USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Winchendon > History of the town of Winchendon (Worcester County, Mass.) from the grant of Ipswich Canada, in 1735, to the present time > Part 15
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The following were fixed as the " Conditions of Sale."
" Each person who bids off a pew must give security for the sum the pew sells for, with sufficient bondsmen ; two shillings and six pence on the pound to be paid in cash on or before the first of November, 1791 ; the remainder to be paid in materials or in pay of the workmen, provided the materials are procured and delivered agreeable to the vote of the town; the securityto be given immediately upon the sale ; or fifteen shillings paid down in cash, or a note on demand as earnest, and the securities to be given on a day the com- mittee shall appoint for the remainder. The above conditions was accepted by the town."
" Voted and accepted of the form of the note the committee laid before the town-the purchasers of pews have signed-which form is as follows :
WINCHENDON, November first, 1790.
For value received, we, the subscribers, jointly and severally promise the inhabitants of the town of Winchendon, to pay them - pounds in materi- als for building a meeting-house, or in pay of the workmen to be on demand after ten months from the date hereof. Witness our hands."
On the 29th of November, a meeting was held, when the town "voted and accepted the conditions of sale the committee has draughted for the materials." They also appointed Dea. Moses Hale for the " ven- due master," and voted that the " posts of said meeting-house be 28 feet in length; and that there be 40 squares of glass in each window." On the 20th of December, it was voted "to have banisters in the pews," and that " the committee shall procure the glass."
On the 9th of May, 1791, the town accepted and approved the sale of the pews made in the preceding November. At a meeting, Novem- ber 7, the town voted " to agree with some person or persons to make provision for the raisers to raise the meeting-house," and granted £30 to pay the expense. Then voted "that the committee for building the house let out to the lowest bidder the provision for the raising the new meeting-house."
LOCATION OF THE HOUSE.
The town now encountered a difficulty which caused great division and heart-burning. The question of location had been settled once,. but a large party were dissatisfied, and made strenuous opposition. Those who lived south of the old spot were unwilling to place the new house very far north of the old site, while those living north contended
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HISTORY OF WINCHESDON.
for a spot nearer the northern end of the Common. The contest broke out at a meeting on the 21st of November, 1791, when it was
" Voted to re-consider a vote passed in a former meeting, November 1, 1790, which was to set the south side of the new meeting-house 30 feet north of the north side of the old meeting-house. Yeas, 47 ; nays, 25.
Voted to choose a committee of seven persons to pitch upon a spor co se: the meeting-house upon, and report at the adjournment of this meeting.
Voted and chose Abel Wilder. Esq., Dea. Samuel Prentice, Doct. Ziba Hall, Lieut. John Burr, Mr. Thomas Graton, Mr. James Steel, and Samuel Crosby, Esq., for the above committee."
Dea. Hale, indignant at this vote, resigned being moderator. and Dea. Samuel Prentice was chosen moderator in his stead. The meet- ing was adjourned to Thursday, when the town then met, and " voted and accepted of the report of the committee," which is as follows. viz :
" WINCHESDON, NOV. 24. 1.91.
The committee appointed on the 21 of this instant, to view and report the most convenient spot to build a meeting-house upon, have attended chat ser- vice, and a majority of that committee agree that the meeting-bouse be set one hundred and twenty feet south of Luther Stimson's" house, and thirty- one feet east of the stone wall by Mr. Brown's garden.
By order of the committee,
ABEL WILDER, Chairman."
On the 26th of December. the town met again, and voted " to choose a committee of six persons to review and pitch upon a spor to set the new meeting-house, and report at the adjournment of this meeting." The following are the names of the committee. viz : Abel Wilder, Esq .. Dea. Moses Hale, Samuel Crosby, Esq., Mr. William Whitney, Ben- jamin Hall, Esq., and Dea. Samuel Prentice.
After several unimportant meetings, the town met according to ad- journment, on the third of May, 1792, and voted to adjourn the meet- ing for half an hour for the purpose of viewing the northerly part of the Common, in order to see if the town could agree, unanimously. upon a spot of ground to set the new meeting-house upon. After taking a view. the town met again ; and after some debate, it was tried by a vote to see if the town would re-consider the vote passed at a former meeting respecting placing the meeting-house in the northeriy part of
*Stimson's house was at the north end.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
the Common. The motion failed. Then it was voted that the select- men should purchase a " barrel of West India rum, and a quantity of sugar sufficient to make it into toddy, and that it be expended partly upon the men that assist the day preceding the day set for raising the meeting-house, in laying the timber in order for raising; and the remaining part upon the people that attend as spectators at the raising, and that the selectmen see that it is properly dealt out." A vote was then passed to allow Ensign David Rice a " sum of money over and above what he was heretofore agreed with to provide for those persons who raise the meeting-house ; the sum to be determined by the rise of West India articles since said Rice agreed to make provision for the raising."
It was then voted that the committee " for building said house, shall not receive any stuff for said house of those persons who agreed to pro- cure it, after the 20th day of May current, and that the committee purchase seasoned stuff after that time in the best manner they can, if any is wanted."
At an adjourned meeting held on the 7th of May, the contest re- specting the location of the house was renewed, and after some debate, it was put " to see if the town would agree to set the meeting-house three rods southerly from the place lately agreed upon to build said house." The town voted to re-consider their vote for placing the house one hundred and twenty feet from the north side of the Com- mon, and then voted to set the north side of the house one hundred and seventy feet from the north line of the Common ; and " that the east end of said house should stand nearly on a ridge that was made by the east side of the field." The following citations give signs of returning harmony.
"May 31. The town met according to adjournment, and voted to choose a committee of three persons to use their endeavors to settle matters of diffi- culty respecting the meeting-house. Messrs. Thomas Graton, Amos Hey -. wood, and James Steel were chosen for said purpose. Then the meeting was adjourned for one hour. The town met according to adjournment, and the committee reported verbally that proposals were made for accommodation."
The meeting adjourned to June 15, but the house was raised before that date, as appears by the following.
June 15th. The town met according to adjournment, and after some de-
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HISTORY OF WISCHESDOS.
bate, voted that the committee for building the meeting-house purchase such articles as are necessary to finish said house. in the best way and manner they can, and go on with the work as soon as may be with convenience. Then voted that the time for bringing in materials for finishing said house, except clear boards for inside work not seasoned, be lengthened out until the twenty-dna of June current ; boards for lathing to be received until July tenth, of those persons who agreed to find materials.
The town voted that the committee have leave to alter the plan of che pal- pit stairs as they shall think will be best ; and that Ensign David Rice be allowed for entertaining eleven men on the day the meeting house was raised over and above the 100 men he agreed to provide for, and that be be allowed in the same proportion for the eleven men as for the one hundred ; and also that he be allowed 16s, &d, for what he found for those persons who belonged out of town, and assisted the second day in raising the roof of the meeting house."
The following citations show the progress of the work, and the an- cient way of dong things.
" September 5. The town met according to adjournment, and granted the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds in addition to the money raised by the sale of pew ground, to defray the charge of building the meeting house in said town. Adjourned to October 24th, and then to the 29th, when it was vored that the £150 granted the fifth day of September last, be paid into the treas- ury on or before the first day of January next. Adjourned to the first Mon- day in September," when the town mes and made choice of Lieut. John Burr a committee-man for finishing the meeting-house in the room of the Hon. Abei Wilder," deceased." Dec. 17, .. Met according to adjournment, and voted that the Treasurer be directed to receive the meeting-bouse committee orders to the amount of £150. Then voted to sell the refuse boards, stone drags. old casks &e., that belong to the town that were left at the new meeting-house at public vendue. Then voted that the first day of January, 1793, be the day to dedicate the new meeting-house. Then voted that the three deacona. Hale, Prentice and Moor, be a committee to inform the Rev. Joseph Brown [of] the proceedings of the town respecting dismissing the old meeting-house and dedicating the new one. Adjourned to the last day of the year, at 12 o'clock. on the spot of ground where the old meeting-house stood, and ad- journed the meeting into Mr. MeElwain's east room, and then moet there and adjourned for half an hour-for the purpose of viewing the new meeting-bonse. -Then met again and voted to accept the new meeting-house.
"His decease occurred on the first day of November.
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
Then, at the request of various parties, certain pews were transferred. Then voted that two pews in the gallery that were struck off to Dea. Moses Hale, viz : No. 17 and No. 8, be transferred to Lieut. John Burr; and that there- upon all matters of difficulty heretofore subsisting between the town and said Hale, and any individuals in the town concerning the new meeting-house, shall subside, upon condition that the persons who have purchased pews in said house, pay for the same in a reasonable time.
Then voted that the singers have the whole of the front gallery on the day set for the dedication of said house, and after that to have one-half the front gallery-both men's and women's seats-next the alley, taking half of each seat until the further order of the town."
Going back a little in date, we will finish up the business of dispos- ing of the old meeting-house, and wharfing the new one. In 1792, September 5, the town voted to build a wall and wharf round the new meeting-house, by a tax. A grant of one hundred pounds was made to defray the charge thereof, which was to be worked out at the follow- ing rates, viz : " 4d. an hour for man's labor, 2 1-2d. an hour for a yoke of oxen ; 11-2d. per hour for a cart ; 41-2d. an hour for a plow that will hold ten oxen." It was voted at the same time, to purchase " four stone drags, so called, for the use of the town." On the 24th of Sep- tember, a committee was raised, and then a vote was passed, " that the aforesaid committee may plow the highest part of the Common, and dig stone thereon as they think proper, and that they may take away as much of the underpinning of the old meeting-house as they can and not injure the house ; the work to be begun on the 8th day, and finished on the 27th day of October." October 29, it was voted to sell the old meeting-house, at public vendue, in lots. On the 2d of November it was voted " that those persons who purchase the old meeting-house, may take it down as soon as the new one is fit to meet in ;" and the committee were authorized to sell it for what any one would give, at · private sale.
At a meeting held on the 17th of December, it was voted to " give the Rev. Joseph Brown the pulpit, the ministerial pew, the pulpit stairs, the deacons seat and the canopy." The committee for report- ing the conditions of sale of the old meeting-house,-viz: Dea. Sam- uel Prentice, Mr. Thomas Graton and Lieut. Joseph Boynton,-were empowered to sell the same ; Dea. Moses Hale to be vendue master, and " the vendue to begin at one quarter of an hour past one o'clock,
First Congregational Church. 1792.
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HISTORY OF VOSCHINOIS.
this afternoon." After the sale, the meeting vijourmed to December 24, when at 2 o'clock it met in Mr. Me Etwain's enst room, ami moved " that the whole of the proceeds of the sale of the wid meeting-bonse. together with the refuse sruf of the new meeting-bonse, and al the ma- terial belonging to the town that was sold at gable redine, be ators- priated to the payment of the cost of building the new needing-bose. - It was then voted to " sel the surface of the earth moder che tid ing-house to the highest bidder, the parchaser to take away such a tity as he pleased at any time before the first day of May Dext." T was sold to James Me Eiwsin " for 9 shillings." and be doubtless lected all the saltoetre from ir chas his metbois allowed. Aljemed to the last day of 1792, when the - wild meeting-house meeting was dissolved.
A brief extract from the papers of Dr. White, Z. close the account of the locating and dedicating the new " The whole affair was an illustration of the temacity with wil will cling to a very triding interost when their feelings become aroused. On the 24th and 25th of May the frame was raised. Then, ce very soon after, one of the workmen. a Mr. French of Rioige, fell inm the roof, broke several bones, was dangerously injared, but inally reparerej. The house, thought at the time, an elegant and tasteful edifice, with no steeple. but porches at the ends, was dedicated the årst day of the next January, the Rev. Mr. Brown, the pastor, presching the dedicados ser- mon. I well remember my boyish impressions, that the painting and ornamental work of the pulpit, and of the old-fashioned appeninge to it, the ornopy, over the head of the minister, could not fall mach short of the glory of Solomon's Tempie." The author well remembers the interior of that ancient house as it appeared to his half-bewildered eres. on the first Sabbath of May, 1543, when he walked as the milli ansie. and cork-screwed his way up the pulpit stairs. Nothing but the siem- nity of the occasion could have repressed the smile that such amobiteo- ture, painting and ornamentation was fitted to excite !
The house was now erected and dedicated. It was a wel -huile base. made of the best materials, and large enough to seat shout six hundred people, old and young. A few items of business more wil com; lote the record. They are as follows :
1798, March 6. " Food and directed the meeting bouse committee ao per-
11
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
chase hooks and staples to hook down all the meeting-house windows that have weights to them. Also directed the said committee to line the inside of the ban- isters [balusters] of the pulpit with boards and paint the outside green." Ad- journed to the first Monday in April, and then Voted " that the committee for building the meeting-house, be requested to lay before the town at the May meeting, a statement of the sums they have received by the sale of the pews ; also by a sum raised by the sale of the old meeting-house and ground under said old house ; and also by the sale of all the refuse stuff which was left of the new meeting-house ; and also by way of a tax, and any other way by which they have received money. And also that said committee be requested to lay be- fore the town a statement of what has been expended in the building of said house."
" After several meetings and adjournments, the town met on the 6th of Jan- uary, 1794, and directed the meeting-house committee to mend or make the gallery doors according to their direction."
The meeting was then adjourned to March 3; then to April 7 ; then to May 5; then to May 28, when Mr. Amos Heywood was chosen Moderator " pro- temporary ;" then to September 3, when it was voted that the Selectmen give the meeting-house committee orders to draw nine pounds out of the town treas- ury, to enable them to make a final settlement with the town, they to be ac- countable to the town for the same at their settlement. Then adjourned to No- vember 3, and then to November 21, 1794, when the town voted and dis- solved the " meeting-house meeting."
At a meeting of the town on the 21st of November, 1794, " called in part, for the purpose of settling with the meeting-house committee, Voted and ac- cepted of the meeting-house committee account, which is as follows :
COMMITTEE'S ACCOUNT.
" Cost of the Meeting House, £889, 10s., 9d.
Committee Service,
£57, 14s., 6d .- £947, 5s., 3d.
Received of pew money, £766, 4.0.
Old Meeting House, £28, 2,1.
Refuse Stuff, £4, 10,7.
Tax, £150, 0, 0 .- £948, 16, 8.
The above account is the report of the committee appointed to build the meeting-house.
THOS. GRATON, 2 Committee for build- BENJAMIN HALL, ing said house."
SAMUEL PRENTICE, Moderator.
A true copy, Attest,
MOSES HALE, Town Clerk."
To this account may properly be appended the following item from the Records, showing as it does the idiosyncrasy of an individual, and
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HISTORY OF WINCHESDOS.
proving the general unison of religious sentiment in the town up to this time. "Jeremiah Stuart's part of the tax for building a meeting-house was abated." He claimed to be a Quaker.
SECTION 5 .- THE MINISTER'S SALARY .- DEVOTIONAL MUSIC.
A few incidents claim insertion here before we come to the great con- test which resulted in the dismission of the minister. the Rev. Mr. Brown.
In 1794, it was voted in town meeting, " to make an addition of thir- teen pounds, six shillings and eight pence to the Rev. Mr. Joseph Brown's salary yearly so long as he carries on the work of the gospel ministry in this church and congregation."
There was a natural desire for a new and better collection of devotion- al poetry, to be used in public worship. The matter was brought up in a meeting held on the 3d of September; but it was passed over. But on the 21st of November, the subject came up again, when it was " voted to desire the church to introduce Dr. Watts' version of the Psalms and Hymns, to be sung in the congregation."
In 1796, May 5. " Voted to have a bass-viol used in the meeting- house on Sundays, in aid to the performance of music in the time of divine service."
These last two votes denoted a revolution in the public taste. The old Hymns were forced to give way to the more elegant and poetic verse of the sainted Watts, and the pitch-pipe was superseded by viols where an organ could not be obtained. Each change cost a struggle, and left hard feelings in the breasts of many. The violent agitation in regard to the location of the new meeting-house, the excitement attendant up- on the introduction of the new Psalm and Hymn Book, and the bass- viol, followed by the long and bitter contention which led to the dismis- sal of Mr. Brown, doubtless alienated many, some of whom thereafter neglected public worship, while others were prepared to enter into new religious societies which, in a few years, came into existence.
SECTION 6 .- THE TOWN'S QUARREL WITH MR. BROWN.
According to Dr. Whiton, dissatisfaction with Mr. Brown began to be felt and expressed in the year 1796, though nothing in relation to the matter is found on the Records prior to 1798. In the words of the Dr. : " prior to 1796, the connection of Mr. Brown with the people as town's minister, had been attended with peace and harmony. At this
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDOK.
time some dissatisfaction arose, increased, and led to a mutual Eccle- siastical Council in October, composed of the churches in Lexington, Sudbury, Lunenburg, Berlin, and the first church in Worcester, before which body his opponents proposed some charges against him ; not how- ever with an expectation of effecting his dismission, but of obtaining some concessions. Acquitting Mr. Brown of any serious delinquency, the Council yet declared him open in some instances to the imputation of imprudence ; but advised the parties to conciliation ; and the result was accepted by both parties."
" The calm that succeeded," says Dr. Whiton, " was of short dura- tion ; busy tongues were not easily restrained ; the parties did not cease from talking over past difficulties; feelings became again chafed in 1798; indeed, from the beginning of 1797 to 1800, the controversy between Mr. Brown and his people, formed the chief topic of conver- sation in all Winchendon circles. A majority of the town became ar- rayed against the minister, while a small majority of the church de- clared themselves in his favor." The causes of dissatisfaction are most- ly obscured or lost in the lapse of time. The alleged causes were main- ly such as grow out of a hasty temper and imprudent speech. Per- haps there was some feeling that the minister was not thoroughly sound in doctrine, as it is said by aged persons that he belonged to the class of Congregational ministers who were termed Arminian in those days. Tradition moreover gives a more romantic version of the story. It is said that a prominent actor in the scenes, had been at one time atten- tive to a daughter of the minister ; but that finding one possessed of greater charms, in his estimation, in the person of a daughter of a lead- ing member of the parish, he deserted the one for the other. This is the egg, according to the traditional gossip of old times, which in after years, was hatched, and became the source of alienation, and finally in- volved the whole town in a violent quarrel. It is the old story of "spre- tæ injuria formæ," and is so natural that it may possibly contain some grains of fact.
But whatever was the occasion or cause of the difficulty, it went for- ward to ite results with unabated violence. The first entry on the Rec- ords, bearing on the subject, is found under date of June 27, 1798, when we find an article in the warrant, in the words following : "to see if the town will grant any sum of money, to defray the cost, or any part thereof, that may arise in consequence of any proper and suitable
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HISTORY OF WINCHENDON.
measures that may be taken in order to bring about a settlement of the unhappy difficulties which are subsisting among us." We have no record of what was done by the parties during the ensuing nine months, but in March, 1799, at the annual meeting on the 4th of the month, the " sense of the town" was taken on the following article in the warrant : " wheth- er in their opinion, the Reverend Joseph Brown's usefulness as a teach- er of piety, religion and morality, be at an end in this place or not ?" by polling the house, and sixty-four voted, that in their opinion, the Rev. Joseph Brown's usefulness in this place was at an end, and forty voted on the contrary side. "Then the town voted to choose a commit- tee of five persons to wait on the Rev. Joseph Brown, and inform him of the vote, and confer with him on the subject; and Doctor Israel Whiton, Deacon Samuel Prentice, Mr. Ezra Hyde, Capt. David Rice, and Mr. John Perley, were chosen."
We have no report from this committee of their interview with Mr. Brown; but that it was not satisfactory to them or the town, may be inferred from the following action relative to the subject in hand. At a meeting held on the 1st of April, 1799, there was an article in the warrant as follows :
" To see if the town will vote for the dismission of the Rev. Joseph Brown from the work of the gospel ministry in this place from this time henceforth, for- ever. Upon a decision, by polling, 48 voted for the dismission of the Rev. Joseph Brown, and thirty-four on the contrary side. Chose a committee of the town to aet in concert with the church respecting the dismission of Mr. Brown." On the 6th of May the town voted the usual salary to the minister, and then voted that they " would not hire the Rev. Joseph Brown any longer after the 18th day of March next as their minister." The Selectmen to furnish him with a copy of the vote. "Then the mind of the town was taken upon an article expressed as follows, namely, to see if the town will express their minds with regard to joining with the church in requesting a council consisting of neigh- bour churches, to bring about a dismission of the Rev. Joseph Brown from his pastoral relation to this church and people in a regular way, and to look into his character agreeable to his wish, as expressed in a paper he sent to the town dated March 4, 1799. Then the town instructed said committee to fur- nish Mr. Brown with a copy of the vote concerning a council, which vote, af- ter being read passed in the affirmative."
The following action on the 29th of May evinces the regard which the fathers of the town had for ecclesiastical order.
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