USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Holden > The history of Holden, Massachusetts. 1684-1894 > Part 8
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
" owned the covenant ". The original covenant of the church was as follows :
" The Church Covenant entred into Decembr. 2 [22]. 1742.
"We whose Names are hereunto Subscribed (Inhabitants of Holden) apprehending ourselves called of God into the Chh-State of the Gospel :-
"Do first of all confess ourselves unworthy to be So highly favored of the Lord, and admire his free and rich Grace which calls us hereunto :-
" And then with humble Relyance and entire dependence on the Assistance of his Grace and holy Spirit therein promised for them, that, in a Sense of their own Inability to do any good thing, do humbly wait upon him for all, we do thankfully lay hold on his Covenant, and solemnly enter into Covenant with God and one with another according to God.
" We declare our Serious belief of the Christian Religion, as contained in the Sacred Scriptures, (acknowledging them to contain the whole revealed will of God concerning our Faith & Practice) heartily resolving to conform our Lives to the Rules of that holy Religion so long as we live.
" We give ourselves up to the Lord Jehovah, the Father, the Son, & the Holy Ghost, the only true and living God, and avouch him this Day to be our God and our Portion for ever
" We give up ourselves to the Blessed Jesus, who is the Lord Jehovah, and adhere to him as the Head of his People in the Covenant of Grace, and rely upon [him] as our Prophet & our Priest and our King, to bring us unto eternal Blessedness.
" We acknowledge our Everlasting and Indispensible Obligations to glorify God in all the Duties of a Godly, Sober, and righteous Life ; and particularly in the Duties of a Church State and a Body of People associated for an Obedience to him, in all the Ordinances of the Gospel : And we thereupon depend upon his gracious Assistance, for our faithful Discharge of the Duties thus Incumbent upon us.
"We Engage (with dependence upon his promised Grace & Spirit) to walk together as a Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Faith & Order of the Gospel, so far as we shall have the same revealed unto us; conscientiously attending the Worship of God (in praying to him, Singing his praises, giving reverent Attention to his
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Word read & Preached, according to his Institutions) the Sacra- ments of the New-Testament, the Discipline of his Kingdom, and all his holy Institutions in Communion one with another, and watchfully avoiding all Sinful Stumbling Blocks and Contentions, as becomes the Lord's People in Covenant with him.
" Att the Same Time we do also present our Offspring with us unto the Lord; purposing with his Help to do our part in the Method of a religious Education, that they may be the Lords
" And all this we do, flying to the Blood of the everlasting Covenant, for the pardon of our many Errors, and praying that the glorious Lord Jesus who is the Great Shepard would prepare and strengthen us for every good Work, to do his Will, working in us that which shall be well pleasing to him : To whom be glory for ever and ever. AMEN." 1
The ministry of Mr. Davis seems to have been quiet, but if judged, as it should be, according to the circumstances and by the standards of the day, to have been measurably success- ful. He speaks of himself as "through much infirmity (at least as to some of the time) preaching the gospel unto you ". The increase in membership under his ministrations, if not rapid, was steady. Mr. Davis records : "The Church, when first embodied, consisted of fourteen males. In the first ten years of my ministry, it increased to more than sixty members; of which number there were more males than females ; about thirty-two of them new members; the rest from other Churches: In which time of ten years, there died nine females, and not one male. Six persons had been dismissed to other Churches. 'At the end of twenty years the Church consisted of about seventy five members, and when I was dismissed, of eighty six; thirty eight males ; forty eight females. The Church now consists of thirty three males, and forty six females. During the thirty years of my ministry there had been fifty four removed from us, some by dismission to other Churches, but mostly by death."? The pastoral ministrations of Rev. Mr. Davis in Holden ended in January, 1773. At a town meeting, January 26th, the town
1 Church Records, vol. 1, pp. 1-3. 2 Semi-Centennial Sermon, p. 20.
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
voted to " Dismiss the Late Revd. mr. Davis our late Pastor agreeable to the Result of the Consil ". So far as appears from the records, this action was taken at his own request. In January, 1775, the Church records state that he was dis- missed and recommended to "a Chh lately erected in Erving- shire ", but his home was among this people until his death, March 4th, 1799.
Twenty years later Mr. Davis said, "Soon after my leaving the Ministry among you, you were religiously concerned to have the Gospel Ministry resettled among you ; and, before two years rolled away, found, and soon after settled, your present Pastor."1 No records of the action of the Church can be found. From the town records, it appears that at the same meeting at which Mr. Davis was dismissed, Mr. Isaac Bigelow was invited, in concurrence with the Church to the vacant pastorate. The call would seem, however, to have been unsuc- cessful, and no similar action is recorded, until September 5th, 1774, when the town concurred with the Church in calling Mr. Joseph Avery. The terms of settlement were " one Hundred and thirty three pounds six shillings & eight pence L:m2 as a Settlement for him and one half of sd money to be paid in one year from his Answer and the other half in one year following and also Voted Sixty Six pounds thirteen Shillings & four pence L:m for his Annual Sallery during his Ministry. the said sum to include the Profits of the Ministeral Lands."
The records of the ordination of Mr. Avery read as follows :
" Decembr. 2Ist 1774 The following Churches being present by their Rev'd Pastors, & Delegates, viz the Church in Rutland, Worcester, Ist in Shrewsbury, Paxton, Ist in Dedham, Ist & 2nd in Brookfield, the Rev'd Joseph Avery was ordained here to ye Work of the Gospel Ministry, & to the pastoral Office & Charge of this Chh. Rev'd Mr Buckminster gave ye right hand of fellowship, the Rev'd Mr Sumner pray'd [Rev'd] Mr Haven preach'd. Rev'd Mr Maccarty gave ye Charge."
1 Semi-Centennial Sermon, p. 21. 2 Lawful money.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
Under Mr. Avery's ministrations occurred, in 1809 and 1810, the great religious awakening which long bore the name of "the first revival". "Such a general religious interest," says Dr. Paine, "was quite new, both to pastor and people, causing for a while considerable opposition, and awakening in in the minds of the community much wonder and excitement at such new manifestations, of which they had heretofore been ignorant. Though the externals of religion had been well sustained, the vital principle had apparently almost died out. But little was thought of piety of heart, and now that the spirit of God was deeply moving the religious sensibilities, it almost of necessity occasioned great and even strange commo- tion. The result was most auspicious for vital piety in this place. The distinguishing type of religion experienced a marked change from that time. Those who have since been on the stage of action have been no strangers to revivals. Few places, indeed, have been more blest with special divine influences."1 The rolls of the Church show that no less than ninety members were received in 1809 and 1810, and it is a noteworthy fact that among these converts were more men than women-forty-nine men, forty-one women. Again in 1817 there was a revival of nearly equal power, the number received to membership in that year being eighty-two.
Presumably it was owing to the quickening of religious sen- timent due to " the first revival ", that the custom of " owning the covenant" was given up,? " with this exception, that those who have already owned the covenant shall not be cut off from any privileges they have possessed heretofore ", and, further- more, that a confession of faith was for the first time adopted.3 This confession was drawn up by Mr. Avery, but every trace of this document, which would now possess peculiar interest, had completely vanished, even during his own pastorate.4 A
1 Thirtieth Anniversary Sermon, pp. 10, II. 2 December 18th, 1809. 3 January 4th, 1811.
4 " 1824. June 3. As no copy of the articles of faith which this church have received can be found". Church records, vol. 2, p. 80.
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stricter method in regard to receiving candidates for church membership was at the same time adopted.1
One difficult matter, which required all the abundant tact of Mr. Avery to manage, was the change which came in the latter part of the eighteenth century in respect to church music, and other elements of public worship. To place the following records in order will show with sufficient distinctness the gradual modification of sentiment.
" 1785 Augst 24th At a Chh meeting appointed to consult what is proper to be done relative to singing in the publick worship of God-
Voted I / that Dea. Haven set such tunes as he shall think fit & proper-omitting for the present those tunes which are found particularly disagreable to a number of the Chh-& to sing by reading of two Lines of ye psalm.
2 / The Question was put whether the reading of the psalm be omitted at the last time of singing on every Sabbath II Votes for & II against it .- "
" 1786 March 12. Voted that the Singers be desired to sing such tunes as may be sung with reading two Lines only, at those times of singing which imme- diately precede the sermons & the Chh will acquiesce in their singing without reading at the beginning of the exercises, & the last time in the afternoon-& further that this be continued till tis otherwise signified to them by the Chh. or Town, or each of them."
' Voted, January 4th, 1811, "That whenever any persons shall [present] themselves as candidates for admission into [the Church], if they feel * willing for a publick examination [the pastor] will then notify the Church of the time when, & the [place] where this examination shall be & if those that [shall] convene on that occasion shall be satisfied as to [them] & as a body consent to their being receiv'd into the [Church,] they may then be admitted the first convenient [time] that shall afterwards present ; but if any wishing admission into the Church shall find a diffi[culty in] their minds as to such publick examination [& the pastor] shall judge it expedient that they should be a[dmitted] agreable to the mode of admission heretofore [prac- tised] in this Church there shall be full liberty in ad[mitting] such candi- dates on this point, "
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
" 1786 Sept! 4th at a Chh. meeting-Voted
I / to signify to the Singers that the Chh desire that all such of them, as are able to lead in the Singing, would do it as occasion may require-
2 / that 'tis the earnest request of the Chh that the Singers would omit the singing of Milford & Hart[ford] & in Tunes that are repeated, that, if it may be, they would omit the Re- peats till the last time of going over the tune." The Chh met.
" 1787 Oct! 17.
I / put to vote whether the Chh will make any alterations as to the present mode of singing.
eight votes for, & eight against it-"
" 1788 Sept! 25 at a Chh meeting
Voted I / that the Chh acquiesce in having the Singing carried on in the publick worship, without having the psalm read by the Deacons any part of the day .-
2 / that if a bible, with explanations of the scriptures, shall be procur'd,-that a portion out of the same may be read in lieu of the singing at the beginning of the exercises that part of the year when 'tis usual to sing five times in a day .- "1
1. The following correspondence between Mr. Avery and one of his parish- ioners, who had become disaffected on account of the music in church, deserves reprinting, as illustrating both the intensity of the feeling prevail- ing at the time, and Mr. Avery's patience and tact.
" Holden Jany 2d 1790
"Dear Sirs / We are not insensible that true benevolence is a mark of the Christian, & the glory of the christian character, & as this divine princi- ple awakens the sincerest wishes, in those that possess it, for the happiness of men in general, so especially for those they stand in particular relation to. This principle we would wish to cherish, & feel its happy influence. How then can we find, without concern that two of our Brethren, whom we loved, & respected, have withdrawn from our communion? Were we conscious of a wilful departure from the line of duty that had occasion'd this, we should charge ourselves as highly culpable, & consider the call to penitence as loud, & pressing. But tho' we have done nothing designedly to offend our Brethren ; we must still feel a sorrow, that they should think themselves
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
In 1822, Mr. Avery was constrained to withdraw from the the active duties of the pastorate, retaining the title of pastor, and receiving a part of the salary which had been paid him, which part, however, seemed to him most pitifully meagre.
justified in deserting our communion ; & we should esteem it a happiness, if we could now suggest any thing that might now influence them to a cordial eturn thereto. Here then we add, that we presume the Church as such can- not be justly charg'd with acting inconsistent with rule & order. True it is, that they have voted one thing as to the mode of singing in the Congregation at one time, & something different at another ; But have not publick bodies of Christians an undoubted right to do this, if they think it wise, & best. The Church as a body wished to have found you gratified & pleas'd ; but thought they could not wisely go counter to what was the sentiment of the majority. & shall this circumstance seperate us on earth, when we are, or ought to be all bound to the heavenly world? Is it not best to strive after union in the great essentials of religion, & to be candid, & forbearing as to lesser matters. Let us suppose then now for [a] moment, that in the true Spirit of Candor you were return'd, & statedly & cheerfully attended with us, that when the mere musick of the voice was not so pleasing as you could wish, that then your minds were deeply fix'd on the great, & interesting truths contain'd in the sacred psalm, or hymn, & your souls were rising in s ecret harmony to God on the wings of faith, & love. Would you not reflect on such opportunities afterwards, with the sincerest pleasure, & regard them as far from being lost? & would not this be some satisfaction that your example invited others to the house of God, & table of Christ? We hope you feel a solicitude for the interests of Religion, & how can we expect these to flourish if we neglect the publick worship, & ordinances of God? Let it then be our united prayer that the great adversary of souls, who delights to sow discord among Brethren, may not prevail against us. Our Stay together on earth is short, & transient indeed ; Let us away then with cold- ness, estrangement, & disaffection, put on as the elect of God, bowels of mercy, tenderness & humbleness of mind, & the Lord conduct us all safely to that place, where imperfection, error, & human frailty are forever at an end, & where we may with infinite satisfaction harmonize in Songs of praise to him that sitteth on the throne, & the Lamb forever.
" The Church was stopt on this day & it appeard that they were desirous that the above should besent to Mr. & Mr
"N. B. the Chh would wish that if they have any thing to object against any individual of the Church they would converse with them & endeavour to satisfy themselves"
" Holden Jany 11 th 1791
" Revd. Sir I Recd, Sumthing from Sum person & take it to be from your Self But Do Not Know by your Signing because their is no Name to it: it bears Date January ye. 2d. 1790. whether it is threw mistake or Designedly i know not : on first Consideration I thought to take no Notis of it : but on a
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
The books of the Church contain only the record of the appointment of a committee to confer with him as to calling a mutual council. He shared in the services of the public installation of his colleague, and continued to live in his old
Second consideration I thought I would : The Letter which I Recd, Seems to Set forth that true benevolence is the mark & the glory of the Sincerest wishes in those that possess it; to which I answer & Say that all that is Very Good : and Not to Say anything further on true Christian benevolence or charrity, towards our Brethren : I am Charged with Deserting the Sacre- ment of the Lord's Supper and Signify without any Just Cause : hear I must add that it is Suggested the Church have Voted Sumthing Differant at one time to what they Did at another and Supposed it would have ben Satisfac- tory to me but what you Grounded your hope upon I Can not Conceive of : the mode of Singing which is So much offensive to me that I Can not Glo- rify God nor Edifyed myself : & further the Church have Gon Conterary to the Covenant owned be Every Brother of the Church : in the Covenant are these words promising Carefully to avoid all Sinful Stumbleing Blocks & Contentions to metion no more on the Covenant: the mere musick as you Call it. Is the Block in my way as your Self & the Church are Sensable of : this mere Musick has No melody at all in it : and further I would wish to se the Carrecter Discribed in in the Letter Subscribed to mr .- & myself truly and faithfully observed & Not Lord it over any ones Conscience: I an- swer for my Self and No other. Revd. Sir I Could with all freedom Discourse with you on these matters if you will Come to my House as my my wife & one of my daughters are Not able to attend the Publick worship they Seem to be Very Desirous that you Should pay them a Visit & if you please preach a Lecture on their Desire :
Holden Jany 15th 1791
" Dear Sir / I received a line from you of the 11th of Jany 1791, & by this I was sorry to learn that there were some mistakes in a line lately sent to you, & Mr . It should have bore date Jany 2d 1791 & I meant to have informed you in my own name that It was the general desire of those of the Church that were at meeting on that day, that what was contain'd in that letter should be sent to you, & Mr - as coming from them. It has been matter of pain to me to find your seat, & that of Mr vacant at our communion. I have done nothing personally, & designedly inconsistent with the most tender solicitude for your truest interest. Your edification, & improvement is an object of my sincere desire : But at the same time, I must freely, & honestly say that I cannot think in some respects as you do : Supposing the greater part of the Church had thought with you as to the singing, chosen the tunes that you like best, & to have the psalm read as is most agreable to you ; [&] that some of the Church had complain'd, & said that they [c]ould not be edify'd by such singing, & that it was laying a stumbling block before them to sing after that sort; would you believe it was, & in order to please them would you be willing to lay aside the singing
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
home, looking across the valley toward the meeting-house, until his death, March 5th, 1824.
After more than a year had passed without the securing of a colleague to Mr. Avery, Rev. Horatio Bardwell was called at a salary of six hundred dollars. The exercises of his instal-
that was agreable to you. I presume that you would not, & still that you would think that they ought not, on this account to forsake the communion of the Church. If the musick was as disagreable to me as to you, I persuade myself that I could, notwithstanding, find edification in the house of God. I could resolve to have my mind raised above the mere sound of voice, & let the great truths of the psalm or hymn engross my attention. & If the musick is ever so agreable to my ear, yet if I pay no regard to the truths that are sung, I am not edify'd as I ought. The main thing is to have the heart in tune, rightly impressed, & influenc'd. Why should we let the mere voice, if not agreable, destroy our devotion, & prevent our edification. I wish Sir to have your mind, & my own above being discompos'd by small things. & that we, & others might walk together in the unity of the Spirit, & bond of peace. I am persuaded that if you would overlook, forget, or rise above things that have been, or are disagreable to you, you would find more satisfaction in it, than you can in suffering things to chaff your mind so as to keep you from the house of God. As to lording it over your conscience, or any man's I trust I have not the most distant wish for it. What I desire & pray for, is the edification of the Church in general. It has been the bane of Christians in various ages to disagree about the circumstantials of Religion. Every member of a Church has a right to use every fair argu- ment in order to have things agreable to his mind ; but is it not more noble & Christianlike to deny ourselves of some things to prevent a division of the Church than to be so strenuous as to break off from it, because every thing is not agreable. Good men may differ in Sentiment, paul, & Barnabas did ; but difference in Judgment should not destroy mutual love. The Church in general sincerely wish that you, & Mr could see things in a different light. "You subscribe yourself a distressed brother." I truly wish you relief, & comfort, a serene old age, & at the close of it, a peaceful departure [out] of life to a better world. I can sympathize with you in yo[ ur ] affliction by reason of ye sickness, & weakness of some of your family, & am sorry that other troubles should be added to these. & I give it as the sober sentiment of my heart that if you would overcome that aversion you have to some things in the house of God, & could find your heart reconciled to a cheerful attendance on the duties of God's house that you would rejoice in it hereafter as a real happiness-I will endeavour to preach a Lecture at your house on thursday next at one o'clock in the Afternoon, & to come to your house in the forenoon.
I am with all sincerity, & friendship
Yours &c
JOSEPH AVERY
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
lation took place October 22d, 1823, according to the following program :
" Introductory prayer by Rev. Mr. Nelson of Leicester-
"Sermon by Rev. Dr. Woods Theol Sem. Andover-
" Instaling prayer by Rev. Dr. Rice of Virginia-
" Charge, by Rev. Mr. Conant of Paxton-
" Right hand of fellowship, by Rev. Mr. Boardman of West Boylston-
" Address to the Church & people, by Rev. Mr. Hull of Worcester .-
" Concluding prayer by Rev. Mr. Avery."
The new pastor had been for six years a missionary at Bom- bay, but on account of his health had been constrained to return to this country. The zeal for souls, which had sent him to India, was manifest in his work in America. His pastorate was especially characterized by revivals. In 1825, thirty-two new members were received, almost all upon confession of faith, although an unusual number were received by letter during this pastorate, the Church having placed upon record Julý Ist, 1824 the following declaration.
" Believing that it is conducive to the honour of Christ's Chh, as well as promotive of individual edification, that each professor of religion should be under the watch of that particular chh, with which he usually communes at the Lord's table, we hereby ex- press our wish, that members of other chhs, who live & commune with us, & who expect thus to do, would remove their relation to this church.
" And we furthermore think, that except in extraordinary cases, no one should thus commune with us longer than one year, without becoming a member of this chh.
" We also feel it our duty to recommend to those individuals from other chhs who have lived with us, for years, to obtain a dismission from the chhs to which they respectively belong, & to become members of this chh, as soon as convenient."
Then in 1830 came " the great revival," in connection with which one hundred and sixty-four were within the year
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welcomed to the fellowship of the Church. A year later twenty more were received. As a result, the membership of the Church doubled under Mr. Bardwell's labors, rising from about two hundred members to more than four hundred.
In view of the fact that no copy of the articles of faith could be found, the pastor was requested to draw up articles and to revise the covenant, and the following, prepared by him, were unanimously adopted July Ist, 1824.
"ARTICLES OF FAITH
"I. We believe that there is but one God, the Creator, Preserver, and moral Governor of the universe; a being of infinite power, wisdom, justice, goodness and truth; the self existent, and immut- able fountain of goodness.
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