USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > Lectures on the history of the First Church in Cambridge > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20
The first statement made by the deacons is signed by Aaron Hill, Gideon Frost, and James Munro. In the same year Deacon Hill died, after a service of eighteen years in that office, and Captain John Walton
176
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
was chosen to fill the vacancy. In a modest letter, expressing his surprise at the election, and his fear lest he could not fill the office with that propriety which it required, he confessed himself not entirely at his own disposal, and, heeding the call of duty, acceded to the wishes of the church. Deacon Walton died thirty-one years afterwards, in 1823. It.will be best to bring together here the changes in this office during this pastorate. In 1803 Deacon Frost died, after a service of twenty years, and, in 1804, Mr. William Hil- liard was chosen in his place. " The deacon-elect offered a modest excuse for declining the choice, on account of his early age ; but, after due consideration, he accepted it, and signified his acceptance by assisting at the next Communion service." The pastor adds, in a note, " He is in his twenty-sixth year ; is a son of my worthy predecessor in the ministry ; and, though re- cently admitted into our church, has been several years a member of a church in Boston, and has had frequent communion with us." He remained in office until his death in 1836, a period of thirty-two years. Deacon
Munro died in 1804, having been twenty-one years in office. In his place Mr. Josiah Moore was chosen. He filled the office for nine years, and died in 1814. His house stood upon the land now occupied by our new church. His place was not filled until 1818, when a meeting was held for that purpose. " After prayer by the pastor for the Divine direction and blessing, and the recital of the apostolical instruction and precedents on the subject, the brethren proceeded to bring in their written votes, and it appeared that the whole number of votes was ten, nine of which were for Brother James Munro. He was, accordingly, declared to be chosen a
LECTURE VII. 177
deacon of this church." The records proceed as fol- lows : " Sept. 6. After the morning sermon (Lord's Day) the pastor, having admitted four members in full communion into the church, mentioned the election of Brother James Munro to the office of Deacon, and his acceptance. The deacon-elect, signifying his accept- ance by taking his seat, this day, with the deacons, near the Communion-table, rose, on being addressed by the pastor, who briefly stated to him the duties of the office to which he was elected, exhorted him to fidelity, and announced him a deacon of this church. In the con- cluding prayer, immediately following, he was com- mended to the grace and blessing of God." Deacon Munro remained in office until his death in 1848. His term of office, therefore, like Deacon Hilliard's, extended through the difficult times which befell the church. To the character of these two men we have the testi- mony of Dr. Albro, who was the pastor at the time of their death, and who said of them, " In many respects dissimilar, they were alike in their love of the truth, in their zeal for the glory of Christ, and in their efforts and sacrifices for the welfare of the church. They were, as the Apostle says that deacons should be, honest, faithful, and good men, "not double-tongued, not greedy of filthy lucre, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience." They " used the office of dea- con well, and purchased for themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Jesus Christ."
In this connection I bring forward a few changes relating to the Communion. It had been the usage of this church to have the Lord's Supper administered once in eight weeks. This naturally produced incon- venience, because the particular days were not specified.
12
178
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
Accordingly, in 1797, at the suggestion of the pastor, the church decided to have the Communion on the first Lord's Day of every other month, beginning with Janu- ary. That arrangement remains to this day. In Sep- tember, 1818, there is this entry: "It had been the usage of the church, at the Communion service, for the members to remain in their own pews. To lessen the time and to facilitate the duties of this service, on the suggestion of the deacons, the pastor recommended it to the communicants to seat themselves in the pews on the broad aisle. These pews were, accordingly, oc- cupied at the Communion this day." In 1825 the time of the lecture preparatory to the Communion was changed to the evening ; and it was voted "that the examination of the annual accounts of the church take place at the lecture previous to the first Sunday in March." It may seem a blending of sacred and secular things, but to the church all its doings should be sacred. At the same meeting it was voted that the Sabbath service from September to March should begin at half- past two o'clock, and during the rest of the year at half- past three. In 1826 " two of the tankards and two cups were recast, and two cups altered in such a man- ner as now made seven cups of a uniform shape and size. A new silver spoon and six Britannia-ware dishes, more adapted to the use for which they are designed, were also procured."
There are three cases of church discipline recorded in this pastorate. All were for offences demanding atten- tion, and the proceedings were conducted in a kind and faithful temper. The first case was settled by the satis- factory confession of the offender, after the admonition of the pastor had brought him to penitence. The second
179
LECTURE VII.
resulted in excommunication, after persistent efforts to bring the offender to repentance and amendment. But four years afterwards, upon her contrition, and desire for forgiveness and readmission, she was restored to the fellowship and privileges of the church, and the pastor " exhorted the members to conduct toward her accord- ingly." The third instance was that of a man who had "renounced his Christian profession, . ... and proved himself to be, not merely an apostate from the Christian church, but an enemy to the Christian religion." The faithful efforts of the church to reclaim him were in- effectual, and he was excommunicated.
But let us turn to pleasant things. In 1805 a com- mittee, consisting of the pastor and two others, was appointed to consider the expediency of "procuring religious books for the use of the members of the church." The report recommended that a contribution should be made by the church for that purpose, and this was accepted. The committee was directed to prepare a list of suitable books. The report names some twenty volumes, beginning with " The Holy Bible," and including " Leslie's Short and Easy Method with Deists," "Baxter's Saint's Rest," "Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion," " Wilberforce on Chris- tianity," and kindred works. The estimated cost of the books was $13.50. The deacons were desired to solicit donations of money, or of any of the books which had been named, to begin the library. There was a generous response. The library was accordingly estab- lished, and placed under the care of the church, which was annually to choose the librarian and a standing committee. The title of Library of the First Church was agreed upon. The pastor was chosen librarian. A
180
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
catalogue was printed, embracing one hundred and nine books. An excellent work was thus begun, which it seems very desirable that the church should renew at the present time. A small expenditure in each year would establish a library which would prove of great usefulness.
This is the place to bring together a few other mat- ters of a similar character. In the summer of 1815 a Sabbath school was opened at the meeting-house, with the design of promoting " the moral and religious im- provement of children and youth." The school was taught during three summers by Miss Mary Munro and Miss Hannah Tenney. Then five other young ladies came to their assistance, and Mr. James D. Farnsworth, master of the grammar school, tendered his services for the instruction of the boys. " More than eighty chil- dren of both sexes received instruction at the Sabbath school. They were taught to read and to commit to memory select portions of the Bible, catechisms, hymns and prayers, and to answer Cummings's questions on the New Testament. Books and tracts were early provided for their use." In 1819 the pastor stated the object of the school to the congregation, "and a collection was afterward taken for purchasing small books to be dis- tributed among the children, as an encouragement for punctual attendance, correct lessons, and good be- havior." " In 1827 books and tracts were collected by subscription for a juvenile library." A board of trustees was chosen, with the pastor at the head. He was also chosen librarian. In July, 1831, seven trus- tees were elected, and Miss Mary Ann Sawyer became librarian. The trustees were authorized to make selec- tions from the library to form a Sabbath School Library
181
LECTURE VII.
for the Shepard Congregational Society. We are now carried beyond the pastorate of Dr. Holmes. But it may be added that in 1832 it was voted that "Mr. Stephen Farwell, then superintendent in the Sabbath school, be appointed and requested to deliver the books selected for the use of the Sabbath school." After- wards, in 1835, a'Sabbath School Society was formed by members of the Shepard Congregational Society, " for the purpose of promoting more effectually Sabbath- school instruction," and both of the libraries for the young were transferred to its care, and were brought together under the name of Juvenile and Shepard Sabbath School Library. We have just celebrated the fifty-seventh anniversary of our Sabbath school. While enjoying the goodly measure of prosperity which is granted us, we should gratefully remember the work done by those into whose labors we have entered.
We come now to transactions affecting the connection between the church and the University. From the beginning they had held their Sabbath services to- gether, and the relation had been in all respects an intimate one. In 1814 the Corporation and Overseers decided that it was best for the members of the Univer- sity to hold religious services by themselves. The expected benefits of this were the better opportunity to give special appropriateness to the exercises and in- structions of the sanctuary, and to bring into the Sab- bath certain discourses which had been delivered on a week day. The approved practice of other universities
encouraged the separate service. The completion of University Hall, which would contain a commodious chapel, favored the proposed change. It was designed to form a church, and to have the ordinances duly
0
182
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
administered. Members of the College government with their families, and students, graduates and under- graduates, were to be the only stated communicants. A committee, including the reverend President, was appointed to notify the minister and congregation of the First Parish of the design, and "to express the sen- timents of regard and fraternity felt by the members of the several College Boards, and the desire of Chris- tian and friendly communion between the two so- cieties." President Kirkland, as Chairman of the Committee, addressed a letter " to the pastor, the church and congregation in the First Parish in Cam- bridge," informing them of the proposed action, and describing very feelingly the pleasant associations of the past, and the sacrifice of personal feelings which was involved. "The ties of neighborhood and friend- ship, the sympathy and regard naturally produced by a communion in religious acts, the experience of edifica- tion and comfort in attendance upon your services, combine to make us wish to continue going to the house of God in company." The committee expressed the belief that the separation, though in some respects undesirable and painful, would, on being viewed in all its circumstances and bearings, receive approbation and good wishes. A conference to determine the future connection of the University and the parish was de- sired. It was also asked that such members of the University as should request dismission, in order to join the new church, should have their request granted ; and that the pastor and delegates should be present at the formation of the church within the walls of the University. The church voted " that the reasons as- signed for the proposed measure, so far as it respects
183
LECTURE VII.
this church, are entirely satisfactory ; and that the church is ready to concur in the change." Five del- egates were appointed to attend, with the pastor, at the formation of the new church, and the pastor was " requested to reciprocate the assurance of regard and fraternity so kindly expressed by the University to- wards us." The pastor replied to the communication of the President in a letter full of feeling, recalling the past, and the delightful intimacy which had been enjoyed, and which rendered the thought of a separa- tion equally solemn and affecting. This is the close of the letter : " Allowing ourselves, however, to be in- fluenced on this occasion by no other consideration than a regard to the best interests of the University, we cannot but acquiesce in a measure designed for its benefit. Our prayer to God is, that it may, in all re- spects, be of kindly and salutary influence, and par- ticularly that it may conduce to the religious interests of the University, - a seminary consecrated 'To CHRIST AND THE CHURCH.' We are grateful for your benevolent petitions for us ; and ask you to continue the prayers which you so affectionately offer for us and our children. May brotherly love continue. Short as is the distance, and small as will be the partition, between the places of our religious services, we indulge the pleasing persuasion that we shall be united in affection, and that the interchange of fraternal and Christian offices, as occasion shall invite or require, will be perpetuated. We gratefully acknowledge the regard uniformly shown us by the University, and the numerous acts and offices of kindness and fraternity we have experienced as individuals, and especially as a church and society. The remembrance of them will be
184
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
always precious to us. Brethren, farewell. 'We bless you out of the house of the Lord.'" " The covenant subscribed by the members of the College church is dated, ' Harvard College, Nov. 6, 1814.'" It was signed by the President and fifteen others. Our church record closes by stating that, " On the morning of Lord's Day, 6th Nov. 1814, the church was organized at University Hall, in the presence and by the assistance of the pastor and delegates of the First Church in Cambridge."
In the following year the pastor informed the church of his recent discovery, among the collections of the late Rev. Thomas Prince, of a manuscript register in the handwriting of Rev. Jonathan Mitchel, containing a list of the members of the church under the following title : " The Church of Christ at Cambridge in New England. The names of all the members thereof that are in full communion ; together with their children who were either baptized in this church, or (coming from other churches) who were in their minority at their parent's joyning, taken and registered, in the 11 month 1658." The church directed that this list, which has of late proved of great service in the preparation of our church Manual, should be bound up with the records, and that blank leaves should be left for the record of other papers. Another blank book was to be procured "for the preservation of the reports on the state of the church stock, etc., and other important papers suitable to be preserved with them ; such as Acts of the Legis- lature relative to Parish and Ministry lands, the setting off of parishes within the town of Cambridge, etc., etc."
There are two or three other events of interest which should have a brief notice. In 1807 Dr. Holmes left
185
LECTURE VII.
the ancient house in which the ministers had so long resided, and removed to the house which is now stand- ing in Holmes Place, and which has but recently passed from his family into the possession of the Col- lege. In 1807 a meeting-house was erected in that part of the town which was already the scene of large visions of commercial prosperity, and which, in antici- pation of its coming importance, had been made a port of entry, and was designated as Cambridgeport. That part of the town had received the parochial care of the minister of the First Church, "who was wont in his visits to distribute catechisms and hymn-books, and to question the children upon religious doctrines and duties." The new meeting-house was a spacious struc- ture of brick, and stood in a barren common near the northwest corner of the square now occupied by the Allston school-house. The sermon at its dedication was preached by Dr. Holmes. The church seems to have been organized in 1809. The first pastor was Rev. Thomas Brattle Gannett, who united with our church in 1810, and was dismissed and recommended to the new church in 1814. The sermon at his ordina- tion, in 1814, was also preached by Dr. Holmes, and was from the text, " I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." The historian of that church says of the sermon and the preacher, " It reads as placid as he looked. . It is another instance of that now lost art of felicitously weaving in Scripture language with the texture of every sentence, and the expression of every thought, which gave such peculiar unction to the most common utterances of the older divines." That meeting-house was injured in a severe gale in 1833, and afterwards taken down. A
186
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
large part of the material was used in the erection of another house on Austin Street, where the society still worships under the pastoral care of the Rev. George W. Briggs, D.D.
Among other relics of Dr. Holmes's ministry is a pamphlet entitled, " A Sermon delivered at the Episco- pal Church in Cambridge, by the Request of the Wardens and Vestry, December 25, 1809, in Celebration of the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour. By Abiel Holmes, D.D., Minister of the First Church in Cambridge." The sermon was preached at a time when the Episcopal Church was for the most part supplied with lay-readers. The thanks of the society were presented to the preacher for "the learned and appropriate discourse," and he was requested to furnish a copy for the press.
I find in the records no signs of the war of 1812, unless it be in the small number of admissions to the church. In 1812 but two persons were received, one of whom was Edward Everett, and in 1813 but one person. In 1814 there were five admitted.
In connection with the service of song in the house of the Lord, it is of interest to find one of Dr. Holmes's sermons marked, "This day Watts's psalms and hymns introduced instead of Tate and Brady." It was preached on the afternoon of June 29, 1817. The text was, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom ; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." The sermon teaches the spirit in which this service should be performed, and justifies the use of hymns in addition to the psalms. The grace of Christ and the joys of a Christian life might properly find expression in new songs, “ in
187
LECTURE VII.
the plain language of the gospel," rather " than in the obscure diction of prophecy." The people were urged " with one heart, and, as far as practicable with harmony and propriety, with one voice, to unite in the songs of Zion." The preacher adds, "To the skilful performance of the choir we are much indebted for the order and harmony, the solemnity and effect, with which this part of Divine service is performed. The style of sacred music is, of late years, essentially improved ; and the exclusion of light and unhallowed airs, so foreign to the solemnity of the subject and the place, is itself highly favorable to our improvement in piety and de- votion, and, at the same time, more easily admits the union of a great proportion of the assembly in this common duty, - the social praise of Almighty God. Let us not, then, leave this interesting, improving, and delightful service to be performed wholly by others. Let none be listless, or indifferent to it. Let none regard it as a mere entertainment. Above all, let none either perform, or hear it performed, with levity. Let us all be supplied with books. Let those who can, with any propriety, bear a part in singing the high praises of God ; and let the rest keep their eyes fixed on the psalm or hymn that is sung, and join with the under- standing and affections in the sublime employment, and thus make melody, at least in their hearts, to the Lord. And here, my brethren, I would suggest to you the propriety of performing this part of the service, even when we do no more than perform it in heart, in a standing rather than in a sitting posture." In 1827 an organ was placed in the church, and this sermon was repeated on the 30th of September, with the inser- tion of these remarks : " The introduction of an organ,
188
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE.
instead of diminishing, should increase the number of singers in the congregation. It is not, you will remem- ber, intended as a substitute for the voice, but as an aid to it. It may be accompanied by those who are not thoroughly skilled in music, though great care should be taken not to violate either the time or the harmony. In the use of this instrument, it is hoped and believed great regard will be shown to the spiritual nature of the worship which it is intended to aid. It is not meant for our entertainment, but for our improvement ; not simply to delight the ear, but to inspire the heart. It will not, I trust, be suffered to overpower the vocal music, of which it should be but an accompaniment. Let us have the distinct articulation of the human voice, that it may not give an uncertain sound, or be so merged in the sound of an instrument that the mean- ing cannot be understood. Let us remember, my brethren, that we are required to sing with the spirit and with the understanding."
" The First Evangelical Congregational Church in Cambridgeport " was gathered in 1827. The word " Evangelical" is the distinctive term in this name. For before that church was formed, the word had come to have a precise, and, to some extent, denominational · significance. We are brought now upon the events which separated our church from the parish with which it had so long been connected. I should be glad if I might be spared the recital of these scenes. But they were real, and history must accept, not select, its facts. In regard to the points of this controversy there is a substantial agreement. Each party published a pam- phlet, weaving into its narrative such comments as it chose. On the 20th of July, 1827, a memorial
189
LECTURE VII.
. signed by sixty-three members of the parish was pre- sented to the pastor, remonstrating with him for dis- continuing professional exchanges with certain minis- ters, and recommending a return to his former custom. To understand the meaning of this, it is necessary to go back a little. As early as the year 1787, Unitarianism, which had already been adopted by many persons, became a "substantial reality " in Boston by the action of the society worshipping in King's Chapel, which set aside the English Liturgy it had been using, and adopted one prepared by its own minister, which care- fully excluded all acknowledgment of the Trinity. For many years this remained the only confessedly Unita- rian society of any note in New England. By what gradual progression the new belief extended itself, and of the methods of its advance, it is not my purpose to speak. That has already become written history. But by the time which we are now considering, a large part of the ministers of the churches in this immediate neighborhood had embraced the liberal principles of belief. It was about this time that this new belief became organized and " The Unitarian Association was formed." Manifestly here was a great change, and naturally it changed the relation of such ministers to those who adhered to the old belief. Freedom of pro- fessional intercourse became restricted, more and more restricted as one man after another declared himself in favor of the new views. There were men of all degrees of conviction and confession. Some were pronounced Unitarians, and from these men shaded away into such as could hardly be distinguished from the Orthodox. Religious belief and usage for a time were in solution, but coming steadily to take on a precise form. Now,
190
FIRST CHURCH IN CAMBRIDGE. '
the minister here recognized these changes among his neighbors, and governed himself accordingly. Hence some who had heretofore been invited to an exchange of pulpits with him no longer received such proposals. No single year drew the line of demarcation between the ministers and churches of the two parties in the- ology. It was a slower process by which men found their places. Therefore no single year marked the complete cutting off of ministerial exchanges among clergymen of the different parties. This came about by degrees, and was variously affected by the circum- stances and judgment of individuals. But as in the course of events some of the previous exchanges ceased here, it came to be noticed by the people. This would have made no trouble if they had continued to hold the views which for two hundred years had been preached in the parish, and for a third of a century by this pastor. But a large majority of the legal voters in the affairs of the parish chose the more liberal side. They complained of the change in the pastor's practice, and asserted that he was changing the policy of the church, and deviating from the customs of his immediate predecessors, and departing from the views which had governed his own procedure and shaped his own preaching. They complained, also, that he introduced preachers whose teaching was irrational, and offensive to a majority of his parishioners, while he excluded others whom they desired to hear. It is probable that the preaching of some who were brought in for extra services did more to provoke the parish than the preaching of the pastor. Out of this state of things grew their memorial, in which the signers gratefully testified to the order, peace, and harmony with which
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.