USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Yarmouth > The celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of old Yarmouth, Mass., including the present towns of Yarmouth and Dennis. September 1 and 3, 1889 > Part 3
USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Dennis > The celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of old Yarmouth, Mass., including the present towns of Yarmouth and Dennis. September 1 and 3, 1889 > Part 3
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At the conclusion of the sermon, all were requested, as far as possible, to remain at the communion service, which was participated in by members of all the various churches of the two towns. The occasion was a very tender and im-
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pressive one. The remarks of Dr. Taylor in reference to those who had gone on before us were very happy and it was felt to be promotive of genuine Christian unity thus to ignore for once all denominational distinction in remem- brance of a common Lord.
The social hour in the vestry was agreeably passed, the guests consisting almost entirely of those who had come from a distance. At 3 o'clock the church was again packed to its utmost capacity for the more informal exercises of the second service. The pulpit was occupied by Rev. Dr. Taylor, Rev. C. A. Bradley, Rev. L. P. Atwood, Rev. George W. Osgood, Rev. G. I. Ward and the Pastor. After sing- ing, and prayer by the Rev. Mr. Bradley of the Universalist church, the pastor, Rev. John W. Dodge, spoke the follow- ing
WORDS OF WELCOME.
MY DEAR FRIENDS :
It gives me pleasure, in behalf of this ancient church, on the quarter-millenial anniversary of her birth, to welcome the children and grand-children to their old church home. She may say with the patriarch Jacob, "with my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands. " The little church of less than a score, that planted itself by yonder shore two hundred and fifty years ago, has expanded into ten communions, living harmoniously side by side with- in the old territorial limits. As a ray of light is decomposed by the prism into its constituent colors, so the one faith has developed here into seven different forms as it has passed through the prism of time. It may be that such a disin- tegration was inevitable under the given conditions. It may require all these various conceptions to give us the complete idea. It is at least a high satisfaction that representing, as we do, diverse sections of the one army of Christ, we are moving on harmoniously together. We recognize a common standard - the Bible, and one glorious leader, - Jesus Christ. In earlier days it was hardly to be expected that separations from the family, the one recognized standing order, should have been made with entire good-feeling, But the softening influences of time have healed whatever asper- ities may have existed. We have learned to agree to disagree and accord to each other mutual sincerity and honesty. I trust it will be one result of this occasion to cement the bond of Christian charity, to render our relations together as children
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of one Heavenly Father and fellow-disciples of a common Lord more cordial than ever.
This a is glad day for the grandmother church. She is in her happiest mood, for this is the greatest occasion in all her history. She has donned her wedding gown and has her best cap on ; she meets you as you gather round the ancestral hearth with her heartiest greetings. To express these greet- ings she calls upon one of her most beloved sons, who has re- turned to honor this occasion and manifest his loyalty to the church of his fathers. The grandson of Rev. Timothy Al- den, for about sixty years the pastor of this church, will con- vey the greetings to the children and grandchildren. I have the pleasure to introduce Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Taylor, of Bos- ton.
Then followed the Address of Greeting to the Children and Grandchildren of the Ancient Church, by Rev. Jeremiah Taylor, D. D.
THE ADDRESS OF GREETING.
FATHERS AND MOTHERS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, MEM- BERS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THIS CHURCH OF THE CENTURIES,-
Greetings : - It is a happy circumstance, that the inward thought and the outward occasion suggest alike, that our greetings must needs be the expression of overflowing grati- tude, first, that this Mother Church has had the grace of continuance to this favored hour.
In the beginning, planted on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone, she has never swerved from the faith of the fathers. "Never dragged the anchor of her youth." We see her to-day amid these services so high and holy, not only invested with the love, honor and reverence which come from rolling suns, as the years have been prolonged, but al- so, as clothed upon with those robes of righteousness and truth, which constitute the real, the noblest maturity.
This is the more to be emphasized as we remember the times of conflict and peril which have been abroad. The period in Ecclesiastical History covered by the century be- ginning with 1740 and ending with 1840, was one most mo- mentous, especially to the churches of New England.
Many of those churches, started as was this, in doctrine and consecration, have passed from sight or are maintaining another gospel. Even here, as in the house of the Interpreter, where the Christian Pilgrim saw such wonders unfolded, the
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force of destructive agencies was vigorously abroad for a sea- son, but grace furnished the needful supply, and the holy flame of the altar fire was not extinguished.
To those who have received this precious, saving faith, which has been taught and exemplified here all these years, what more appropriate than the refrain of the Psalm which has constituted the sacred lesson of the hour, " Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men ? "Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people and praise him in the assembly of the elders. "
Next, we may bring our joyful greeting, that this church has been favored with such a ministry. Thirteen pastors have been the leaders and teachers of this flock of God, from the beginning.
The historical discourses given by the present pastor in 1873, present an admirable portrait of these worthies as they have been about their Father's business in this field of labor during successive periods of its cultivation.
And while not divested of human infirmities, endowed with different gifts, and toiling with varying success, not one failed to do well. The demands of the time were faithfully met, the labor done, - that of a true and hon- ored servant of the Lord. It is a great thing, - a matter of abiding joy, if when running the lines of family ancestry back through generations gone, there appears not one individual through whom our blood has descended who has left the taint of shame or crime. Every face that beams upon us from the shadowy past being lovely; every life, pure, exalted ; every name good, better than precious ointment.
Oh! how we compass the world at every point, if we have been so begotten, and never have sold our birth-right! You who constitute the family of God here, actually or as representatives of the great and noble past, have no occa- sion to blush as you recall the name of your religious teach- ers. In lip and life they have been examples worthy of imi- tation. There is hope of all the dead that they are crowned with Christ, there is assurance of those living, that they are walking closely with God, -those who have begotten you in the Lord as a right royal spiritual seed. You who are old may say with another :
"My boast is not, that I deduce my birth
From loins enthroned, and rulers of the earth,
But higher far my proud pretensions rise
The sons of parents passed into the skies."
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Again, we greet you, because there has descended to you through the character and conduct of this church and ministry such a heritage of peace. That is an interesting, and as the subsequent events have shown, a prophetic pic- ture of the ministry and people given in the historical state- ment already referred to, that during the first eighteen years of the life of this church, no legal acts had been passed in General Court bearing on the support of the ministry, " for such was the good will of the people and such was the zeal of the ministry and the devotion of the people, that no legal contracts have been necessary between them." And when subsequently legal requirements came into use there was manifested no disposition to make them hard and rigid arbitrators of right, but rather the handmaids of love and tender thoughtfulness. It has interested me much as I have learned the method pursued when the new parish, sub- sequently called Dennis, was formed. The meeting-house was builded, the pastor had his choice to go with the new con- gregation or remain with the old. The view taken of the situ- ation was rational, wise, kind, benevolent. The widening pop- ulation demanded the new organization and place of worship, and so all things were made contributary to its prosperity. As from the old home-stead the mother sends forth her daugh- ter to her new home, with the heartiest benediction, seeing in the change the beloved child's best good, so in these new relations of church life a no less harmonious and benevolent movement resulted in the formation of the West Church. And the blessing of the Lord descended copiously upon the people in preparation for the happy result. Of the way in which the several other churches have sprung up, bearing different names, and fulfilling their chosen mission, we have time only to say this, that the mother heartily rejoices in all the good her children may be doing, and will be the first to grieve when the shadow of a suspicion may arise that wrong things are being subserved. Though she esteems most highly the precept, first pure, then peaceable, yet her charity is broad and kind, as all you will testify who have lived in these neighboorhood relations, and have come up hither in joyfulness this day. "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God."
If I have discovered aright the spirit of this foster mother, as her children have gone out from her embrace these many years, it is voiced in the words :
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"When we asunder part It gives us inward pain, But we shall still be joined in heart, And hope to meet again."
Our greetings would be very incomplete, here and now, if we leave in the background the responsible and solemn in- heritance of religious work, which has been bequeathed to those who constitute the life of to-day.
It will not do to think and speak only of the past - the fathers who now sleep-the great and good labors they have done. We ascend to the mountain top to face the east as well as the west. To exult in the glories of coming as well as setting day.
All true success in life is a force to urge us on to greater things in the future. Shame to those children who come into possesion of a rich paternal estate, and misimprove and squander it. "Walk about Zion and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks; con- sider her palaces, that ye may tell it to the generations following. For this God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death."
No period in the centuries gone equalled this, in the opportunities afforded, and the claims presented for entire devotion and vigorous service in bringing this world to Christ.
"We are living, we are dwelling In a grand and awful time ; In an age on ages telling -- To be living is sublime."
Do we to-day set up a stone in this way of the centuries and call it Ebenezer, saying, "Hitherto hath the Lord blessed us?" Let us add to the inscription in all its breadth of meaning, " But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." See that ye walk worthy of your high vocation, brethren.
As a final word, - Let us be lifted up to a lofty concep- tion of that eternal life which is the future inheritance of the church of God. Never is my heart more thankful for the doctrine of life and immortality as revealed in the gos- pel, than when standing amid the monuments of the buried past. "The fathers, where are they, and the prophets, do they live forever?"
Our eyes to-day look over the broad landscape, bound- ed by the horizon of two hundred and fifty years. What do we see ? Not the multitude of people who have been here, but a few only, the representatives of the many, and the graves
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of the rest. And in a few brief years all the living of to-day will be numbered with the dead. The drifting sands which flit along the streets, the waves of the restless sea which wash the shore, seem more permanent than human life. It is the institutions of influence and power, which abide while the builders perish from the light, as in the coral islands of ocean. How many houses here are older then those who live in them! We look beyond these fields so desolate from the ravages of sin and death, and are transported to fairer climes as we read these assuring words : "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortali- ty : so when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying, death is swallowed up in victory." "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, un- movable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, foras- much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
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The Anniversay Hymn (as given on page 14) was then sung by choir and congregation.
As the oldest daughter of the church, is the church in Dennis, the first response was by Mr. Joshua C. Howes, a member of the Union church of Dennis, who spoke as follows :
ADDRESS OF MR. JOSHUA C. HOWES.
While other churches are represented by their ministers, it may be well to explain why the church in the old East Pre- cinct is represented by laymen. The facts are, that our min- ister is in the condition of the man spoken of in the scriptures who was invited to a feast, who excused himself by saying, he had married a wife and therefore could not come. It has already been stated, that in the settlement of this territory, the church preceded the town. And that the church being established, the town was organized partly with the view to its support. So was it here - the church preceded the town in Old Yarmouth, and the church preceded the town in the
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East Precinct. When the East Precinct was established, those dwelling upon the borders of the line were permitted to choose into which precinct they should go, and as the person took with him the property he owned for purposes of taxa- tion - there were no straight lines of division - but lines followed the course of different lots of real estate as the case might be. When Yarmouth was divided and Dennis set off, the precinct line was made the town line. Hence the very crooked division line between the towns to this day.
The need of extra accommodation had become so great in 1721 that a meeting-house had been built in the East Pre- cinct, now Dennis, which was afterwards enlarged, and which I well remember. It was a building about 50 x 65 feet in size, with a two-story porch upon the south side, through which entrance was gained to both auditorium and galleries, which extended to three sides of the building. There was a broad aisle through the centre, from entrance to the pulpit which stood up high, and nearly on a level with the galleries, so that the preacher talked down to the people, which was the idea prevailing between pastor and people in that age. A line of pews about eight feet square followed the wall on each side from the main entrance to the pulpit, and the cen- tre was taken up by two blocks of pews, one on each side of the broad aisle, entrance to which was gained by the broad aisle and a narrow aisle between the centre and the wall pews. On the west side, and directly in front of the pulpit, were three long seats for the old men. And what venerable old men they were to my youthful eyes ! Veritable pictures of " Old Time " in the primer. But an examination of the records found upon their gravestones, shows that they died mostly between sixty and seventy years of age, several of them at fifty-eight. In those days energy and effort was needed to bring people to church, for they came long dis- tances, from East Dennis, South Dennis and West Dennis. At one time I was associated with one of the Baxter family of West Dennis on the board of selectmen. I see the other as- sociate now before me. Capt. Baxter told me then a great deal of his travels down to the old meeting-house on the Sabbath. In summer the family would take a boat at their house, and row to the head of Follins Pond, and foot it from there to the old meeting-house, and after hearing two long sermons, run- ning into the seventeenthly, would return as they came.
There were no carriages in that day, at least what we now call carriages. There may have been carts or other vehi-
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cles for horses, but I think not. Work was done with oxen. I can remember the first carriage owned in my section of Dennis. But there were a few horses, and those who could afford them come from long distances on horseback, the man in the saddle, and the mother or daughter behind, on a pillion. It was a common thing to change on the way, two riding part of the way ahead, and then dismount, tie the horse and travel on, when others, as agreed, on arriving to the horse, would mount and travel to overtake the first and so on. There were no fires in the church, and no means of heating, so through the intermission at noon, for the purpose of getting warm in winter, and in the summer from habit and associa- tion, those from far away visited neighboring houses. My father's house being one of the nearest, was always filled with these people, whose features and manners I well remember, and as I was the youngest of the family, a small boy, I was the recipient of many a slice of the Sunday cake, or a nice red apple from the Sunday lunch bag, which I as well remem- ber as any other feature of the visits. If there was time I should like to describe to you these old people as they ap- peared to me then. There were Searses, Chapmans, Crowells, Bakers, Baxters, Taylors, Halls and many others - but there is not time.
The first settled minister over the East Precinct was Josiah Dennis. This was in 1763 and his term of ser- vice was thirty-six years. (He may have preached here be- fore his settlement.) He was much esteemed by the people, so much so that when it became a town, it took its name from him. We have now at our church the communion cup, one hundred and fifty years old or more, upon which is the inscription -" The gift of J. Dennis." At one time there came a man to the place who claimed some relationship to Mr. Dennis, and he asked us to give him the cup as a family memento, and he thought us lacking in generosity and kind- ness when we refused. Our regard for the memory of the giver, and the many good Christians long since gone to their eternal rest, who had drank from it, forbade our doing so, and we have it still.
After him came Nathan Stone, who labored forty years. Then Caleb Holmes, eight years. These died and were buried in the parish burying ground. Next came Joseph Haven, twelve years. He was the first minister of which I have recollection. He was a worthy man, and I observed him with awe and veneration. He had a son, Joseph, two years
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older then myself - since professor at Amherst - known by some of the clergy here present. We were in the same class at school, and I have to acknowledge, he was a better scholar than myself. Probably possessed a better intellect, and had more help in his studies at home. We used to play together more or less, as our homes were near, but he was limited in his plays as he was a minister's son, and at that period that meant a great deal.
After Mr. Haven came Daniel M. Stearns in 1826, whose service was for twelve years, and he was the last settled min- ister of the old church.
During Mr. Haven's ministry dissensions arose in church and society and out of them the call to Mr. Stearns was made, who was of Unitarian proclivities. Thereupon a split took place and a new organization was formed by those of a more orthodox faith. This church held their meetings for a while in the Masonic Hall. Subsequently the hall was sold, moved, and converted into a dwelling house, and a new church was built on the site of the Hall. This is the church now standing, and occupied by the Union Church Society. The Unitarian branch not to be outdone, sold the old meeting-house, and erected a new one on the same lot, both churches being built at one and the same time. About this time, or just before, the Methodists formed a church under the name or order of Reformed Methodist, and they also built a meeting-house, or as one of their number called it "a little praying-house." There was also a number of Univer- salists holding their meetings in the school-house. Soon there was a division among the Methodists, who had meantime changed to the Wesleyan order, and a new church was started under the Episcopal organization. For a meeting- house, they fitted up what was a store, which was often spoken of after as the "gospel shop."
Thus it will be seen, we had three meeting-houses built especially for that purpose, one temporary meeting-house, and a school-house, all running at one time. But the zeal sufficient to keep all these organizations in good working order was not to last. The Universalists after a length of time were absorbed by the Unitarians, or went elsewhere. The Methodist joined hands and resources. The Unitarians wan- ed, weakened, and finally sold their meeting-house to be moved and used for other purposes. And then there came the consummation of the present state of affairs - the sale by the Methodists of their church building, which is now
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Carlton Hall, and the union of all elements of religious faith and tendencies into a society known as the Dennis Union Religious Society, for the support and maintenance of religi- ous services, and the union of all those of evangelical faith into a church known as the Union Church of Christ in Dennis. We are restored to the original condition. One church, one people. There are no disagreements or discords among us that are harmful. We dwell and labor together in peace and harmony, and though there may be differences in opin- ions, I think we all agree, that the old golden rule " whatso- ever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them," is the best rule to live by, and that that person who lives the purest life, and at the same time is the most useful, is the happiest person here, and has no overshadow- ing cause to be anxious about the life hereafter.
I thank you in behalf of the old East Precinct for your kind reception and entertainment.
I thank you for this opportunity of uniting with the old church in celebrating and commemorating its two hundred and fiftieth anniversary.
May God bless the old church, and all its several branches.
Capt. Thomas P. Howes, a member of the parish of the same society, was invited to add his own reminiscences of the past and spoke as follows :
ADDRESS OF MR. THOMAS P. HOWES.
MY FRIENDS : -
I owe it to the kindness of the pastor of this Church that I have the privilege of speaking here to-day. I come with something of the feeling of a pilgrim to the shrine of his ancestors. I am embarrassed at the thought of the sol- emnity of the occasion, and of the audience I am to address. A descendant of that historic pair, worthy John Alden and sweet Priscilla Mullins, is here to-day. And we have Doctors of Divinity and other men eminent for learning, be- fore whom I am to speak.
So it is, I am filled with a sense of my own weakness and temerity in attempting to give utterance to what is in my mind to say. When the suggestion was first made to cele- brate the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of this an- cient church, I was much interested in having the thought carried out ; and now we are blessed with a splendid day and a beautiful sanctuary. My imagination at this hour goes
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back to the founders of this church, two of whom were my own ancestors. They labored and builded, and we have en- tered into their labors. Great is the contrast between their days and ours, between their meeting house and ours. They walked and rode miles from the eastern part of the town to attend church ; we have no such sacrifice to make. Comfort and luxury are ours, where they had hardship and penury. But I am invited to speak for the old East Precint of Yar- mouth, now Dennis.
Rev. Josiah Dennis, every one knows, was our first minister. The first meeting to arrange for parish organiza- tion was held on the last day of February 1721-2, when twenty-six freeholders met at the house of Nathaniel Howes. The house where this meeting occurred was standing until quite recently. Rev. Josiah Dennis was called in 1725, but not ordained until 1727. Mr. Dennis was a man of learning and high standing among the ministry of his day. The town was named for him and thereby honored itself by thus hal- lowing his memory. That he was a person of strong individual- ity is shown by the many stories told of him. I have had in my possession two short notes of his written to my great- grandfather ; they did not refer to any important matters. One was in reference to the purchase of salt hay, which he remarked was in good demand, and the other concerned the loaning of a newspaper, which was a rare treasure in those days. The dates on which they were written were 1758-9.
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