USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Gloucester > The book of the three hundredth anniversary observance of the foundation of the Massachusetts Bay Colony at Cape Ann in 1623 and the fiftieth year of the incorporation of Gloucester as a city > Part 7
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 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27
We see God's hand in the choice of the particular class of English people who were to settle New England. They were not of the Royalist class, the "Gentry," so-called, the untitled yeomanry. They expected hardships and met them without flinching when they came face to face with them. The vacant cellars of yonder rock-fields of Cape Ann bear mute witness to the struggles of man against terrific odds in those long gone years. In a sense all New England was a battlefield for the white man and he won.
53
OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
Moreover, those English yeomen brought their Anglo Saxon respect for learning with them. They had seen the boys of Rugby and the graduates of Oxford and Cambridge moving up to station and influence in the home land, and they determined to give their sons the best possible education in the new land. Only sixteen years after the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, first steps were taken to found Harvard. In one century, New England became the seeding ground of many schools. Today her great seats of learning are our pride. No wonder then that her sons have had such a large formative influence in the leadership of the nation in these 300 years.
Looking back, we see God's hand in the distinctly Religious Quality of the First Comers to these shores. Politically, the history of Gloucester dates from the act of Lord Sheffield of record January 1, 1623, assigning Robert Cushman and John Winslow and their as- sociates, a tract of land in that part of New England "commonly call- ed Cape Ann," with right of hunting, fishing and trading. But in order to understand the early history of any of these settlements about Massachusetts Bay, we must recognize the fact that the religious spirit was the ruling sentiment in them all. Trading charters and fishing rights do not explain the New England settlements of the 17th century. It has been well said that "The principal cargo of the May- flower was religious convictions and ideals." The same was true in large degree of the other ships which brought the 20,000 English people, who in the next forty years followed the Mayflower company. Mrs. Heman's hymn describes the main purpose of each group :-
"What sought they thus afar .- Bright jewels of the mine, The wealth of seas, the spoils of war ? They sought a faith's pure shrine. Ay, call it holy ground, The soil where first they trod;
They have left unstained what there they found Freedom to worship God."
Governor Bradford in his account of the landing on Plymouth Rock, says that the first act of the Pilgrims was to fall on their knees and bless God "Who," as he quaintly says, "had brought them over the vast and furious ocean and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof." It is even said that the Gloucester fishermen of the earliest period were wont to carry books to sea to read between times-books on theology and philosophy, and govern- ment, so as to be ready on return to join in the debates with fellow townsmen on the current issues of the colony.
Looking back on the distant past, we see God's hand in the In- stitutions of Justice and Liberty founded by the New England colonists, in whose benefits the people of Cape Ann shared. Remem- ber that long before the days of the Mayflower, the King of France had founded Quebec yonder on the North and the King of Spain, St. Augustine yonder on the South and when the New England colonists and the other colonists on this mid-Atlantic coast began to explore
54
THREE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
Westward, it was to discover that from both of these centers Jesuit missionaries were executing a slow environing movement westward, intending to occupy the heart of the continent. If these movements had succeeded, free Democratic America, as we know it, would never have been.
But God willed otherwise, and liberty became our inheritance and we therefore do well to sing:
"Our father's God, to thee Author of Liberty- To thee we sing. Long may our land be bright With freedom's holy light; Protect us by thy might, Great God, our King."
But in passing, it must be admitted that the Puritans themselves at first did not grasp fully God's great plan of liberty. In fact, the constructive principle of the 13 colonies was not that of a free democracy, but a quasi aristocracy, as the saying was: "The rule of the wisest and best." A fine sounding phrase, but easily abused by usurpers. The possessing class always quite naturally assume that theirs is the class of the best and wisest.
It was because of this aristocratic conception of society that African slavery existed so long in the South, and gained a footing here in the North. Yes, slaves were owned at one time here on Cape Ann. The old Babson house on the "Green," as we know, was furn- ished with slave bunks or pens. To broaden the base of American institutions thus narrowly founded, called for two centuries of educa- tion and agitation. But God gave us the men to do this uplift- ing work, and what a list they make! Roger Williams' name heads the list, and Abraham Lincoln's ends it, and scores of men and women reformers and martyrs come between.
It is a pleasure to learn that slavery fell into discredit among the freemen of Cape Ann many years before it lost caste in the nation. These wide vistas of old ocean never did conduce to narrowness of mind or heart.
We see God's hand in later times in the Purifying of the Political Institutions of our country. At first the imported European idea of the union of church and state held sway, to the common detriment of both, for civil liberty was limited to churchmen and religious liberty to Puritans. Roger Williams, pastor of the Salem church, a church of the "Standing Order" and himself at the first a Puritan, started the agitation for the separation of church and state. He challenged the prevailing theory of church membership. He said that baptism was not to be considered a "saving" ordinance, and that infants should not be baptized at all, because no New Testament authority could be found for either idea. He also saw the established churches engaged in coercing adults to join them. No one could vote in town meetings and elections without being a member of the established
55
OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
church, and supporting its worship. Taxes were levied on all citizens to pay the bills of the town and church. Williams declared this also to be unscriptural. No one should be coerced in matters of conscience. The ideas were not new to church history beyond the sea. They had been voiced in various parts of Europe from the days of the early church. But they were new to America and the proclamation of them created no small stir in early New England. Roger Williams was exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and told to move on by the Plymouth colonists.
I need not rehearse the familiar story. Later, Henry Dunster, first president of Harvard College, was deposed from his office for announcing the same views, and Obadiah Holmes, a Baptist, was publicly whipped on Boston Common by order of the General Court for preaching contrary to the doctrines of the established church and particularly because he assailed infant baptism as an unscriptural rite.
In 1638, Roger Williams founded the Rhode Island colony on the idea of the strict separation of church and state. Prior to 1790, nine colonies had church establishments and the exchange of opinion among them caused some influential leaders to think that the time was ripe to authorize some order of national religion. But Virginia Baptists seeing the drift of opinion sent a delegation to wait upon President Washington, urging that religious liberty was not sufficiently protect- ed under the then new federal constitution and the result was the adoption of the first amendment guaranteeing religious liberty saying "Congress shall make no laws prescribing any form of religion or limiting the free exercise thereof."
We turn now to the record of God's hand in the Religious History of Cape Ann. The first Christian worship here was conducted by Rev. John Lyford of whom little is known. Regular worship apparent- ly began with the ministrations of Rev. Richard Blynman, after whom the "Cut" bridge is named. His labors resulted in the first church of the standing order being founded in 1642, and the town of Gloucester being incorporated. The first church building was erected on the "Green," "up in town" as we now say. From this mother church, three other Puritan churches or parishes later sprang,- Rockport, Annisquam and West Parish.
Thus Puritanism was the established order until late in the 18th century, when controversies arose which ended its reign as the estab- lished order. At the same time, the established religious orders came to an end in the United States, and the present period of "free churches and a free state" began. There were three notable con- troversies here in Massachusetts. The first was over the deity of Christ and produced Trinitarians and Unitarians. The second con- troversy was over the divine sovereignty and the conditions of mercy and produced Evangelicals and Universalists. The third controversy was over the need of regeneration before baptism and who should belong to the church, and produced Baptists and Pedobaptists.
I do not stop now to estimate the relative merits of the con-
56
THREE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
testants and their views, but to mark the fact that each controversy served in a measure to clear the air of some of the stagnant religious atmosphere, which had resulted from the long period of Puritan con- ventionality and the depressing state affiliations. Instead of joining the church for hereditary reasons or political aspirations, men began to think of religion as a matter of Vital Inner Convictions and Ex- perience. Religion became a living, pulsating thing, for which sacrifices were to be made, and spiritual loyalty affirmed. And from this time of awakened religious interest, the churches as we know them today, had their beginnings.
Among the Christian people of Cape Ann, the first known Baptist was Captain Hale, residing at Rockport. He was a sailor, who had been converted at sea. The first Baptist church on the Cape was that formed at Rockport in 1808, having 18 members. By this time, the Federal amendment adopted in 1790 had become the common sentiment and freedom of worship was fully guaranteed. Churches other than the Puritan type were freely forming. The church in Rockport was our mother church. One of its members resided In this vicinity, and was another religious pioneer. He had been a Congre- gationalist and espoused Baptist views from conviction. The his- torian of the Cape writes of him: "A man of strict piety and integrity."
The labors of pioneer Smith and others begun about 1820, result- ed in the organization of this First Baptist church of Gloucester on December 29, 1830. The population of Gloucester was then about 5000. The church began with 20 members, four men and 16 women. That year they also dedicated a meeting house on Pleasant Street, near the corner of Prospect. It cost $1800 and was a plain wooden structure, seating about 250 persons.
In its 93 years of history, this church has owned and occupied three houses of worship: the first, the small structure on Pleasant Street, just described, and the second a much larger structure on this site, corner of Pleasant and Middle Streets. It was built in 1850, and cost $15,000. It provided 450 sittings. The second house of worship was burned in 1869, being a total loss. The third and still larger place of worship was the present edifice, dedicated in 1871, seating 800, and costing about $35,000.
Today let us thank God for the builders of these edifices and especially for those who built up the spiritual temple in those earliest days. For Timothy Favor, first deacon, for Benjamin Ellery, the devoted mechanic, for Joseph Fears, deacon and sexton, for John Woodbury, chorister and Sunday school superintendent, for Captain Giles, not of the constituent membership, but becoming a member the second year, who, having wealth, materially helped the church in its day of small things.
The period of the Civil War was a dark one for Gloucester. The fishing interests declined because privateering jeopardized the Gloucester fishing fleets at sea, and the army and navy needed our sea captains and hardy sons. In 1861 this church dismissed 54 members
57
OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
to join the Baptist church at East Gloucester, which we know as the Chapel Street church.
This depletion of membership and the burning of the second edifice made it a depressing time. But the crisis was bravely met, and successfully passed. Let us thank God today for the whole band of men and women who upheld the church in this middle period of trials. Especially for Deacon George Garland, the "apostle of sunshine," the superintendent of the Sunday school for 35 years. And for Deacon John Pew, the courageous leader to whose wealth and leadership we owe in large measure this superb edifice.
The period from the dedication of this edifice to the present time consitutes a bright chapter. It might be characterized as the jubilee period, for in it the pastorate became longer, the membership larger, and the resources more ample. The active spirits of this period, it was my privilege to know personally, I suppose that is why I am here to speak today. Most of them have passed on to the glory life. What a capable force they were! How we miss them today! The deacons who are gone-Stillman Rice, Augustus E. Price, H. L. Follansbee, Daniel S. Allen, Edwin R. Wheeler: the parish officers who are gone-Alexander Pattillo, D. Elwell Woodbury, John L. Stanley, David I. Robinson. And how many devoted women who wrought in this last 50 year period we miss today because their earthly labors are ended: Mrs. Alexander Pattillo, Mrs. Augustus E. Price, Mrs. Sylvanus Smith, Mrs. John L. Stanley, Mrs. Mary P. Friend, Mrs. Robert C. Mckenzie, Mrs. Thomas F. David and Mrs. A. Manton Pattillo.
Finally God's hand has been signally manifested in the ministry of the Word among you. The best evidence of God's presence has been given: souls have been saved year after year. There is not time to describe the gracious revivals, the blessings on the various depart- ments of the church, and especially on the Sunday school. Over it all, the workers have gladly confessed "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." To date this church has had 17 settled pastors. Let me call the roll indicating in brief the location and extent of pastoral service of each pastor: Samuel Adlam, 1831-4, three years; William Lamson, 1837-9, three years, J. A. B. Stone, 1839-41, one year and ten months; William Lamson (second pastorate) 1841-8, six years, ten months; Joseph R. Manton, 1849-50, one year, six months; Miles Sanford, 1851-3, two years, four months; Samuel E. Pierce, 1853-60, six years, three months; Leo M. Woodruff, 1862-4, two years, two months; George B. Gow, 1864-7, two years, three months; Forest F. Emerson, 1868-73, five years, six months; John M. English, 1875-82, six years, nine months; Charles D. Morris, 1882-8, six years; Thomas J. Villers, 1888-93, five years; George T. Raymond, 1895-7, two years; Frank L. Wilkins, 1897-1905, seven years, 11 months; Gibbs Braislin, 1906-9, three years; Denton J. Neily, 1910-18, seven years, nine months; Arthur W. Warren, your present pastor. Settled in 1918, service now covers five years.
In 1880, at your semi-centennial, Rev. William Lamson, D. D., summarized the characteristics and ministries of the first 10 pastors,
58
THREE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
speaking modestly of himself. I would gladly speak of the other seven, but I am reminded that the centenary of the church will occur in 1930, and the celebration being so near, I leave that completing of the work to the historian of that occasion. Sufficient now to say that this pulpit has never been untrue to the great Evangel. Those who have labored here have gloried in Christ and his finished work.
Summarizing then Gloucester's history. First, we find a small fishing community on this rocky Cape with roar of surf breaking round them. A sturdy people planting their humble pioneer homes. Then a young sea-port whitening with its sails the Atlantic and distant seas. Then a mature New England city of proud history with churches and schools and libraries. With fish foods for the home land and other lands. And now today behold a chain of communities on a 15-mile circuit, with beautiful hotels and villas, the rest place of foreign ambassadors and a play ground of the industrial and com- mercial magnates of America.
All who dwell here for even a short time fall in love with the situation, so sea-girt, broken and grand. Let us today pledge new allegiance to Him who gave us these grand scenes and pray that the Hand that guided our forefathers here may guide us and our loved land in the future years.
"O God beneath thy guiding hand Our exiled fathers crossed the sea, And when they trod the wintry strand With prayer and psalm they worshipped thee. And here thy name, O God of love Their childrens' children shall adore Till these eternal hills remove And spring adorns the earth no more."
Note-Dr. Wilkins, a former pastor, officiated as a supply in the First Baptist pulpit during the absence of the pastor Rev. Arthur W. Warren. Rev. Mr. Warren returned for the celebration and was an active factor in forwarding the enterprise.
ANNISQUAM UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OR THIRD PARISH CHURCH Historical sermon, by the pastor, Rev. George H. Lewis
Note-Rev. George H. Lewis was born in Meriden, Conn., in 1881 and was graduated from Tufts Theological school in 1905. He has preached in Ohio and at Hingham coming to Annisquam in 1919.
"Although what is here recorded represents many long hours spent in racing through two hundred years of parish records and in
59
OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
the consultation of many volumes and may be considered to be fairly accurate, time has been lacking for complete verification, and some statements have been made solely on the authority of the parish rec- ords. As certain events of the past have been often repeated, and are usually the ones dwelt upon in an address of this kind, they have been purposely omitted.
The section which makes up the historic Third Parish of Glouces- ter was first generally known as Wonasquam, but has been generally called Annisquam and by this name is known from coast to coast. There seems to be a tradition that Annisquam means "Pleasant water," but the best authorities agree to the derivation from Indian words signifying the top of the rock or headland, which was probably later transferred to the waters surrounding. The Parish records give ten different spellings.
There is a persistent tradition that the first settlement on Cape Ann was at Annisquam, but all indications are that for many years it was very sparsely settled, and that the center of interest and com- munity life, the church and town meeting, were at the Green or near the harbor, but by 1726 the population had become so numerous and the burden of travel, especially in the winter weather so great, that some 40 of the free-holders in this vicinity petitioned the town to be set off as a separate parish. A similar petition was presented to the General Court in 1728. Authorities generally agree upon 1728 as the actual date of its beginning as a separate parish, but in our Parish records I find a quotation from the records of the First Parish dated April 13, 1726, in which the Annisquam parish with "not one vote against it," is given certain exemptions which if accurate would in- dicate a separate and individual existence as early at least as that date.
The first building was erected by eight proprietors and finished by June 22, 1728. The proprietors, whose names have been lost, re- imbursed themselves for the expense of its erection (65 pounds, 14 shillings) by the sale of pews. It was not turned over to the Parish until October 20, but pursuant to an order of the General Court issued in "His Maistyes name" "inhabitants of Annes Squam and the northerley part of the Cape," held their first meeting therein on July 8 and elected officers, and on the 15th chose Mr. Benjamin Bradstreet for their minister at a salary of 125 pounds for the first year, 130 pounds the second and 135 pounds yearly thereafter. He was ordain- ed September 18. An ordination in those days was an event of great importance calling for the presence and entertainment of many ministers and church officials and calling for the expenditure of "14 shillings for repairing the seats in the meeting house which was broken down at the ordination" and eight shillings for mending glass broken at the same time.
In 1732 further land was set aside for the support of the Third Parish so that it extended from Goose Cove to Sandy Bay on condi- tion that the people of Squam and Sandy Bay jointly build and main- tain a road through the woods for the convenience of the people
60
THREE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
of Sandy Bay. In this year the Parish first exercised its corporate power, which it frequently exercised thereafter, "to sue and be sued by appointing a committee to sue the Town of Gloucester for not sending a schoolmaster to Squam or "Lower Neck" according to the town vote." In passing, we might note that nowhere in the parish records is there any mention of "Planters Neck." The following year began an agitation to sell the Parish lands at Gallup's Folly Cove. This agitation was continued with the appointment of committees to investigate the committees already appointed, lawsuits and attempts at compromise with those who had squatted on the land, including one Daniel Marchant, with whom various committees wrestled long and with whom the committees "could not" compromise because he "would not," until in 1821, it was "voted to pass over the second article in the warrant and attend to the execution of Daniel Marchant."
At the beginning of Mr. Bradstreet's fifth year his salary was in- creased by adding 10 pounds of "passable money" for summer lec- tures. In subsequent years it was further increased by payment for taking care of the parsonage and the parsonage fence.
The money paid to ministers reveals the condition of the times for their salaries were paid sometimes in "lawful money," and some- times in Continental dollars, sometimes in "old tenors," and sometimes in "hard money." In fact, ministers of this parish seem to have re- ceived all kinds of money but "easy money." In 1764 one taxpayer gives in "two guineas and a pistole" which are credited at three pounds 18 shillings. The next year eleven dollars equals three pounds, six shillings and two and one-fourth dollars gold equals five pounds, nine shillings.
Salaries have varied from $300 a year to $200 a week and that for a period of six months, but invariably, without change, this parish has always been strong in that New England characteristic known as "prudence" sometimes considered a virtue and sometimes a vice. When the parish voted to pay $500 salary the parish com- mittee offered the candidate $450 and got away with it. There are many records of haggling with the minister and the Parish committee was frequently instructed, even in the case of such well beloved pastors as Ezra Leonard, to see what was the least amount for which he would preach. The same committee has been instructed to sell for as much as possible the pews, the old glass from the windows, worn out stoves and funnel and the fence around the church, and even when, in a spirit of gratitude a monument was raised over the re- mains of Father Leonard the committee was instructed to have it set in place "at the least possible cost."
A burying ground (the one at Bay View) was maintained by the Parish from the earliest times until 1898 when it was deeded to the city. A hearse was purchased by subscription in 1817 and performed its melancholy duty until long after that day when he who had "Gone with the hearse" so many times was taken on that last long journey
3
what Hasere
ANNISQUAM UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, HEAD OF LOBSTER COVE
61
OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS
from which bourne no traveller returns. The hearse was maintained by the parish for 100 years, although they even made a profit on it.
In 1755 a pound was established, the same year the burying ground was fenced and "by a streak of Divine Providence in the house provided to serve God in as it was struck by the thunder," a meeting was called "to see whether they would repair the house or not and to make the best use of the old stuff." It was voted that "the old stuff" be sold "to the one that would give the most for it," but the spindle and vane and lead were retained.
Although the parish several times threatened to sue the town for its share in support of the school and finally bought the building of the proprietors, in an account covering a number of years, the amount expended by the parish for the support of the school was less than it received for that purpose.
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.