USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > Springfield, 1636-1886 : history of town and city, including an account of the quarter-millennial celebration at Springfield, Mass., May 25 and 26, 1886 > Part 21
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Thus matters stood when the Hampshire association met on the 8th of April, 1735, referred to earlier in this chapter. The first precinct had appointed William Pynchon, Joseph Williston, and Mr. Worthington, of the dissatisfied party, a committee to wait on the association and to get what information they could about the Breck controversy, and Pynchon appeared in person before the meeting. The excitement was intense. Mr. Breck himself was on hand, and as both the association and Mr. Breck had asked Mr. Clap and Mr.
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Kirtland to be present, there was every prospect that all the parties to the controversy would meet face to face. But Connecticut sent documentary evidence only. This was a sore disappointment, and it was only through the importuning of the young minister himself that the association made any investigation at all at that time. The action of Mr. Clap sending up papers testifying to his desire not to harm Breck, and at the same time refusing to accept Breck's explanations, confirmed the admiration and sympathy which the majority of the parish had for the young man. Mr. Breck was ready with his defence, which he submitted in writing. After referring to the charges sent by Mr. Clap to Mr. Hopkins and communicated to the associa- tion, and explaining that he was a young student in divinity while at Windham, he said : -
I tho't it not an unprofitable way of spending time in discoursing upon some of the controverted points in divinity . . . The first thing wh Mr. Clap mentions is my Denying some part of the Sacred Scriptures to be of Divine anthority. To which I answer that while I lived at Windham I Read Jones upon the Canon of the Scripture, who seems to Disbelieve the Divine authority of those texts which Mir. Clap mentions . . . But this I can truly say, that it never was my settled opinion that those texts were not of Divine origine . . . I was saying to Mr. Clap (conversation as to divine authority of the texts men- tioned by Mr. Breck) that I thought that there was just cause of doubt whether these texts were given by Divine Inspiration or not. Mr. Clap replied that the case was not doubtfull. for (says he) God is obliged in his Providence to keep the Scripture Pure & uncorrupt, except that he gives us sufficient Proof of the Corruption of it. To which I Replied that that argument would never convince an Infidel, for (says I) no man would disbelieve the Divine Authority of any par- ticular Part of the Scriptures if he did not think he had sufficient evidence that it was an interpolation. Upon which Mr. Clap made some stop, as if he did not understand me. Whereupon I said that God had in his Providence given us sufficient Reason to think that these places are Interpolations and not of Divine Inspiration. Now, gentlemen you may see that these words were used in order to show Mr. Clap that the argument which he made use of was insufficient to prove that the Divine authority of these texts were not Doubtfull . . . The second thing which Mr. Clap objects is my Denying the necessity of Christ's
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satisfaction to Divine Justice. To which I Reply that I always did believe that God could not consistent with his own Glory, have forgiven sin without satisfac- tion. When I said that I believed that he was not obliged in Justice to Require satisfaction for sin, I meant nothing more than that God would not have done any Injustice to his Creatures if he had forgiven sin without any satisfaction. This I told Mr. Clap diverse Times when we were disputing upon this Head The next thing Mr. Clap mentions is my Preaching once that the Heathen that liv'd up to the Light of nature should be saved, and that Christ should either be Immediately Revealed to them, or they should be saved some other way. The words which Mr. Clap refers to are as follows. After I had expressed my hopes that the Heathen would not all of them be damned, I said I Rather chose to think that if any of the Heathen used their best endeavours to get Light & Knowledge, and lived np to the Light & Knowledge which they have, that God will either Immediately Reveal Christ to them or save them some other way. Now, Gentlemen I never had a thought that the Heathens doing what they could would Intitle them to salvation. Far be it from me to Imagine any such thing. But I thought it more likely that sich an one would be saved than a Heathen who lived a vicious Life, & therefore I mentioned those who used their best endeay- ours to gett Light & liv'd up to the Light & Knowledge which they had. And as to that other way which I spoke of, wherein the Heathen might be sav'd than by Immediate Revelation of Christ to them, I did not mean (as Mr. Clap would have it) that any of them would be sav'd withont Faith In Christ, but the way I thought of was that of God's spiriting some Christians to go amongst them, or else moving them to go into some Christian countries, where they might come to the Knowledge of Christ in another way than by Immediate Revelation. This Gentlemen I Imagine is the most easie way & natural construction that can possibly be put upon my words. And this I told Mr. Clap once & again was my meaning in the time of it . . . I acknowledge, indeed, that I was not so fully settled & established in this Faith, as also in some others, when I preached at Scotland, but this I can truly say that I never did Believe that Faith was not necessary to salvation.
The rest of the letter is taken up with a charge of stealing books, and his expulsion from college in consequence. He denies the expul- sion, but says : " I said (to Mr. Clap) with tears in my eyes that I had nothing to say in Justification of my conduct, that I went to College very young, and fell into bad company & that my Conversa-
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tion there was not such as it ought to have been and that I hoped that God had given me a Light and sense of my sins, and that I was Truly humble upon the account of them. But says I, there never did any such Crime as you have mentioned appear against me at College."
Mr. Breck read this defence himself, and was submitted to a sharp cross-examination by various members of the association, and they were unable to make him withdraw the charge that Clap had lied about him. While he was willing to ask forgiveness for over-heat in polemical discussions, he refused to yield an inch to Mr. Clap and his charge of alleged heresy. Mr. Breck then turned on the association, probably with the impetuosity of youth, and demanded that they ex- amine him themselves, and find whether he was orthodox or not. A majority of the association refused so to do until Mr. Clap's charges had been disproved. Those who voted in favor of an examination were Rev. Messrs. Chauncey, Devotion, and Rand. The association informed the first parish that they were not able to obtain " full satisfaction " as to Mr. Breek's case, and appointed the following com- mittee of investigation : William Williams, moderator ; Mr. Chaun- cey, Mr. Devotion, Stephen Williams, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Bull, and Jonathan Edwards. Mr. Breck's enemies had a majority of the committee, and he refused to appear before it. A church and pre- cinct meeting was called for the 24th of April, and in spite of several protestations from the ministers, they gave Mr. Breck a call, offer- ing him £200 as a settlement, and promising to build him a house within four years. He did not accept until the latter part of July. In his letter he refers to the divisions in the church, and to the neigh- boring ministers, some of whom were, he thought, "industrious " against him. "Let it be our United Prayers and Endeavors," he adds, "that both you and I may be under the Divine Conduct and Direction, that my settlement may be made happy amongst you." On this very day the church made arrangements for the ordination, the ministers chosen for the council being Williams, of Hatfield, Mr.
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Chauncey, Mr. Devotion, and Mr. Rand. John Burt was directed to go to Boston for other ministers to assist at the ordination. On the 4th day of August, also, Mr. Worthington, Henry Chapin, Josephi Ash- ley, and Simon Smith signed a paper protesting against the act of the church giving Mr. Breck a call, "contrary to the advice of ye Ministers in ye County." The paper was read at this meeting of the church, but the " church Refused a vote to Call or cancel " the engagement with Mr. Breck. Three days later William Williams, Stephen Williams, Samuel Hopkins, and Jonathan Edwards wrote a letter to Col. John Pynchon and the dissatisfied members of the church, in which they said that they were of the opinion that the first step should be the examination of the charges against Breck, by a committee of the association, which latter body, the writers main- tained, was "ye only proper Judge of the Case." "But," they continued, " if your Neighbours drive on an ordination speedily, we judge it to be your duty to enter your dissent, and give your reasons for so doing, and support them by all ye evidence you can obtain in ye case."
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CHAPTER XII.
1735-1761.
The Breck Controversy continucd. - Jonathan Edwards's Position. - The Ordination Council meets at Springfield. - Breck's Confession of Faith. - His Arrest and Ac- quittal. - An Appeal to the General Court. - Breck finally settled over the First Church. - Whitefield. - Great Revivals. - Changes in Church Rules. - Increased Church-Membership. - Springfield Mountains. - Chicopce. - The Third Meeting- House. - Schools. - Loss of Life at Louisburg. - The Hobbs Fight. - Crown Point. - Agawam. - Death of Col. William Pynchon and of Dea. Henry Burt.
AUGUST 14, 1735, is another important date in the history of the Breck controversy. The Hampshire county ministers, who were com- pletely taken aback by the rebellious course of the Springfield church, gathered in formal meeting at Hatfield, and Stephen Williams wrote to the Springfield dissatisfied, advising that a prudent person be sent to Rev. Mr. Clap to secure all the evidence possible. The subjoined letter was also sent to the enemies of Breck at Springfield the same day : -
GENTLEMEN
We have reed yours and ye enclose Copy of your declaration to Mr. Breck which we look upon to be very reasonable & Just and which in concern for ye honour of God & ye ministery ought to be done, and we account it preposterous for ye Church of Springfield to call him or for him to accept a call to ye ministry before ye matters objected against him had been duly Inquired into & he had obtained a due vindication, and to proceed as the church & Mr. Breck have done & we hear are about to do, seems to be, after vows to make Inquiry, and we cannot but testify against it as an Irregular & disorderly proceeding & we cannot in Conscience concur in such an ordination and must say that Mr. Breck's con- duct in this affair is very Surprising to us. We are free to declare before God & ye World that according to our best Judgment in all the advice we have given
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in the affair we have acted in faithfulness to Springfd & from no Prejudice against Mr. Breck and think we have reason to resent the reflections that have been cast upon us as persons prepossed & prejudicd &c. but we are willing to bind it as a Crown to us knowing in whose cause we suffer it. We can hardly think any number of Ministers will be found to serve the Scheem of Springfd. & Mr. Breek and impose a Pastor upon our association without our consent, but if they desire some other Ministers to be joyned with us in hearing ye Cause & Mr. Clap & others be duly notified Some Convenient time before an ordination be concluded on it is what we have been willing to Concur with.
We subscribe your loving friends wishing ye Peace of your Parish & ye Prosperity of religion among you.
WMI. WILLIAMS SAMLL HOPKINS JONATHAN EDWARDS N. BULL
HATFIELD, Augt 14 1735.
Still a third letter was sent from Hatfield before they adjourned. It was a private communication, directed to "Capt. Wm Pynchon Jun. att, Springfeild." They express willingness to act, " But," they say, " if you expect yt ye Ministers of ye County shod do anything for you we apprehend yt it is proper & most likely to be serviceable, if your Company shod call the Association together to Springfield & send for Mr. Kirtland, Clap & such others as they sball think needfull to bring with 'em to be present at ye meeting of ye Association, some suitable time before ye intended ordination comes on, & if you shod by letter subscribed by your whole number to ye Moderator of ye Association, call ye Association together, care shall be taken to in- form Mr. Breck & desire his appearance. - We think it proper yt your party shod show ye letter we send 'em to Mr. Breck & his adherents & let 'em know your design of calling ye Association & if they please to Joyne two or three unexceptionable Gentlemen to ye Association, we have nothing against it. Please to keep this let- ter wholly to yourself. Your hearty friends."
Encouraged by the messages from Hatfield, Mr. Breck's opponents
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made another appeal to Messrs. Clap and Kirtland to come to Springfield. Mr. Williams, of Hatfield, meantime declined to assist at the ordination of Mr. Breck in a letter to Deacon Munn, in which he said : -
I cannot see it my way to comply with your desire or to Communicate it to our Chh, not being satisfied as to ye regularity of your proceedings In your in- vitation of Mr. Breck or of his acceptance of a call from you ; it being contrary to ye advice given yon by ye association of ministers at Springfield in April last, yt there should be first a regular hearing of ye matters objected against Mr. B. pre- veons to it, which I then tho't ye honour of Christ and of ye ministry and ye peace of your Chh required, and I continue still to think so, therefore apprehend it rather a duty to bare a testimony against it than to approve it.
On the 10th of September the dissatisfied wrote Mr. Williams that they were still desirons of having the Hampshire association meet at Springfield a week before the proposed ordination. But they were persuaded that a " council of Churches to hear the affair by Both Parties " could not be obtained ; "for, at the meeting of the Church when they application to Gentle to assist in ordaining Mr. Breck twas moved by the Dissatisfied Party that a Council might be had on ye affair but Denyd. So that we are fully Persuaded no other meas- ures will at Present be Complyd with than what is of their own De- vising. As to the Revd Mr. Clap's &c being here we shall take care to Desire their attendance at ye association if convened." A week later Mr. Williams replied in a letter to Col. John Pynchon, as follows : -
HONRD : SR.
Upon the Consideration of yrs of Septr 10th wherein you desird a meeting of ye Association at Springfield ye week after next, It hatlı seemed to me to be im- practicable & also likely to be unprofitable, we not being desired by the Church & Mr. Breck. It's questionable whether they will referr the Case to those that shall convene or will regard our Judgment. I had tho't it would be best for the Association to meet at Deerfield according to appointment, only a week sooner,
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which is ye time you propose, and that Mr. Clap & others & as many of yrselves as you think fit would meet the Association there. But having reed. last night a Letter subscribed by some Ministers of Boston, viz : Messrs. Cooper, Welstead. Gee & Mather, which are the psons your Church upon Mr. Brecks motion we hear, have sent to, wherein they thus express themselves to me -
SIR. the design of this Letter is to make this motion & Request, that ye Association meeting which was to be at Deerfeild that Day (viz. ye Day set for ye ordination) may be ordered at Springfeild on Thursday ye 2d of Oct. by which time we hope by the will of God to be up there.
I suppose the church are appraised of this purpose of theirs and if upon this motion of theirs they are willing to referr the whole affair to the Judgemt of the Association together with the Revd Eldrs aforementioned, - I shall be willing to come & shall do what I can to obtain the presence of the other Associated Pas- tors. But if they refuse this and would allow us to come as Spectators only or barely to give Information of our proceedings in ye Case, I cant think it best to come or to desire myself to come. I desire you would inform yrselves whether they will comply with the above written and let me hear fro you as soon as may be convenient.
The Connecticut association of ministers, with which Mr. Clap was connected, was also preparing a battery to discharge at the doughty young minister, as appears from this letter sent by Clap to William Pynchon on the same day : -
SR
I received a Letter Signed by you and Mr. Cooley Dated Aug. 22d 1735 asking me to send you a line whether I have Received a Letter from you and others &c. (which Letter I have Received) as also whether the Revd Mr. Kirtland and I would be willing to go to Springfeild when we were Desired. Mr. Kirtland was at my House yesterday, and if the cause and Interest Religion may be served by it, we are free to take the Trouble of a Journey at any time when we shall be notified and to bring some others with us who heard Mr. Breck say most or all of the same things which he said to us and some other things which he did not say to either of us. Our association have appointed a Committee to take the evidences of such as cannot conveniently go, or that can say but little, etc.
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We have chosen to give this narrative as much as possible by quo- tation, since so many bitter things were said then and at a later day, and so many unpleasant personalities indulged in, that it is no easy task to generalize the facts inoffensively. The bitter feeling engen- dered by this extraordinary case lasted during the lives of many of the participants, and, indeed, to a much later date. Even Dwight's " Life of Jonathan Edwards " gives proof of the surviving prejudice, as is shown by his use of a dash in one or more instances when speak- ing of Mr. Breck. And even during the preparation of this History a college professor and doctor of divinity has cautioned the writer against going too deeply into this ancient feud.
The Springfield church had succeeded in pledging four ministers from Boston to assist at the ordination. They were Messrs. Cooper, Welstead, Gee, and Mather : and William Williams at once wrote a letter to Cooper protesting against their appearing at the ordination. The interference of the Boston brethren was more exasperating even than the obduracy of the Springfield church itself. The eastern ministers asked Williams to call the Hampshire association together on the 7th of October, when they themselves would arrive, and a pre- liminary conference could be held, the ordination day being the 8th. Williams declined to issue the call, after having further unsatisfactory correspondence upon the matter.
On the day previous to the ordination a letter from William Will- iams, the moderator of the Hampshire association, was presented to Rev. William Cooper, the moderator of the ordination council, pro- testing again against the proceedings of the council, upon the ground that but those of good repute and sound doctrine should be called to the ministry ; that Mr. Breck had charged falsehood upon an orthodox minister ; that the council morally share Breck's sins by supporting the Springfield church ; that the dissatisfied party had reason to ask for an investigation before the ordination council was called ; that Mr. Breck should not have been allowed to select the members of the council ; that for a candidate to refer to the neighboring ministers as
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" prejudiced Persons " was " intolerable Pride and Breach of Order," giving " too much Grounds for fear what may be expected from such an one," and, finally, that the journey of the Boston ministers tended " to make a Breach among our Association to the Prejudice and Scandal of our Churches." Five other ministers endorsed this letter. Mr. Edwards was not in the county at that time, but he subsequently approved it, and desired that " the World may count him one concur- ring in it." After this document was read, William Pynchon, Jr .. appeared at the head of a committee, and was permitted to read a formidable document setting forth the causes of discord in the Spring- field church. In the ten counts of the indictment there was little new to the reader, unless it is that Mr. Breck was charged with con- founding historical and living faith, and doubting the doctrine of pre- destination. No evidence was introduced to support these charges, and no argument could induce them to produce witnesses at a public hearing.
The council renewed its requests for proof of charges on the fol- lowing day, and were again put off. The town was in a feverish state of uncertainty, and it was thought best to give up the prepara- tions for the big dinner or " entertainment " which attended ordinations in those days. The Boston ministers all stopped at a public tavern, and most of the Hampshire ministers had also arrived. but had neglected to call upon their eastern brethren. And that was not all. Mr. Clap had come up the river with Kirtland, Huntington, and many witnesses, as well as a bag full of affidavits and documentary evi- dence. There was still another group of men, who had come down from Northampton, -Justice John Stoddard and two associates. The two parties in the parish also maintained the strict lines of hos- tility. All business was suspended, and the whole community felt the extraordinary tension.
The second day (Sth) of the council opened not with the ordination, as was planned, but with this vote : -
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That this Council expect the Dissatisfied Brethren not only to produce their Objections against the ordination of Mr. Breek, but also the Proofs and evi- dences to support them ; and that if the Dissatisfied Brethren refuse to do so. we shall think it our Duty to enquire into the principles of Mr. Breck, and, if we find him to be orthodox, shall proceed to comply with the Desire of the Church in this Place.
This vote did not mollify the dissatisfied who had put themselves in the hands of the Hampshire association ; but after some negotia- tions it was stipulated that the evidence of the dissatisfied should be given with closed doors, and, accordingly, Mr. Clap and his witnesses were locked into a chamber in Widow Brewer's house with the coun- cil and the accused. It is believed that Mr. Breek was usually en- tertained by Mrs. Brewer when visiting Springfield, and by that means he became acquainted with her danghter Eunice, a young woman of more than ordinary gifts of mind.
The exact history of that secret session of the council is not known, but at some stage of the proceedings Mr. Breck was called upon to submit a confession of faith. He promptly responded with a paper, from which are taken the following extracts :
MR. BRECK'S CONFESSION OF FAITII.
I believe that there is a God whose Eternal Power and Godhead are to be clearly seen from the things which he has made, but I believe the light of Nature is no way sufficient to lead us into the true knowledge of what God is. I therefore acknowledge the necessity of a Divine Revelation and believe that is to be found in the Books of the Old and New Testamts and in no other. I believe that there is but one God who is over all blessed forever. yet that in the Unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, who are the same in Substance and Equal in Power and Glory. And as this is a Doctrine of Pure Revelation, so I look upon it to be of the Highest Importance in Religion and on which the Greatest Truths of the Gospel do de- pend. I believe that this one God hath from all Eternity Decreed and foreor- dained in the Council of his own will whatsoever come to pass in time, yet so as not to take away the will of his Creatures or make himself be ye author of Sin. I also believe that Adam being the Covenant as well as Natural
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head of all Mankind he by his first sin of his Devised both Guilt and Corruption to all his Posterity. But God having from all Eternity a Designe to Glorifie the Riches of his Grace in the Recovery and Salvation of an Elect Num- ber of the fallene Children of Adam Hath made a New Covenant wherein ye Lord Jesus Christ stands as their Head and Surety. I believe the Meritorions Union of ye Divine and Human Nature in ye Person of Christ. I believe that in order to Satisfie Divine Justice for ye sins of ye elect and Recon- cile them to God he offer'd up himself a sacrifice upon ye Cross as he was Dd for their offences. I believe that fallen man has lost all power of what is sprtually good and is not able to Convert or turn himself to God, and therefore that effectual calling is ye special and Almighty work of ye Spt of God in and unto ye Hearts of Sin's whereby if unwilling they are made willing in ye day of his Power to go to Christ for life. I believe that all who are effectually called are justified thro' ye Righteousness of ye active and Passive obedience of ye Lord Jesus Christ Imputed to them and Ree'd by faith of Gods own operation. After Death I believe that ye souls of ye Righteous are made Perfect in Holiness and do Pass into Glory and Happiness but ye Spts of ye wicked into Tormt and Misery. I believe the Lord Jesus Christ will come a Second Time to Raise ye Dead and Judge ye World. Then shall ye wicked in their Rais'd bodyes go into everlasting Punishmt but ye Righteous into Life Eternal.
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