USA > Massachusetts > Sketch of the history of the Boston Society of the New Jerusalem ; with a list of its members > Part 2
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
At this meeting a Secretary was chosen, and also a " Com- mittee of three." At the next annual meeting, and ever since, this Committee has been called the " Church Committee," or " Standing Committee."
In November, 1831, the Society removed to the hall in Phil- lips Place, the building having been erected by Mr. T. II. Car- ter, with special reference to its accommodation. It occupied this hall till June, 1845.
In February, 1829, " Messrs. T. B. Hayward, J. M. Marsh, and J. II. Wilkins, were made a Committee to consider the subject of music as a part of public worship, and to report whether any, and what measures it were advisable to take in order to afford greater facilities to this exercise of worship.
"Subsequently, on reporting, their powers were enlarged,
1
·
16
and they collected, printed, and published a volume of 278 pages, consisting of lessons from the Word, selections from the Word for chanting, chants and choruses, entitled 'The Book of Public Worship, prepared for the Use of the Boston Society of the New Jerusalem.' In less than three years it was out of print; and, in 1833, a Committee was raised to prepare a new and enlarged edition. While this work was going on the General Convention took up the subject, and published a Book of Worship in 1836. This was adopted and used by the Society till 1854, when it was replaced by the Liturgy, or Book of Worship, in its present form."
" Feb. 6, 1836. - The Chairman of the Standing Commit- tee read a report this day on the subject of education ; pro- posing the early establishment of a New-Church school, for the education of children within the Society in all branches of education, on New-Church principles."
. A School Committee was raised, on the same day, to carry this object into effect ; and a New-Church school was estab- lished, which was opened on Monday, Oct. 2, 1836, under the care of Miss Statira Coburn (Mrs. Guernsey) and Mrs. Elea- nor M. Little (Mrs. Z. Ilyde). A Sunday-school was estab- lished at the same time. The week-day school was afterwards enlarged by the establishment of a "school with a male teacher," which was opened Jan. 1, 1839, under the instruc- tion of Mr. E. A. Beaman. Mr. T. B. Hayward was also subsequently a teacher in the school. The New-Church school was discontinued at the end of the year 1843.
A Committee on Music was raised the same day (Feb. 6, 1836) ; and, in October following, a singing-school was opened, and continued through the winter, under the instruction of Mr. G. J. Webb. There were similar schools the two succeeding winters ; and they have been renewed, at intervals of a few years, since that period.
In December, 1836, the Society "established a Sunday afternoon meeting, for religious worship and instruction, for the benefit of those who have not joined the Church, but wish
.
17
such instruction." A member of the Church was appointed by the Pastor as reader to this meeting, which was held in the room under the hall of worship. This meeting was discontin- ued in December, 1837, and a Sunday evening Doctrinal Class substituted, under the immediate instruction of the Pastor. This class, after one or two seasons, was discontinued.
June 5, 1836. - "Voted unanimously, That the Articles of Faith contained in the Service of Baptism in the Book of Pub- lic Worship be adopted by this Society." These are the arti- cles which precede the names of the members at the close of this book.
In December, 1836, a "Committee of Acquaintance " was raised ; and the first Social Meetings of the Society were pro- jected by this Committee, and held in the large room under the hall of public worship. At these meetings a lecture was usually delivered by some member of the Society, and a chant and a few other pieces of music were sung, and considerable time was spent in social conversation. "To these meetings were invited those who were in the habit of attending our wor- ship, but who had not become acquainted with the members of the Church ; and the Church, in this way, became ac- quainted with many full receivers." These meetings have been renewed, under the charge of a Committee, with the ex- ception of a single season - that of 1838-39 - every year since. They have been held once a fortnight, usually from about the middle of November till about the middle of April.
July 4, 1837. - A public address was delivered before the Society by Mr. Caleb Reed.
In the autumn of 1837, the principal singers in the Society formed an organization, under the name of " The Boston New- Church Harmonic Society," under the presidency and instruc- tion of Mr. Webb ; and, for several years after, occasionally gave concerts of both sacred and secular music to audiences consisting of members of the Society and others interested in the New-Church.
May 6, 1838. - It was Resolved, " That the ecclesiastical
2
18
year of this Church begin hereafter on the first Sunday in January." This was subsequently changed to the first Sun- day in May.
July 4, 1838. - A public address was delivered before the Society by Mr. G. J. Webb.
At a meeting of the Society, Aug. 19, 1838, there was con- siderable discussion on the question as to what was the best place and occasion for the ceremony of baptism. "Many views of the subject were presented, but none which indicated a diversity of opinion. The question was asked of all pres- ent ; and it was unanimously agreed -
" That it was better to have the ceremony performed at our forenoon meetings in the hall for public worship ; but that it was lawful and proper to perform it elsewhere, for good rea- sons ; and that in every case it should be left to the person to be baptized (or his parents or guardians, if a child), and to Mr. Worcester, then Pastor of the Society, to determine whether there was sufficient cause for making such case an exception to the general rule ; and, where sufficient cause did not exist, the general rule was to be conformed to." It has been thought desirable that the baptisms should take place periodically ; and the first Sabbath in every month has for many years been the established period, though the exceptional cases are frequent to meet the convenience of those who desire this sacrament.
The General Convention having passed rules for the insti- tution and organization of associations, the societies in Bos- ton, Bridgewater, Abington, North Bridgewater, and East Bridgewater, were instituted as the Massachusetts Associa- tion of the New Jerusalem, agreeably to the Rules of Order of the General Convention, by Rev. Thomas Worcester, who was chosen its Presiding Minister. This took place Sept. 13, 1838. There had been a somewhat informal association of New-Church societies in Massachusetts for some years previ- ous ; the first meeting having been held May 5, 1835.
In June, 1839, the study of the doctrines of the New- Church in the writings of Swedenborg was introduced into
19
the Sunday-afternoon Church-meetings, and the work first taken up was the " Treatise Concerning Heaven and Hell."
June 9, 1839. - In conformity with the Rules of Order of the General Convention, Mr. Sampson Reed was chosen Leader of the Society, to which office he was re-elected Feb. 23, 1840.
In the early days of the Church, when the number of New- Church ministers was very small, the office of leader was a very common one.
In the Rules of Order of the General Convention, before that body had adopted any regular constitution, it was made the duty of each society to choose a leader, and the duties of the office were thus defined :
" It shall be the duty of the Leader, whenever the Society has no minister, to lead in public worship, to read the Word and repeat the prayers, to read the works of Swedenborg, and other New-Church writings for public instruction, and to offi- ciate at funerals when the services of a minister cannot be conveniently obtained."
At the time Mr. Reed was chosen Leader, the health of the Pastor was impaired, and it would have been difficult or im- possible to procure the services of another minister in case of his sickness or absence from home.
According to the recollection of Mr. Reed, when called upon to officiate, he read, for the most part, from the works of Swedenborg.
The wish to read anything of his own production, or the thought of doing so, or of its propriety, certainly never en- tered his mind. The benediction at the close of the services was set to music by Mr. Webb, and sung by the choir.
In the year 1841, Mr. Caleb Reed was chosen leader.
According to the recollection of Mr. S. Reed, it was, at the time of Mr. Caleb Reed's election, thought proper that the office of leader should be merged in that of Chairman of the Church Committee, which office was then filled by Mr. Caleb Reed, and with this understanding no one was elected as leader after this time.
20
Sept. 29, 1839. - It was -
Resolved, " That Sunday evening be appropriated to the public practice of the chants, in the hall of public worship, from seven o'clock to nine, beginning Oct. 13, and that all persons be invited to attend who have any desire to take part in this part of the worship, and as many others as shall find it convenient."
Feb. 2, 1840. - The Society established five Standing Com- mittees : viz., a Church Committee, a Committee on Educa- tion, a Committee on Music, a Committee on Employment and Relief, and a Committee on Social Intercourse and Rec- reation. The three former had been in existence for several years. Each Committee consisted of five members. The duties of these Committees are thus defined :
"1. THE CHURCH COMMITTEE. - This Committee shall be the general organ of council and advice with the Pastor ; shall study and develop the constituent principles and the duties of a church ; shall have the particular charge of all matters purely ecclesiastical, and a general supervision of all the operations of the Society ; also shall be the organ of the Church in com- municating with the Corporation .*
" 2. THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION. - It shall be the duty of this Committee to study and develop the principles of edu- cation ; to devise, propose, and, if approved, to carry into effect, such measures as they may deem useful in the schools of the Society ; and, generally, to act as the organ of the Church in discharging this class of its duties.
"3. THE COMMITTEE ON MUSIC. - It shall be the duty of this Committee to study and develop the principles of music ; to devise, propose, and, if approved, carry into effect, such measures as they may deem useful ; and, generally, to act as the organ of the Church in discharging its duties in relation to this subject.
* By " the Corporation " is meant the legal Society, as incorporated by the Legislature in February, 1823.
21
"4. THE COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT AND RELIEF. ~ It shall be the duty of this Committee to study and develop the principles of secular employment and relief; also, in the first place, to give advice in cases of doubt and perplexity ; second, to aid those who are out of employment in procuring such as may be suitable for them ; and, third, to act as the organ of the Church in dispensing pecuniary or other assistance.
" 5. THE COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL INTERCOURSE AND RECREA- TION. - It shall be the duty of this Committee to study and develop the principles of. social intercourse and recreation ; to devise, propose, and, if approved, carry into effect, such meas- ures as they may deem useful to the Society in relation to these subjects. They shall have charge of our lectures and social meetings ; shall endeavor to provide some useful and agreeable method of spending holidays ; and shall, further, have charge of making arrangements for the meetings of the Convention and Association, when held in Boston."
Dec. 27, 1840. - The commencement of the Church-year was changed from the first Sunday of January to the first of May ; and the third Sabbath in April has, until recently, been the period for the annual election of officers. This has now been changed to the Monday following the third Sabbath in April.
The office of Director of Music was established April 21, 1841.
Dec. 25, 1842. - It was Voted, That hereafter the Church Committee be authorized to present a list of delegates from this Society to each meeting of the Association in time to be acted on prior to the said meetings.
The Church Committee originally consisted of three mem- bers. It was afterwards increased to five, and, in 1854, to ten. For some years past the number has been twelve.
April 28, 1844. - The office of Superintendent of the Sab- bath-school was established. Mr. Sampson Reed was chosen Superintendent ; and he performed the duties of that office until the year 1870, when he declined a re-election, and Mr. F. A. Dewson was chosen to succeed him.
January, 1846. - A Doctrinal Class was established, and was joined by from sixty to seventy persons.
.
22
In regard to the finances of the Society, the only funds that were raised, previous to the invitation to Mr. Worcester to be- come its Pastor, were for paying the rent of the hall in which the Society worshipped ; and these were raised by subscription. The Society never paid Mr. Worcester any fixed salary till the erection of their temple in 1844, when a salary of $2,000 was voted, but contributed regularly for the support of his family, and for some years paid him from $1,500 to $1,800. When he first accepted their invitation, a new subscription was opened to meet the increased expenses ; two members, Mr. Henry G. Foster and Mr. T. H. Carter, agreeing to as- sume the deficit, if any should occur. This arrangement continued only for one year - from April, 1821, to April, 1822. It was then voted, that a tax should be assessed on the members ; which was done. This measure was so unsat- isfactory, that the plan was abandoned at the end of six months ; and, in the autumn of 1822, new light seemed to break forth in the Society, which led to the adoption of a new principle upon this subject, and the practice of paying tithes by most of the members. These were paid directly to the Pastor, and were solely under his control. Subscriptions were discontinued, and those who did not pay tithes made voluntary contributions. This is the only way in which the Society raised funds until they took the hall in Phillips Place ; at which time an annual rent was assessed on the pews, though a large part of the expenses continued to be paid by voluntary contributions. In February, 1839, a new organization was adopted in the Corporation : the office of Treasurer was established, who was authorized to receive all moneys, though tithes and contributions might still be paid to the Pastor.
The subject of tithes has at different times occupied much of the attention of the Church ; and it is not too much to say, that the Society is very much indebted for its success in raising the means required for the support of public worship to the deep sense, engendered by this principle, of religious duty to con- secrate all our means to the service of the Lord. In Octo-
.
23
ber, 1836, " the principles that should govern members of the Church in making their contributions to its funds were pre- sented for consideration, and a Committee of five was raised "to report concerning the truths and views that might aid a member in contributing according to his ability." This Com- mittee made a report, which was " considered at many meet- ings "; and, having been recommitted, their final report was made in June, 1837. It was adopted unanimously with the resolutions attached, and printed in the eleventh volume of the "New-Jerusalem Magazine." The resolutions were as follows : ·
" 1. Resolved, That we regard the principle of paying tithes as a safe and good guide in contributing money for the need and uses of the Church ;
" 2. Resolved, That we mean by the word ' tithe ' one-tenth part of one's net income ; that is to say, of one's income after all business-expenses are deducted. By business-expenses, we mean those which are incurred in the course of earning the income, and for that purpose : by personal and family ex- penses, we mean those which are incurred for the support and enjoyment of one's self or family ;
"3. Resolved, That it may be often difficult, in the existing condition of social life, to determine precisely one's net in- come ; but that we believe the Church will gradually acquire the ability to teach in all cases what expenses should, and what should not, be deducted from the gross receipts, before the income is subjected to tithing. And we farther believe, that the difficulties in the meaning or application of this prin- ciple will be overcome as we get instruction from experience, and from the endeavor to pay a tithe in spirit and in truth ;
" 4. Resolved, That all should judge freely of the propri- ety and duty of paying tithes ; that he who is not ready and prepared for the payment of tithes should determine for him- self, as well as he can, what sum it is proper for him to pay ; that, in fixing this sum, it will be useful for him to be led by the principle of tithe-paying, as far as circumstances and the
24
order of his life permit ; and that each should endeavor to re- gard whatever sum he pays as the sign and acknowledgment that all he has is from the Lord, and is the Lord's ;
" 5. Resolved, That the meaning, the obligation, and the application of this principle are subjects of great interest and importance, and of such a character as to render it peculiarly desirable and useful that individuals should, in relation to them, seek to give to each other the aid of the Church and brotherly counsel."
In 1844-45, a church was erected for the use of the Society, standing on the top of the hill on Bowdoin Street, called "The New-Jerusalem Church." The cost of this building was about $60,000. The following is a description of the edifice as originally built :
The entrance of the church is designed in chaste Gothic architecture ; fronts on Bowdoin Street fifteen feet ; and passes thence through a vestibule forty feet long, neatly fin- ished with a series of wooden spandrels, appropriately con- nected with the panel-work of the ceiling. The auditory is sixty-two feet by eighty in the clear on the floor, and contains a hundred and ten pews of bold and original design. The side-galleries contain thirty-six, and the cross-end twenty ; * making in all a hundred and sixty-six pews, capable of seat- ing a thousand persons. The entire ceiling is finished with groined arches, and so formed as to admit light through the roof to the nave, which produces a soft and agreeable effect. The line of the nave at the apex is ninety feet long, and fifty feet high from the auditory floor. The stairs ascending to the galleries are placed in the two front corners on either side of the entrance-doors, and so finished as to present an agreeable appearance in the general view. The easterly end forms a peculiarly elegant and grand feature of the edifice, there be- ing placed on the centre of the chancel a lofty tabernacle
* The pews in the cross-end have been removed to make room for the new organ and the choir.
25
designed for a depository for the Sacred Scripture,* and a pavilion on either side of the tabernacle ; all of which are highly ornamental. The pulpit is on the main floor, in front of the chancel, but withdrawn from the centre. The organ is also on the first floor, immediately at the left of the chan- cel as the auditor enters, and is placed in a room formed ex- pressly for its reception ; so that it is without the usual case, and almost entirely concealed from view .; In the corner of the church, on the opposite side of the chancel, is a room, corresponding in appearance to that which contains the or- gan, intended for the use of the minister.
A basement story of twelve feet in height in the clear, and entirely above the surface, extends under the whole of the au- ditory, and is divided into three apartments ; the principal of which is about sixty feet square, and the two smaller rooms about thirty feet each. These are designed to serve as a ves- try and for the Sabbath-school, and also for lectures and social meetings and for instruction and music. The principal en- trance to these rooms is by stairs leading down from either side of the vestibule. The house is remarkably well situated, being almost exactly in the centre, ; and on the highest land, of the city ; and at the same time is very quiet and retired, and abundantly supplied with light and air on all sides.
The house is owned by proprietors, or pew-holders, who constitute a corporation according to the laws of Massachu- setts, under the name of "The New-Jerusalem Society," most of whom are members of the Church. Under this ar- rangement, all who wish to attend our meetings are allowed to become owners of pews, and thus members of a legal reli-
* This was the first case in which a depository for the Word was provided in a New-Church temple.
t In the year 1865, when a new and much larger organ was pro- vided, the space allotted to the first was found quite insufficient, and the new organ was placed in the west gallery.
# Since the annexation of Roxbury and Dorchester, this is not correct.
26
gious corporation, or Society. They thus enter into the obligations and assume the duties of contributing to the maintenance of public worship and the support of the New- Church ministry. In reference to these objects, they stand on the same ground with such other pew-holders as are mem- bers of the Church ; but, in regard to the call and settlement of a minister, the Church, as such, makes the election, which is completed by the concurrence of the proprietors.
The pew-holders, on their part, elected Rev. Thomas Wor- cester, Pastor of the Society, as their minister, and voted him a salary of $2,000 per annum. The funds are raised, princi- pally, by a tax on the pews ; the deficiency being met by vol- untary contributions.
March 16, 1845. - "On motion of Mr. Parsons, Voted, That the subject of the proper vesture of our Pastor be re- ferred to the Church Committee."
March 30. - The report on the subject of the official dress of the Pastor was accepted, printed, and distributed among the members.
This report was considered at a subsequent meeting ; and a special day having been assigned for its further consideration, " after a pleasant and kindly expression of feeling," "Voted, That it will be agreeable to the Society, that the Pastor, in the performance of his services, wear an official dress, when- ever he sees fit to put one on." The question was taken by yeas and nays. Whole number of votes, thirty-four : yeas, twenty-five ; nays, four ; no objection, three ; not prepared to vote, two : three voting in the negative, afterwards expressed the wish that the majority might prevail. The Pastor of the Society first wore an official dress on the occasion of the ded- ication of the Church on Bowdoin Street; at which he offici- ated, and preached a sermon from 1 Kings, viii. 27. This took place June 11, 1845, in the presence of the General Convention at its session in Boston on that year. The atten- dance was very large.
A good deal has been done by members of the Boston So-
27
ciety in the way of printing the theological writings of Swe- denborg. In consequence of the small number of receivers of the doctrines, their want of means, and the very limited demand for the works of Swedenborg, the publication of these works was at first attended with great difficulty. About the year 1820, the small work, entitled " Of the New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine," was published by subscription, at forty cents a copy. One or more editions of "Heaven and Hell," and some of the smaller works, were subsequently brought out at intervals ; but the works were, for the most part, imported from England at so high a cost, as to put them beyond the means of many who wished to possess them. On the fourth of December, 1834, a Society was formed, called "The Boston New-Church Printing Society," which had for its object, not merely to print and publish revised editions of the works of Swedenborg, but to do it at as cheap a rate as possible. The first work published by this Society was " The Angelic Wisdom concerning the Divine Love and Wisdom "; and the Society say in their prospectus : " We begin with this work because there are but a few copies now on sale, and those are in bad type, on poor paper, and at the high price of $1.60." The Society subsequently published the " Apocalypse Revealed," "Heaven and Hell," "Divine Providence," and the four first volumes of the " Arcana Co- lestia." Its operations were continued till the year 1842, when they were suspended for want of funds. This was owing to a change in the circumstances of some who were expected to take the books, and the great depression of busi- ness in general throughout the country. The publication of the " Arcana " was continued and completed by individual members of the Boston Society. The Athanasian Creed, and the small work on " Divine Love and Wisdom," from the " Apocalypse Explained," " Dictionary of Correspondences," " Worship and Love of God," together with several other subsidiary works, and works for juvenile religious instruction, have also been published. The following have been stereo-
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.