USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Reminiscences of Worcester from the earliest period, historical and genealogical with notices of early settlers and prominent citizens, and descriptions of old landmarks and ancient dwellings, accompanied by a map and numerous illustrations > Part 14
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" Dr. Austin-Why did you not call upon me, on your first arrival in the town of Worcester ?
" Elder Bentley-I am happy in this opportunity of answering that question : On my first arrival at Worcester, I found myself in the midst of strangers. I was not acquainted with any person in the town. A lecture being appointed to be held at brother Wilson's house, I called upon that gentleman, and inquired if he thought you would open your meeting-house for me to preach in.
" Brother Wilson replied, he did not think you would, for that Eld- er Caleb Green, some time ago, upon a similar application, was re- fused, because he was a close communionist. Now, sir, as you refused your meeting-house to Elder Green, so I had every reason to believe that a like application from me would meet with a like refusal from you. It was for this reason, sir, that I did not call upon you."
To this last speech of Elder Bentley, Dr. Austin made no re- ply, but left the school house with great apparent mortification and uneasiness, records Dea. Wilson .*
Sunday, Aug. 2, Elder Bentley preached three times in the hall, and from that time regular religious services were held every Sunday, by different preachers, besides frequent meetings
* The character of this discussion may have been looked upon in a different light by Dr. Austin, from what is here represented by Elder Bentley. How- ever decided may have been their theological antipathies at this time, these two distingiushed and able representatives of their respective denominations, subsequently became warm friends before leaving Worcester, which they did at nearly the same time, in 1815. Rev. Dr. R. E. Pattison, a member of Dea. Wil- son's household by marriage with his daughter, made the following statement in reference to this matter: "It is due to the memory alike of Dr. Austin and of Deacon Wilson, as well as to the honor of religion, which seeks and pro- motes peace, to state what is not generally known : that when Dr. Austin dis- covered his error he was as magnanimous as he had been tenacious. After further acquaintance with Dea. Wilson, and that growing band of Christians who gathered around him in that enterprise, on seeing their love for evangelical truth and the pure and undefiled religion which was the fruit of their labors, he sought an interview with Dea. Wilson, and in the language of my inform- ant, " with tears" acknowledged his mistake. He claimed sincerity, as acting from no motive but fidelity to what he deemed truth and the interest of religion. Few men could more readily appreciate such an honest conviction of duty, though erroneous, or would more heartily have forgiven the offender, than Dea. Wilson. Previous to this interview, and as they understood each other better, there had been springing up not only between the two eminently godly men, but between their families, a kindly feeling which at a later period ripened into respect and affection."
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at other times. Oct. 30, 1812, Elder Wm. Bentley, by unan- imous request, returned to Worcester to take the pastoral charge of the church here when constituted.
CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH.
At a meeting, on Thursday, Nov. 5, of the brethren and sis- ters, at the house of James Wilson, Elder Bentley, moderator, and James Wilson, clerk, it was unanimously voted to form themselves into a church, a confession of faith and form o." church government drawn up by brother Wilson were adopted, and this was the constitution of the First Baptist Church in Worcester. Wednesday, Dec. 9, was set apart for the pub- lic exercises in recognition of the new church and the installa- tion of its pastor, at which the First Church in Providence, the Second Church in Boston, the First Church in Sutton, and the churches in Warren, R. I., Grafton, Leicester, Charlton and Sturbridge of this denomination were invited to take part.
Dr. Austin declining the use of the old South meeting-house for this occasion, Dr. Bancroft offered the use of that of the second parish, which was accepted.
Letters of invitation to dine with the council of churches on the day of installation and recognition, were sent to Revs. Drs. Austin and Bancroft, and the latter accepted. Dr. Austin de- clined for the following reasons stated in his letter of declina- tion :
" Mr. Bentley, originally excited by some, and seconded by others whose sectarian zeal carries them beyond a regard for several of the primary precepts of tlre gospel, has commenced, and is prosecuting a partisan warfare against the harmony and prosperity of the church and congregation under my pastoral care. He has broken in upon my charge at a moment of in- creasing and very promising seriousness, and when I was obliged to be from home on missionary and other concerns, and has drawn several awakened inquirers from the path of duty, and it is to be feared, from the path of salvation. He has se- duced one member of my church to a violation of her solemn covenant engagements, and confirmed her in a separation ex- pressly reprobated in the Scriptures. He has announced, as is
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understood, the intentions of the Baptists to occupy the meet- ing house on Wednesday, against a full expression of personal feeling, the rights of the Christian ministry, the order of Christ's house, and the laws of the land. For these and other corres- pondent reasons presenting themselves in the general system of Baptistical procedure, I must deline an acceptance of the invit- ation, at the same time declaring my intention in the future to act in regard to the Baptists merely on the defensive, having determined not officiously to interfere, and not wishing myself to be interrupted in the prosecution of a work consigned to me by the Redeemer of Zion."
On the receipt of the above letter, the intention of occupying Dr. Austin's meeting house was relinquished, although the as- sessors had granted their permission, and application was made by Dea. Wilson to Dr. Bancroft, for leave to occupy his church, which he very readily granted, and attended the services, both forenoon and afternoon.
THE INSTALLATION EXERCISES.
The council representing the churches before named, met on the morning of Dec. 9, 1812, at the dwelling house of James Wilson,* and after organizing by the choice of Elder Joseph Cornell of Boston, as moderator, and Elder Stephen Gano of Providence, as scribe, they adjourned to the meeting-house of Dr. Bancroft on Summer street, where the right hand of fel- lowship was extended to the new church by a discourse from Elder Cornell in the forenoon, from Luke 13: 5; and a simi- lar fellowship was extended to the pastor, Elder Wm. Bentley, in a discourse by Elder Gano in the afternoon, from 1 Peter 2 : 5.
In this council, the church in Greenville, (Leicester), was re- presented by Elder Peter Rogers and Dea. David Bryant ; the church in Charlton by Elder James Boomer, Dea. Daniel Bacon and Daniel Bacon, Jr. ; the church in Grafton by Dea. Enoch Batchelor and Amasa Smith ; Sutton, by Deas. Solo- mon Marble and Moses Putnam, James McClellan, Isaac Dwin-
Dea. Wilson resided on the site of the present Union Block, (just south of the present Mechanics' Hall building). The old building in which he lived, now stands on the north side of Mechanic street, to which place it was removed in 1853, it having been known for the last twenty years as the "Farmers' Hotel." He kept the post office in a small building, attached to the south of his residence.
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nell and Buckley Waters ; and Sturbridge, by Elder Zenas L. Leonard and Dea. Henry Fiske.
ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH.
Of the new church thus constituted, nearly sixty-five years ago, the following twenty-nine persons, fifteen males and four- teen females, were the original members : James Wilson, Wm. Bentley, William Rice, Solomon Parsons, James Young, Syl- vanus Dana, Isaac Tucker, Enos Tucker, Benjamin Tucker, George Grafton, Abel Flagg, Abner Putnam, William Henry, Jacob Pell, Thompson Kimberly, Mary Bentley, Rebecca Par- sons, Patty Rice, Deborah Kimberly, Hannah Hall, Anna Grout, Mary Tucker, Eliza M. Tucker, Lydia Irving, Harriet White, Rosanna Pell, Sarah Sturtevant, Nancy Putnam.
Solomon Parsons, above named, who came to Worcester from Leicester in 1812, and settled on the estate between Cher- ry Valley and New Worcester, previously owned and occupied by Reuben and Asa Hamilton, (grandfather and father of the present Charles A. Hamilton,) was father of the present Solo- mon Parsons, and son of Dr. Solomon Parsons, the latter being son of Rev. David Parsons, the first pastor of the old Congrega- tional Church in Leicester, from 1721 to 1735.
The first persons added to the church after its constitution, by the administration of the rite of water baptism, by Elder Bentley, were: Dec. 27, 1812, Daniel and Abigail Rand, Bet. sey Searle, Nancy Hersey, and Eliza Johnson ; Jan. 3, 1813, Lucy and Sally Adams ; Feb. 27, Samuel Davis, Nancy White, Abigail Johnson, Olive Davis and Hannah Hemenway ; April 17, Daniel Hersey and Patty Johnson ; May 2, 1813, Gustavus F. Davis, Polly Goulding and Harriet Johnson. Of these, one, the venerated and esteemed "Aunt Hannah" Hemenway, still survives, the oldest member of the church, with which she thus united sixty-four years ago, coming within a year of being one of the original members.
THE FIRST MEETING HOUSE.
Numerous additions to the church continued to be made, and from this beginning the church and society increased so
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rapidly that the hall in the Centre School-house became insuf- ficient to hold their meetings in ; and measures were accord- ingly adopted for the erection of a meeting-house, which was built during the summer and fall of 1813, upon the site of the present house of worship of that society, on the east side of Salem Square. It was begun May 19, and finished in season for dedication, on Thursday, Dec. 23, following, when a sermon was preached by Elder Bentley from Haggai 2: 9, " The glory of this latter house," &c., to a numerous audience.
This was a plain wooden structure of moderate dimensions, about 45 by 60 feet, without a tower, and cost $2459, princi- pally defrayed by a sale of the pews, of which there were four tiers on the first floor, entered from two aisles, besides slips on each side of the pulpit, and there were galleries on three sides of the house. The land cost $100. The church committee having charge of the building, were James Wilson, William Rice and Enos Tucker. In the fall of 1827, the house was made twenty feet wider by putting on two one-story leantoes giving an additional tier of pews to each side, entered from wall aisles. At the same time a tower was added, and a bell put in. The expense of this enlargement and addition was $2850. The carpenter work was done by Capt. Zenas Studley and Horatio N. Tower. This building was burned between one and two o'clock on the morning of May 21, 1836, and steps were im- mediately taken for the erection of a new house on its site, meetings being held in the meanwhile at the Thomas Street Chapel, then belonging to the Calvinistic Church.
At the same time the first house of worship was erected, in 1813, a parsonage house was built on the south-west corner of Park and Green streets, it being the same house afterwards owned and occupied by Mrs. John Foxcroft. Elder Bentley re- sided here during his pastorate. The builder of this house and of the church was James Hall of Shrewsbury, and among those who worked for him in the building of these two structures was the venerable Capt. Erastus Tucker of this city, now in his 84th year. The old dwelling now stands on Washington street, just in the rear of Gates' block, the site of which it formerly occupied. The old parsonage grounds had an extensive front-
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age on Park and Green streets, Elder Going also residing there during the first portion of his ministry.
THE SECOND AND PRESENT HOUSE OF WORSHIP.
The building of the new house was begun in July, 1836, un- der direction of a committee consisting of Hon. Isaac Davis, Dea. Daniel Goddard, James S. Woodworth and others ; and the work was prosecuted with such vigor that the vestry was ready for occupany in November following, and regular services were held there till the whole building was completed, the mid- dle of August, 1837, when the body of the house was first open- ed for public worship, with a discourse by the then pastor, Rev. Jonathan Aldrich, from Psalms 73: 5. Of this structure, 50 feet by 80, surmounted by a spire, 138 feet high, and costing $17,000, James S. Woodworth was the architect and builder. In it were placed an organ, costing $2000, and a clock, both given by Hon. Isaac Davis.
During the latter half of the year 1867, and the beginning of 1868, the building was enlarged to its present ample and spa- cious dimensions at an expenditure of over $25,000, making it essentially a new house. The enlargement was made by cut- ting the structure longitudinally through the ridge, and sep- arating the parts sixteen feet, filling the intervening space with new materials; and cutting it laterally immediately in the rear of the steeple, removing the larger part easterly to the rear of the lot, and filling the intervening space of twenty feet with new materials. By this arrangement, the width of the house was increased to sixty-six feet, and the length to 102 feet. The vestry was also proportionately enlarged, and made entire- ly new, with commodious and convenient ante-rooms, kitchen, &c., entrance thereto being from the first story of the vestibule, flights of stairs leading to the main audience room above. New galleries were also put in, new pews, and new windows of " flock glas's" were deemed necessary to correspond with this thorough remodeling and modernizing of the structure, which is now one of the most spacious and attractive appearing houses of worship in the city. At the same time, a new organ costing $3269, was put in, from the Baumgarten Organ Company of
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New Haven, Conn., towards which $1000 was allowed for the old organ in exchange. The reconstruction of the church ed- ifice was made by Alonzo Bowers, contractor, of Somerville, un- der the supervision of a building committee consisting of A. L. Burbank, Alzirus Brown, Samuel Warren, S. N. Story, Free- man Upham, John Simmons, and Rev. H. K. Pervear. The vestry began to be occupied for religious services the first Sun- day in January, 1868, and the house was finished four months later, the dedicatory exercises taking place on Thursday after- noon, May 7, on which occasion the pastor, Rev. H. K. Pervear, preached a discourse from Hab. 2: 20, "The Lord is in his holy temple," followed with the dedicatory prayer by Rev. David Weston of the Pleasant street Baptist Church. In the evening, a discourse was preached by Rev. Lemuel Moss, (Mr. Pervear's predecessor as pastor of this church,) from Matt. 13: 33.
At the same time the above improvements were being made in the house of worship, the hill on which it stood, and the ground in front of it were graded and lowered six feet by the city authorities, greatly adding to the general appearance of that locality.
This church has had nine pastors in sixty-five years, as fol- lows :
THE PASTORS.
1. Rev. William Bentley, born in Newport, R. I., March 3, 1775 ; at the age of 13 went to learn the trade of a, baker in Boston. He joined the First Baptist Church in Boston, then under charge of Rev. Dr. Samuel Stillman, and subsequently connected himself with the Second Baptist Church there, then under charge of Rev. Dr. Thomas Baldwin, by whom he was in- fluenced to become a preacher. Without any collegiate educa- tion, he was ordained as evangelist in Salem in 1807, soon af- ter which he became pastor of the church in Tiverton, R. I., from which place he came to Worcester in 1812, and removed from here in December, 1815, to take charge of the Bap- tist Church in Wethersfield, Conn., where he officiated six years, and was then for sixteen years Domestic Missionary of the State
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. of Connecticut, laboring also six weeks in each year for the Massachusetts Domestic Missionary Society. From 1840 to 1847, he supplied the pulpit of the Second Baptist Church in Middletown, Conn., after which he occasionally supplied des- titute churches in Connecticut, residing at Wethersfield, where he died Dec. 24, 1855, aged over 80, forty years after leaving his Worcester charge. During his long ministry he baptized, on profession of their faith, nearly 800 persons, and in his various journeys claimed that he " rode in his own carriage as many miles as would go round the world three times." His bold and energetic characteristics adapted him far more espe- cially as a pioneer and general missionary, in which he did so much efficient service, than as a long settled preacher in the same locality. His annual salary, while here, was but $300.
2. The second pastor, Rev. Jonathan Going, D. D., (son of Capt. Jonathan and Sarah Kendall Going, formerly of Lunen- burg, Mass.,) was born in Reading, Vt., March 7, 1786, grad- uated at Brown University in 1808, and studied theology there with Rev. Dr. Asa Messer, then president of the college. In 1811, he was ordained pastor of the church in Cavendish, Vt., and removed thence to Worcester, beginning his labors here Dec. 10, 1815, in pursuance of a call extended to him previously. During his long pastorate of sixteen years, the membership of the church was very largely increased, as well as the interests of temperance, common school education, home and foreign missions, and of religion and good morals generally, he being a most indefatigable worker in every good cause, so much so as in the end to break down his powerful physical constitution, and oblige him to resign his duties here. Retiring from Wor- cester in 1831, he became Corresponding Secretary of the American Baptist Home Mission Society, then just organized, with head-quarters at New York, and in this capacity was pro- prietor and editor of its organ, the " Mission Record," for five years. From 1836 to his decease, Nov. 9, 1844, he was pre- sident and theological professor of Granville College, Ohio, of which institution he had been one of the principal founders.
Dr. Going received the title of A. M. from the University of Vermont in 1818 ; and of D. D. from Waterville College, Maine,
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in 1832. In the early part of his ministry here he instructed the Latin Grammar school one year, and for many years acted a leading part in improving the system of education in our common schools. The first Sabbath School in the county was established by him in his church here in 1816. He married, in 1811, Lucy Thorndike of Dunstable. His annual salary aver- aged a little less than $500.
3. The third pastor, Rev. Frederick Augustus Willard, born in Lancaster, was son of Rev. Benjamin Willard, and graduated at Amherst College in 1826, and Newton Theological Seminary in 1830. For two years he was professor of Chemistry and Botany in Vermont University at Woodstock, and was ordained and installed pastor at Worcester, Jan. 18, 1832, with the fol- lowing exercises: Reading of Scriptures by Rev. John Greene of Greenville, Leicester ; introductory prayer by Rev. Otis Con- verse of Grafton ; sermon by Rev. Prof. Henry J. Ripley of Newton Theological Seminary ; consecrating prayer by Rev. Elisha Sampson of Harvard ; charge to the pastor-elect, and address to the congregation by Rev. Jonathan Going, D. D., the retiring pastor ; right hand of fellowship by Rev. Wm. Hague, D. D., of the First Baptist Church in Boston ; conclud- ing prayer by Rev. John Walker of Sutton. The members of the Worcester church having direction of the exercises were : Rev. Luther Goddard ; Deacons Nathaniel Stowell, Daniel God- dard, and Solomon Marble; and brethren Isaac Davis, Ben- jamin Flagg, Wm. Keith, Lewis Thayer and Daniel Shephard.
After resigning his pastorate here, August 1, 1835, he was settled in Newton four years, then ten years in Louisville, Ky., successively as pastor, college professor and superintendent of city missions ; pastor in South Danvers from 1849 for a few years, and then removed to Newton, where he died.
Mr. Willard married in 1839, Sarah, daughter of Seth Davis of Newton.
4. Rev. Jonathan Aldrich, the fourth pastor, (son of Asquire Aldrich of St. Johnsbury, Vt.,) graduated at Brown University in 1826, prepared for the ministry at Newton, and was ordained at Dedham in December, 1827, where he remained three years, then officiated a short time at Beverly and East Cambridge, and
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was installed at Worcester, Oct. 27, 1835, with the following exercises : Sermon by Rev. Baron Stow of Boston, charge by Rev. Abisha Samson of Southborough, installing prayer by Rev. Charles O. Kimball of Methuen, right hand of fellowship by Rev. F. A. Willard, address to the people by Rev. Charles Train of Framingham, and concluding prayer by Rev. John Walker of Sutton.
Mr. Aldrich officiated here till May, 1838, after which time he labored successively as pastor in Philadelphia and Baltimore, secretary and agent of the New England Sabbath School Union, pastor at Framingham, and agent of the American Baptist Mis- sionary Union, in which latter capacity he officiated several years, residing at Worcester, where he died Jan. 19, 1862, aged 62. He married in 1828, Catharine P., daughter of Asa Lewis, then of Dedham, afterwards of Worcester. His salary as pas- tor here was $700.
5. Rev. Samuel Budd Swaim, D. D., the fifth pastor, was born in Pemberton, N. J., June 22, 1809, (being the oldest son of Judge Thomas and Mary Budd Swaim.) He was at Columbia College, Washington, D. C., one year, graduated at Brown University in 1830, at Newton Theological Seminary in 1833, and was ordained at Haverhill, Nov. 7, the latter year. After preaching on supply successively at Haverhill, Mass., and Brunswick and Augusta, Maine, he was for one year professor of theology in Granville College, Ohio, and subsequently pas- tor of the Baptist Church there. He began his pastorate in Worcester, the first Sunday in April, 1839, and remained here over fifteen years, resigning on account of ill health, May 4, 1854, after a ministry of unusual success and general accept- ance. He was next settled in West Cambridge, where he re- mained over eight years, being obliged to suspend his minister- ial labors on account of exhausted energies, and changed his residence to Cambridgeport. For two years subsequently he acted as District Secretary for New England, of the Baptist Home Missionary Society, but died soon afterwards. Jan. 22, 1865, the last Sunday but one before his decease, Dr. Swaim preached two discourses in his old pulpit in Worcester, in the forenoon from Neh. 7 : 2, and in the afternoon from Mat. 27: 2.
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He preached his last sermon in Lexington the following Sunday, and died, suddenly, of rheumatism of the heart, the following Friday, Feb. 3, 1865, at his residence in Cambridge- port, aged 55 years and 7 months. He received the degree of D. D. from Waterville College, Maine, and from Brown University.
Dr. Swaim married, May 4, 1837, Mary Noble, daughter of Joseph and Mary G. Noble of Portland, Maine, by whom he had two children : 1, Samuel Noble, born Feb. 5, 1838, died Nov. 27, 1859 ; 2, Mary A. Noble, born in Worcester, Feb. 9, 1840, died June 29, 1865. His first wife died in Worcester, August 29, 1841, and he married Oct. 10, 1842, Aurora D. Skinner, daughter of Dea. Parry C. and Mary Skinner of Windsor, Vt., by whom he had five children : 1, Thomas Parry, born Feb. 24, 1844, died Sept. 4, 1846 ; 2, Baron Stow, born April 7, 1846, died May 29, 1848; 3, Roger Williams, born July 12, 1848, lately deceased ; 4, Joseph Skinner, born May 2, 1851 ; 5, Elizabeth Day, born Aug. 20, 1854.
6. Rev. John Davis Edmands Jones, the sixth pastor, was born in Charles River Village, Needham, Nov. 11, 1819, son of John Jones. He graduated at Brown University in 1845, studied two years for the ministry at Newton Theological Sem- inary, was then for two years principal of Troy Academy, N. Y., and ordained pastor at North Bennington, Vt., Nov. 8, 1849, where he officiated as pastor nearly six years, and began his pastorate in Worcester, April 1, 1855, which he resigned in April, 1859, to take the position of superintendent of public schools in Worcester, which he held for seven years till Jan. 1, 1866, and has been for the last eleven years superintendent of agencies of the State Mutual Life Assurance Co. of Worcester.
Mr. Jones married in March, 1846, Clarissa A. Day, daugh- ter of Preston Day, Esq., of Wrentham, and they have had three children : 1, Preston Day Jones, born in Troy, N. Y., Dec. 18, 1847, graduated at Brown University in 1869, and has been for several years principal of Belmont street Grammar School in Worcester; 2, Edward Davis Jones, born in Worcester, Oct. 7, 1856, studied at Brown University one year, and has been for two years past city editor of the Providence Evening Press ;
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