USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > The history of Concord, Massachusetts > Part 12
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This supposition may commend itself from the following considerations ; first, because of the early date at which it was ordered that a meeting house should be built, which was nearly contemporaneous with the first steps taken in the settlement; second, because it was the custom of the colonists of other towns to build for the time being merely ; third, the fact that so long a time as thirty years has been assigned for the length of service of the first meeting house when we think it improbable that a single dwelling place in Concord constructed during the first one or two years, stood very long after the existence of mills made sawn material possible ; fourth, the structure that would suffice for a con- gregation of the first few years would hardly be large enough for that of thirty years later, notwithstanding the shrinkage in 1644, caused by the departure of Elder Jones and his company for Connecticut.
The timber trees used for the first meeting house were doubtless those nearest at hand ; so that the designation
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by record or tradition of this or that lot as "the meeting house lot," we believe has reference to the land from which the timber for some subsequent meeting house was taken. This supposition is more plausible, since it was an object to early clear the space about the meeting house of trees, to prevent forest fires from endangering the build- ing.
Probably the first structure was an unslightly one, for im- patience to get into it would render the builders regardless of the element of beauty ; as in the case of their little log cabins by the bank they only sought a slim shelter from the cold and storm for a season, so now with their church home, if they had a place for a few benches, a communion table, and a plain pulpit, they were content, for it would be a meeting house and in conformity to the order of the court. The logs may have projected at the corners unequally like the rails of a Virginia fence or the rafters of a Swiss cottage; the long coarse thatching may have drooped irregularly below the eaves line, leaving a loose and ragged edge which almost shaded the small apertures called windows; while about the crevices may have been here and there an ugly stain as the rain washed out the clay filling or the sun baked it until it cracked and crumbled.
As Providence smiled on the plantation, and times grew better, other houses of worship were constructed, whose succession is as follows, according to history.
The order for the first meeting house was in 1635, and it was ordered that it "stande on the hill near the brook opposite Goodman Judson's lott." In 1667, it was ordered that a new meeting house be built "to stand between the present house and Deacon Jarvis." This second or third meeting house, whichever it may have been was nearly square and had a gallery. The lower floor had a few pews and the remaining space was filled with seats. The roof was ornamented with four projections on the sides, resembling, it is stated, Luthern windows, or gable
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ends with a window in each. In the center of the roof was a turret or cupola, in which was a bell. On the spire was a vane, bearing date 1973, the probable time when the building was finished.
In 1710, arrangements were made after several town meetings for the erection of a new house of worship. It was to be 60 feet long, 50 wide and 28 high; it had no pews until some time after it was completed, and when they were put in, it was only by special vote of the town as a favor to certain distinguished persons. There were two galleries and no porch or turret. It was finished in 1712, and cost 608 pounds. In 1749, pews were placed around the lower floor and a few in the lower gallery. On Jan. 31, 1790, the town voted to repair the meeting house, mak- ing it 72 feet long, 50 feet wide and 28 feet high, with an addition of three porches, a spire 90 feet high, square pews along the wall on the lower floor and in the gallery. It was dedicated Jan. 24, 1792, and Rev. Dr. Ripley preached the sermon. The first "church going bell" at Concord was placed upon a tree. About 1696, it was broken and sent to England for repairs. In 1700, it was placed in the belfry.
About the meeting house at an early date were various quaint objects, prominent among which was a "horse block," a pillory, stocks, a publishing post and whipping post, and sometimes a cage. The horse block was of stone or logs, and was used by church goers who went horseback for mounting and dismounting, and was especially service- able to the women who rode behind the men on a seat called a "pillion." A fine horse block was early procured and paid for by the women of Concord, each contributing one pound of butter.
The pillory and stocks were for penal purposes ; the former intended to keep the arms and head of the culprit in a constrained position while he remained standing ; the latter to confine the feet and hands when sitting. The whipping post was where the law breaker received lashes
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publicly administered. The cage was for the confinement of evil doers for a short time where all could look upon them.
The publishing post was used as a bulletin board ; and there might have been seen all kinds of legitimate notices, such as colonial orders, intentions of marriage, rules regard- ing Sabbath observance, town warrants, etc.
A reason for using the meeting house and its near pre- cincts for giving publicity to events and orders may have been, that everyone if able bodied was supposed to go there in conformity to law, and custom, and individual desire ; and perhaps from this fact has arisen the maxim of English jurisprudence, that ignorance of law excuses no one, in that as every one was expected to go where the law was promulgated, therefore there could be no ignorance of it. The precincts of the meeting house were also some- times the place to which the heads of wolves were brought when bounties were to be paid for them; the order being that they should be either "nayled to the meeting house or to a tree near it, and hence, here and there might some- times be seen these grim objects suggestive of both the peril and prowess of the pioneers.
From the foregoing facts, together with others to be observed, it may be safe to infer that the Puritan's place of public worship was not the most dreary spot possible, but on the contrary the most interesting in the settlement. As it was often the town's geographical center, so about it was centralized whatever was in a wholesome manner enliv- ening, recreating, and agreeable.
The people there obtained the latest news ; there they exchanged neighborly salutations, made familiar inquiries, and took a fresh start physically, morally, and spiritually.
Neither was the meeting house and its precincts lonely and unvisited between Sundays. There were the meet- ings on "lecture days," the occasional military elections, the town's civic gatherings, and miscellaneous or incidental assemblages. In short, the meeting house with its grounds
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was the people's trysting place, where a community of in- terest was recognized, and where everything that the settle- ment stood for was represented.
From such facts we may easily conclude that all was not constraint about the church-going customs of the early New Englanders, and that there was much besides the ecclesiastical associated with their houses of worship. The average colonist went to meeting because he wanted to, and because there was pleasure in it; not merely through a sense of stern duty. His meeting house was his church home, and he could say of it with a sincerity that was soft- ened by the sweetest endearment -
"I love thy church, O God ! Her walls before thee stand, Dear as the apple of thine eye, And graven on thy hand.
Beyond my highest joy I prize her heavenly ways, Her sweet communion, solemn vows, Her hymns of love and praise."
He looked forward to the recreation of the holy Sabbath and its sanctuary privileges with glad and expectant long- ings, and his hard, secular life was sweetened by its services.
In short, about those homely altars where burned the incense of a fervent faith, the worshiper of the lone, wide- spreading, and stilly woods found his flesh and spirit refreshed and refurnished ; and it was because he drank at such fountains that the greatness of the generations follow- ing was made possible. Because of these things the locality of the meeting house was attractive, and its exercises were popular ; and if the "blue laws," so called, that are some- times so sluringly spoken of were needed, it was largely for the laggard and thriftless, and had the same significance to that class as did the whipping post, the pillory, and the stocks.
Having considered the meeting house, let us next notice
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how people got to it. The greater part went on foot, no distance being deemed too great if within the township, or about its border. A half-dozen miles was a small matter to a person who could travel a. score of miles on foot with a sack of corn on his back. In Concord and towns adjoin- ing, in many cases miles separated the worshiper from the meeting house ; and often the way lay through swamps and at times partially submerged causeways. But nothing daunted, they pushed their way through or over these obstacles unflinchingly. For the conveyance of the wo- men and children and aged people anything, available was used, - clumsy ox sleds or carts, hay wagons, and the sad- dle and pillion. In the latter mode of conveyance the "ride and tie" system prevailed. This method was for one or two to start on horseback and another or others to fol- low on foot, and when the former had ridden a piece they would dismount, tie the horse to a tree, and when the lat- ter came up they in like manner would ride a distance and then dismount, tie the horse and walk on ; and so parties would ride and walk alternately till they reached the meet- ing house.
In the matter of dress, care was exercised then as well as now. The fathers were far from being slouchy in their attire. Moreover, what might be the silly promptings of pride in the present, might then have been the promptings of duty, for such was the reverence for sacred things that nothing was thought too good for the meeting house, and it might have been considered sacrilege to go in a shabby garb, if something better were possible; thus what in one age may be a virtue, in another may be a vice. The mate- rial of the women's dress was all the way from a sleazy dimity to costly callimanco. The men, according to their ability might wear a coat of match, or a jacket of rough woolen frieze with dornex breeches of a coarse linen similar to canvas. So the pendulum swung then as now; nor will it cease, it may be, until society settles upon the golden mean, that they are the best dressed who are attired in
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clothing that is the most comfortable and the least notice- able, and have means with which to obtain it.
Within the meeting house all was plain and simple. At first there were no pews whatever ; but in process of time there was now and then one put in by permission at the expense of the occupant.
The "seating of the meeting house" was a very conse- quential affair, and was to be done with such delicacy that the sensitive nature of no one could be injured, and each one would have a position suited to his rank and station. The deacons had sittings near the pulpit, and if there was an elder a proper place was assigned him next to the preacher. The minister's family was to have seats at the front, and if there were magistrates, they and their families and also the selectmen and their families were to be pro- vided for in a way that would magnify their office. A "seating committee" was chosen regularly, and because there might be heart burnings incident to the faithful per- formance of their functions, the office was unpopular ; which shows that one elective office at least has gone a begging.
The men and women sat in different seats ; also the boys and girls. Near the minister's seat was the "saxton's," where that faithful custodian of the meeting house sat in readiness to respond to any call, and to turn the hour glass; not, perhaps, that the preacher might be reminded when to close the sermon, but to know how long to con- tinue it.
Above the pulpit and just over the minister when he was speaking, was a "sounding board," placed there for projecting the voice. It was either round or square and several feet in area, and held in position by an iron rod extending from the ceiling above. In some places it was customary for the congregation to wait at the door until the clergyman arrived and to enter just after him. In others it was the custom to enter just before him, and at his coming in at the door to rise and remain standing till
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he was seated in the pulpit, a form somewhat similar to the present court custom when the justice enters.
After service began it was the rule that no one should go out until the close except in case of necessity; and so closely was this rule adhered to that one or more tithing men were stationed at the door to enforce it.
The service was usually quite lengthy, sometimes con- tinuing from half-past nine till twelve; this time however was not all taken up with prayer and preaching. Besides the usual preliminary exercises there were others that were occasional. Before the long prayer "notes" were "put up," such as, "Betsey Bateman desires prayers that the death of her husband may be sanctified to her ;" "Daniel Darby desires to express gratitude for a great deliverance from danger ;" "Abiathar Brown desires prayers that he may recover from sickness." Marriage intentions were also proclaimed at this time, and the "Chrisom" service had place. The scripture reading was accompanied by exposi- tory comments ; and the singing of psalms was preceded by "lining off," or the reading of a couple of lines at a time for the congregation to sing.
From the foregoing facts we infer that statements indi- cating that the clergymen of those days prayed an hour, and preached two or three is an exaggeration. For if the meet- ing began at half-past nine, and we see not how it could have begun earlier on an average the year through, consid- ering the long distance which many of the worshipers came with there slow cattle or on foot, and the necessary farm chores that preceded the journey, how, we ask, with all the miscellaneous matters and scripture reading and with elaborate expositions, psalm lining, and slow singing, and a prayer to close with, could so long a time have been de- voted to the sermon? Moreover, the sermons themselves which are extant may be evidence to the contrary, as may be also the character of those who wrote them. The cler- ical profession of early New England was a learned one ; it conformed well to the economics of the times and the
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desires of its constituents, and the product of it as seen in the present is indicative of its prudence, its piety and its sound common sense.
There was an intermission of about an hour between the services on Sunday, during which time some of the congre- gation went to the tavern, some to the neighboring houses, and some to the noon houses; which were small structures erected by private parties for this express purpose. These noon houses had fireplaces and were supplied with a barrel or two of cider, it may be, and utensils for warming their lunch.
As there was no means of heating the meeting house, various expedients were resorted to : among the most common of which were the foot stoves, small receptacles for holding coals. These were filled when taken from home and at noon were replenished at the noon house. They were placed at the feet of the older people, and about them the little children could warm their fingers. They also tended to take the chilliness from the house, which be- ing low and well filled, and with few windows, afforded more comfort than would be thought possible.
Wolf skin bags were attached to some of the pews or benches to put the feet in; and dogs were also taken to church for the purpose of keeping the feet warm. Indeed, to such an extent did this latter custom prevail that a law was passed prohibiting it. Whether this was done because the animals imparted so much comfort as to induce drowsi- ness in the listeners, or because the dogs sometimes made themselves heard in protest when too much pressure was brought to bear on them, the sparks do not depose.
As a means of maintaining order, tithing men or tenth men were appointed, so called because one was appointed for every ten families. These tithing men were each equip- ped with a long staff having at one end something with which to "rap up" unruly boys ; and at the other end a delicately adjusted fox tail with which to tickle the faces of the staid dames and thoughtless daughters when regardless
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of the sermon. Besides these staves of office there were set up in conspicuous places about the room tithing men's sticks ready to be used if occasion required. Nor were these all the means for the conservation of good order, for there was sometimes placed midway of the audience a "cul- prit's seat," where might be seen sometimes a mischievous person bearing a paper upon which was inscribed the nature of his misdemeanor.
Outside the meeting house peace and tranquility were secured by means as systematic and grim.
It was an early law of the colony that a fourth part of the "trayne band" was to go to church armed. A regular sentry was posted outside with an equipment regulated by law, which in some instances was a coat "basted with cotton wool" to ward off bullets, a "corslet" to cover the body, a "gorget" to guard the throat, and "tasses" to cover the thighs.
Each sentinel was to carry a "bastard musket with a snap chance," "a full musket" or a barrel with a matchlock, or some other efficient firearm.
Such were the surroundings ; and such were some of the scenes witnessed within and without the meeting house of "ye olden times," and we believe they are sufficient to con- vince any one that the colonial meeting house and what went with it were far from being prosy; and that the times that produced them and the people whom they served were not doltish nor given to objectionable tranquility.
We do not affirm that all the foregoing practices were observed at Concord, nor in any one of the colonial towns ; customs differed with communities, and each of these had their peculiar church cults, according as these were brought from the old country, or created by circumstances, or by contact with a neighboring borough ; but if even a portion of them prevailed in a given township, it was enough to impart to it an activity and an air of sprightliness which would naturally prevent any social stagnation and make the life of the Puritan far from being staid or "slowgoing."
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We believe the foregoing facts also indicate that the olden times were more intense than we are wont to sup- pose ; and that the secular strenuousness of the present has only taken the place of a spiritual strenuousness in the past. As in the natural world the same elements take dif- ferent forms, so in society the energy of one age may be exerted in such a manner that the people of another age do not recognize it.
Society being largely conventional, it may be only by the discovery of the motive or the inspection of the mainspring of the machinery that enables us to make right estimates of an era and its actors. So when we measure the men and women of whom we have been speaking by what their meeting houses meant, we find them intensely active, and living in a period that demanded intense activity. Each person was a storage battery of spiritual force, and the electricity of thought, purpose and action was generated at the great "power house" of the church, of which the meet- ing house was the symbol.
Before we conclude our observations on the old time meeting houses, let us notice their place in history. They were the beginnings of our national greatness and unprece- dented progress. This we believe to be preeminently the case with regard to matters civic and educational. The colonial meeting house was the town house. The minister was for the town, and the town elected and maintained him. Minister's rates were assessed by the same process and paid with the same cheerfulness as others; and indeed they might have been a standard for the making up of all other rates.
The first polling place was beside the pulpit. The con- tribution box might have been the first ballot box. On the communion table the town clerk made the town re- cords. On the meeting house door were posted the town warrants and town "orders." Attendance at church on Sundays might relate to eligibility to town office. It was the meeting house and what it represented that made
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the minute man, and with it may be associated his whole history ; for to its pulpit he looked for his encouragement, to its Bible he looked for his authority in resisting oppres- sion, and to its belfry or the powder house of its precincts he repaired for his ammunition.
The foregoing statements are amply sustained by a vari- ety and profusion of simple facts which the records and traditions of many New England townships attest to, and Concord bears her full share of the testimony ; and there are circumstances which can only be construed as showing through a long period a oneness to her ecclesiastical and civic affairs. The records inform us that the order for building the first meeting house was passed Feb. 5, 1636, when the affairs of colonization were largely under the leadership of Rev. Peter Bulkeley. The substance of the records concerning the building of the second or third meeting house of date Jan. 27, 1668, is that Capt. Timothy Wheeler, Joseph Wheeler and John Smedley were consti- tuted a committee to make a contract for a meeting house ; and that in 1672, the selectmen were directed "to see if the contract was completed." The building erected about this date stood on the town's common land at a spot on or near the site of the present Unitarian church, or what is known as the "First Parish Church." In this meeting house, which it is stated had the characteristics of one erected at Hingham, Mass., in 1681, the town meetings were held until as late as 1712, after which time the deliberations of the church were held in the new building, and those of the town were held in the old one.
In 1719, the town voted to build a house for its "town meetings" and court sessions, the latter having been held for ten years previous in the old meeting house.
Oct. 11, 1774, an adjourned meeting of the First Pro- vincial Congress was held in this meeting house.
March 22, 1775, the Second Provincial Congress also met there.
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The same year the military companies met there to listen to a sermon by Rev. William Emerson.
In 1776, the commencement exercises of Harvard Col- lege were held there.
Such is a partial epitome of events connected with the succession of early meeting houses which have stood on or about the site of the "First Parish Meeting House," and they substantiate the foregoing statements and bear out our conclusions concerning the mission of the modest colonial meeting house.
Moreover its natural environment was as picturesque as its history is romantic. On the one side was the bluff or ridgeway, safe sheltering from storms that swept from the easterly, upon whose peaceful but stinted summit sleep what is mortal of the faithful church founders, and at whose foot was the little street which ran just past the church doorway, once traveled by the second Bulkeley, Estabrook, Whiting, Bliss, the famous Whitefield, Emerson, Ripley, and Reynolds ; and also by Hancock, Adams, Otis and others world renowned, whose voices were once heard within the meeting house walls soundly denouncing the "king's orders," and imploringly appealing to the people to resist them.
At the northwesterly was a small portion of the "town's common land, "where once stood the "Jethro" or "bell tree," underneath which, as tradition declares, an agreement was made for a sale of the township for "beads, wampum, hoes" and other commodities, in the presence of grave sagamores and mystical witnesses, with dark, wizard-like looks and strange movements. In that direction was the "town pound" and a snug garrison house, and perhaps the "tanyard" of one of Concord's first artisans, to whom the town early granted land to encourage his trade. To the northwesterly also was the mill and the brook, its fresh meadows opening downward in pleasant vistas towards the manse. To the westerly was the wilderness and a road
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leading into it, with smiling homesteads alongside; while to the southwesterly and southerly and half skirted in that direction by a driftway upon which stood one of Concord's first grocery stores was the mill pond, forest fringed and newly made, reflecting back from cool shadows the gnarled oaks and tall pines, and the lesser shrubbery of bending bilberry bushes and elder and willow clumps, and whose friendly waters withal came so close to the meeting house as almost to wash its sills ; so that in 1672, the selectmen were instructed to adopt measures "to keep out the waters of Mill brook, which encroached on the common and wore it away."
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