USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Memorial volume by the Essex street church and society, Boston, to commemorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the installation of their pastor, Nehemiah Adams, D.D > Part 6
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115
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
Psalm, full of seeming repetitions to a cursory reader, was, to his spiritual mind, sweeter than the honeycomb, because it consists in desires after God.
Few ever enjoyed the Sabbath more than he. It was like a festival; and his feelings toward it are an illus- tration of what he called a spiritual taste.
He did much to promote the acquaintance of Church Members with each other ; saying : " I love to put the coals together, and not let them lie scattered about the hearth."
He was active in bringing individuals, who were not accustomed to hear evangelical instructions, to evening lectures ; going home with them after service, as this was the condition upon which their friends allowed them to come. In this way, valuable accessions have been made by him to this Church. It is believed that it was owing to his personal influence, as much as to any means, that a deceased Member of the Church, who, by her benefactions while living, and by her will, has made this Church her almoner," was originally led to worship here. He himself was a benefactor to the Society, not only in his original contribution toward building the house, but in relinquishing much property in pews to assist the Society in rebuilding it.
All who enjoyed his hospitality united in their admira- tion of his cheerful, generous disposition, and of the charm which he spread around his fireside. His famil-
* Mrs. Ann Lec, (wife of William, ) formerly Mrs. John McLean.
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MEMORIAL VOLUME.
iar acquaintance with English hospitality was conspic- uous in his treatment of his guests. He sometimes acted almost literally on the injunction of Christ : " When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind." It was affecting to see at his funeral many who were evidently drawn there by the feeling that they had lost one of their greatest benefactors. A colored person, who came and looked at his remains, said : " O ! he was a good man ! His last charge to me was to be faithful."
He had a forgiving and generous disposition toward those who had injured him. There was a time when he, with others, were subjected publicly to ill treatment, and unworthy imputations were openly cast upon them. While suffering from this source, our friend is known to have contributed privately toward the pecuniary relief of the individual who was the cause of this ill treat- ment.
He made no pretensions to shining talents ; he had none of those eminent qualities which make one distin- guished before the great assembly ; but we have in him an illustration of the power which there is in goodness of heart, and habits of usefulness, to dispense great hap- piness, and to make their possessor happy ; for he was one of the happiest of men. Though he had good insight into character, he did not indulge in criticisms upon others, being remarkably forbearing and charitable, and even silent, with regard to faults, when duty did not
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
oblige him to speak. He was sagacious in business, in- dustrious, and provident ; he passed through life friendly to all men, and conciliating their esteem and love. He was very fond of the young ; he would stop them in the street, with kind words of advice and benediction. Many now live who remember him from these accidental greetings.
The days at length came when men are "afraid of that which is high, and fears are in the way ;" when " the grasshopper is a burden and desire fails." But the ruling passion of love to others was strong to the end. One of his last calls was upon a member of the Church, to obtain a list of the sick and afflicted. He had a constitutional dread of dying, and seldom ventured to speak of the last mortal conflict. But, as his end drew nigh, he had no terrors ; his look and smile made known that he was at peace. It is not a vain repetition to say, that the last word which he uttered was the name " which is above every name."
DEACON GILMAN PRICHARD.
THE Committee would do injustice to their own feel- ings if no allusion were made to the third Deacon who died in office, - GILMAN PRICHARD.
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MEMORIAL VOLUME.
He was one of that noble band who were sent to us from Park Street Church, - Noyes, Hale, Woodman, and others, - whose influence was so great and salutary in the early history of the Church.
Deacon Prichard had a remarkably well-balanced mind. His conclusions on all important subjects were ever marked with good judgment and prudence. He gave his opinions with modesty, but they were well- considered and firm. His example as a systematic con- tributor to religious and charitable objects ; his consistent, uniform piety, won the affections and secured the con- fidence of the Church. To all who remember his con- stant attendance on religious ordinances, his efforts to sustain and aid in the praises of God in the sanctuary, and his labors in the Sabbath School as Teacher and Superintendent, his memory is as ointment poured forth.
MISCELLANEOUS STATEMENTS.
CHANGES IN THE MINISTRY IN BOSTON.
DURING the past twenty-five years, every other Church of our denomination in the city has had one, or two, and, in two cases, three, changes in its ministry. The Bap- tist Churches have all changed their Pastors within that period. The Episcopal Churches have likewise each had
119
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
a change of its Rector. In three of the Unitarian Churches, three Pastors remain who have been in office (one originally as colleague) more than twenty-five years.
THE MEETING-HOUSE.
The Meeting-House was remodelled in 1840-41, by raising the roof about eleven feet, reconstructing the tower, renewing the large audience-room, and making the present lecture-room, with the other rooms on that floor. The former lecture-room was several feet below the level of the street. Though by no means inviting, it was the scene of great spiritual blessings.
The successful effort to remodel the house, was made just after one of the most powerful and interesting sea- sons of religious interest which we have ever enjoyed. We deem it not unsuitable to say, that the effort to rebuild was commenced and carried on chiefly by the present Senior Deacon, whose family had shared richly in this work of grace ; his zeal, and that of others, in thus laboring for the House of God, being ascribed by them to their grateful sense of God's goodness.
This House of Worship, and the land on which it stands, were conveyed by deed to a Board of Trustees, for the use of Union Church, by Deacon Nathan Parker, in 1822. The object of the trust deed was to secure the property to the Church, to be occupied by them, secure
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MEMORIAL VOLUME.
from perversion, for the worship of the one only living and true God, - Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. It was subsequently found that the operation of the trust deed, excluding Members of the Congregation from participa- tion in the secular affairs connected with religious ordi- nances, was unfavorable ; so that the trust deed was cancelled, and the Essex Street Congregational Society was formed, under the Statutes, in 1837, and the prop- erty was made over to them.
FREEDOM FROM DEBT.
The Society is free of debt, and its property is unin- cumbered. By the rebuilding of the house, in 1840, a debt was incurred, which, for several years, was a source of embarrassment. The manner in which this debt was removed is instructive. The American Board of Foreign Missions, at their meeting in Philadelphia in 1841, had recommended to its patrons an increase of twenty-five per cent. in their contributions. When the subject was brought before this Church, doubts were felt whether, in view of our own debt, it was expedient to urge upon the people this recommendation of the Board.
But we quoted, one to another, in behalf of the Board, the words of the prophet to the woman of Zarephath : " Fear not ; make me a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son." We
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
increased our contributions to the Board ; this put anima- tion into our hearts for further effort ; we prepared a sinking fund for the gradual extinction of the debt, which, in process of time, would have removed it; but, by per- sonal effort on the part of one who joined the Church with the resolution that the debt should be extinguished, it was soon paid, by private subscriptions.
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS.
In pursuance of a vote of the Church, January twenty- fourth, 1838, records have been kept of all collections in our Society from that year. The result, from 1838 to 1859, inclusive, is as follows :
For Foreign Missions
$65,800.00
Other benevolent objects 59,773.95
$125,573.95
During the same period, the Meeting-
House has been rebuilt, at a cost of about $20,000 00 ·
Society's Debt extinguished ·
6,500.00
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MEMORIAL VOLUME.
MEMBERSHIP.
During the last twenty-five years, there have been added to this Church,
On Profession 441
By Letter
379
Previously added 600
Original Members . 12
Total in thirty seven years
1,432
There have been
Dismissed during the thirty-seven years 686
Died
213
Excommunicated
33
932
Whole number of Members from the beginning 1,432 Subtract 932
Present number
500
BAPTISMS.
Three hundred and eighty-one infants and young children have been baptized here since the formation of the Church.
123
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
COLLEGE STUDENTS.
The following are the names of those in our Society who have received Collegiate Education :
Joseph S. Ropes,
Ormund H. Dutton,
Henry B. McLellan,
Amory T. Gibbs,
Samuel Salisbury Tappan,
Charles E. Briggs,
William B. Stevens,
Nathaniel H. Broughton,
Francis W. Tappan,
William L. Gage,
Samuel Hosmer,
Nathaniel E. Gage,
John P. Gulliver,
Edward A. Strong,
Daniel P. Gulliver,
Rufus Choate, Junior,
William Sewall,
William S. Cogswell, Evarts Scudder,
John A. Vinton,
Frederic Vinton,
David C. Scudder,
Thomas C. Hale,
Samuel H. Scudder,
Robert B. Hall,
Horace E. Scudder,
Edward L. Rogers,
James A. Littlefield,
Albert E. Stetson,
William K. Hall,
Henry I. Cobb,
William H. Dunning, Arthur Wilkinson, Junior,
James T. Cobb,
Henry Perkins,
William C. Wood,
Samuel Haskell,
William H. Adams,
Henry M. Haskell,
William F. Perkins,
William L. Ropes,
Edward G. Miner,
Horace Dutton, William Henry Lathrop,
Timothy D. Chamberlin,
Leonard C. Alden,
Charles F. Thayer,
Alfred O. Treat,
Francis Parker, John S. Perkins,
Charles R. Treat.
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MEMORIAL VOLUME.
To these may be added, William H. Beecher and Charles C. Beaman, Students in Theology, they having previously been engaged in business.
This list includes : 1. Those who were born while their parents, one or both, were Members of this Church. 2. Those who were baptized here, the parents being at the time, one or both, Members of the Church. 3. Those who were, with their parents, in the Congregation for a season, one or both of the parents belonging at the time to this Church. 4. Those who were at any time Mem- bers of this Church, their parents neither of them being Members.
The list is intended to preserve and cherish a mutual remembrance on the part of the Church, and of those here named, whom it has regarded as in any sense, and for whatever period of time, its children.
It will be interesting to know that, of the fifty-one first named here, thirty-two have been, or were expecting, or at the present time are expecting, to be connected with the sacred office of the Ministry ; and, moreover, that with one exception, the parents of all of them were, one or both, in covenant with God as Members of the Christian Church.
125
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
DEACONS.
Nathan Parker, elected December eleventh, 1822 ; died, 1830.
James Melledge, elected December eleventh, 1822 ; died, 1844.
Josiah Vinton, Junior, elected December twenty-fifth, 1822 ; dismissed to Braintree, 1829.
John Gulliver, elected September twenty-third, 1825 ; dismissed to Free Church, 1835.
Charles Scudder, elected February twenty-fifth, 1831.
Gilman Prichard, elected February twenty-fifth, 1831 ; died, 1833.
George Rogers, elected August seventh, 1835.
Thomas Adams, elected February eighth, 1839; dis- missed, with others, at the formation of Mount Vernon Church, 1842.
George W. Thayer, elected April fourteenth, 1843.
George D. Dutton, elected May twelfth, 1848.
SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE SABBATH SCHOOL.
Gilman Prichard, Charles Scudder,
Jonathan D. Steele, James M. Gordon, Henry A. Johnson, Thomas J. Lee.
INDEX.
-
PAGE
PRELIMINARIES
7
PREPARATORY RELIGIOUS EXERCISES
8
EXERCISES AT THE ANNIVERSARY :
Chant : Selections from the Scriptures
. 13
Ode, by Mrs. Davies
15
Remarks by the Chairman . 21
Address by Mr. Choate
22
Extracts from Mr. Beaman's Poem
39
Hymn, by Miss Spear 41 .
Remarks by General Oliver
. 45
Ode, by Mr. Steele
49
Remarks by the Pastor 53
SOCIAL GATHERINGS
56
Address by Deacon George Rogers
57
CONCLUSION
60
CORRESPONDENCE 65
Portrait of Doctor Adams . 96
BRIEF HISTORY OF UNION CHURCH
99
Reverend SAMUEL GREEN, (with a Portrait) 102
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MEMORIAL VOLUME.
PAGE
Deacon NATHAN PARKER
. 104
Deacon JAMES MELLEDGE
. 108
Deacon GILMAN PRICHARD
. 117
MISCELLANEOUS STATEMENTS :
Changes in the Ministry in Boston
. 118
The Meeting-House
119
Freedom from Debt
120
Charitable Contributions
121
Membership
122
Baptisms
122
College Students .
. 123
Deacons
125
Superintendents of the Sabbath School
. 125
MEMORIAL
VOLUME
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