USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > The First Evangelical Congregational Church, Cambridgeport, Mass. > Part 13
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 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17
X. The Lord's Supper shall be celebrated on the afternoons of the first Sabbaths of January, March, May, July, Septem- ber, and November.
XI. This church recognizes the Sabbath school as an im- portant branch of its ministry, and in the exercise of a super- vision of the school will require, in the selection of teachers, that only those be appointed who are judged to give credible evidence of piety, of a good understanding of the Bible, and of a substantial agreement in the Articles of Doctrine pro- fessed by this church.
XII. The weekly prayer-meeting shall be held on Friday evening, and shall be considered a regular meeting at which business shall be transacted. But as a rule business shall be
185
PRINCIPLES, RULES, CONSTITUTION.
done after the close of the devotional exercises, and with the church apart by themselves ; provided, however, that dele- gates to conferences and ecclesiastical councils may be chosen, and such other business of a general character as a majority of the Standing Committee present shall approve may be done in open meeting, and before the congregation is dismissed.
XIII. In the transaction of business all the adult members shall be entitled to vote, except on questions requiring the concurrence of the society, in which case adult male members only shall be entitled to vote.
XIV. No alteration shall be made in the foregoing Rules unless at a regular meeting of the church (such. alteration having been proposed at a previous regular meeting), and by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting.
ARTICLES OF DOCTRINE.
[These Articles of Doctrine were adopted by the church at its organization, and have never been changed.]
ART. I. We believe in the being of one God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost ; that God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, power, knowledge, jus- tice, goodness, and truth ; that he created all things ; that he preserves and governs all his creatures, and overrules their action according to the wise and benevolent counsel of his own will, yet in such a manner as that man is a free agent, and accountable for all his actions ; and that it is the duty of all intelligent creatures to love God with all the heart, and to worship him in spirit and truth.
ART. II. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are given by inspiration of God, and are a perfect rule of faith and practice.
ART. III. We believe that God created man holy, and that
186
PRINCIPLES, RULES, CONSTITUTION.
he fell from this happy state by sinning against God ; that, in consequence of the fall, mankind are born without holiness, and continue alienated from God, until renewed and recon- ciled by the special influence of the Holy Spirit.
ART. IV. We believe that God gave his Son to die for the sins of the world, and that Jesus Christ, by his sufferings and death, has made an atonement sufficient for the redemption of mankind ; so that now God can be just and the justifier of him that believeth, and that upon condition of repentance and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, pardon and eternal life are sincerely offered to all.
We believe that mankind do, of their own accord, most freely and most wickedly, refuse to comply with these condi- tions, to the aggravation of their guilt and condemnation ; but that God, notwithstanding he perceived how mankind would treat the gospel of his Son, did always purpose to save from deserved ruin innumerable multitudes of the human race, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.
ART. V. We believe that without a change of heart wrought in the unregenerate by the special agency of the Holy Spirit, -no one can be an heir of eternal life, and that the person who is once made a partaker of renewing grace, will never be permitted so to fall away as finally to perish, but will be inclined and enabled to persevere in faith. and a holy life to the end.
ART. VI. We believe in the necessity of such repentance for sin as arises from supreme love to God ; and of such faith in Jesus Christ as includes an affectionate submission to him, and reliance upon him for pardon and eternal life.
ART. VII. We believe that men are dependent upon God to change their hearts and give repentance and faith, because they are voluntarily and obstinately opposed to their duty, and that the influence of the Holy Spirit is bestowed not as the reward of antecedent merit or well-doing on the part of
£
187
PRINCIPLES, RULES, CONSTITUTION.
him who receives it, but as the free gift of God ; and that this influence of the Spirit is ordinarily so inseparably con- nected with the careful use of means by the sinner, as creates entire obligation and also ample encouragement to attend upon them, and renders all hopes of conversion in the neglect of means, or while living in sin, eminently presumptuous.
ART. VIII. Moreover, we believe that in this world the Lord Jesus Christ has a visible Church; that the terms of membership are a credible profession of faith in Christ and of that holiness which is wrought by the renewing grace of God ; we also believe that God has instituted Baptism and the Lord's Supper, as ordinances to be observed in the Church to the end of the world ; and that none but members of the visible Church have a right to partake of the Lord's Supper ; and that believers only, and their households, can be admitted to the ordinance of Baptism.
ART. IX. We believe that at death, and not before, the souls of believers are made perfectly holy, and do immediately pass into glory ; and that the souls of the wicked do at death pass immediately to a state of punishment.
- ART. X. We believe that at the end of the world there will be a resurrection of the dead, when all mankind will give to God an account of their conduct, and be judged according to what they have done; that the righteous, publicly ac- quitted, will enter into life eternal ; and that the wicked, pub- licly condemned, will go away into punishment that will never end.
FOR the sake of indicating the use which is to be made of the foregoing Articles of Doctrine, and of explaining their re- lation to the Shorter Confession of Faith embraced in the Form of Admission, this church have adopted the following minute : -
" We might content ourselves as a church, with a simple dec-
1
188
PRINCIPLES, RULES, CONSTITUTION.
laration of our belief in the Scriptures as the Word of God and the Rule of Faith ; but those who hold fundamental errors profess the same belief. Hence it is necessary for us to declare what we believe the Scriptures to contain, and to agree upon a summary of the doctrines of the Bible as the basis of Christian fellowship.
" That the world may know how we read the Scriptures, and es- pecially that the youth and the unregenerate may have its great truths constantly before them, and that the brethren may refresh and confirm their own faith with the reading of them from time to time, we have adopted the foregoing articles of belief, and profess them as the faith of this church.
. .
" We expect that those who are young or weak in the faith will study them, ' searching the Scriptures whether these things be so'; and that they will be the substantial expression of the teaching of the Pulpit, and of the Sunday school, and of the personal faith of the brethren. But we do not require as a condition of membership that all who apply, especially those of tender years or of imperfect in- struction, should fully avow or perfectly understand them. We feel bound to administer this church under the rule of Christ, and to receive to our communion those who, on personal examination, give credible evidence of faith and repentance, and of substantial agree- ment with us in the essentials of doctrine.
" We have adopted also the following shorter Creed, to be used at the Communion Table and in the admission of members.
" It is made short for the sake of convenience, and is designed to embrace only the essentials of the gospel, and to express them, not in a theological manner, but in a more simple way, and rather in the spirit of worship than of doctrine."
FORM OF ADMISSION.
The candidates standing before the pulpit, the minister shall first offer a short prayer, after which he shall repeat one or more verses of Scripture, such as these, or any others which he may choose .*
* The part in fine print is inserted to suggest a form of orderly administration. It is not designed to be binding on any minister who prefers to use another form.
189
PRINCIPLES, RULES, CONSTITUTION.
" He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me ; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
"He that taketh not his cross and followeth after mne is not worthy of me."
" Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven."
The minister shall then invite the candidates to make public Confession of Christ, reading or saying with hint as follows : -
I BELIEVE in one only living and true God ; the Father Almighty, Creator and Ruler of all things ; the Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was in the beginning with God, and was 'God, who for our salvation became man, was crucified, dead, and buried ; who rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and now sitteth at the right hand of the Father, whence he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to punish with everlast- ing destruction them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel ; of whose kingdom there shall be no end.
And I believe in God the Holy Ghost, the Comforter and Sanctifier, who spake in the Scriptures, through whom we have newness of life, and who with the Father and the Son, tegether one God, is worshipped and glorified.
I believe in the forgiveness of sin through repentance, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, whose name I confess, whose word I obey, and whose merit is my only trust.
And I believe in one Church of the redeemed on earth and in heaven, in one Baptism, and in one Communion of Saints in · the body and blood of Christ, and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life everlasting. Amen.
Baptism will here be administered to candidates who have not been bap- tized, with these words : -
*, I baptize thee into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.
The minister shall then proceed : -
And now, ye beloved of the Lord, who have all witnessed to the confession
* The minister uses only the Christian names.
£
190
PRINCIPLES, RULES, CONSTITUTION.
of your faith and repentance before men, and who have all been baptized into the Christian name with the sprinkling of water, enter into the Church of Christ, and into covenant obligations with us.
The minister and candidates repeat together : -
In the presence of God and this assembly you * now avow the Lord Jehovah, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, to be your God, the supreme object of your affection, and your portion forever. You cordially acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ to be your Redeemer, and the Holy Ghost to be your Sanctifier, Comforter, and Guide. You humbly and cheerfully devote yourselves to God in the covenant of grace, consecrating your powers and faculties to his service and glory, and you promise that with his assistance you will cleave to him as your chief good, give diligent attention to his word and ordinances, seek the honor and interest of his kingdom, walk with this church in regular attendance on the means of grace, and in all brotherly love and submission, and that henceforth, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, you will live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.
The members of the church rise ; the minister says in their name, -
We, then, members of this church, affectionately welcome you in the name of Christ to his discipleship, to a part with us in the blessings and promises of his covenant, to a share in the duties, privileges, and glories of his church, and to the fellowship of that great multitude which no man can number, who have confessed him on earth, and who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.
And we likewise engage that through the help of Christ, without whom we also can do nothing, to walk towards you in all helpfulness, brotherly love, and watchfulness.
* Candidates use throughout the first person.
PRINCIPLES, RULES, CONSTITUTION. 191
In token of our confidence and sympathy, take the hand of Fellowship, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said : --
The minister here takes each new member in turn by the hand, repeating as he does so, some appropriate saying of our Lord.
The minister shall then address the new members, in these words of St. Paul : -
And now, beloved in the Lord, whereas in former time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world ; now, therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God ; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone, in whom all the build- ing fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord : in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. For this cause we bow our knees
Here all bow the head in prayer.
unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named; that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man ; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend, with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge ; that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
192
PRINCIPLES, RULES, CONSTITUTION.
[ SOCIETY. ]
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
OF THE FIRST EVANGELICAL CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY IN CAMBRIDGEPORT.
ARTICLE I. Name.
The pew-owners will take, and be known by the name of the FIRST EVANGELICAL CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY IN CAMBRIDGEPORT.
ARTICLE II. Officers and Standing Committees.
The following Officers and Standing Committees shall be chosen at the Annual Meeting, to be held in the month of January of each year, who shall hold their offices for one year, or until others are chosen in their places, namely : ... a Clerk ; a Treasurer ; a Prudential Committee, to consist of five persons, three of whom shall be members of the church at the time of their election (the Treasurer shall also be a member of the Prudential Committee) ; a Committee to let the pews belonging to the society, or that may be placed at their disposal, consisting of the Treasurer and two other persons; a Committee to su- perintend the music, consisting of three persons.
ARTICLE III. Duties of Officers.
CLERK. It shall be the duty of the Clerk to attend all meetings of the society, and to keep a record of its pro- ceedings. The Clerk shall preside at all meetings until a
193
PRINCIPLES, RULES, CONSTITUTION.
Moderator is chosen. In the absence of the Clerk, a clerk pro tem may be chosen.
TREASURER. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to collect all taxes assessed upon the pews ; to take charge of all moneys belonging to the society, and to pay all orders drawn by the Prudential Committee. He shall make a written report annually to the society of the condition of the treasury, and oftener, if requested so to do, by a majority of the Prudential Committee.
PRUDENTIAL COMMITTEE. It shall be the duty of the Prudential Committee to make such repairs, and furnish such fixtures to the meeting-house and chapel as may from time to time be necessary ; to provide for warming. and lighting the house and chapel ; to appoint a sexton ; establish his salary, and prescribe his duties, and generally to attend to the concerns of the society : and for this pur- pose they are authorized to expend only such sums of money as the society shall appropriate, and place at their disposal.
STANDING RULES.
1. The Annual Meeting of the society shall be held on the third Wednesday of January, at seven o'clock P. M.
2. The payment of the taxes on the pews shall be made quarterly, in the month of January, April, July, and Oc- tober of each year.
3. No money shall be drawn from the treasury except on order of the Prudential Committee.
4. All Officers and all Standing Committees shall be chosen by ballot.
5. The Clerk shall, on application made to him in writ- ing by any five members of the society, warn a meeting
i
1
£
194
PRINCIPLES, RULES, CONSTITUTION.
1
of the society by posting up a notification at the principal outer door of the meeting-house of the time and place of such meeting, seven days at least before the time ap- pointed for such meeting.
6. No alteration shall be made to these By-Laws unless the same shall be agreed to by two thirds of the members present and voting thereon, at a special meeting, notified for that purpose at least seven days previous to the hold- ing of such meeting.
7. For the present year the officers may be chosen at the first meeting of the society, who shall hold their offices ... until the third Thursday of January next, or until others are chosen in their places.
8. All vacancies which may occur may be filled' at a special meeting, called for that purpose in the same man- ner that is provided for the election of the officers of the society.
9. Any pew-owner may relinquish the occupancy and control of his pew to the society for the time being, and relieve himself from liability to the tax upon the same by giving three months' notice, in writing, to the Treasurer of his intention so to do, and he may resume the occupancy and control of such pew by giving the Treasurer a like notice of his intention to resume the same; and the society hereby waive all right to enter upon and sue any such pew for default in payment of taxes during the time it shall so remain under its control.
BOOK III.
HIISTORICAL TABLE OF THE CHURCH.
THIS table is so arranged as to show at a glance, 1. The mode of reception, whether by Profession of Faith or by Letter; and if "by Letter," from what church. 2. The date of reception. 3. Name. 4, 5, 6, and 7. The mode and date of removal, and in case of transfer the church to which they have been recommended. When a member has come from or gone to any other church than a Congregational, this is also found indicated. The list contains twelve hundred and sixty-nine names. In every case of death, excommunication, or transfer, all that is known is given in the proper column. To illustrate : if a person is known to be dead, and the date is unknown, in the " Death " column an interrogation point is placed to show that we know the person is dead, but do not know when the death occurred. And again, if we know a person was transferred in a certain year, the date is indicated in the proper column, and if an interrogation point is in the following column it indicates that we do not know to what place they were transferred. The same method is followed with reference to " Reception."
Every name in this Historical Table which has not in connection with it an indication of removal will reappear either in the list of " THE CONGREGATION," or of " NON-RESIDENT AND NON-ATTEND- ANT MEMBERS."
If any reader can give any information concerning any individual in con- nection with which an interrogation point is found, he or she will confer a great favor by communicating at once with the Pastor.
MODE OF RECEPTION.
NAME.
How.
Where from.
Date.
Died.
Trans- terr'd.
Where to.
P. L.
Salem St., Boston
Nov. 1836 Joseph W. Alden ..
. .
. .
P.
. .
P.
·
P.
Sugden Chap., Boston.
66 1846 William Adams .
. .
Mrs. Betsey C. Adams (W.)
. .
Nov. 1849 Samuel P. Adams . .
. .
1877 Clinton Av., Brooklyn.
Ilaverhill
Jan. 1850 Charles H. Allen .
" Mrs. Sarah A. Allen (C. II.) . ..
Westfield, N. Y. .
Mar. 1853 Mrs. Lucy F. Abbott. ..
. .
.
May, 1854 | Mrs. Caroline W. Adams (S. P.) Nov. 1854 Mrs. Martha M. Ayres .
1857
. . .
. .
. .. . . .. . .
.
·
July, Mary R. P. Allen ( Robbins) . Jan. 1862 |Mrs. Mehitable Adams .
. .
1877
Natick . Chatham
July, 1863 Mrs. Rebecca Atwood . 4 Esther G. Atwood ..
1863
P.
.
P.
...
Nov. 1865 Sarah K. Austin ..
1870 Reading.
1
HISTORICAL TABLE OF THE CHURCH.
May, 1835 Mrs. Ann B. C. Austin
. .
1844|P. Epis , Cambridgep't. 1842 Second, Cambridgep't.
Mrs. Lucy G. Alden (J. W.) . July, 1840 Mrs. Betsey Akerman ..
.
1842 Mrs. Reliance Atwood .
1857
Maria A. Atwood ( Ward) .
. .
1866 Brick Church, N. Y. 1853 West Cambridge.
L. L. P. L.
. .
1859 Pn., Westfield, N. Y. 1877 Clinton Av., Brooklyn.
L. P. L. I. P. P. P. P. L. L.
West Cambridge . Central Boston. .
" . 1857 Sumner Albee. . July, 1859 Mrs. Rebecca Averill (C.) Jan. 1861 Mrs. Elizabeth II. Adams (A.) . Lney P. Adams (Cotton) .
1877 Walnut Av., Boston.
1864 Mrs. Lucy R. Albee (Sumner) .
196
MODE OF REMOVAL.
£
P. L.
West Newbury . ....
Jan. 1866 Sarah A. Allen (Fuller) Mar. John Appleton . .. Mrs. Elizabeth M. Appleton (J.)
. 1869 ..
1872 North Av., Cambridge.
May, Martha C Allen (Smith) .
Jan. 1869 Jacob J. Arakelyan . .
66 1874 |Mrs. Elizabeth C. Allen (F. A.) Annie E. Allen . .
. . Oct. John II. Appleton .
Nov. 1876 Miss J. M. Atwood .
1877
L. L. L. P.
West Medford
Alfred E. Ansorge. .
Mrs. Elizabeth Ansorge (A. E.) Jan. 1877 Helen Maria Albee
Mar.
Louisa R. Albee . .
Eliza Anderson
Jacob J. Arakelyan.
May,
Frank A. Allen
. ..
66
Clara L. Ansorge.
Sumner R. Albee.
. .
1846 Essex St., Boston. 1838 Groton.
Lydia Blood .
Eliza B. Bisco .
. .
Grafton.
Mrs. Bathsheba Bisco.
. .
Thomas C. Bisco (Rev.) .
. .
P.
Maria II. Bisco (Street)
.
·
David Bancroft ( Rev.) .
P. L.
West Cambridge ...
Mrs. Lucy Brigham .
1837
L.
Ilanover St., Boston
Mrs. Alice Black (Nat ). .
1843
197
HISTORICAL TABLE OF THE CHURCH.
P. L. L. P. P. P. P. L. L. L. P.
East Cambridge. Pilgrim
66
Herbert MeL. Allen
·
Hanover St., Boston 66
Sept. 1827 Samnel Barrett
6
Gannett's, Cambridge .
1836 Manchester, England. 1831 Amherst College.
|1873 Central, Prov., R. I.
Auburndale L. P. L. P. P. P. L. East Cambridge. . . .
1872 Pilgrim, Cambridge. . .
Miss Anna Atwood .
.
198 HISTORICAL TABLE OF THE CHURCH.
MODE OF RECEPTION.
MODE OF REMOVAL.
NAME.
How.
Where from.
Date.
Trans- Died. |ferr'd.
Where to.
L. I
Hanover St., Boston
Sept. 1827 Abigail Boardman
1848
1838 Ex.
L.
Raymond, N. H. ...
1829 Joseph Brown . . .
. .
P .
..
·
July, 1832 Hannah Binney
1864
P. L P. L.
Barnstead, N. II. . . .
Jan. 1833 Maria Beck .
1842 East Cambridge.
. .
1837|Lowell.
Pepperell.
July, 1833 John P. Bullard .
. . 1840 I'n., Louisiana.
P.
John C. Bixby
1838 Framingham.
P.
Jan. 1834 Maria Brigham (Furber)
.. 1834 Lynn.
. 1846 Essex St., Boston.
1839 P'n., Brooklyn.
1838 Franklin St. Boston.
1849
1844
Nov.
Mrs. Rebecca Bigelow (B.) .. Ebenezer Brown. .
. . 1844 Pine St., Boston.
Salem St., Boston . . North Andover . .
Jan. 1839 Mrs. M. W. Beckwith (Rev. G. C.) Mrs. Mary Brooks
.
1866 Stearns Chapel, Camb.
1869
P.
P.
. ...
1873 Shepard, Cambridge.
P.
... . ·
July, 1840 Newell Bent ... 1872 Mrs. Mary S. Bent (N.) .. 1868 =
“ Nathanael Black. .
. .
1833|Raymond, N. H. 1838 North Andover. . .
P.
·
Sept. “
Mrs. Mary Brooks
. .
1838 North Andover.
·
1838
L P. L. L. L. P. L
Shepard, Cambridge Gannett's, Cambridge
Nov. Mrs. Anne J. Barrett (Samuel) . May, 1835 Lucy F. Brigham . Sept. " Lucy B. Brown May, 1836 Benjamin Bigelow . .
Mrs. J. C. Bixby.
L. Bowdoin St., Boston Middleboro".
Joseph Bailey
Mrs. Mary Brown (J.)
Emily Bowtell.
Mrs. Mary Brown (M. W.).
199
HISTORICAL TABLE OF THE CHURCH.
P. L. L L P. P. P. L. L. L. L. 1. L. L. L. L.
.
· Millbury . Mt. Vernon, Boston
|Henry P. Biss . Mrs. Delia M. Bliss (H. P.) . Mar. 1851 Thaddeus B Bigelow. .
. .
1856 At large. 1856
Winterswijk, Holland
Mrs. Ann E. Bigelow (T. B.) . . Mar. 1851 Gerret Jan Bennink Maatje V. Z. Bennink. 1863
Gurtruid R. Bennink.
1853 Winterswijk, Holland.
1877
Mrs. Mary Bennett (J.) .
1872
Mt. Vernon, Boston
July, 66 Barnabas Bangs .
Mrs. Ennice Bangs (B.) .
Sept. Maria N. Bowker (W. L.)
1858
L. L. L.
South Dennis . . .
Nov. 1855 Allen Bangs
. .
1858 South Dennis.
L P
Pn., Baltimore, Md ..
Jan. 1856, William R. Broughton ..
Sarah L. Boardman
..
1871 Highlands, Boston.
·
66 S.pt.
IElizabeth B. Black (Weatherbee) Susan Barnard .
. . 1862 High St., Lowell.
P. L. South Danvers .
. . . ·
¥ Major W. Brown . Mav, 1842 Mrs. Maria J. Brown . . . . .
1870
1855 East Boston. 1866 West Cambridge.
Antrim, N. II. . Messiah, Boston . . South Wilbraham . . . ..
Nov. .. Mrs. Mary A. Brown (D. S.) Mar. 1843 Mrs. Rebecca Buckman . Jan. 1844 Mrs. Abigail Barker .. Aug. 1845 Mrs. Eliza Brackett .
1845 1846
. . 1854 South Reading.
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.