USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Holden > The history of Holden, Massachusetts. 1684-1894 > Part 9
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" 2. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old & New Testament were given by inspiration of God; that they are profitable for doctrine, for correction, for reproof, & for instruction in righteous- ness; & that they are our only rule of doctrinal belief, & religious practice.
"3. We believe that the Scriptures teach that the mode of divine existence is such, as lays a foundation for the three-fold distinction, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; and that these three are one in essence, & equal in power & glory.
"4. We believe that God, at first created man in a state of moral rectitude, that he voluntarily disobeyed the law of his Maker, & thereby fell into a state of sin & death; and that in consequence of this first apostacy, the hearts of all men are by nature entirely desti- tute of holiness ; and so far as they are capable of moral action, they are in a state of positive disaffection with the law, character & government of God.
"5. We believe that Jesus Christ, by his obedience, sufferings & death, made atonement for sin ; that he is the only Redeemer of sin- ners ; and that all who are saved, will be wholly indebted to the grace & mercy of God, for their salvation.
"6. We believe that although the invitation of the gospel is such, that whosoever will may come & take of the water of life freely, yet the wickedness of the human heart is such that no man will come to Christ, except the Father draw him,
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
" 7. We believe that those, who embrace Christ by a living faith, will never finally perish ; but in fulfilment of God's eternal purpose of grace, by which, they were chosen in Christ before the founda" tion of the world, he will enable them to persevere to the end.
"8. We believe that there will be a general resurrection of the bodies both of the just and the unjust ; that all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, to receive a just & final sentence of retribution according to the deeds done in the body; and that at this day of judgment, the state of all will be unalterably fixed ; and that the happiness of the righteous & the punishment of the wicked will be endless.
"9. We believe that Christ has a visible church in the world, into which none in the sight of God but real believers, & none in the sight of men but visible believers have a right of admission.
"'IO. We believe that the sacraments of the new Testament are baptism & the Lord's supper ; and that visible believers only have a right of admission to the Lord's supper ; and that they & their house- holds are the only proper subjects to whom baptism is to be administered."
" COVENANT.
" You do now in the presence of God & men, avouch the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son & Holy Ghost, to be your God-the object . of your supreme love, & your portion forever. You cordially acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as your only Saviour, & the Holy Spirit as your Sanctifier, Comforter & Guide. You humbly & cheerfully devote yourself to God in the covenant of grace-You consecrate yourself & all that you possess to his service & glory ; and through the help of divine grace, you promise that you will deny all ungodliness & every worldly lust, that you will live soberly, righteously & godly, even unto death.
"You do now cordially join yourself to this church of Christ, engaging to submit to its disipline, & to attend on its worship & . ordinances according to the rules of the gospel; & that you will walk with its members in christian love, watchfulness and purity. Thus you covenant, promise and engage.
"We do now, as a church of the Lord Jesus Christ receive you into our communion, & promise to watch over you with christian affection & tenderness, ever treating you in love as a member of the
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body of Christ. This we do, imploring of the good Shepherd of Israel, that both we & you may have wisdom & grace to be faithful in his covenant, & glorify him with the holiness which becomes his house forever. AMEN."
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, in 1826, requested Mr. Bardwell to return, at least temporarily, to the charge of the mission at Bombay, which had become much reduced in number of missionaries. A mutual council was called by himself and the church, to consider the matter. Although no record of the findings of the council is preserved, presumably it advised against such a course, as he remained in Holden. February 5th, 1832, Mr. Bardwell read to his congregation another communication from the American Board, asking him to become the representative of their interests in the New England States. He being desirous of accepting this position, the town, February 20th, in accordance with the vote of the Church, released him from his civil contract with them, although he retained the name of pastor, until he was released by the same council which met to install his successor, October 24th, 1833.
The history of the church during this period may perhaps best be narrated in the language of Dr. Paine himself :
"In the early part of the year 1832, Mr. Bardwell signified his desire to be released from his pastoral relation to this people, and his regular services soon after ceased. A variety of candidates for settlement were then employed, and the society was becoming somewhat seriously divided, when the committee applied to me, to try my chance in a similar capacity. My first appearance in this unenviable position, was on the first Sabbath of January, 1833 ; and on account of the peculiar condition of the society at that juncture, it was a fiery ordeal for a young man to endure. When the candidate had been seen and heard, and questioned by those of various interests and isms, then taking form and position, he was, with a good degree of unanimity, invited to the pastorate. For various reasons, which seemed good and sufficient, the call was declined. The society then went through another season of hearing and rejecting candidates, when, as it seemed by the manifest direc-
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tion of Providence, I was again invited to the pastoral office. The call was accompanied by some other communications, which seemed to make it plain that I should turn from another field of labor which I had a strong desire to enter, and come here. Under this impulse, I came, and was ordained on Thursday, the 24th day of October, 1833."1
The programme of the exercises of his ordination were as follows :
Introductory Prayer by Rev. Mason Grosvenor of Ashfield. Sermon by Rev. Elijah Paine of Claremont, N. H. 2
Consecrating Prayer by Rev. Samuel Gay of Hubbardston. Charge to the Pastor by Rev. Horatio Bardwell, the retiring Pastor.3
Fellowship of the Churches by Rev. Morris E. White of Southampton.
Address to the People by Rev. John Boardman of West Boylston.
Concluding Prayer by Rev. George Allen of Shrewsbury.
Dr. Paine's pastorate continued more than forty-one years. In surveying this long period, we shall follow his own example, if we throw into the foreground the noteworthy series of revivals, no less than ten in number, enjoyed by the church during these years. He said, " In no part of my pastoral work have I labored with so much solicitude and satisfaction, as in revivals. I came here with the firm conviction that revivals would be God's principal instrumentality to enlarge the church. When ordained, I felt that I must be satisfied with nothing less than frequent outpourings of the Holy Spirit."4 It is not surprising that a pastor animated by such a sentiment was able
1 Thirtieth Anniversary Sermon, p. 13.
2 Elder brother of Dr. Paine, afterward settled at West Boylston, where he died, September 14th, 1836.
3 " I thought that if he had borne the burden he placed upon me, he must feel much relieved in throwing it off." A Sermon preached by Rev. William P. Paine, D. D., Pastor of the Congregational Church, Holden, Mass., on the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of his Settlement, October 24th, 1858, p. 1I.
4 Ibid., p. 13.
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
to rejoice in numerous revivals. He records no less than "ten distinct and precious seasons of special religious interest." In 1834, fourteen were received on profession of faith, in 1836, thirty-five were thus received ; in 1838 twelve ; in 1841, thirty- nine; in 1843, twenty-two; in 1850, fifteen; in 1851, thirty ; in 1856, fifteen; in 1858, twenty-six; and in 1869, thirty- three were thus received.
Alongside this frequent ingathering a scattering was contin- ually going on. Looking back after thirty years to the begin- ning of his ministry, Dr. Paine said, "The church was then large, indeed the largest in this vicinity ; but more have since been separated from it by deaths and removals, than were then members of it. During my ministry, almost five hundred have been removed from the church, averaging more than sixteen per year. Under a process of such large and unceasing depletion, it is not easy to sustain a church and religious institutions."1 During the rest of his ministry the same process continued, so that the church, which in 1839 numbered four hundred and forty, was slowly reduced till in 1874 its enrolled membership was two hundred and thirty-four.
Before the settlement of Dr. Paine, the connection of the Church with the town had entirely ceased. The result was finally the introduction of the system of voluntary contributions for Church expenses. He said, " Many societies, however, and ours among them, continued to raise the money they required as towns do, by tax upon individual valuation. This was the method of conducting our financial affairs for many years after my settlement. Under this rule, ample funds to meet the appropriations were always to be found in the treasury, and the minister's salary was invariably ready on a specified day. Individual taxes were light, little more than nominal. One might be disposed to ask why so easy a course of raising parish funds was not continued. The brief answer is that there were too many who were unwilling to stand in their lot, even though the burden was so light. One after another withdrew his
1 Thirtieth Anniversary Sermon, p. 21.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND TOWN HALL.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
shoulder until the pressure was so great that it could not be endured by the few who were left. Then the course of volun- tary contribution was adopted, which is attended with more trouble and uncertainty, but with less disaffection."1 It was not, indeed, till 1853, that the Church, after having been con- strained to resort to exclusion because of withdrawal from the Society to escape paying for the support of the gospel, recom- mended to the Society the adoption of the voluntary system, which action the Society took at its next annual meeting.
The fortieth anniversary of the settlement of Dr. Paine was publicly celebrated in a fitting manner, October 24th, 1873. Hundreds of invitations were sent out to those who had for- merly been connected with the parish, and many returned to join in the celebration. The church was tastefully decorated, the most conspicuous emblem being an evergreen chain of forty links, supporting a cross, a beautiful emblem of the duration and the character of Dr. Paine's ministry. In the afternoon the pastor preached an anniversary sermon to an audience which thronged the church. At half past four o'clock a collation was served in the hall to more than five hundred persons, and in the evening there was a social reunion with a number of addresses in the church. The text of the sermon was-
" Thou shalt remember the way in which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years." Deut. viii : 2.
In the discourse the repairing of the meeting-house was strongly urged, and the aged pastor was soon permitted to see his long work crowned with the completion of this important enterprise. The meeting-house stood practically unchanged from its repairing in 1828 till 1874. The edifice was then raised so as to provide commodious and pleasant parlors and vestry on the first floor. The whole arrangement of the audi- ence room was transformed and modernized, new windows were put in, the entrance was rearranged and the furniture was wholly new. The entire cost, aside from the purchase of the
1 Fortieth Anniversary Sermon, pp. 7, 8.
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
pews by the Society at their appraised valuation, was $6,000. The rededication took place January 30th, 1875, calling together many who had gone out from the Church to other places. The sermon on the occasion was most appropriately preached by Dr. Paine. Rev. Elnathan Davis, Merrill Richardson, D. D., sons of the Church, and Ebenezer Cutler, D. D., of Worcester, par- ticipated in the service.
A year later, Dr. Paine tendered his resignation in the fol- lowing letter :
" To the Congregational Church and Society in Holden-
" Dear Christian Brethren and Friends-
" In consideration of my prostrated and long continued feeble health, I have been very reluctantly and painfully brought to the conclusion, that it is my duty to resign, and I do hereby resign the Pastorate and ministerial office, which I have so long and so agreeably sustained to you.
" Your affectionate pastor and friend,
WM. P. PAINE. " Holden, March 13, 1875."
March 22d, the Society held a meeting to consider this resignation, and appointed a committee to confer with Dr. Paine as to what action would be best. At the adjourned meeting, April 6th, this committee reported that Dr. Paine still desired to have his resignation accepted, and accordingly the following Preamble and Resolutions were unanimously adopted.
" Whereas, our beloved and venerable Pastor, Rev. William P. Paine, D. D., on account of physical disabilities and the infirmities of age, has been constrained to request that his pastoral relations with this Church and Society be severed, therefore,
" Resolved, Ist. That it is with feelings of sadness and regret that this announcement has been received.
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" Resolved, 2d. That Dr. Paine, by sustaining the relation of . Pastor to this people for more than forty-one years, has endeared himself to us so strongly that the ties can not be easily sundered.
" Resolved, 3d. That by his faithful labors, his judicious counsel and his kind and genial manners he has surrounded himself with warm and devoted friends, and has won the respect and esteem of all.
" Resolved, 4th. That he is entitled to our warmest gratitude and love which is hereby tendered to him by these resolutions.
" Resolved, 5th. That in view of the circumstances under which his resignation has been offered that it is accepted, so far as to release our Pastor from all care and responsibility and the Parish from all financial obligations, and that he remain our Pastor Emeritus.
" Resolved, 6th. That a copy of these resolutions be furnished to Dr. Paine, and also entered upon the records of the Parish."
It was further voted to tender the free use of the parsonage to Dr. Paine until otherwise voted by the Society.
The relation thus established continued till the death of Dr. Paine, nearly two years later, November 28th, 1876.
Rev. William A. Lamb served as Pastor of the Church from June 13th, 1875, till December 17th, 1876. It thus fell to him to officiate at the funeral services of his predecessor and colleague, Dr. Paine. From the organization of the Congre- gational Church until this time, a period of almost precisely one hundred and thirty-four years, the town had never been without a Congregational minister belonging here.
Rev. Henry M. Rogers began his work here January 21st, 1877. After the termination of the two years, for which arrangements were first made with him, he supplied the pulpit for another year till April Ist, 1880, half of the Sundays in per- son, and half of them by proxy, performing, however, none of the other duties of the pastorate, except attending funerals. In 1879, the Society committee, as authorized, borrowed $ 1,400, securing the loan by a mortgage on the parsonage. This par- sonage was deeded by Jacob and Anna Howard to the First
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
Religious Society, on condition of the payment of $ 1 17 annually so long as either of them should survive. It was later sold to satisfy the mortgage. There had also been a fund of $1,568.75, arising from the ministerial lands. This also disappeared from the records about this time, the last entry of interest upon it being in 1877.
Rev. Henry C. Fay acted as pastor from July, 1880, to Jan- uary, 1882. The pulpit was then supplied for some time by Rev. William W. Parker of West Boylston. The next minis- ter of the Church was Rev. Frederic A. Balcom, who served from June, 1884, till September, 1886. Rev. Wilbur Rand officiated a single year, from April Ist, 1887, to April Ist, 1888. The pulpit was supplied till December of that year by Rev. William G. Tuttle of Worcester.
" Believing that every Church should control its house of worship, instead of its being controlled by the Society inde- pendent of said Church," the First Religious Society, in 1885, transferred " all their rights and interest in their present house of Worship to the Congregational Church to be forever held by said Church for the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ," and, the Church having voted to accept the transfer, the Society finally dissolved, December 15th, 1885.
December Ist, 1888, Rev. Melvin J. Allen began his labors as pastor of the Church. He was formally installed on the 20th of the same month. Rev. William V. W. Davis preached the sermon, Rev. William G. Tuttle made the Prayer of Installation, Rev. George S. Dodge of Rutland gave the Right Hand of Fellowship, Rev. Frank D. Sargent of Town- send, the Charge to the Pastor, Rev. Amos H. Coolidge of Leicester, the Address to the Church and People, and Rev. David F. Estes, the Welcome to the Town. During this pas- torate, a pipe organ was purchased and placed behind the pulpit, which was moved somewhat forward. The cost of the organ and changes amounted to $1,300. Mr. Allen closed his labors September 12th, 1890.
Rev. Thomas E. Babb commenced his labors with the Church June Ist, 1892.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
The Deacons of the Church have been -
William Nichols, I743.
Samuel Pierce, I743.
Joseph Hubbard, 1755.
David Fisk, 1762.
Noah Haven,
1783.
Israel Davis,
1793.
Elisha Hubbard,
I793.
Peter Rice,
1810 - 1849.
Seth Clapp,
1810-1825.
Joshua Fairbanks,
1818-1839.
Isaac Fisk,
1818-1819.
Silas Flagg,
1825 -1842.
John Lovell,
1825 -1842.
Silas M. Hubbard,
1839 -1865.
Caleb S. Fiske,
1842 - 1851.
Cyrus Perry,
1842-1871.
Newell Moore,
1849 - 1865.
Alonzo K. Ware,
1851 - 1858.
Samuel B. Hubbard,
1865 - 1885.
John B. Moore,'
1872 - 1876.
J. Calvin Spaulding, 1876-1882.
William H. Flagg,
1876 - 1888, 1890 .*
Franklin Moore,
1882-1891, 1892 .*
Marcus Moore,
1884-1890.
Thomas W. Gleason,
1889 - 1891.
The first four pastors served as clerks of the Church. Since the resignation of Dr. Paine, the following have served as clerks :
Ethan Davis, 1875 - 1880.
J. Calvin Spaulding, 1880- 1881.
Joseph H. Gleason, 1881 - 1883.
Horace B. Morse, 1883-1885.
Franklin Moore, 1885 - 1888.
Nancy Perry, 1888 .*
In 1819, Sunday schools were established, at first one in each district of the town. After a year's trial of this arrange-
* Still serving, 1892,
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
ment, the work was concentrated at the church. Dea. John Lovell was superintendent for fifteen years, from 1822, to 1836. He was followed by Alonzo K. Ware for three years. In 1841, Lambert Allen was superintendent. Unfortunately the records do not enable us to give the exact succession for many years thereafter. The following among others are remembered to have served as superintendents : Dea. Caleb S. Fiske, Dea. Samuel B. Hubbard, Stillman Hub- bard, Dea. Newell Moore, Dr. Augustus C. Robbins. David F. Parker closed his superintendency in 1871, and has been succeeded by William H. Flagg, 1872 ; Frederic M. Stowell, 1873-4; Joseph H. Gleason, 1875; Herbert B. Verry, 1876; Edward Jerome, 1877; J. Calvin Spaulding, 1878; Ethan Davis, 1879; Franklin Moore, 1880; Joseph H. Gleason, 1881; William H. Drury, 1882-7 ; Frederic L. Moore, 1888 ; Fred E. Bennett, 1889 ; Frederic L. Moore, 1890. Franklin Moore, chosen in 1891, is still serving.
Ecclesiastical councils have very rarely been called to settle difficulties in the history of this Church. They have been called to examine and ordain Elnathan Davis, 1836; Samuel C. Damon, 1842; James F. Clarke, 1859; and Cyrus M. Perry, 1865.
The BAPTIST CHURCH in Holden was organized in 1807. There had, however, been Baptists in town for nearly a quarter of a century before. November 15, 1784, the Congregational Church " met upon a request of Messrs. Simeon Snow & Jo- tham Howe, & wives to be dismiss'd from this [Congregational] . Church, & recomended to Mr. Gair's, of Medfield."' It further appears from the records that "the objections offered against the Chh as stated were admitting persons without a verbal relation of a work of grace on the heart-& the other baptizing Infants without warrant from the word of God". The re- quest of these persons was granted.
Article nine in the warrant for the town meeting held May 5th, 1788, read " To See if the Town will answer the petition
1 Mr, Gair was pastor of the Baptist Church in Medfield,
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES.
of Mr. John Perry and others of the Babtis belonging to said Holden." It appears that this petition was for the abatement of the taxes levied for the support of the Established Church, but it was voted not to allow the petition.
Later it became possible to secure an exemption from this taxation by filing with the town clerk an exemption certificate. The records of the town have preserved nineteen such certifi- cates issued between 1805 and 1820, they becoming needless at the latter date. They were substantially like the following, though only the first are double :
" These may Certify that Jotham Howe of Holden Joined the Baptist Chh in Templeton on the II Day of March 1805
JOHN HUBBARD Under Scribe " Holden March 13 : 1805
" These may Certify that Jotham Howe of Holden has Joined the Baptist Incorporated Society in Templeton and has given in his name to the Clerk of Said Society to be Taxed for the support of Publick worship with Said Society.
JOHN HUBBARD \ Clerk of the Branch of the Baptist Society in Templeton. " Holden March 13 : 1805"
According to the custom of those days, traveling preachers passed through this region from time to time, holding meetings as opportunity offered. Among others a colored minister from Boston, by the name of Paul, came repeatedly and baptized several. The most effective work, however, was done by Rev. Elisha Andrews, pastor of the church in Templeton (now called the Baldwinville Church). The members here consti- tuted at first a branch of that Church, and records of the doings of the branch Church have been kept since June 4th, 1804. It was voted, October 29th, 1807, to send a letter to the mother Church, requesting to be dismissed and formed into a separate Church. Their request was granted, and December 3Ist, 1807, representatives of the Churches in Harvard, Ley-
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HISTORY OF HOLDEN.
erett and Sutton met in council and organized a Church with forty-seven constituent members.
The names of the constituent members of the Church were these : Aaron Perry, Ephraim Merrick, Hezekiah Walker, Abra- ham Gates, John Hubbard, Solomon Parmenter, Asa Howe, Silas Walker, Charles Brooks, Eli Hubbard, Benjamin Hub- bard, Jotham Howe, Thomas Howe, Samuel Abbot, John Walker, Paul Colburn, Thomas Marshall, Daniel Shepard, Pela- tiah Allen, John Brown, William Everett, Polly Sargent, Lydia Parmenter, Lydia Hubbard, Mehitable Colburn, Hannah Howe, Sally Howe, Polly Walker, Lydia Parmenter, Jr., Polly Hub- bard, Eleanor Howe, Polly Henry, Lucretia Howe, Nancy Brooks, Polly Burke, Patty Caldwell, Sarah Pratt, Sarah Mason, Rachel Walker, Dorothy Howe, Tabitha Perry, Thankful Mason, Lucy Walker, Eunice Metcalf, Judith Gates, Persis Walker and Nabby Shepard.
The original Articles of Faith are as follows :
" Istly We believe that there is one God, who is a spirit eternaly the same, a being infinitely holy, Just, and Good filling all space with his Goodness, Esentially happy in the possession of him self -John 4.24 Dut 6.4. Psal 90.2 Gen 17.1 Psal 115.3!
" 2ndly That he has revealed him self in his word to be Father, Son and Holy spirit in which word he hath given us a perfect rule of Faith and practice-1 John 5.7 Matt 28.19 2 Cor 13.14 John I. 14 & 18.15.26 Gal 4.6 2 Tim 3. 15.16 Gal 1.8.9
" 3dly We believe that God did in the beginning Create Worlds and beings by the word of his power, and Doth uphold them the Same ; that he Created man Holy, but man Did willingly rebel and transgress the law of his creator, and there by has lost his normal rectitud, and has become Sinfull in all his parts, both of Soul and body and his posterity have by natural generation Derived the Same Sinfull Disposition, and have become by nature the Servants of Sin, and Subjects of Temporal and Eternal Death and that God by his kind providence Doth over rule all events for his own Glory-John 1. 1.2.3 Rom 1.20 Colos 1.16 Gen 2.1.2 Heb 1.3 Isa 46.10.11 Ps 13.5.6 Gen 1. 17 Ecle 7.29 Gen 1.27 & 3.12.13 2 Cor 11.3 I Tim 2.14 Rom 3.23 & 5.12 Titus 1. 15 Gen 6.5 Jerem 17.9 & 6.17. 30,23 Heb 2.14 Hosea 1.6.7. Isah 25 chap
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