USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Woburn > Proceedings 1892 at the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town of Woburn, Massachusetts > Part 4
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
A Christian church is a sacred and divinely appointed, yet a voluntary association which, while true to its divine constitution, has and can have no aim, no object whatever, but to help men become wiser, purer, happier, better in life, in character, and in work. Rightly organized and conducted, it is made up of those who are doing most to enlighten the ignorant, to comfort the sorrowing, to relieve the poor, to reclaim the fallen, to make the whole human race one happy family in affection, in duty, and in faith. Its whole work is for man, for the whole human race. When true to itself and its divine commission, its spirit is gen- erous, its faith is strong, its consecration is complete enough to offer sympathy for all the suffering, help for all the needy, and redemption for all the lost. Its whole aim and endeavor is to make every man's life more precious to him, every man's lot more desirable, every man's prospect brighter and more beautiful for the present life and for the everlasting future. In all human history the Church of Christ is the only society which has set itself earnestly and persistently to the work of bringing all mankind into one harmonious brotherhood, establishing a reign of righteousness, peace, and good will in all the earth. The grandest discoveries of science, the greatest achievements of art, the most glorious conquests of the military hero are nothing in comparison with the mighty revolution which the Church of Christ is carrying on from age to age, and which will be complete only when the wrongs and outrages of the past cease and the nations learn war no more.
It is greatly to the credit of our New England fathers that they broke loose from all the trammels of superstition, the restraints of civil power, and the claims of prelatical assumption, and declared that the free and glorious gospel of Christ should have a new
62
October 2.]
start in the New World. Out of the fiery furnace of their own affliction they brought forth freedom for the world. In the dark shadows of the forest and in the days of the greatest discourage- ment and disappointment they kindled the light of hope for all the nations. They made the log cabin a sanctuary more divinely consecrated than the grandest cathedral ; out of the field and the forest they brought forth a nobler manhood than the castles and palaces of princes had ever reared.
Never in any nation, never in all history had there been given to the world so instructive and inspiring a lesson upon the rights and dignity and capacities of man as that which came from the cabin homes of the exiles of the wilderness. And they did their work well by laying aside all the gilded trappings of royalty, all the sacred pretensions of priesthood, all the entailed privileges of rank and calling upon every individual to stand forth in the royalty of his divine manhood which God gave him, and in the freedom which the truth of the gospel brings. They found authority for all that in the simplest reading of the New Testa- ment, and they established the best school for the education of young and old to such high sentiments of truth and honor by the organization of the Christian Church. To them the sacred trinity of family, church, and state rested on the unity of right and responsibility in the individual man. Teach the man the due combination of rights and duties as all are taught in the Christian Church, and then the sovereign and the citizen will be found in the same person, and all will be children of the Highest and heirs of an everlasting kingdom.
It is something to rejoice over, something to be celebrated with song and thanksgiving that this church has held its post of faith and duty for two hundred and fifty years, ever inviting men to enroll themselves in the host of the living God, ever urging and imploring men to bear a part in the noblest and most needed work ever undertaken in this world, ever reasoning, pleading, preaching to persuade men to assume a name and make a pro- fession, the truest and best ever borne by men, ever teaching and beseeching all so to live that when they come to the close of life they will feel that life's great end has been gained, and that dying for them is only the beginning of a better life that shall grow in greatness and beauty and joy forever.
63
[Sunday,
This one sacred brotherhood, whose two hundred and fiftieth birthday we celebrate, is a living member of the one greatest, oldest, most influential, most honorable association that has ever existed in this world, or that ever will exist in all coming time. That one grand society, with branches reaching out to the ends of the earth, bears the name of the Son of God. It has the honor of standing as His representative on the earth and the promise of sharing His glory in the heavens. It is made up of the fittest and the best of all time, all lands. It takes in all that work righteously, live purely and charitably, walk humbly with God and thankfully receive His word. It is the representative and the repository of all that is truest and noblest in human life and character. It has been purified by persecution, enriched by sacrifice, made victorious by submission, consecrated by martyr- dom. It leads the advance of all improvement in society and individual life ; it proclaims liberty to bodies that are enslaved and to minds that are in captivity. It keeps alive the best hope of the world, and it is chosen of God to be the heir of the pass- ing earth and the eternal heavens.
To become identified with this innumerable and immortal family of Christ -this ever-growing and advancing Church of the living God -is a greater honor, a higher privilege, a more sacred duty than to belong to any other association of men on the earth. To entertain the great hope, to share the spiritual life which keeps the church alive through all the ages, is to pass out of darkness into light, out of bondage into liberty, out of doubt and restlessness and fear into peace and quietness and assurance for- ever. To take up the work given the Church to do is to become a co-laborer with the infinite God ; it is to be accounted an asso- ciate and a successor of the best and bravest, the truest and purest friends of humanity, leaders in the right way, brothers and benefactors of all mankind. To enter heart and soul into this sacred society of Jesus is to become associated with the good and the brave, the patient and the strong, the meek and the merciful of all lands, all times. It is to espouse a cause which fights only for peace, submits only to conquer, dies only to win the crown of life.
And here we trust and pray that this church shall stand for years and centuries to come, a polished and symmetrical pillar
64
Dea. ALVAH BUCKMAN.
1:
October 2.]
in the temple of our God, a united and consecrated brotherhood, ever keeping the door of their great Father's house open for the homeless and the heart-broken to come in and rest in the cham- ber of peace. Ever may it cherish hearts of sympathy and stretch out hands of help to all that wander in mazes of doubt as well as to all earnest seekers after truth. Ever may its members: be willing followers where truth and duty lead the way and faith- ful laborers in the field where God shall give them work to do .. For years and ages may this church stand as the best memorial: of the fathers' days, an embodiment and outward manifestation of the truths which the fathers believed and the hopes which they cherished and transmitted to after times. Ever may it be per- vaded by the pure, beneficent, self-sacrificing, self-denying spirit of the one Lord Christ ; evermore may it be consecrated in heart and hand, in prayer and property, in work and faith to the fulfil- ment of the divine commission to establish the kingdom of right- eousness and peace in all the earth.
We so speak and pray because in the Church of Christ lives the best hope of the world. And we rejoice that that hope is growing larger and brighter and that divine brotherhood is grow- ing more worthy of its name and commission as the years move on. Taken as a whole, it never was so sound in faith, so large in numbers, so blameless in character, so efficient in work as now. From age to age it improves in the simplicity and power of its organization, in the earnestness of its purpose and the purity of its faith. It draws more and more into its service the resources of wealth and science and art and literature. It goes down deeper into the great practical questions of life and duty. It grows more efficient, practical, and judicious in helping the poor, lifting up the fallen, reclaiming the wandering. It is doing more to expose error, to repress wrong, to dispel superstition, to lift heavy burdens from weary shoulders, and to bring in a better hope for the world.
Already the richest, the mightiest and most prosperous nations are those to which the Church of Christ has given the most of its spirit and life. The happiest homes, the best ordered com- munities, the most enlightened and liberal systems of education, the most equitable laws, the most advanced and progressive people are those where the Church of Christ exerts most power,,
65
[Sunday,
where it is most generally honored and accepted as the habita- tion of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
So then we rejoice in this celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth birthday of our divine brotherhood in Christ. We glory in the name and the grace of the divine Master who kindled the fire of faith in the wilderness so long ago, and who has kept it burning until now. We would make this anniversary a new baptism into the spirit of Christ and a new consecration to His work. And when we have finished our course, we would deliver our sacred charge into the hands of our successors, enriched with the record of nobler lives than the fathers lived, and inspired with a higher hope than they attained.
At the conclusion of the sermon, Rev. J. W. Wellman, of Malden, a direct descendant of Sam- uel Johnson and Francis Wyman, made the closing prayer ; the audience rang out the notes of " North- field " with words of Dr. March's hymn entitled " Wonder Working Providence."
In troublous times our fathers reared Thy house to thee, O God, And day by day thy presence cheered The path the pilgrims trod.
The band that braved the wilderness, From thee obtained this land ; Be thou their children's God to bless, And lead by thy right hand.
Thy favor made the fathers brave, Make thou the children strong, Our great inheritance to save From uses false and wrong.
With us may law and freedom dwell, And make all races one ; And fathers still to children tell, What wonders thou hast done.
66
October 2.]
May union bind our many States In bonds of brotherhood, And truth stand guard at all our gates, To keep rights bought with blood.
In every land thy wonders show, Thy work of love and peace, And let thy righteous kingdom grow, Till war and wasting cease.
With the benediction by Rev. Mr. Wellman, the morning exercises closed, organist Hall rendering, for a postlude, " Ist Sonata, Last Movement," by Mendelssohn.
A collation for visitors was served in the vestry after the morning and afternoon services.
AFTERNOON SERVICE.
At half past two o'clock Communion service was held in which the mother church at Charlestown, the Woburn Church and the daughter churches in Burlington, Wilmington, North Woburn, and Winchester took part.
During the intermission an addition was made to the decorations in the shape of an evergreen cross, bearing the words in immortelles, "In re- membrance of Me." This was placed in front of the pulpit. Upon the communion tables was spread the service plate, and among the articles were a cup belonging to the old church before Burlington was set off, and one given in 1734. Both were the gifts of George Reed. About the table were gath-
67
[Sunday,
ered, Revs. Dr. March, Murphy, Edwards, Dennen, and Harmon.
The body of the house and the rear gallery were filled, the audience including old and young alike. One of the most interesting features was the pres- ence of Dea. Gawin R. Gage, whose life had been so miraculously spared. After the service he was the recipient of many congratulations.
The service opened with the hymn, -
" According to Thy gracious word, In meek humility, This will I do, my dying Lord, I will remember Thee."
Rev. Elijah Harmon, of Wilmington, read from the seventeenth chapter of John, and offered prayer. Rev. Dr. March, on behalf of the Woburn Church, bade cordial welcome to all present, and introduced Dea. Joseph G. Pollard, clerk of the parish, who read letters of greeting from the churches in Charlestown, Wilmington, Winchester, North Woburn, and Arlington, and gave a verbal message from the church in Burlington. These letters breathed the spirit of fraternal feeling, and named their representatives.
The congregation sang "Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me," after which Rev. Jonathan Edwards, of Welles- ley Hills, spoke briefly and offered prayer. This was followed by the serving of the bread, the follow- ing gentlemen officiating : Woburn, Deacons E. E. Thompson and Buckman ; Burlington, Dea. Samuel
68
October 2.]
Sewall; Winchester, Dea. Charles E. Conant ; North Woburn, Dea. B. Frank Kimball; Wilming- ton, Dea. H. Allen Sheldon; Charlestown, Dea. A. S. Morss, and Bro. Henry A. Gleason, of Bed- ford, a former deacon of the Woburn Church.
In turn the sacrament was administered to the deacons by Revs. March and Edwards. Rev. S. R. Dennen, of Newton, was introduced and spoke of the intimacy with Christ engendered by the service, and, after prayer, called upon the same committee to serve the wine, the committee being served by Revs. March and Dennen.
The audience sang the following hymn, written by Dr. March, entitled " Communion ": -
How blessed here to meet And hold Communion sweet With thee, our Lord. Make all thy people one, In us thy will be done, Complete thy work begun ; We trust thy word.
May all one household be, And each commune with thee, And be thy guest. May we in love increase, And nothing mar our peace, Till all our labors cease, And we find rest.
We join the ransomed host Who make thy cross their boast, And march in line.
69
[Sunday,
Some toil in distant lands, Some serve in different bands, All keep the same commands, And all are thine.
May we no service shun, And count thy word, "Well done," The highest praise. With honor bear thy name,
And save thy cause from shame, And cherish love's pure flame, Through all our days.
To thee, O Christ, we cling, Ourselves as offerings bring, Thine own to be ; We call thy love to mind,
And search thy life to find Some stronger bond to bind Our hearts to thee.
Rev. Mr. Edwards pronounced the benediction, and the second number of the day's exercises was brought to a successful conclusion.
EVENING SERVICE.
The evening session was attended by an audience of nineteen hundred people. Every corner of the church was packed with interested and patient humanity, and the church of two hundred and fifty years achieved a grand success. Every detail was perfect. The singing of the choir was inspiring, the speeches breathed the spirit of pleasant reminis- cence and Christian fellowship; the admirable pro- portions of the auditorium presented a charming
70
October 2.]
picture with the decorations and brilliant lights, and the anniversary of church and town received a bap- tism of approval and enthusiasm.
Upon the platform were seated : Revs. March, Barrows, Murphy, Crawford, and Parker, of Woburn, Dennen, of Newton, Edwards, of Wellesley Hills, Porter, of Lexington, Richardson, of Nashua, Harmon, of Wilmington, and Bale, of Melrose.
Organist Drake, at 7 P. M., played for his prelude, " Marche Funebre " and " Chant Seraphique," by Guilmant, and the " Processional March," by Whit- ney, and was followed by the choir in the anthem, " The Lord is Exalted," by West. Rev. A. G. Bale, of Melrose, invoked the Divine Blessing, and the audience and choir sang an original hymn to the tune of " Harwell."
Sing the triumphs Christ is winning On the world's contested field, Hail the ransomed saved from sinning, Let all hearts their homage yield. Sing him songs of joy and gladness For the hope his Gospel brings ; Sing the songs that know no sadness, When he comes, the King of kings.
Send afar the proclamation, Peace on earth, good will to men, Let it go to every nation, With the voice and with the pen. Soon the waste will bloom with flowers Where the crystal river flows, Then the heavens shall bless with showers Where the Gospel message goes.
71
[Sunday,
Long has been the reign of error, Hard the bondage men have borne, Children, taught its tales of terror, Into life have come forlorn. Now lift up Messiah's banner, Break the bondman's darkling chain, Let the children sing hosanna, And the parents join the strain.
Rev. Dr. George A. Crawford, of the Methodist Church, read the fifty-first chapter of Isaiah, and Mr. Thomas L. Cushman, tenor soloist, rendered, with telling effect, "Fear not ye, O Israel," by Dudley Buck. Prayer was offered by Rev. Dr. March, and the anthem, " Praise the Lord, O Jeru- salem," by Hall, was sung by the choir, Mr. Cush- man sustaining the solo part, and the audience join- ing in the Doxology at the close.
The address was assigned to Rev. Cyrus Richard- son, of Nashua, N. H., a direct descendant of . Ezekiel Richardson, one of the founders of the church. It was a clear exposition of the factors which made the Puritan a grand character, and emphasized the need of that sturdy faith and uncompromising spirit to-day.
The subject was introduced by the statement that we are liv- ing in a transitional period of the world's history. Change is one of the marked features of our day, - change in business methods, in social customs, in literary expression ; change in the ways of teaching in the school-room, in the manner of pre- senting truth from the pulpit, and in the method of solving politi- cal problems.
Many of these changes were pointed out, showing how we are
72
Rev. CYRUS RICHARDSON, D D.
October 2.]
constantly passing out of the old into the new. For these pro- gressive moments our age is to be congratulated. We have a right to rejoice that "we are living, we are dwelling in a grand and glorious time."
But a perilous tendency is noted, viz. : to ignore the past. Criticism has become destructive rather than constructive. The work of the fathers is decried. "Cut aloof from the old moor- ings and turn away from the ancient track "; this is the cry which we often hear in our day. It springs from a false idea of progress. It regards each historical event as isolated and independent.
This view is false because each event is related to other events, and each age is vitally connected with other ages. Just as a tree is not made up of separate atoms externally joined, but one part grows out of other parts and passes on into further develop- ment ; so history is formed through the intimate relation which the ages sustain to each other. No generation, in the strictest sense, can begin its own work. It reaps fields which have been sown by other hands.
This fact is illustrated by the present condition of our country. To understand what we are we need to go back to the toils and hardships of our ancestors. It was their rude school-houses which prepared the way for our splendid system of education. It was their struggle for political and religious freedom that gave us the greatest republic on the face of the earth. It was their intense conviction of accountability to God that fruited in the rugged virtues of New England character. The life blood of the eight preceding generations is in our veins to-day.
This point is illustrated also in the growth of the Church. God's people who live to-day take up the work where their fathers left it. With these facts before us it is easy to see the value of such a celebration as this. Two hundred and fifty years of history is unrolled for your inspection. You recognize your indebtedness to eight generations of men and women who have wrought for your enrichment. Such a review of Church life also awakens gratitude in all hearts.
Your achievements are seen to be due as much to your ances- tors as to yourselves. Such a review helps you to estimate the worth of new theories and systems. No man who speaks dispar-
73
[Sunday,
agingly of the work of the fathers can be a factor in the world's progress. A theory which is of any value is rooted in the past.
The speaker next described the prominent traits of Puritan character. These were set forth as seen in the early settlers of Woburn. He then passed to consider some of the factors in the development of these traits of character.
First, their battle with soil and climate : picture their dense forests, rugged soil, rude tools, food the simplest sort. Half of the year, a constant struggle with wind and storm, with ice and snow. It is undoubtedly fortunate for us that our ancestors landed on a wild and rock-bound coast.
A second factor in the development of Puritan character was contests with the Indians. Not a single day could the early set- tlers of Woburn feel secure. Men worked by day, slept by night, and worshipped on Sunday, with their guns at their sides. Even the minister preached with his gun in the pulpit. The speaker illustrated the way in which these perils developed physi- cal and moral heroism.
The third factor in the development of Puritan character was the struggle for freedom. The Revolution of 1776 was not a sudden and unexpected outbreak. The gulf between the mother country and her American provinces had been forming and widening for a century and a half. It is safe to say that it had its origin in New England churches. Spiritual freedom led to political freedom. The grand principle which was being worked out by the churches of the Massachusetts Bay Colony was that they were capable of self-government through their reason and conscience, under the guidance of God's written revelation. They opposed hierarchy both in church and state; their habit of setting forth truth in written creed with divine authority begat caution, produced exactness, awakened fortitude, which resulted in strong and independent government. The very discussion of questions which pertained to freedom would tend to make them brave and heroic.
The fourth factor in the development of Puritan character is seen in their profound conviction of accountability to God. God and duty were weighty words. "Thus saith the Lord." Who cared or who dared to go back of that? From the pulpit men were urged to live as though the eyes of Jehovah were upon them,
74
Dea. ABIJAH THOMPSON.
October 2.]
and divine judgment was being pronounced upon each word and deed. Possibly this doctrine of accountability was emphasized out of proportion to other truths.
As a result, daily life did not blossom with some of the sweet- est and most delightful graces. Christians were sometimes stern and stiff and exacting. Innocent pleasures were often banished from the home. Nevertheless their consciousness of immediate contact with a personal God made them loyal to their convictions and true to what they believed to be duty and right. It gave them courage. If God were for them, who could be against them? It made them patriotic. Their country was God's coun- try, and therefore they were ready to peril their lives in defence of its institutions and its government.
In closing the speaker showed how these traits of Puritan character are giving shape to church and society at the present time. The churches of New England are sending out young men and women into different parts of the country, especially into the great West. The touch of Puritan character is felt all the way across our continent. The mission of Puritan New England churches will not cease until the world is redeemed for Christ.
The address was followed by an original hymn (tune, " Miriam ").
The conflict of the ages, The battle for the right, In every nation rages, And truth displays its might. The foremost ranks are singing, " The King is in the van, His own right hand is bringing The victory for man."
Let millions join the chorus, With voices loud and free, Messiah's sign is o'er us, His cross brings victory.
75
[Sunday,
Let every heart be loyal To Christ's exalted throne, He comes in glory royal To make the world his own.
In every land and nation, The songs that thousands sing Proclaim a new creation, A crowned and mighty King. The bonds of caste are breaking, Free men join hand to hand ; The strongest walls are shaking In every heathen land.
The times of glad refreshing, The reign of truth and love, The days of boundless blessing, Are coming from above. The wastes of war are ceasing, The bondmen find release, Their joy goes on increasing To everlasting peace.
Rev. Jonathan Edwards, of Wellesley Hills, was introduced as the one who was instrumental in get- ting Dr. March to come to Woburn. £ He said in response : -
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.