribute towards baptist preaching in the towns from whence they came.
At the annual town meeting, in March, 1805, the year after the present old meeting-house at the Centre was built, this article was in the town warrant :-
"Article 7th. To see if the town will consider the baptists, in regard to their paying taxes towards the meeting-house and levelling the common."
On this article, "Voted to abate Joseph Walker's poll tax in a tax called the glass tax, and one-half of his poll tax in a town tax of nine hundred dollars in Seth Lewis' tax list."
The town also "considered the baptists" inasmuch as to grant them the use of the meeting-house a certain number of sabbaths during the year, for quite a number of consecutive years. Usually their meetings were (previous to 1834) held in what was the battery school-house, where they had services part of the time, but not constant preaching.
The church record for May 20th, 1833, shows the following : "Chose REV. CALEB BROWN our pastor." This gentleman labored until the summer of 1835. The baptist meeting-house having been dedicated during the early part of the previous winter, and the church being increased some in numbers, so that the surroundings and circumstances began to be more favorable to this denomina- tion. an effort was made to secure the services of some one distinguished in the baptist denomination, for their pastor.
In June of this year the church gave REV. JAMES BARNABY, pastor of the second baptist church in Lowell,
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an invitation to settle with them at the annual salary of five hundred dollars. There is nothing in the church records concerning his installation here, but the time of his coming is recorded: "Sept. 28. 1835, Mr. Barnaby removed among us and entered on his labors." A large number comparatively attended the meetings during Mr. Barnaby's pastorate, but there was no special revival. In 1836, the church contained thirty-seven members. Mr. Barnaby at that time, was of prepossessing appearance and pleasing address. After the short pastorate of about two years, for certain reasons he asked his dismission, which was rather reluctantly granted, both pastor and church being much attached to each other. He was dismissed October 8, 1837, when he removed to Harwich, where he was installed over the oldest baptist church in that part of the state. Since that time he has been settled at Deerfield, New Hampshire, where he occupied a parsonage, the buildings of which were burned. together with nearly all of his per- sonal property. He has also had a pastorate in five or six other places. He was born at Freetown, June 25th, 1787 : graduated at Brown University, 1809, died December 10th. 1877, at Harwich, leaving a widow six months his senior, with whom he lived sixty-seven years, each of which was devoted to the Master's service. He was an earnest, suc- cessful pastor at every place where he labored, and during the latter part of his life, from the deference paid to him by all denominations he was called, the "Bishop of the Cape." A notice of him at his death says : "He baptized about two thousand eight hundred persons, four hundred of whom he received into the fellowship of this church ;" meaning the baptist church, at Harwich, of which he was pastor at the time of his death.
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
REV. OREN TRACY, was the next minister. He came from Newport, New Hampshire, to this town, and com- menced his labors February 3. 1838. There was a very pleasant intercourse between Mr. Tracy and this church and people. A baptist church in Fitchburg, being favor- ably impressed by Mr. Tracy, gave him a call with an offer of a larger salary, when "his duty" pointing in that direction, he asked his dismission in January, 1841, and soon departed to that place.
In the spring of 1841, the church gave a call to REV. CHARLES W. REDING, who was regularly installed soon after. He remained till July, 1844. when the society "Voted that the pastoral connection between Rev. Mr. Reding and this church and society be dissolved." He was a polished man.
REV. W. C. RICHARDS, was the successor of Mr. Reding. He was the pastor for two or three years, when the services of REV. CALEB BLOOD were secured for about two years. He was grandson of his namesake, who was a distinguished man in the baptist denomination.
REV. F. G. BROWN commenced preaching for the baptists in 1850. REV. LESTER WILLIAMS, REV. E. A. BATTELL and REV. F. G. BROWN supplied the pulpit. each one about an equal length of time, from 1850 to 1860. Mr. Williams, although a young man, was a capable. earnest preacher, and gave perfect satisfaction.
REV. GEORGE W. RYAN entered upon the labors of pastor of this church in 1860, and continued about three years. Mr. Ryan took considerable interest in education,
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and served on the school committee, in which office he was well received. The baptist pulpit has been supplied at different times by the theological students at Newton. for months at a time.
REV. WILLARD P. UPHAM was pastor from 1867 to 1872, or about six years. He was for a long time associ- ated with the Cherokee Indians as missionary and teacher, and afterwards, as pastor of the church connected with that intelligent tribe. He had considerable experience also at other places at the west. His pastorate was the longest of any person in the ministry who has labored with the baptists. Mr. Upham was an acceptable pastor. a diligent student, and a social gentleman. He was an invalid for sometime after leaving this town. He died in 1877.
REV. OREN K. HUNT, a graduate of Newton Theo- logical Seminary, was installed pastor of this church in June, 1874, and he remained until the spring of 1877. when he was followed by REV. WILLIAM R. THOMPSON, who is the present pastor.
In looking over the large number of pastors which this church has had during the half of a century of its existence, the question naturally arises, why has it had so many? No difficulties have ever disturbed this church by having Kallocks or Beechers for pastors. There always has been extreme unanimity among the church members. its friends and patrons, still the pastorates of its ministers average less than three years, which certainly is at vari- ance with the customs of the fathers, who took their minis- ters, like their wives, "during life." If a clergyman has
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integrity of character, piety, learning, and scope of intel- lect sufficient to make himself acceptable to any church for three years, why cannot he continue to do so for five times three years ?
The records of the baptist church are so meagre and incomplete, that it is impossible to give as many facts and dates as are desirable. From the time of its formation to the present, it has annually been in receipt of pecuni- ary aid from the same society, which, in 1827. placed Mr. Dean in the missionary field.
The Universalist Restoration Society, at West Town- send, was organized March 4th, 1848. The first disciples of Murray, at this village, however, had enjoyed meetings for nearly ten years, previous to that time. During the year 1839. REV. JOHN PIERCE, a native of Lunenburg. was invited to preach to this society. This youthful min- ister supplied the pulpit here on alternate sabbaths for more than a year. He was a ready. extemporaneous speaker, agreeable in his person. and rather attractive in his manner of address. He died the next year, of con- sumption, much lamented by his friends and the denomi- nation with which he was connected.
At the time this society was organized, it was "Voted to take measures to build a meeting-house," and chose a "committee of eleven to carry the same into effect." Chose Zimri Sherwin. Stephen Dyer. Benjamin Barrett, Levi Sherwin. William Nichols, Albert Howe, Joel Kendall. Ebenezer Rawson, Luke Wellington, Andrews Howe and John Whitcomb for said committee.
At an adjourned meeting "Voted that the building committee issue one hundred and twenty shares, at twenty- five dollars a share, for building a meeting house." the
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committee to hold those shares in their hands as security for their payment. It was intended that the money that accrued from the sale of the pews should, in the end, pay for a large portion of the expense of building the meeting- house. This house was finished in 1848.
After the church building was completed, it was ascertained that there were about forty regular paying fam- ilies of this society (a part of which number belonged to Ashby), so that it was a comparatively easy matter to raise the $400 for a minister's salary. Of these forty fami- lies, only a few are now among the people here, and many are not to be found among the living.
This meeting-house was built by Mr. Levi Sherwin. and it was dedicated January 25, 1849. Rev. Stillman Clark, of East Jaffrey, New Hampshire, preached an ap- propriate sermon, which was well received by a full house.
There never was a universalist church, which wor- shipped in this building, but in its stead "The Universalist Restoration Society." The REV. STILLMAN CLARK Was the first pastor of this society. He was here at first, about a year, when REV. VARNUM LINCOLN succeeded him for about two years, when Mr. Clark returned and supplied the pulpit for a year or more. Both of these pastors were acceptable preachers, and both of them were honored by the town with seats on the board of school committee.
In 1853, this society employed a man by the name of R. J. CHAPMAN, who remained here for nearly two years, before the wolf in sheep's clothing was discovered.
In June, 1855, REV. C. C. CLARK was settled as pastor over this restorationist society. This engagement continued
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four years. After being absent in Pennsylvania until 1863, he returned to West Townsend, and again preached for the same society, about two years and a half, when the connection closed by mutual consent. During all this time. to the present (1877), Mr. Clark has kept his home in West Townsend, where he now resides with his com- panion. who has been a faithfu help-meet through all the trials and struggles of a ministry of thirty-five years.
Since the close of Mr. Clark's pastorate, there has been no preaching for the universalist society, except at two or three different times during the holidays: yet the people who constituted this society, who are still among the living. consider that their is much more liberality among other denominations, than there was twenty-eight years ago, when the Universalist Restoration Society. in West Townsend, was founded.
CHAPTER V.
MEETING-HOUSES.
The First Meeting-house and its Location-". Pew Ground " -.. Seating the Meeting-house "-Controversy about the Location of the Second Meeting-house-Memoirs of John Hale. Oliver Prescott and John Dunsmoor, the Committee Chosen to Locate this Honse -Names of the Pew Holders in the Second Meeting-house- Action of the Town in Regard to Moving the Second Meeting- house to its Present Location at the Central Village-The First Bell in Town-The Congregational Meeting-house-The Baptist Meeting-house.
It has been heretofore mentioned, that the settlers did not strictly conform to the terms of the grant of 1719, in several particulars. The "convenient house for the Wor- ship of God" was not built either at Turkey Hills (Lunen- burg), or at The North Town, until nearly ten years after these two towns were granted. The condition was that meeting-houses should be built within four years from the date of the grant.
In September, 1728, the town of Lunenburg voted to raise the sum of £200 ($88.88) for building and finish- ing a meeting-house, "so far as it will do or answer there- for." In 1731, a pulpit and "a body of seets" were built in this house, which was forty-five feet long and thirty-five feet wide.
18
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
The Townsend records of this period are lost, but from this account of the transactions in Lunenburg, it may be inferred that our house of worship was of similar size and value. It was a mere shell. The amount, £15, which the proprietors voted to raise, to " ease the hard bargain" of the contractors, when reduced to federal money, is only about $3.90, from which fact it may be inferred that the meeting-house in Townsend could not have been very expensive. Money was quite scarce at that time, and most business was transacted by barter trades.
As has been shown by Samuel Danforth's report to the Great and General Court, our meeting-house was erected before 1730, so that both of these towns erected houses of worship at about the same time.
The first meeting-house in Townsend was located on the summit of the hill, about a mile easterly of the com- mon at the centre of the town, on the west side of the road leading over the hill, in the extreme northeast corner of land, now enclosed at that part, by stone walls, with the parsonage left by Lieut. Amos Whitney. A portion of the land that was the town's common when this house was built, is now enclosed with the parsonage farm at that corner, and some of the coarser stones of the foundation of this house, may now be seen in the walls at that place.
It is a singular circumstance, that there never were more than two or three frame houses on this hill, near the spot which the town had selected for its religious and municipal centre.
The prospect. from this stand-point, is exceedingly beautiful and picturesque. Large portions of the towns of Lunenburg and Groton at the south and southeast, with the steeples, landscapes and white farm-houses of these old
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towns ; together with the hills and mountain slopes, at the west and northwest, dotted over with dwellings, fields and forests, all present a charming panorama. This location must have had peculiar attractions for our ancestors, as this house of worship was placed more than two miles from the centre of the town as it was incorporated.
A pulpit and some body seats were made in this house soon after the church was gathered. In February, 1735, the "pew ground" was laid out, and the committee ap- pointed to do this work "Being again meet together prefered men to their pitches as followeth."
Then follow the names of the most prominent men of the town, "Capt. John Stevens" being the first name recorded. The following extract from the record will sufficiently explain the language above quoted :-
"Voted that the rule that the committee chosen to lay out the pew ground in the meeting-house in Townshend shall be as follows (viz) that they shall prefer those per- sons in said town to their choice of pew ground, that have paid the most towards the preaching of the Gospel, in said town, and towards building the meeting-house."
For about half a century after the town was chartered. a committee was chosen, at each annual town meeting, in March, to seat the meeting-house, sometimes called "dignifying the meeting-house." Two rows of long, plain benches, with an aisle in the centre leading from the pulpit to the front of the house, and passage ways around the walls of the building. constituted the seating accommoda- tions of the ground floor of the first meeting-house.
The seats nearest to the minister were considered the most eligible. The "committee chosen to lay out the pew
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
ground" at that time was the committee chosen to seat the meeting-house. Several times, the town instructed their committee in the manner the house was to be seated.
Persons who paid the most towards preaching were allowed "the uppermost seats in the synagogue." The selectmen, deacons of the church, and other officers of acknowledged rank, generally had the first seats. A town in this vicinity "Voted that the committee be instructed to seat the meeting-house according to quality."
From this it may be inferred that even in the days of the puritans, there was an aristocracy; for this word "quality" signified nothing else except the degree of wealth and good clothes which these worshippers possessed. So far as the apparel was concerned, this was a good rule according to the maxim, "cleanliness is next to Godliness."
The custom of leaving the meeting-house in those days, and long afterwards, was quite commendable. After the benediction, the minister would walk out of the house. gracefully bowing to the people on both sides of the aisle. hat in hand, all remaining standing ; then the deacons would follow their pastor, and after they had passed nearly out the congregation would quietly leave without any noise or confusion. It is said that this practice had its origin from the fact that the people regarded it as a matter of disrespect to turn their backs upon the clergy. However this might have been, the exits of these congregations would strike any orderly person much more favorably, than the present careless and jostling manner in which our churches are vacated at the close of service.
The following extracts from the town records will show that this house was rude in the extreme, and never finished. A building of this kind would not well comport
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with our ideas of a church edifice; but considering that this was the first building in town that was covered with sawed lumber, all of which was brought from Groton, and the scanty means and small number of inhabitants the town contained one hundred and forty-six years ago. it may be fairly supposed, that this house was the result of an extraordinary effort.
In May, 1751, "Secondly, voted to finish two seats round in the gallery and place two pillars under the gallery sills. Thirdly, voted to choose a committee of three men to finish the same."
In 1753, "Voted to sell the pew ground in the southeast corner of the meeting-house at a vandue ; the same being sold to John Stevens Jun". : he being the highest bidder. for twenty pounds old tenor."
In 1759, or about thirty years after the house was built, "Voted to grant the ground where the platform is now laid in the front gallery of the meeting-house, to Jonathan Patt and others to build a pew on, provided they build the same and seal up the four side of the meeting- house between the stairs up to the plait by the first of September next."
In 1763, a window was made back of the pulpit, and at the same town meeting which ordered the window. "Voted to give Capt. Daniel Taylor and Lieut. Emery £6 13s. 4d. to lath and plaster and whitewash the meeting- house overhead." Rescinded this vote in 1769.
In 1768, "Voted to give liberty to William Stevens and others petitioners with him to build a pew in the meeting- house over the mens stairs."
The men occupied the west gallery and the women the east, hence "the mens stairs." It thus appears that
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
this first meeting-house was never finished. There was no ceiling or plastering overhead, and but little of either kind of finish on the inner walls. At this time the house needed considerable repairs and was too small to accom- modate the congregation that went to hear the sound of the gospel as proclaimed by Rev. Mr. Dix, so that in May, 1769, the town "Voted to build a new meeting-house within thirty feet north of the old one if that will accom- modate better."
Previous to the time that it was found necessary to build a new meeting-house, there was complete unanimity among the people of Townsend. The combativeness of its citizens had nearly spent itself, in the controversy with Dunstable about the dividing line, but at this period con- siderable feeling, among themselves, was manifested in regard to the location of the new meeting-house. The south part of the town wanted the house to be located on the southerly side of the hill, near the parsonage, while the north part were anxious to have it at the north side of the hill, near the burying ground ; others thought that the new house should be located where the old one stood.
From May to October, 1769, the merits of these two chosen places were discussed quite freely and with consid- erable excitement. There was about an equal number on each side, and finding it almost impossible to agree upon a site upon which to build their meeting-house, it was decided to refer the matter to three disinterested men, and their decision was to be final and binding in every particu- lar.
October 12. 1769. "Voted to choose a committee of three men to state the place where a new meeting-house shall be ; whether at or near where the old meeting-house
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now stands or at either of the places that shall be ap- pointed by the north or south part of inhabitants of said town, on said meeting house hill. Chosen for said com- mittee John Heald Esq. of Hollis, Doctor Prescott of Groton and Doctor Densmore of Lunenburg."
This meeting adjourned till October 31st, when the committee of doctors, who healed this fracture, appeared and submitted the following report, which was accepted and adopted :-
"The subscribers, a committee appointed by the inhabi- tants of the Town of Townshend at a legal town meeting holden October 12, 1769 for the purpose within mentioned. have this day attended upon the business, and having fully heard all parties concerned, and duly considered of the affair, are of the opinion that it will be most ornamental for the Town, and most convenient for the inhabitants thereof, to set the front sill of the new meeting house, sixteen feet from the back sill of the old meeting house, or thereabouts, which we submit to said town for their ac- ceptance.
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