USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Weston > Sermon, delivered at Weston, January 12, 1813, on the termination of a century since the incorporation of the town > Part 4
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The religious institutions of our fathers, and their conscientious observance of them, have been New En- gland's glory. I am well aware, that those institutions have been represented, perhaps really thought, to be unfavourable to the enlarged views, and to the inde- pendent feelings, which are desirable in a race of free- men. But nothing can be more incorrect than this idea. Our religious and school institutions have from the beginning had an intimate connexion ; and their joint influence has given an elevation of character to 7
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the several classes of our citizens, which no other sec- tion in the union can justly claim. In other portions of our country the rich bestow upon their children a good education ; but the poor have not, as we have, the means of instruction ; and they that have advanta- ges, are nurtured in such notions of their superiority, that they can scarcely enter into the feelings of medioc- rity, and allow to their more destitute neighbours equal privileges ; much less can they be persuaded to restrain the lash from those of a more sable complex- ion.
Although there has not always been sufficient care, in years past, to provide able instructors ; yet our schools in general have been so well taught, that the youth in this place have been as fully prepared for ac- tive service and usefulness, as in almost any town of equal ability in the commonwealth. With high satis- faction we make this remark, while we express an · earnest desire that there may be an increasing atten- ^ tion to the education of the rising generation. They are the hope of our country. May the means of
:„ knowledge be multiplied. The culture of young .¿ minds, especially in religious and virtuous sentiments and habits, is of vast importance, not only to individ- uals, but to the community.
Twenty young men who were natives of this town, or whose parents lived in the town at the time of their receiving collegiate honours, have had a publick edu- cation ; nineteen at Cambridge, and one at Provi- dence .*
* Their names, and the years in which they took their
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In considering the days of old, the years of ancient times, we ought to notice the errours of our fathers, not with a view to reproach their characters, but to avoid their mistakes and failings ; and we should mark their virtues and pious examples with a determination to imitate their praise worthy deeds. They were a generation of men who, after every reasonable allow- ance for the influence the spirit of the age had upon their minds, merit our veneration, and from whom we may receive instruction at this distant period. It will be our fault if we do not learn wisdom from them.
When they attempted to procure a minister of the gospel, they sought direction from heaven by fasting and prayer, and applied for advice to the most judi- cious clergymen of their day. These measures indi- cate prudence and discretion as well, as a spirit of pi- ety ; they were fit and proper, and will merit the at- tention of the religious society in this place at a future and not very far distant period.
The time is fast approaching, when the lips of the present speaker will be closed, when his tongue will be silenced forever. Should he live to the common
first degree are as follows, viz. William Williams, 1729, Na- than Fiske, 1754, Daniel Jones, Phineas Whitney, and Daniel. Stimpson, 1759, Ephraim Woolson, 1760, Samuel Savage, 1766, Isaac Biglow, 1769, Stephen Jones, 1775, Samuel Woodward, 1776, Abraham Biglow, 1782, Ebenezer Starr,
V 1789, Silas Warren, 1795, Isaac Allen and Isaac Fiske, 1798, Charles Train, 1805, Benjamin Rand, 1808, Alpheus Biglow, 1810, Abraham Harrington, 1812. These at Cambridge. Isaac Fiske at Providence, 1812.
Thaddeus fiske, 1785,
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age of man, the event is not far distant. Should he even exceed those bounds, comparing the future with the past, there is but a step between him and the grave. He does not expect to attain to the days of the years of his fathers, to whom long life has been granted. Permit him to offer the friendly counsel which he may never have a more favourable opportu- nity to give.
As now, so when he shall have rested from his la- bours, Be at peace amongst yourselves, and mark them. that cause divisions. Nothing ought to be more drcad- ed than a spirit of contention. When you shall be- come destitute of a minister, take early care to fill the vacancy. In this attempt seek first the blessing and direction of heaven, not in a mere formal, but in a sincere and devout manner. In connexion with this apply to the most serious and judicious ministers in the vicinity for advice. But receive with caution ad- vice that may be offered by men devoted to a party, or who are zealous to support opinions that have no necessary connexion with evangelical truth, or who have not charity for such as differ from them in points
that have long divided the christian world.
With
pure and upright intentions such men will be apt to consider a conformity to their own mode of thinking on subjects of speculation an essential qualification for the ministerial office, and to overlook a deficiency in other very requisite qualifications. Under impres- sions of this kind, good men may excite unreasonable fears and prejudices among a people who are seeking a good minister.
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The fathers of this town, under circumstances now in contemplation, applied to the President of the College for advice. In general he, and the other of- ficers of the institution have the most correct knowl- edge of the talents, learning, and character of the stu- dents in divinity, or candidates for the ministry ; and it may be expected they will be as little influenced by personal considerations, or party feelings, as any men in the community.
A minister that loves the people of his charge, or regards the honour of the institutions of religion, can have no wish nearer his heart, than that there may al- ways be a succession of serious evangelical preachers, who will not amuse, nor perplex, their hearers with empty speculations, but feed them with knowledge, the knowledge of Christ, and of the uncorrupted doc- trines of his gospel.
It has long been the settled opinion of the speak- er, that a destitute society ought with good advice to fix their minds upon a candidate, and then let him have no rival in their hearts; but prove him to their satisfaction, and as they judge, so act. This should be the course till they obtain their object. The idea of having several candidates in view, at the same time, in order to a choice, is not favourable to union and harmony, nor to the wisest election. The caution is to be taken in the preparatory steps, and not by open- ing the way for invidious comparison. The first that unites the hearts of a people should be called to the office, without gratifying a curiosity to hear others. This rarely fails to create a division in sentiment. As
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men have different tastes, so they will be pleased with different objects. Multiply the objects, and union in the choice of any one of them can hardly be expected.
One word of counsel more. Let me entreat you, my brethren, to guard your christian liberty, to study the principles of the reformation, to look at the exam- ples of our forefathers, and to exercise and defend your rights as a church of Christ, amenable only to your Lord and Master for your faith and worship. Be not entangled with any yoke of bondage. As St. Paul said to the Philipians, " Beware of the conci- sion ;" so I say unto you, brethren, Beware of conso- ciation. Never suffer this engine to enter within the walls of this church. The contents of its dark cav- ern would prove as destructive of congregational prin- ciples, and of the liberty our fathers asserted, as those in the fabled Grecian horse were to ancient Troy. Re- member, brethren, I have told you beforehand, and warned and exhorted you as a father. Be persuaded always to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and thus prove yourselves the genuine and worthy offspring of the fathers, whose deeds we this day commemorate.
Innovations are, in general, hazardous experi- ments. Though they may remedy some evils, they frequently open a door for others of a more serious na- ture. If attempted and effected by secret combina- tions, they rarely fail to produce a strong excitement and jealousy in the publick mind. To give encour- agement, or facility, to a few restless members of a community to disturb the peace, and disappoint the
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hopes of a religious society would be an evil, for which we should not readily find a counterbalance in any good produced.
The idea, which some entertain, that, in order to the union and prosperity of our churches, a tribunal must be erected, which shall be as decisive in all eccle- siastical affairs, as our civil tribunals are in matters that come before them, is not very consistent with con- gregational principles, nor with the liberty of individu- al churches. It is devoutly to be desired, that the con- gregational churches in Massachusetts may have too high a respect for the examples of their fathers to yield their liberty to any such tribunal, under whatever name it may be known. The union and prosperity of the churches may be promoted in a way more congenial with the spirit of the gospel ; that is, by putting on that charity which is the bond of perfectness ; not by claiming dominion over each other's faith, but by be- ing helpers of each other's joy. May this charity reign in your hearts, this benevolence appear in your lives ; and may the God of peace dwell among you, and endue you with the richest blessings of his grace.
APPENDIX.
WESTON lies about thirteen miles west of Boston. The post road from Boston to New York passes through the centre of the town. Twenty years ago it was thought that there was more travel on this road than on any other of equal distance from any capital city in the union. Some diversion of the travel has been made, of late years, by turnpikes, and by other improvements of publick roads ; but still it is a post road which retains a large portion of the travel. There is a post office in the town. A very considerable road, leading to Lancaster, passes through the north part of the town ; another of less tra- vel, leading to Framingham, through the south part of the town.
The town is bounded, north, on Lincoln ; east, on Wal- tham, stony brook being in part the line ; southeast, on Charles river, which divides it from Newton ; south, on Needham, which was originally a part of Dedham; southwest, on Natick ; west, on East-Sudbury. It is in general an uneven, and in some parts, a broken tract of land. High clefts, or ledges, of rocks are found within its limits. Probably Mount Feake, and the other very high rock, mentioned in Gov. Winthrop's Journal, lie within its boundary. A considerable proportion of the town is elevated above the common level of the adjacent country, and gives an extensive view of other parts. A hill of excellent land on the southwesterly part of the town presents a very extensive, and, in the month of May, a very romantick prospect. The soil in the elevated and rocky parts of the town is, in general, a deep red strong loam, very favourable to the growth of fruit trees. There are several tracts of plain land ; but these are of no considerable extent. The hills are
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mostly springy, and very little subject either to frost or drought. A number of brooks and rivulets accommodate the inhabitants, and pay their tribute to the bordering streams. The greatest part of these brooks rise within the town, and are fed by springs. A part of None-such-Pond, so called, falls within the south- western limits of the town. There are few or no stagnant waters ; but several tracts of meadow that abound with excel- lent peat. There are no very noticeable natural curiosities, ex- cept a horizontal cave which is found on the westerly side of Snake-rock, so called, near Stony-Brook bridge. This cave is not large at its entrance, nor in any of its known dimensions. Tradition says that it has formerly been the depository of stol- en goods.
The inhabitants of the town are mostly industrious farmers, a class of men, which, in a country like ours, merits the high consideration and esteem of every other class.
There is a congregational, baptist, and methodist meeting- house within the territory. The town is divided into six school- districts, each having a school-house, and its proportion of schooling.
On the whole, the town, notwithstanding its rocky and rug- ged appearance in some parts of it, is pleasant, and contains a considerable portion of good land. The character of its inhab- itants would not suffer by a comparison with those of almost any other town in the Commonwealth of no greater advantages. They have merited the confidence and esteem of the writer for thirty years ; and will accept his acknowledgments for the eandour, with which they have, in general, treated him, and accepted his services among them.
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NOTE (on Dr. Kendal's VOTE, p. 19. ) by A. H.
THE Author of the Sermon, in a letter to the writer of this Note, observes : " The Note relating to the order in which " Watertown church is placed, was inserted to invite inquiry. " Truth should be the only object. As you have been so " obliging, as to inspect the proof sheets, and, observing that " note, to make further inquiry into the subject ; by placing " the result of your investigation immediately after my short " Appendix, you will increase the obligations of
" Your friend and brother,
"S. K."
The argument for arranging the churches in a different order, from that generally observed in our histories, is founded on the single fact, That the Watertown settlers entered into Covenant July 30, 1630. The question is, Was a church formed at the signing of this Covenant ? Or, Was this a preparatory solemnity ? 'The supposition in your NOTE is, That the church was then formed ; the following considerations may fur- nish presumptive evidence, That it was but a preparatory exercise.
1. The Fast, observed that day, was not for the purpose of gathering churches. At the instance of governor Winthrop, the 30th day of July, 1630, was observed as a day of solemn fasting and prayer, by all the peo- ple in Massachusetts, and by the people of Plymouth. (Prince, p. 243. Morton's N. Eng. Memorial, A. D. 1630.) The first cause of this solem- nity was, nothing of an ecclesiastical nature, but the prevalent sickness at Charlestown. A secondary design of it was, "to seek the Lord in his " ordinances, that then such godly persons among them as know each " other, may publickly at the end of their exercise make known their de- " sire and practise the same by solemnly entering into covenant with him " to walk in his ways." (Prince, 243. Morton.) At the close of the public solemnity of the day, governor Winthrop, deputy governor Dud- ley, Mr. Johnson, and Rev. Mr. Wilson, of the Charlestown settlers, and Sir R. Saltonstal and others of the Watertown settlers, subscribed res- pectively a covenant. Had the formation of a church been intended, in either of these instances, would not the design have been more distinctly declared beforehand, and the public solemnity itself expressly directed to this great object, agreeably to the usage of the New England church- es from the beginning ?
2. Though a covenant was signed at Charlestown 30 July, 1630, yet the church is not dated from that day. A supposition is made in your NOTE, that the four, who signed the covenant at Charlestown, " agreed " upon a form of covenant, and took preparatory steps to the gathering of " a church, which was effected the 27th of the following month." These four, not being a competent number, " might not consider themselves to " be a church, but design to prepare the way to erect one in due form." Had not such preparation been judged expedient, it would seem strange, that the Charlestown church was not organized in due form on the same day. The want of a sufficient number of candidates for membership can hardly be supposed, when it is considered, that all the fleet liad now ar-
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rived from England ; that seven ships liad come into Charlestown during the month of July ; and that when the church was formed, 27 August following, about 90 were admitted members. [See Emerson's Hist. of First Church. ] If, then, the Fathers of the colony thought it proper to have a covenant subscribed, preparatory to the organization of a church, why might not the Watertown people entertain the same opinion, and ob- serve the same preliminary ?
3. The Form of the Covenant, subscribed by the Watertown settlers, bears marks of a more general design than that of organization : " Be- " ing safely arrived here, and thus far onwards peaceably preserved by " his special Providence, that we may bring forth our intentions into ac- " tions and perfect our resolutions, in the beginnings of some just and " meet executions, we have separated the day-and dedicated it whol- " ly to the Lord-that we might know what was good in his sight."- " And the Lord was intreated for us. For in the end of that day after " the finishing of our publick duties, we do all, before we depart, solemn- " ly and with all our hearts, personally, man by man, for ourselves and " our's promise," &c. Morton's manner of relating the public solemnity of July 30 is not unlike the above, and seems to denote an incipient and prepar- atory exercise, not the complete formation of a church : " And the Lord " was entreated not only to asswage the sickness, but also encouraged " their hearts to a beginning, and in some short time after to a further " progress in the great work of erecting a way of worshipping of Christ " in church fellowship, according to the primitive institution." Memorial. Dr. Mather's manner of narrating this transaction, in the Magnalia, de- serves notice : " About 40 men subscribed this instrument, in order to " their coalescence into a Church Estate. But in after time, they that join- " ed unto the Church, subscribed a Form of the Covenant somewhat alter- "ed, with a Confession of Faith annexed unto it."
4. It was the early practice of the New England churches toobserve a day of Fasting and Prayer, previously to the organization of a church, and to sign a covenant personally by themselves on that day. For this fact we have Dr. C. Mather's own authority. "The persons who are engaging " and combining for the weighty undertaking of gathering a Church, set " apart a day to be spent by them together in Prayer with Fasting, that they " may prepare for what is before them, and confess their dependence on " Heaven for favours which they own themselves unworthy of, and obtain " the blessing of God (on which day they privately together sign their " covenant). Sometimes more than one such day ; sometimes in a pub- " lic assembly, where the neighbouring pastors come to instruct and as- " sist them. They think it proper to make a very great preparation for " an undertaking the most holy, and awful, and heavenly, that can be on " this side of Heaven engaged in .- In time convenient the good men of " this intention, (who from first to last, privately wait upon pastors in the " neighbourhood for their direction) send letters unto the pastors and " churches of the neighbouring towns"-The Council, thus invited, con- venes, " and chusing their moderator, the candidates of the new church " appear before them, and present unto them a Confession of their Faith, " and therewithal the Covenant or Engagement, in which they recognize " their obligations, &c. They produce also the testimonials of the allow- " ance which the churches whereto they formerly belonged, have given " them to transfer their more immediate relation unto the society now to " be gathered." Ratio Disciplina Fratrum Nov-Anglorum, p. 3, 4 .---- An example of this usage is recorded by Dr. Trumbull. The New Ha-
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ven settlers arrived at Quinipiack in April, 1638. Soon after, on a day of fasting and prayer, " the first day of extraordinary humiliation they had " after they came together," they entered into a solemn covenant, " That " as in matters that concern the gathering and ordering of a church, so " likewise in all public offices which concern civil order, &c .- they " would all of them be ordered by the rules, which the scripture held " forth to them. This covenant was called a plantation covenant, to dis- " tinguish it from a church covenant, a church not being then gathered, " but was deferred till a church might be gathered, according to God." See Fundamental articles of the colony of New Haven in Trumbull's Hist. of Connecticut, i. p. 534. On this subject Dr. Trumbull remarks : " This was adopted as a general agreement, until there should be time " for the people to become more intimately acquainted with each other's " religious views, sentiments, and moral conduct ; which was supposed " to be necessary to prepare the way for their covenanting together, as " Christians, in church state." Ibid. p. 91. The church of New Haven (as appears from the same History, p. 298) was not gathered until the 22 August, 1639. The church of Salem, in 1629, appears to have been formed in the same manner, after " a day of religious preparation." See Prince, 190, and Bentley's Hist. Salem in Hist. Coll. vi. 242 .- Although therefore, when cursorily treating of the Watertown settlers, in a Bio- graphical sketch of their minister (Rev. Mr. Phillips), Dr. Mather seems to represent them as formed into a church state 30 July, 1630 : yet there is room to doubt, whether he considered the covenant, signed on that day, as the formation of a church.
5. That he did not so consider it, we should naturally infer from his own arrangement of the order of churches, when professedly giving a Historical account of " The Progress of the New Colony." Magnalia, Book I. chap. v. " First, there was a church thus gathered at CHARLES- " TOWN, on the north side of Charles River ; where keeping a solemn " Fast on August 27, 1630, to implore the conduct and blessing of heaven " on their Ecclesiastical Proceedings they chose Mr. Wilson to be their " teacher-After the gathering of the church at Charlestown there " quickly followed another at the town of DORCHESTER. And after Dor- " chester there followed another at the town of BOSTON, which issued "out of Charlestown-To Boston soon succeeded a church at RoxBU- " RY ; to Roxhury, one at LYN ; to Lyn, one at WATERTOWN."
ERRATA.
Page 10, line 16 from top, for ' churces,' read churches.
Page 19, line 10 from top, for ' history,' read affairs.
Page 33, line 13 from bottom, for ' next precinct,' read west precinct.
Page 45, in the note, last line of first paragraph, after ' 89th,' insert year.
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