USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salisbury > The West Parish Church, Salisbury, Mass. : One hundredth anniversary, June 17, 1885 > 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
In 1724, £15 4d. was added to the salary of each of the ministers. In 1736, it was voted to give to the reverend ministers, Mr. Cushing and Mr. Par- sons, one hundred and fifty pounds apiece, " each to enjoy the parsonage houses and barns, respectively, and five acres of land adjoining to them, pro- vided that they relinquish all their interest in the rest of the parsonage land and meadow." To this proposition Mr. Cushing assented; as to the action of Mr. Parsons no record is made.
Mr. Parsons died in Salisbury, March 13, 1739, in the sixty-ninth year of his age, and in the twenty-first of his ministry.
He was born in Northampton, June 28, 1671, and was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Strong) Parsons; graduated at Harvard, 1697; ordained at Leb- anon, Ct., November 27, 1700; and was dismissed in 1708. He was active in organizing the town of Lebanon, as well as the church there, and was appointed by the General Assembly of Connecticut, to fix the boundary of that town and Colchester on the west.
His ministry in Salisbury was a successful one, and during its continuance of nearly twenty-one years two hundred and ninety-one were added to its membership, - an annual average of nearly fourteen. The church was strong
13
THE WEST PARISH CHURCH, SALISBURY, MASS. -
in members and in influence. Upon his tombstone is the following epitaph: ".He was an eminent Christian and a well-accomplished minister, able, faithful, laborious, and successful."
He married Elizabeth Thompson, daughter of Dr. Benjamin Thompson of Roxbury. They had five children, - four sons and one daughter. His son Joseph, born in Lebanon, Ct., October 29, 1702, graduated at Harvard in 1720, was ordained at Bradford, June 8, 1726, and died there May 4, 1765, aged 63, having a ministry of thirty-nine years. Samuel, born at Salisbury 1707, grad- uated at Harvard college 1730, and was settled in Rye, N. H., November 3, 1736, died January 4, 1789, aged 82, in the fifty-third year of his ministry. William, born at Salisbury, April 21, 1716; graduated at Harvard college 1735, and was settled in South Hampton, N. H., 1743; was dismissed after a ministry of about twenty years. Elizabeth, born 1718; married Rev. Jeremiah Fogg of Kensington, N. H. John, born October 15, 1725; died October 28, 1740, while a sophomore in Harvard college. I give in this instance the family facts, to show how many of his sons were educated at Harvard college, and followed in the footsteps of their father in their choice of a profession.
On the death of Rev. Mr. Parsons, the inhabitants of the town were called together to make provision for his funeral. The whole arrangement, as indi- cated by the records, was thoughtful, becoming, and generous. Eighty pounds were appropriated for this purpose. With a keen sense of justice, and extra- ordinary forecast, they coupled with this a like appropriation "for the funeral of our Reverend Mr. Caleb Cushing, whensoever it shall please God to remove him by death." And this was provided for, "although the town may be divided into two parishes, or precincts before that time. "This is the first inti- mation that I have seen looking toward such a division. Evidently the idea had been entertained, and was gaining strength.
April 10, 1740, the town gave the use and improvement of the parsonage, barn, orchard and pasture for the present year to the widow of Mr. Parsons, reserving accommodations for " ministers' horses, which come to preach at the West meeting-house," as it is ambiguously worded in the record. At the same meeting the question was also put, " whether Rev. Mr. Cushing and Madam Parsons shall have equal interest, benefit, improvement, profit, and advantage of the whole parsonage in Salisbury for the present year as they shall agree," and it was voted in the affirmative.
August 27, 1740, a call was extended to Mr. Edward Barnard to settle over the West Church, but nothing came of it, as a remonstrance signed by fifty names was sent in against the settlement of Mr. Barnard or any other person until the meeting-house is moved to some point where it would be more con- venient for the upper parish. Whether the location of the meeting-house was the cause, or only the occasion, of this opposition to Mr. Barnard, it is
14
THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF
impossible to determine. We think it could not have been from a want of esteem for Mr. Barnard, who was afterwards the settled pastor of the First Church in Haverhill for more than thirty years.
The next year, March 24, 1741, Rev. Samuel Webster of Bradford was called to the pastorate; and at a town-meeting June 26th, he sent in his letter of acceptance. No terms are recorded, but it is probable they were nearly the same as those made to Mr. Barnard, - namely, one hundred and seventy pounds.
Mr. Webster was ordained August 12, 1741. In the church records, in the handwriting of Mr. Webster, is the covenant which he propounded to persons to be admitted to the church. This is almost verbally the same as that used by his predecessor, Mr. Parsons. It seems to have been the practice of clergy- men in those days for each to make his own church covenant, and to use it without any vote of adoption by the church itself. It is doubtful if the churches took any part in the reception of members. No record certainly was made of any church action, and nothing appears except the names of persons with dates of their admission. Dr. Webster was born in Bradford, August 16, 1718, and graduated at Harvard in 1737. After a ministry of nearly fifty-five years, he died July 18, 1796, aged 78. In a brief sketch of his character by Rev. Thomas Cary, pastor of the First Church in Newburyport, we glean the following:
" At the time when he entered the sacred office, his mind was so impressed with the impor- tance of the work in which he was about to engage, that he was ready to abandon all thoughts of the calling. In his preaching he was remarkably clear and plain. There was an earnestness in his manner which convinced his hearers that he himself felt what he delivered. He did not preach the things which he considered of doubtful disputation. He possessed a happy talent in visiting his people, and could adapt himself to their circumstances, and, in a pleasing manner, give them instruction. The beauties of Christian virtue were exhibited by his whole life."
His publications were a sermon, 1756, and ordination sermon, 1772; a Fast sermon, The Duty of an Enslaved People, 1774; a sermon to two companies of minute-men, 1775; election sermon, 1777; two discourses on Infant Baptism, third edition, 1780; and a sermon on the death of John Tucker, D.D., of New- bury. While speaking of the father I am reminded of his son, a native of Salisbury. Rev. Samuel Webster, Jr., the eldest child of Dr. Webster, was born in Salisbury, September 16, 1743, graduated at Harvard college 1761, and was ordained at Temple, N. H., October 2, 1771. He was a most zealous and devoted patriot. In 1777, young Webster was preaching to the militia in Groton. The country was alarmed by the progress of the British under Gen. Burgoyne. While the sermon was in progress a courier rode up to the church door and shouted, "Ticonderoga, Crown Point." They had fallen. "Send men: the whole country is marching." " Let us go immediately," said Mr. Webster. A man in one of the rear pews rose and said, " I seem to hear a voice from
15
THE WEST PARISH CHURCH, SALISBURY, MASS.
heaven ' not to go.'" "That voice is from hell," thundered Mr. Webster, . " we are called upon to go." He insisted on being one of the volunteers, and from the exposures of that campaign took a sickness from which he died August 4, 1777, aged 34.
December 1, 1778, we find the following record:
" With due respect and regard to our reverend ministers, it is the opinion of the town that our reverend ministers are deficient in preaching some of the most important doctrines of the gospel, such as these following: the depravity of human nature, the necessity of regeneration and free justification before God by the imputed righteousness of Christ alone. To see if it is the opinion of this town that if our reverend ministers would preach up the before mentioned doctrines of the Gospel and change with the neighboring ministers, viz: Rev. Mr. Noyes of South Hampton, Rev. Mr. Hibbard of Amesbury and the Rev. Mr. Noble of Newbury, it would have the greatest tendency to unite the inhabitants of this town together in love and peace and the only means of their having a free and generous support from this town. Voted in the affirmative."
It is evident from this vote that the town was stirred and divided by the religious questions which for more than a quarter of a century had moved all the American colonies, and especially New England. Only eight years before, Whitefield, one of the leaders in the great awakening, had died in Newbury- port. Ministers, meetings, and parishes, in town and country, were agitated and divided. Much bitterness and wrangling everywhere existed. It is not strange, therefore, that Salisbury should have been affected by this prevailing excitement. Indeed the soil was congenial to it. It was at the East Parish that Rev. John Wheelwright, brother-in-law of the notable Anne Hutchinson, was settled for seventeen years. The people here were always accustomed to debate religious questions. And it is recorded that the quota of Essex County on their way to fight the Indians in Connecticut, stopped in their march to settle some points of religious controversy. The inhabitants of the town never outgrew this tendency; and the discussions in Salisbury town-meeting in 1778 (the year of the battle of Monmouth and of the coming of the French fleet to our aid), were but the natural outgrowths of the heated religious controversies of the century before. Not only did the town by its vote name the doctrines which it desired should be preached, and even the ministers with whom their pastors should exchange, but in no equivocal manner it indicated to them that if the vote was not regarded the salaries would not be paid. Nor was it a blind and bigoted zeal for these points which dictated the votes of implied censure of their pastors, Dr. Webster and Mr. Noyes, but an intelligent theo- logical faith in these doctrines, as lying at the base of gospel truth. Dr. Webster was pronounced in his opposition to the course of Rev. Mr. White- field, and was one of the signers to a letter sent by two of the ministerial asso- ciations of this vicinity, dated December 26, 1744, to the associated ministers of Boston and Charlestown. (See B. 583. Tracts. Boston Athenaeum).
16
THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF
In 1794 a call was extended to Rev. Jonathan Brown to settle as a col- league with Dr. Webster. As conditions of his acceptance, Mr. Brown wished a larger salary than was offered and that the church adopt " the Presbyterian government." A committee of conference reported in favor of complying with these conditions, but their report was not accepted, and it was voted " not to make any additional sum to Mr. Brown's salary nor to adopt any new form of government."
A town which in open meeting would take action upon the doctrines which it desired to have preached in its pulpits, was not a town to put aside its Congregational feality at the request of any candidate however attractive and eloquent. It was at the suggestion of this same Mr. Brown, however, that a stove was placed in the church and ever after became a fixture there. It was during the ministry of Dr. Webster that the town of Salisbury was divided into two parishes,- the East and the West. The act passed the legislature March 15, 1793. During the ministry of Dr. Webster three hundred and twenty-one united with the church,- an annual average of nearly six.
The third pastor of the Second Church of Salisbury was Rev. Andrew Beattie, who was ordained June 2S, 1797, and died March 16, 1801. He was the son of William and Hannah Beattie, and was born in Chelmsford about 1767, and at the death of his father, his mother removed to that part of Brad- ford which is now Groveland, and Andrew was placed under the care of his uncle, Dr. John Beattie of Chelmsford. He graduated at Harvard in 1795, and received a bachelor's degree from Brown University the same year. May 8, 1797 the parish concurred with the church in calling Mr. Beattie to be their pastor. His ministry was very brief,- three years and nine months.
He was married January 29, 1799, to Mary Boardman, daughter of John and Judith (Marsh) Boardman of Newburyport. The marriage was thus noticed in the Boston " Centinel ":
" On their way to Salisbury the bridal pair were met by eighteen sleighs filled with the most respectable of the bridegroom's parishioners, who congratulated them on the joyous event, and accompanied them to the parsonage house where a liberal entertainment was provided. One such mark of respect shown to the Rev. clergy reflects more honor on the inhabitants of the Northern States, and more fully demonstrates their good sense, than were ever conferred on, or exhibited by, the deluded idolaters of French massacres and principles, in civic ox-feasts, choruses and riff-raff processions."
The Parish Tax Book of 1799 shows that in that year, when the sum of $469.14 was voted for the support of public teachers and other necessary charges of the West Parish, three hundred and seven polls were assessed in their polls and estates to raise that sum. The largest amount paid by any one person was $12.43, and the smallest nine cents.
Mr. Beattie in his short ministry evidently had won both the respect and the affection of his parishioners.
17
THE WEST PARISH CHURCH, SALISBURY, MASS.
The following obituary was published in the Newburyport "Herald," March 17,1801: " The pious and devout life which Mr. Beattie exhibited both as a neighbor and a friend, a husband, parent, and pastor, and that resigned and submissive temper which supported him during more than eighteen months of consumptive illness, call on the public to mourn the loss sustained, and to mingle the tears of condolence with the deeply afflicted widow, connections, and destitute flock."
At the time of the ordination of Mr. Beattie the lines of division in the Congregational churches had not been drawn, so that the First Church in New- buryport with its pastor, Rev. Mr. Cary, sat side by side with the church of Stratham, N. H., under the care of Rev. Mr. Miltemore.
At the suggestion of Mr. Beattie a new form of church covenant was adopted July 25, 1797.
At the same time it was voted to have the administration of the Lord's Supper on the second Sabbath of every other month, and that a collection be taken up to which all were expected to contribute. At the same time, also, the practice of persons " owning the covenant," for the purpose of having their children baptized, was abolished,-except with those to whom it had heretofore been granted. The Tate and Brady collection of psalms and hymns was exchanged for those of Dr. Watts, June 14, 1799. It was voted that on Satur- day preceding the communion, a meeting should be held as preparatory to that service. Also, the reading of the articles to be proposed to candidates for admission to the church, before the whole congregation, was adopted.
In 1802 the church gave a call to Mr. Pliny L. Dickinson, but in this the parish, by a vote of sixty-seven to forty-five, refused to concur.
The fourth pastor of this church was Rev. William Balch. He was the son of Rev. Benjamin and Joanna (O'Brien) Balch, and was born in Danvers, Mass., January 17, 1775. The family was living there at that time, while the father, Rev. Benjamin Balch, who had been previously settled at Mendon, Mass., served as chaplain in the squadron of Paul Jones during the Revolu- tion. After the Revolution he was settled at Barrington, N. H. William Balch prepared for college at Phillips Academy, Exeter, N. H., and was for three years in Harvard college. He belonged to the class of which Dr. Chan- ning and Judge Story were members. He studied theology with his father. He excelled as a Latin scholar, and possessed a large library of miscellaneous English books, of which he was a diligent student. Previous to any settle- ment he served as chaplain in the navy, first on board the Congress and then on board the Chesapeake, for a year or more, from November 19, 1799. He was ordained pastor of this church November 17, 1802, and was dismissed February 20, 1816. He was installed in Salem, N. H., December 1, 1819, and dismissed August 6, 1835. Mr. Balch spent the last years of his life at Ded- ham, Mass., and died there August 31, 1842, aged sixty-seven. He was buried
18
THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF
in the cemetery near the village of Dedham, a few miles from the birth-place of his father and the tomb of his grandfather, who was for thirty-seven years pastor of the Second Church in that town.
During the latter part of the ministry of Mr. Balch, many of the church and parish became seriously disaffected and were unwilling to aid in his sup- port. After much unpleasant contention an ex-parte council was convened by the church, which Mr. Balch consented to make mutual; and by it matters were so adjusted, that he was honorably dismissed February 20, 1816. These difficulties arose out of the heated political feelings which divided the com- munity, and it is a credit both to the pastor and the people that they were at last most happily adjusted. We have a memento of that council in a bill paid to Mr. David M. Leavitt, amounting to $46.90. The churches called on this occasion were those in Seabrook, Hampton Falls, Fourth in Newbury, Exeter West in Amesbury, and East in Haverhill.
The West Parish in Salisbury to David M. Leavitt, Dr.
To brandy and rum as per bill . $9 20
To 4 turkeys 4 60
To 8 chickens . 2 00
To 5 lbs. loaf sugar at 3712 cts. per lb.
1 88
To 16 lbs. bacon at 1212 cts.
2 00
To 38 lbs. beef
2 82
To 3 lbs. raisins and currants 40
To 6 lbs. brown sugar $1 00 ; }2 lb. tea $1 00 2 00
To butter, cheese, horse-keeping, potatoes, and lodgings, &c.
10 00
To time and trouble in attending on council and others 10 00
To journey to Exeter and Hampton Falls with horse
1 50
$46 90
DAVID M. LEAVITT.
Money advanced and to be deducted from this bill:
Rec'd. Joshua Follansbee
$5 00
Jacob Brown 2 00
Col. Smith . 2 00
Capt. Collins
3 00
$12 00
October 22d, 1816, received payment in full.
During the interval from the dismission of Mr. Balch in 1816 to the com- ing of Father Sawyer in 1835, the pulpit was supplied by a committee, and the preachers remained for a longer or shorter period. The parish keenly felt the want of harmony in feeling and concert in action. At the annual meeting in 1817, a committee of fifteen was chosen to take into consideration the critical situation of the parish ; and they recommended that when the pulpit was not
19
THE WEST PARISH CHURCH, SALISBURY, MASS.
supplied by the committee, liberty be given to introduce preachers of other denominations provided they were persons of decent attainments and good moral character. This report was adopted.
More or less every year now signed off, as it was called, under the Religious Freedom Act, and worshiped in other churches.
In 1820 a very earnest effort was made to unite with the East Parish in a joint support of religious services, each having the supply on alternate Sab- baths. It is much to be regretted that this very reasonable plan was not adopted. The leading men in both parishes desired it, and it is not easy to see why it was not carried through, unless perchance they found it difficult to agree upon the same preacher. The period of half-day Sabbath services had not yet come.
In 1822 the Rev. Thomas C. Upham, afterwards a professor in Bowdoin college, preached here with great acceptance; and but for his previous engagement in Rochester, N. H., he would doubtless have been called to a pastorate in this parish. In 1823, some were in favor of asking aid of the Home Missionary Society, but at the annual meeting in 1823 it was voted not to do so. Then followed, as supplies, Rev. Mr. Turner and Rev. Charles Bowles, neither of whom was able to secure the united and harmonious co- operation of the whole parish.
In April, 1826, a committee was chosen to confer with the Unitarian society at Amesbury in regard to a candidate who would be acceptable to both, but nothing came of it.
November 1, 1827. Voted, that any person may put up a stove in the meeting-house, provided it is done without expense to the parish. April 5, 1818. Voted, to allow persons to cut wood on the parsonage lands to supply fuel for the stove in the meeting-house. At this meeting it was also voted to apply to the Home Missionary Society for the means to have preaching through the year. But it does not appear that any such application was made.
Rev. Mr. Harris came as a supply in 1828. Rev. Thomas Rich came in 1829 and continued with the people until 1834, - the longest period of any one of those who were not settled, except Father Sawyer. The failing health of Mr. Rich compelled the parish to look elsewhere for a supply.
At the parish meeting. December 29, 1834, it was voted that a reasonable compensation should be paid by the town for the use of the meeting-house for town meetings. In 1835, April 7, the parish concurred with the church in inviting Rev. Mr. Gunnison to become their pastor. At this same meeting it was voted, that Thomas Buswell, John Morrill, and Morrill Currier be a com- mittee to ascertain the probable expense of building a new house of worship, or repairing this house in any and every way they may think expedient, and report at the next meeting.
20
THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF
At a parish meeting, held April 17, 1835, it was voted to allow the town to floor over the upper portion of the building and make a room for town pur- poses nine feet in height. The town guaranteeing to keep the outside of its portion in repair, and to pay the expense of extinguishing the individual rights in gallery pews.
The meeting-house at this time was a good deal out of repair and needed immediate attention. The question as to the legality of taxing the pew- holders for outside repairs came up and was referred to the Hon. Caleb Cushing for his opinion. It is inferred that it was in favor of the legality of the tax, though the vote of $600.00 for that purpose was reconsidered and $300.00 put in the place of it. '
At the parish meeting, December 17, 1835, Rev. Mr. Sawyer, then of the Sandy Hill Church, Amesbury, was invited to supply the pulpit. This invita- tion was renewed April 4, 1836. In 1837 it was voted to get the church insured. It was soon after this that the raising of money for parish purposes by taxation was abandoned, and that of voluntary subscriptions substituted in its place.
Rev. Benjamin Sawyer came to Amesbury in March, 1814, and was installed pastor of the First Church in that town, June 19, 1816. That church was gradually reduced, and at last became unable to support a pastor. Mr. Sawyer removed to the parsonage in Salisbury, November, 1835, and for five or six years preached for the First Church in Amesbury and West Church in Salisbury. After 1841 he gave his entire time to the church in Salisbury. He continued this connection until his death, March 26, 1871, aged eighty-eight years and six months. He was born in Boothbay, Maine, September 22, 1782. He prepared for college with Rev. Abijah Wines, at Newport, N. H., and graduated at Dartmouth college, in 1808. He studied theology with Mr. Wines and was approbated by the Orange association, N. H., in May, 1809. He was ordained at Cape Elizabeth, Maine (then Massachusetts), November 22, 1809; dismissed September 15, 1813.
Father Sawyer preached his last sermon October 30, 1870, on which occa- sion his mind was clear, and he spoke in the mild, tremulous tones which char- acterized his delivery, reading his hymns and scripture without the aid of glasses. His public labors were abundant. During his residences in Ames- bury and Salisbury he attended 1,100 funerals and performed 1,400 marriages. He served on the school committee of Salisbury for twenty-one years, and in 1844 and 1845 he represented the town in the legislature. May 15, 1859, he preached a sermon at Rocky Hill on the fiftieth anniversary of his entrance upon the ministry of the gospel. January 12, 1866, he celebrated his golden wedding,- an occasion of interest and pleasure to many of you here today. Father Sawyer was faithful and sympathetic as a pastor; kind, generous and helpful as a citizen, neighbor, and friend; and consistent and exemplary as
21
THE WEST PARISH CHURCH, SALISBURY, MASS.
a christian. Since the death of Father Sawyer the supply of the pulpit lias been by Rev. Albert G. Morton, who has preached a part of the year. He still lives, honored and respected by all.
Such, in brief, was the ministry of the Second Church in Salisbury. The pastors were all educated, faithful, God-fearing men. The morality, the intel- ligence, and the good order of the community attest their fidelity. I have not time to speak in detail of the families and the individuals who were nurtured by them, and will only name a few who must stand as representatives of a very considerable number: Dr. Samuel Nye, Professor Horatio B. Hackett, Michael Walsh, author and teacher; Joseph Wadleigh, teacher; Deacon Edward Dorr.
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.