USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Longmeadow > Proceedings at the centennial celebration of the incorporation of the town of Longmeadow, October 17th, 1883 > Part 24
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Mercy, has beitowed very many Favours upon us; gives us Health in a confidera- ble meafure ; and favours us with Peace at prefent, and confiderable Plenty ; gives us a ipace to repent, and calls upon us, to amend our ways and doings, and obey his voice. Jer 26: 13. We defire to be in the ufe of all proper Means to promote a Refor- mation ; and particularly we defire to promife carefully to endeavour to reform thofe GOD provoking Evils, that prevail among us; and confciencioufly to difcharge thofe Duties, that are wickedly neglected. We would therefore (relying upon GOD's Grace to affitt us) folemnty give ourfelves to GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON, and GOD the HOLY GHOST; Looking for Help, and Acceptance through CHRIST alone; who is the Mediator, between GOD and Man; Efpecially, for Grace to do the Duties, we now particularly promife to Endeavour confciencioufly to difcharge, Which are as followeth, viz. We promife,
I. THAT we will carefully, and religioufly keep up the Worthip of GOD in our Families.
II. THAT we will Endeavour to carry it becomingly, and obediently to thofe the LORD has fet over us in Civil and Sacred Authority ; and becomingly to Equals and Inferiors.
III. THAT we will carefully Endeavour to behave Our felves Soberly, will not unneceffarily frequent Taverns, or Drinking Houfes, or tarry long in them ; we will endeavour to avoid the very appearance of the Evil of exceffive Drinking.
IV. WE will deal juftly with all Men, abitain from Violence, Fraud, and Op- preffion, carefully pay our honeft Debts ; or if difenabled by the Providence of GOD, we will take due care, to inform our creditors of it, and defire their allowance and forbearance awhile.
V. WE will endeavour to behave our felves Chaftly, and Modeftly, avoid im- modeft Carriage, forbearing Wanton Songs, lafcivious Difcourfes &c; and will en- deavour to poffefs our Bodies in fanctification and Honour. And particularly do we declare our Abhorrance of that notion advancd by fome of late, viz. that it is no breach of the Seventh Commandment for Perfons that have made private Promifes, to one another, to have carnal knowledge of one another, altho' not joined in marriage.
VI. WE will watch againft unpeaceable Behaviour, avoid ungoverned Paffion, and Speaches, profane Murmurings &c.
VII. WE will not forget to Communicate to the Needy, as our Duty is. Heb. 13 : 16; Deut 15: 7-12.
VIII. WE will be faithful to our Promifes, and careful of one another's good Name.
IX. WE will take particular Care of our Families, to give Children good Edu- cation, and keep our Families under Government ; will take Care that our Children, and Servents, and thofe under our Care, do duly attend the Worfhip of GOD, in the Family, and in Publick; and particularly that they attend on the Publick Cate- chifing, and we will take Special Care that they be not out unfeafonably at Night.
X. WE will not allow, nor wittingly entertain, Company in our Houfes unfea- fonably, nor any fuch debauchª Company in our Houfes at any time; leaft we bring guilt on Our felves.
XI. WE will carefully endeavour to keep holy GOD's holy Sabbaths.
XII. WE promife faithfully to watch over one another and chearfully, and wil- lingly to give and receive Chriftian reproof as there may be occafion.
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This covenant was printed as an old-fashioned Broadside, with the fol- lowing address of the pastor appended, and distributed through the parish :
DEARLY BELOVED-
HAT you have (on the Day of Humiliation appointed for that purpofe, and to humble our felves before the LORD, for our Breaches of Covenant) Publickly and Solemnly affented to, is now by the way of the Prefs put into your Hands ; and that to help your Memories, and to affift you in the great Duty of Self-Examination ; and 'tis hoped that by a particular Survey of the feveral Heads of Duty, a due Humiliation for defects may be promoted ; and that by fre- quently perufing thefe articles, Covenant faithfulnefs may be furthered. The good LORD be pleafed to keep thefe things forever, in the imagination of the thoughts of your hearts ; and prepare all our hearts unto him ; and give to every one of us a perfect heart, to keep his Commandments, his teftimonies, and his ftatutes, and to do all thefe things.
THE GREAT AWAKENING.
While the moral and spiritual condition of things which existed as the background of this Covenant of Reformation belongs to the record of hon- est history, it should be said in extenuation that it pertained to a period which Jonathan Edwards in his narrative of the "Great Awakening " that soon followed-1734-1744-describes as "a time of extraordinary dulness in religion." It should also be said that the conflict of the churches and ministers of that day with flagrant immorality was open and manly ; church discipline was not neglected ; there were no intentional and final betrayals under promises of marriage ; confessions, both explicit and public, were de- manded and secured; and not only confessions, but such amendments as were meet for repentance. The sacred obligations of marriage were main- tained by a public sentiment that held its own, and was greatly strengthened and purified when the " Great Awakening " came.
Drs. Isaac Watts and John Guyse in their preface to Jonathan Edwards' " Narrative " of this "Surprizing Work of God," published in London in 1737, signalize it as one of the most remarkable spiritual events since the first ages of Christianity. "There is a spot of Ground, wherein there are twelve or fourteen Towns and Villages near the banks of the River of Con- necticut within the compass of 30 miles, wherein it pleased God two years ago to display his free and sovereign grace in the Conversion of a great multitude of souls in a short space of time, turning them from a formal, cold and Careless Profession of Christianity to the lively exercise of every Christian Grace and the powerful Practice of our holy Religion."
Longmeadow is specially mentioned by Jonathan Edwards in this narra- tive as among these towns and villages, and Stephen Williams throws fur- ther light upon this remarkable revival. "Jan. 15, 1740. I hear there is an hopefull revivall of religion at Deerfield and at Northampton,-especially among young ones. I rejoyce to hear of this, and I pray God, Grant this may be ye case in all our Towns and parishes."
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He speaks often in these days of his "being warm and affectionate " in his preaching. " Feb. 2. I hope there is some thôtfull concern in some in ye place. To God all the praise belongs. Oh blessed Spirit be pleased to follow thine own work." The next Sabbath "some of ye auditory seem to be affected." "March 30. Dear Brother Raynolds was here-we took sweet counsell and prayed together. Oh Lord keep us in thy fear-direct me by Thy spirit, and make me thankfull and humble, holy, and courageous and prudent. April 2. I perceive some religiously disposed women in ye place meet together to pray. Oh y God wd pour out a spirit of prayer upon y^ place in Generall."
On the 14th he attends a lecture preached in the West Parish of Suffield by Jonathan Edwards. The ministers of that day are continually helping each other. About these times he has increasing "calls and opportunities to advise and direct souls" and his prayers are very earnest for " wisdom to deal with souls." He laments some religious extravagances that are rife and is especially filled with "Great Concern that his dear brother Daven- port is like to hurt ye Kingdom of our Great Lord and Master. May 8. Y" acct yt we have from abroad of ye revivall of religion are very various. Some represent matters as very encouraging, others as discouraging. June 6. I hear of strange and unusual things at Suffield and elsewhere. I don't condemn them-but suspend my sentiments, and pray God to carry on his own work prosperously." The people come to him in increasing numbers for spiritual counsel. " 10. There is evidently a concern among ye people of this place." He hears of "strange things-extasies &c, y' people fall into," and is full of fears.
The signs of religious concern multiply. He preaches here and there in private houses, which are full of hearers. Goes to Enfield on July 7th. Mr. M- preaches "a close sermon to a grave and Attentive congrega- tion : " thence the same afternoon to Suffield, where on the previous Sab- bath ninety-five had been added to the church, and where a " remarkable outpouring of the Spirit of God " is in progress. " About sun an hour high we had an exercise on ye Meeting-House Hill. M' M- began with prayer and Br Williams preached. Congregation remarkably attentive and grave, and some after ye exercise seemed to take on for others. In ye evening Mr M. preached in ye meeting house from Heb. 3, 12, and there was considera- ble crying out among ye people, in one part of ye House and another-yea -- and a Screeching in ye street. One woman came to ye House where I lodged, y' was Greatly distressed, but she Gave a very imperfect acct of things. July 8. This forenoon M' M. preached from 2 Cor. 5. 20 and Mr W. from Acts 7. 51. Ye discourses solemn and ye Congregation considera- bly affected and many cryed out. We returned to M' R's and dined, and then went over to Enfield, where we met dear Mr Edwards of Northamp- ton who preached a mostt awakening sermon from Deut. 32. 35 " (a sermon and an occasion historically famous) "and before sermon was done-there was a great moaning and crying out throout ye whole House-' What shall
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I do to be saved ? Oh! I am going to Hell. Oh ! what shall I do for a Christ &c &c : '-So y' y" minister was obliged to desist-ye shrieks and crys were piercing and Amazing. After some time of waiting-the congre- gation were still, so y' a prayer was made by Mr W. and after that we de- scended from the pulpitt. and discoursed with the people-some in one place and some in another-and, Amazing and Astonishing-ye power of God was seen-and several souls were hopefully wrought upon yt night. And oh ! ye cheerfullness and pleasantness of their countenances yt received comfort-oh, that God would strengthen and confirm. We sung an hymn and prayed, and dismissed ye assembly."
"July 9. In ye morning, when I awoke, I had a great desire in my soul. yt God would give me to see at Longmeadow, what I had seen at Enfield. I was affected and ready to dissolve into Tears-but can't well tell why."
He comes home and finds his family and flock in what " seemed to be a different posture from what was usuall. A great assembly were got together and I wept at looking upon some of ye congregation. M M. preached from Matt 25. 41, and M. W. from Job 29. 8. There was considerable shrieking and trembling, before ye discourse was finished. When they were dismissed, those concerned and wounded were directed to go to my House, whither y ministers repaired. 1 myself was called to Serg N. B's where J. B. had been carried in great distress. I prayed at ye House and Some Seemed Smitten and struck down in ye time of prayer. After prayer, and giving some counsell and advice, I returned home, and found the concern had increased, and many were crying out in distress, and among them my son Warham with his classmates-and Phyllis. Severall received some comfort and joy at my house-and so did J. B. at her uncle's house when I returned. Her distress was great and her comfort remarkable. From the greatest anguish, she became calm and composed, and cry" out 'Thanks be to God for Christ, his loveliness ! Oh, I could dye to be with Christ.' She had (1 believe) such a discovery of Christ, y' was almost too much for y" humane frame to Bear. After dinner we went to Town where MY W. preached from John 9. 38. He was enlarged and solemn. Some children cryed and took on y' sat in ye Allay before the pulpitt-and y' was all. Twas dark when we came out of ye House-we went to Dr B's. But presently heard a crying out in ye yard-when lo !- I found my own son John (who conducted the home farm) speaking freely, Boldly and earnestly to ye peo- ple, and warning them against damnation, and inviting them to come to Christ. 1 spake to him, but he seemed beyond himself, and had great dis- coveries of y love of Christ, and great concern for souls. He said he won- dered at himself. He spoke what was reasonable and just ; expressed great concern for those y' frequent taverns &c." (His conscience as a farmer had been perplexed as we perceive by a conversation with his father, recorded elsewhere, about the propriety of selling cider to tavern keepers.) "We persuaded him into ye House where he expressed a great love to his uncle W. and would say 'O, y" Dear Lambs y' have this day been brot to Love
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Christ, &c &c.' Y' concern in ye yard increased, and we went out and dis- coursed with ye people. M. M. prayed with them and so did I and dismissed them. John seemed weak and faint but he came home with us and we had a comfortable night.
"IO. In ye morning about 9 o'clock we had another lecture. Mr W. preached from Isa. 50. 10. Ye word came with mighty power and N. H. and J. Steel were made to tremble as with an Ague, and others were much affected. My dear Brethren then took leave. Ye Lord reward them for their Labour of love. . My son John seems to have a great sense of God's Sovereignty and Justice. The Lord graciously strengthen him."
The diary goes on with daily accounts of experiences of spiritual distress or recovery that are singularly fraught with powerful emotion, a contagious movement of the sensibilities which sometimes impairs the bodily strength. It is no wonder that being in continual contact with such excitements the record for July 11th is, " This day I feel weak and spent. N. H. was here and seems overborne almost. I fear whether his nature will bear it. Oh Lord, keep him from distraction and give him relief."
On the Sabbath, July 12th, he improves and applies the vision of the dry bones, Ezk. 39, and is " somewhat enlarged and earnest." " 13. Poor Zick (one of liis negro servants) comes to me this morning, giveing me an ac- count of the distress he is in. Ye word touched him yesterday. Will God in very deed, own and bless and succeed me, a poor worthless worm ? N. B. Last night. my wife seemed to have a great sense of ye great things God had done for her, and was doing among us-was much affected with Gods Sovereignty &c. She spake in an unusuall and (to me) surprising manner of divine things-kept herself awake a Great part of ye night, and me very considerably. Toward night several came in to seek advice and direction. 14. My wife is still full. Oh what is there in ye fountain." In evident despondency. the worn-out pastor cries, " Oh, Lord be pleased to bless me-even me also, and graciously manifest thy love to me. In ye evening there came in a great number of young people from Serg' Cooley's meeting crying and taking on-greatly distressed." The next day Rev. Mr. H. came to join his services and the pastor remarks : " He seems dissatis- fied as to ye work of God here-y" Lord be pleased to remove his doubts."
Whatever doubts the reader, who belongs to these different days, may have concerning some of the features of this remarkable revival, there can be little question of its great efficiency in correcting moral defects and in lifting the churches of this region, and the whole com- munity as well, to a higher level of life and conduct. Afterwards, in- deed, from 1745 to 1792, including the Revolutionary period, there prevailed another spiritual declension, but never falling back to the level of religious apathy which preceded the "Great Awakening."
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N .- CHURCHES AND MINISTERS OF THE PRESENT CENTURY.
Until the 3d day of October, 1819, which closed the pastorate of Richard Salter Storrs, by an attack of epidemic fever at the age of 57, the inhabitants of the town had been generally united in the orig- inal church under what had been for a century essentially the same ministry,-Williams having laid strong foundations, and Storrs build- ing thereupon with uninterrupted success. From an early period, however-about 1727-there had been occasional dissentients whose sympathies went with the "irregular" ministrations, as they were deemed by the "standing order," of lay exhorters and private meet- ings. They were the "Separates " of that day, and their sympathies went with the revivalists like Gilbert Tennant and James Davenport. The term Separates, perhaps originated in the provocation of a Con- necticut law which forbade any person, under any pretense whatsoever, to assemble in any meeting-house provided for public worship without leave of the minister and congregation for whose use it was provided, under penalty of ten shillings for every person so offending. “Nor shall any persons neglect the public worship of God in some lawful congregation, and form themselves into separate companies in private houses, under penalty of ten shillings for every such offense."
The practice had been to compel every town to support by tax as- sessments the regular ministers, or such as were called "Orthodox." As the contention waxed hot, however, over compulsory support of the " standing order," the General Court passed a law in May, 1728, that no Anabaptists or Quakers duly enrolled in their several societies, who allege a scruple of conscience against the support of ministers of the churches established by law in the town where they dwell, shall have their polls taxed, nor their bodies taken in execution to satisfy any such ministerial rate or tax assessed upon their estates, provided that such persons do usually attend the meetings of their respective socie- ties, and that they live within five miles of the place of such meeting.
By degrees the "Separate " movement,-more rife in Connecticut than in Massachusetts, and productive at one period of heated eccle- siastical strifes, though fortunately never so in Longmeadow,- became merged into the denomination of Baptists. Stephen Williams alludes to them sometimes as "Sectaries " and again as Baptists, but always mentions them with kindness and respect. "Sept. 14. 1727. I hear M' Callender is in town among y Baptists. I hope he teaches
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y people he visits piety and vertue, and if they grow in vertue and piety, I shall rejoyce." In the following little passage at arms, how- ever, which did occur at the outset of the movement, the honors do not perhaps appear to have rested, exclusively at least, upon the side of the " standing order."
In 1727, Jonathan Worthington and fifteen other persons of Spring- field, which then included Longmeadow, sent a letter to the Baptist church in Boston, desiring that their pastor, Elder Elisha Callender, might be sent for further instruction, to understand the true institution of baptism according to the Word of God."
To the Church of Chrift in Bofton, under the care of Elder Elifha Callender, the fubfcribers hereunto fend greeting :
Beloved : Although we are no church nor members of any church, yet we have formerly looked upon ourfelves, at leaft fome of us, to have been members of fuch church or churches whofe faith and practice is to baptize, or rather fprinkle, infants ; but through God's goodnefs, by fearching the Scriptures, and fuch other helps as we have received from fome of your church, we have been made fenfible that our former practice with relation to baptifm, has been grounded too much upon the tra- ditions of men. And as, through grace, we hope we have in fome meafure been made fenfible of the error that the churches in this land in general are in with re- fpect to baptifm, both as to manner and fubject, the which, in times paft, we have too fondly imbibed and embraced, fo we defire to renounce and forfake the fame, as not the leaft correfponding with the Word of God. And underftanding that the church at Bofton practices and allows of no other but believers' baptifm ; we do therefore fpread our cafe before the church, humbly entreating your advice under our prefent circumftances; and if it agree with the pleafure and advice of the church (in order for the attaining further knowledge in the ways of God), to grant that Elder Elifha Callender may give us a vifit and preach fome fermons among us, who as yet, the mott of us, never heard a fermon preached by a Baptift. And now, leaving our concern with God, defiring the prayers of the church that God would carry on the work which we hope through grace He has begun, we defire to fub- scribe, though unworthy, your brethren in the bonds of the gofpel.
JONATHAN WORTHINGTON (and fifteen others).
Elder Callender accordingly came, and on July 23, 1727, baptized eleven persons, not, however, without a " remonstration " sent to him three days before by pastors Stephen Williams, Daniel Brewer, and Samuel Hopkins of Springfield, Ebenezer Devotion of Suffield, and Nehemiah Bull of Westfield. Their letter is worthy of being read in full as illustrating their spirit and the temper of the times :
Reverend Sir : We had a defire to have feen you and difcourfed with you in a Chriftian, moderate, and calm manner, refpecting your vifiting the people of our parts and charge, and to have known from you whether it can be that the Kingdom and intereft of our glorious Lord Jefus is likely to be advanced, and the welfare of precious fouls furthered by the meafures you are now purfuing. We are not fond of men's being called the followers of Paul or Apollos, but, if the good of men's
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fouls be furthered, we fhall rejoice. But, Sir, if heats, debates, and divifions do follow, (as we fear they will,) to the wounding of religion, and the danger of vital piety, we afk whether blame muft not be at your door ? If you efteem of us as minifters of Jefus Chrift, and would have been pleafed to have conferred with us, (Elder Callender appears to have feduously avoided an interview), we would, any of us, have endeavored to have given you as true account as we were capable of the circumftances of thefe people ; and would have been glad to join with you, or any good man, in doing anything for the revival of decayed piety, &c. But we cannot think preaching to or treating with particular perfons, in a private manner, to inftil into them doctrines which, we think, are not according to truth and godlinefs, to be fo Chriftian-like, and we affure you, is not what we expected from M' Cal- lender, whatever we might have feared from others ; and we fhould have thought it more fair if you had defired to have preached in one of our pulpits where we might have heard you, and have an opportunity to have made our remarks and replies if we thought it not according to truth. See Matthew 10. 26. 27.
Springfield. July 19. 1727.
EBENEZER DEVOTION, STEPHEN WILLIAMS, ETC.
When Elder Callender came the next year he received the follow- ing letter from the Springfield ministers of the standing order :
Reverend Sir : Our laboring to wait upon you together on laft year not being well received by fome, we fhall not now take pains after any fuch thing, but take this method to afk you whether you came prepared for and expecting of a public difpute concerning the subjects and modes of baptifm. Pleafe, Sir, by a line or two, to favor us with a reply to this as foon as poffible, directing it immediately to me, D. B., or (if an opportunity offers convenient) immediately to Mr Williams at the Meadows.
DANI BREWER, STEPHEN WILLIAMS, SAM1 HOPKINS.
Springfield. Sept. 16. 1728.
To this Elder Callender replied :
Reverend Sir : It is not my cuftom and manner to go about the country to dif- pute and debate and wrangle with thofe who differ from me in opinion. It is well known that I am for peace with all men, and for Chriftians to live in love and char- ity, and for every man to act as he is fully perfuaded in his own mind. But if you will not be quiet and eafy, and will insift upon it that your people muft hear what is to be faid in oppofition to what I think contrary to tru'h and godlinefs, you may inform, Sir, your humble Servant. ELISHA CALLENDER.
To the Reverend M' DANIEL BREWER.
Springfield. Sept. 17. 1728.
With which parting shaft of the Elder the exchange of letters seems to have ceased, and, as no public discussion ensued, it is inferable the pastors of the standing order in this vicinity made up their minds to interpose no further hindrance to the movement.
From the repeated visits of Elder Callender, Elder John Comer of Newport, and others, there resulted the organization of a Baptist church in Springfield, October 14, 1740, with Edward Upham of Mal- den pastor, a graduate of Harvard in 1734. In Stephen Williams'
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Longmeadow diocese, however, although Baptist ministers frequently held meetings in private houses, no church was organized, until, on the 19th of September, 1807, a branch of the Baptist church in En- field, Conn., was constituted in the extreme eastern district of the town comprising twenty-three members. The next year they engaged Elder George Atwell of Enfield, who had been greatly efficient in frequent visits, to " officiate as their Teacher of Divinity one-fourth of the time for the ensuing year," while Elder Alvin Bennet was engaged for the other three-fourths ; the former to be paid $55, and the latter $75. The year after-1809-Elder Atwell was secured for half the time with $ 100 salary, having to keep a horse and support a wife and nine children, while Elder Bennet, being a young man without family, re- ceived for his half of the time $50. But many gifts for the larder, the wood-pile, and the spinning-wheel, eked out the scanty pay. On one occasion Elder Atwell received from his people forty-seven runs of yarn.
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