USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Holden > The history of Holden, Massachusetts. 1684-1894 > Part 10
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
" 4thly We believe that man being thus Dead, his recovery is only in God, and by his eternal purpus of Election Did Chuse a number in Christ to eternal Salvation-and that Christ Did in the fullness of time Take on him human nature (Sin only exep- ted) livd a holy life, Died an accursed Death on the Cross, was buried, rose, assended ever liveth to make intercession for us. Hosea 13.9 Eph 1.4 I Pet 1.2 Jnº 1. 14 Rom 8.3 Heb 2.14.15.16.17 & 7. 26 Gal 3.13 Luke 23.53 & 24.6 acts 1.9
" 5thly We believe that the Holy Spirit of God proceeding from the Father & the Son; & he only, Can, and Doth make particular applycation of the worrth of Christ to every Elect Soul, and that he hath by the Same Spirit, convinced us of our lost, sinful, and undon Condition and gives us grace to believe in Christ who is made of God unto us wisdom, righteousness, Sanctification and Eternal Redemtion John 16.7.13.14
" 6thly We believe that the life of religion Consists in the knolidge of God, and Conformity to him in the inward man, which necessa- rily produces an external Conformity to his law, and ordinances ; and a union and fellowship one with another. Jhn 17.3 Eph 3.10
" 7thly We believe that baptism and the Lords Supper are insti- tutions of Christ to be Continued till his Second Comming, and that the formor is requisite to the Latter, that is Such, and Such only, are to be admited to the Communion of the Chh who have on profession of there faith bin baptised by immertion. Matt 28.19 Mark 16.15.16 acts 8.36.37.38 Rom 6.3.4 1 Cor 11.23.24
" 8thly We believe that the Soal government of the Chh is in Christ and that it is he and he only that can Quallify and Send forth Labourers into his Vineyard, and Doth call his Chh into the king- dom of his grace, and by his Spirit Doth gather them into particular Churches, and hath given them power under him to govern there own members Isa 9.6 Glat 1. 12.15.16 Rom 3.30 Ezek 34.11 Eph 2.17 act 26.11 Rev 3.7 Heb 3.7 Eph 2.19.22 Matt 16.19 John 20.23
"9thly We believe that Bretheran in Christ ought not to go to law one with another I Cor 6.1.2.3.4.5.6.7.
" Iothly We believe that a Bishop or Elder by virtue of ordination hath no right to be moderator or Scribe of the Chh or to clame or execiese any more power in the government of the Chh than any
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
privit brother from the nature of his office as Discribed in Scripture Matt 23. 19.20 Mark 16.15.16 I Tim 4. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16 2 Tim 4.2 I Pet 1.2.3"
There is no record of any covenant earlier than 1820. The covenant adopted by the Church, August 19th of that year, ran thus :
" We do now in the presence of the great all seeing & most Glo- rious God and before angels & men give up our selves to the Lord Jehovah the Father Son & Holy Ghost and avouch him this day to be our God & Father our Saviour Leader & receive him as our Por- tion Forever.
"We give up our selves to the Lord Jesus Christ and engage to adhere to him as the head of his People in the Covenant of redemp- tion and rely on him as our prophet Priest and King to bring us into eternal blessedness.
" We acknowledge our everlasting and indispensable obligation to Glorify God by living holy riteous and Godly lives in this present world in all our several places & relations
" And we do engage by the assistance of the Divine Spirit to im- prove our time Strength talents and advantages to his Glory and the Good of our fellowmen :
" Promising by divine Grace to walk in our houses as becomes those professing Godliness and to maintain the worship of God in our familys and train up those under our care in the ways of religion and virtue.
" We do give up our selves to on another in Covenant promising to conduct towards each other as brethren in Christ watching one another in the Love of God and to watch not only against the most gross evils but also against all foolish talking and jesting which are not convenient ; vain disputing about word & things which gender strife disregarding promises and not fulfiling engagements tatling and backbiting spending time badly at taverns & elswhere and vain and unnecessary worldly Conversation on lords days and whatsoever els is Contrary to sound doctrine.
" According to the glorious gospel of Christ promising to hold communion together in the worship of God, in the ordinances and disipline of his Church according as we are or shall be guided by the spirit of God in his word : expecting that he will yet farther and
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
more gloriously open to us his word and the misteries of his kingd[om]
"Applying to the blood of the everlasting [covenant] for the par- don of our many errors and praying that the Lord would prepare & strengthen us to every good word and work to do his will working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be Glory forever & ever Amen."
The first business of the young Church was to provide means for the support of worship. February 8th, 1808, they "Chose Br John Hubbard & Br Charles Brooks to Make the Everage for the year 1808, and to make them according to what they are worth as near as they Can, takeing it from their own mouths." In 1804 the rates had been made by the town Valuation.
They then invited Rev. Elisha Andrews to supply them one- fourth of the time for a year, and he continued to preach more or less regularly, and to exercise the principal pastoral over- sight over the Church until 1813, when, as he closed his min- istry in Templeton, his work here ceased as well. During the period of his ministrations in Holden, seventy-five were bap- tized into the fellowship of the young Church, and it grew to number one hundred and twelve.
Whenever Mr. Andrews was not present, it appears that meetings were sustained by the cooperation of the brethren. Thus several developed such capabilities that the Church called them to ordination. Thomas Marshall was ordained September 15th, 1813, "Elder" Andrews preaching the ser- mon; Amasa Smith was ordained June Ist, 1814, "Elder" Crosby of. Thompson, Conn., preaching, and John Walker, October 30th, 1816, Rev. Jonathan Going preaching.
From 1813 to the close of 1817, Rev. Thomas Marshall and Rev. John Walker were the principal pulpit supplies, the former usually acting as Moderator of the Church meetings. For the year 1814, it was voted, December 2d, 1813, "to request Brother Thomas Marshall & Br. John Walker to Preach each of them one-fourth part of the time at Holden & one-fourth at
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
West Boylston." During these years about twenty were baptized.
At a meeting of the Church held December 3Ist, 1817, it was "Voted that [we] request Elder Walker to take the pastoral charge of this Church by being installed on the first wednesday in february, 1818." No record, however, remains of such a ser- vice. He continued to hold this relation till he was dismissed at his own request, against the unanimously expressed desire of the Church, April 7th, 1831. The Church was greatly prospered under his labors. In 1818, forty-seven were received to the Church by baptism ; in 1819, twenty-three; in 1821, fourteen ; in 1825, twenty-nine, and in 1830, forty-four. The whole number received during this pastorate was two hundred and four. June 10th, 1818, forty-seven were dismissed to constitute the Church in West Boylston, and sixty-five, July 31st, 1822 to constitute the Princeton Church. With all these diminutions, the Church, which numbered at the beginning of his pastorate one hundred and twenty-one, numbered one hundred and seventy-two at its close.
Before 1820, the Church had no house of worship, but held its meetings in private houses in different parts of the town, and wherever room could be found. The council for the constitution of the Church was held at the house of Abraham Gates, in the northern part of the town, just south of the house of Samuel Mason, by whom the place is now owned. In 1810, arrangement was made to worship for a time in the shed cham- ber of Thomas Marshall. This building stood near the north- west corner of the common. The council to examine Amasa Smith met at William Metcalf's house, and the services of ordination were held in his barn. The houses of many of the brethren were thus freely opened and used. In 1819, the lot next north of the site of the Damon Memorial was secured, in spite of opposition, for a meeting-house. The building was erected at once, dedicated in 1820, and used till after the erec- tion of the present church, when it was refitted as a dwelling house, and is now occupied by Avery Davis. After Mr. Walker left, the Church was pastorless about a year. Rev. Apple-
1 1
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
ton Belknap, who had supplied the pulpit for some months, was ordained June 13th, 1832. The public services were held in the Congregational meeting-house. Rev. Charles Train of Framingham, preached the sermon, Rev. Otis Converse of Grafton, made the Ordaining Prayer, Rev. F. Augustus Willard of Worcester, gave the Charge, Rev. Joseph G. Binney of West Boylston, the Right Hand of Fellowship, and Rev. John Walker of Sutton, the Address to the Church. Mr. Belknap held the pastorate only a little more than a year, closing his labors October 27th, 1833.
A year later, September 25th, 1834, Rev. George Waters was ordained to the pastorate of the Church, the services being again held in the Congregational meeting-house. Rev. F. A. Willard preached, Rev. John Walker made the ordaining prayer, Rev. Otis Converse gave the Charge, Rev. Nehemiah G. Lowell of Princeton, the Hand of Fellowship, and Rev. J. G. Binney, the Address to the Church. This pastorate continued till March 31st, 1838. During this time there was apparently the greatest prosperity which the Church has ever enjoyed. In three years time eighty-five were baptized, fifty-seven in one year, the membership mounted to two hundred and thirty-three, the Sunday School was thronged, and the present house of worship was erected, at a cost of $4,500, and was dedicated December 24th, 1835.
Amid this prosperity, unfortunately, a difficulty arose between one of the brethren and the pastor, which, although small at the beginning, and although the Church voted that Mr. Waters "ought to be, & is in our opinion exonerated from all blame," in reference to the complaining brother, yet unhappily resulted in causing a division of feeling in the church, the resignation of the pastor, and the ebbing of the tide of prosperity, which had been flowing so strongly.
During this pastorate the Church formally defined its policy in the following vote, which was passed April 4th, 1835 : "That the Pastor, in giving an invitation to members of other churches to the Communion Table of our Common Lord, shall extend it to all Baptized believers in regular standing in orthodox
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
Churches of Christ." In 1858, and again in 1874, this dec- laration was reaffirmed with very slight verbal changes.
Immediately after the departure of Mr. Waters, the Rev. Samuel Everett was invited "to supply the Desk for a season." He was soon called to the pastorate, which he accepted, June 23d, 1838. He was publicly recognized as pastor after the peculiar fashion thus described in the records :
after singing & reading the Scriptures, Rev. Mr. Paine prayed. The Pastor elect offered a short prayer & then related his Christian experience, & call to the ministry, & expressed his views in relation to his duty to take the charge of this church & people.
" The church was then called upon to express their minds by vote; whereupon they voted I. that they were satisfied with the relation of Br. Everett. 2. Voted that they now accept him as their Pastor. Br. L. Tracy1 then addressed the church in an appropriate manner & offered Prayer for Pastor & people. After singing, Rev. Elnathan Davis made the closing prayer."
After a single year's service, Mr. Everett closed his labors April 4th, 1839. "The Church were now called to pass through a season of severe trials. Many cases of discipline required the attention of the church. Without a pastor, with- out officers, (the three deacons having just removed to other fields of labor), none could be found willing to fill their places. While thus destitute, eighteen were dismissed to other churches ; a number were excluded and a number more were removed by death, among whom was Bro. Willard M. Hub- bard, who had long been a pillar in the church, aiding it, by giving liberally of both time and money, to sustain the cause of truth."? Mr. Hubbard bequeathed $1,000 to the Church, the interest of $400 to be paid for the maintenance of singing, and of the remaining $600 for the support of the preaching of the gospel.
1 Rev. Leonard Tracy, pastor at West Boylston.
2 Historical Sketch of Baptist Church in Holden, [by William C. Metcalf. ] Minutes of the Wachusett Association, 1864, p, 18.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
Amid these discouragements, Rev. Andrew Pollard became pastor, serving the Church from August 12th, 1840 till April Ist, 1843. During the difficulties of this time, his soundness of mind, sagacity and caution were of great value.
The next pastorate was that of Rev. Woodman H. Watson, who was ordained here June 21st, 1843, according to the fol- lowing program :
Sermon by Rev. Calvin Newton of Grafton.
Ordaining Prayer by Rev. Leonard Tracy of West Boylston. Charge by Rev. John Walker of Barre, a former pastor. Right Hand of Fellowship by Rev. John Jennings, of the Second Baptist Church, Worcester.
Address to the Church and Congregation by Rev. Samuel B. Swaim, of the First Baptist Church, Worcester.
When Mr. Watson became pastor of the Church, the mem- bership had diminished in six years from two hundred and thirty-three to one hundred and thirty-six, and though he baptized twenty-one, there was little gain in numbers. He resigned April 16th, 1847.
November 17th, 1847, Rev. Josiah H. Tilton assumed the pastoral office, and held it till September Ist, 1852. This pastorate was marked by one considerable revival, in 1851, when thirty-one were received on profession of faith. In 1848, the parsonage was erected at a cost of somewhat more than $1,100, and the grounds about the meeting-house and parson- age were graded and enclosed. It appears from the records of the First Baptist Society, (which has had a legal existence since 1828, for the purpose of managing the financial affairs of the parish) that the practice of assessments upon members according to their valuation, for part, at least, of the money raised, was first entirely dispensed with in 1852.
Rev. Andrew Dunn acted as pastor for one year from Janu- ary 23d, 1853. Rev. Timothy C. Tingley accepted the pasto- rate June 4th, 1854, and resigned it December 21st, 1856. May 5th, 1857, Mr. Tilton became pastor for the second time,
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
the relation continuing till March 31st, 1859. During the first year of his pastorate a revival was enjoyed and sixteen were baptized, but by reason of revision of the rolls the num- ber of members reported in 1858 was only one hundred and six.
July 23d, 1859, Rev. Lester Williams, Jr., was invited to take charge of the Church. His labors here were encompassed with grave difficulties, as the working force of the church had become much reduced, the average total membership while he was here being less than one hundred and fifteen, and during this time the minds of the people were distracted by the national perils of the civil war, party strife and family anxieties and sorrows. Mr. Williams closed his labors with the year 1864.
After a brief interval Rev. John S. Haradon was invited to the pulpit, and served the Church from April 23d, 1865, to August 30th, 1868. During this time twenty-three were baptized.
February 5th, 1869, Rev. George W. Kinney began a term of pastoral service, which lasted till June 30th, 1871. In March, 1869, began what is known to this generation as "the great revival." Rev. Dwight Spencer aided the pastor as an evan- gelist. The whole town was stirred, and thirty-nine were received to the church, giving an important and permanent increase of strength.
After an interval of a year, Rev. John Rounds came as pas- tor, July Ist, 1872. During this pastorate, the meeting-house was thoroughly repaired at an expense of $3,672.18. The steps were removed from the front of the building, and stair- cases were arranged within the house, vestry rooms were provided in the basement, the galleries were removed and the whole interior was refitted. January 11th, 1875, Mr. John W. Howe of Worcester, a native of Holden and formerly a member of this Church, presented to the Church the clock which he had caused to be placed in the tower of the meeting-house. A year later a bell was purchased at a cost of $650. During the second year of Mr. Rounds' stay religious interest deepened,
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BAPTIST CHURCH.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
and thirteen were baptized. He closed his labors here June 14th, 1874.
November Ist, 1874, Rev. John K. Chase entered on the duties of the pastorate, which he discharged till April 28th, 1879. During the first year of his labors, forty-six were baptized. The pastorate of Rev. Isaac S. Hamblen began April 24th, 1880, and terminated January 31st, 1886. In 1883, a revival resulted in the reception of twenty-six members on profession of faith. The pastorate of Rev. David F. Estes continued from September Ist, 1886 to September 30th, 1891.
In 1886, a bequest of six hundred dollars was received from the estate of Samuel Brooks of Princeton, in memory of his wife, Lucy Hubbard Brooks. In 1890, Dea. William Howe presented to the Church a vocalion organ. In 1891, the inte- rior of the main audience room was entirely renovated at a cost of $2,500. The nine windows of the church put in at this time bear the names of the following persons, to commemorate their relation to the church, Rev. Elisha Andrews, Rev. An- drew Pollard, D. D., and Rev. Lester Williams, Jr., pastors of the Church ; William Howe, D. D., and John W. Howe, sons of the Church; William Metcalf, Dea. Willard Allen, Dea. William Howe, and Mrs. William Howe. The church was reopened with a historical sermon by Rev. David F. Estes, October 25th, 1891.
Rev. Benjamin H. Lane began his labors as pastor, April 17th, 1892.
The Deacons of the Baptist Church with their terms of ser- vice have been as follows :
Windsor Newton, 1807-1823.
Silas Walker, 1807- 1838.
John Woodbury, 1824-1839. Jonas Warren, 1837 - 1839.
James S. Moore, 1840-1858.
Willard Allen, 1840-1873.
George S. Goddard, 1858 .* William Howe, 1873 .*
* Still serving, 1892.
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
The following have served as clerks of the church :
John Hubbard, 1808 - 1809.
Thomas Marshall, 1809-1814.
William Metcalf, 1814-1830.
Willard Allen, 1830- 1832.
Samuel Damon, 1832 - 1835.
George Waters, 1835-1838.
Jonas Warren, 1838- 1838.
Samuel Everett, 1838-1839.
William Metcalf, 1839 - 1845.
James S. Moore, 1845-1853.
Willard Allen,
1853-1855.
Timothy C. Tingley,
1855-1857.
William C. Metcalf, 1857 .*
Sunday School work began, as is practically certain, as early as the spring of 1820. Yet there are two or three still surviv- ing who have been members almost continuously to the present time. The earliest record bears date of 1833, when a " Sab- bath School Association " was formed of those "desirous to come into a more systematic course of operations in the man- agement of the Sabbath School." The officers of the Associ- ation were : President, Rev. Appleton Belknap ; Secretary, Wil- lard Allen ; Treasurer, Simon Hubbard ; Librarian, Zara Howe ; Superintendent, Samuel Damon ; Directress, Joanna Gould ; Committee, Joel Walker, Willard M. Hubbard, John Holden. " In this early period the pupils in each class were required to commit to memory and recite the scripture lesson, the teacher asking such questions and making such explanations as occured to him, unassisted by question book, commentary, notes, or any of those appliances now considered so indispensable to success. The era of juvenile music and Sunday School libraries had not yet come, books and songs adapted to interest and instruct the minds of children and youth being then unknown .. " 1
* Still serving, 1892.
1 History of the Holden Baptist Sunday School, by William C. Metcalf. Memorial History of the Wachusett Baptist Sabbath School Convention, p. 29. "He . . . has had to rely almost wholly upon his own recollections, necessarily indistinct, for any facts in the early history of the school."
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
Probably Samuel Damon was the first Superintendent. Dea. John Woodbury, Dea. Silas Walker, Augustus F. Fuller, Wil- liam Metcalf, Thomas Howe, Willard M. Hubbard, Alona Hubbard, and Betsy Allen are remembered as active and effi- cient teachers.
The following have served as Superintendents : Joel Walker, 1835; Jonas Warren, 1836-7; James S. Moore, 1838-40 and 1845 ; William C. Metcalf, 1841-4, 1846-8, 1857-9 and 1861-3; Samuel Warren, 1849-50; Archelaus Putnam, 1851-3, 1860, 1862 and 1866-8; John W. Howe, 1854-6; Israel M. Ball, 1864-5 ; John S. Haradon, 1866, May to July ; George W. Kinney, 1869, May to October; Fred H. Fales, 1869-70 ; Phineas R. Newell, 1871-6, and 1878-85 ; Homer D. Stearns, 1877, 1887 and 1888, May to September ; Fred A. Bryant, 1888-9; James A. Holden, 1890; Stillman F. Morse was chosen May, 1891, and is still serving.
ST. MARY'S PARISH .- In the year 1850, Rev. Father Mat- thew W. Gibson, parish priest of St. John's Church in Worces- ter, came, at the request of the few Roman Catholics settled in the town of Holden, and said the first mass in Michael Mc- Laughlin's house. During the years following until 1868, wherever the faithful could be gathered together, whether in private houses, or in the hall at Eagleville, or in the hall at the center of the town, mass was said.
In 1867, Rev. Patrick T. O'Reilly, then pastor of St. John's, in Worcester, since Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield, con- fided to Rev. Thomas Griffin, his assistant, the care of this mission. In the same year, three acres of land, situated near the center of Holden, were purchased, and, on a portion of the land, the construction of a church was at once begun by Rev. Father Griffin. The size of the church was about sixty by thirty feet, and the cost $3,500. The dedication took place August 16th, 1868, Rev. Father O'Reilly officiating.
For three years this church was attended from St. John's, in Worcester. In 1871 this mission of Holden was attached to West Boylston, where Rev. Anthony J. Derbuel was pastor,
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
In 1874, when the parish of the Immaculate Conception was formed, Holden became a part of this parish, and for ten years was under the care of Rev. Robert Walsh. During the ad- ministration of this priest the church was twice enlarged.
In 1884 the few Catholics of 1850 had become numerous enough to support a priest of their own, and accordingly Hol- den was made a parish, and given for its first pastor, Rev. James F. McCloskey. During his stay of two years a paro- chial residence adjoining the church was purchased. The church itself was repaired and frescoed.
Rev. Father McCloskey was succeeded by Rev. Thomas F. Joyce. While making preparations for still further improve- ments in the church property, he was taken suddenly ill, after a long, cold drive to attend a dying man, and died January Ist, 1888. He was buried in the central lot of the cemetery. It should be stated that he is the only clergyman, in the whole history of the town, who has died in active service.
In January, 1888, Rev. John D. McGann was appointed to the care of the parish. Finding that the old church on account of its position did not accommodate the majority of the parish- ioners, a new site for a church, comprising some three acres of land, upon which was also a house well fitted for a parochial residence, was purchased at Jefferson in the fall of 1889 at a cost of $5,000. Repairs were made and grading was done at a cost of about $2,000. On April 5th, 1890, the cellar of the new church was begun, and the edifice was completed in June, 1891.
The new church is a handsome wooden structure, one hundred and eight feet long by fifty-five feet wide, and thirty-one feet height of nave. On the north-west corner of the building, which faces due west, is a tower of graceful proportions, twelve feet square and seventy feet high, with an open belfry at the top. Four doors, two in front and one on each side, open into a vestibule extending across the entire width of the building and nine feet deep. Three entrances lead from the vestibule into the church proper, which is seventy-five feet long to the sanct- uary rail. The sanctuary is twenty-seven feet wide and twenty-
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ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
one feet deep. To the right of the sanctuary is the sacristy, and to the left is a small chapel which can be used for services attended by a limited congregation. At each side of the main church is a transept lighted by long and handsome arched windows. In the center of these transepts are placed the con- fessionals. In addition to the large side windows the church is well lighted from the top by a number of windows in the clear-story.
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