USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Medway > The history of Medway, Mass., 1713-1885 > Part 13
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"Oh, 'twas a joyful sound to hear," etc.
The Rev. Mr. Buckman was a man of quick impulses. Mr. Wright says " He sometimes spoke unadvisedly with his lips, under excited feelings, but was soon calmed and gave way to the dictates of sober reason and religion."
He must have been a man of great natural and acquired resources, and
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of wonderful administrative ability, to have retained such a hold upon the people, and to have led the church harmoniously through so many years of ministration. The deaths of the Rev. and Mrs. Bucknam are found recorded in an ancient diary, as follows : "The Revd M' Bucknam Deceasd on friday Evening the 6 of Feby 1795 in ye 92 year of his age. His funeral was at- tended on Thursday afternoon the 12th of the Same month with great Solem- nity and Respect. The Procession Enterd ye meeting house where M' Haven made ye first prayer M' Prentis Deliverd a Discourse from 2ª Peter Ist 13 and 14 well adapted to the occasion. Mr Carrel prayed and Pronounced ye Blessing after which the Procession proceeded to ye Grave from thence to the Dwelling house again the chh walking before ye Procession.
N. B. Mr Bucknam Deceasd in the 92 year of his age the 71 of his minis- try and 67th year in a married state."
" Md Bucknam Deceasd Sunday Evening the 1st of May 1796 in the 91 year of her age her funeral was Attended the 5th day of the same month the Procession Entered ye meeting house where Mr Haven made ye Prayer and from thence to the tomb."
THE CHURCH RECORDS.
The earliest records of the church, extant, were kept by the Rev. Mr .. Bucknam. The ancient record book is superscribed as follows : .
" MEDWAY CHURCH RECORDS since ye year 1724 December 23 Kept pr. me, Nathan Bucknam, Pastor of sd church."
The covers of this book of records are much worn. They are inscribed with the recorded marriages solemnized by the Rev. Mr. Bucknam in his early ministry. The writing is legible only in part. The contents of this ancient church record are embraced under the following headings :
" We must believe in the ability, authority and faithfulness of Baptism."
" The names of those that have been received into Covenant and put themselves under ye watch and Care of this Church."
" The votes and acts of ye Chh. of Christ in Medway."
" A Record of ye names together with ye time of ye person admitted into ye Church of Christ in Medway since ye pastoral care of it was committed to me."
Under the first heading is an alphabetical registration of baptisms. This list embraces eight hundred and thirty-three names. Of these seventy-three are Daniell or Daniels, and one hundred and thirteen of them are Partridge ; showing very plainly that young Daniels were more numerous than in Nebu- chadnezzar's day, and that Partridges were not as scarce in the church at that period as they now are in Black Swamp. Among the entries made were the following :
" Sept. 16, 1739. I baptized London and Sambo, Negroes, the former, ye negro of Jasper Adams, ye latter, ye negro of Wm. Burges."
" Nov. 29th, 1741 I baptized Stephen and Charles, negroes, the former ye negro of Lieut. Timothy Clark, ye latter ye negro of Capt. Nath1 Whiting."
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" Dec. 20th, 1741. Upon ye desire of Samt Harding and wife to have a negro child baptized wh yy had took in its infancy for yir own. It was put to the brethren, whether, they thought masters and mistresses might offer up ye servants that they had a property in, in their minority, and they had a right to baptism upon yr account. It passed in the negative."
Under the second heading is the registration of those who entered into the Halfway Covenant. There appear one hundred and twenty-eight names, from 1725 to 1800, when the practice of receiving persons in this way was abandoned by the church.
Under the third heading are embraced the items of church business trans- acted in a period of seventy years. These items are all recorded on less than seven small pages of the old record book.
We are told of the choice of at least three generations of deacons, eleven or twelve in all, during this one pastorate, and of three or four cases of church discipline and a few other matters of church action.
Under the last heading is a registration of those who came into full cove- nant, and were admitted to the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. The whole number received during the Rev. Mr. Bucknam's ministry exceeded two hundred.
Perhaps there is no item of greater interest in these church records than a brief mention of an occasion which occured October 8, 1736. Almost the entire church assembled in the meeting-house, and after prayer was of- fered by the pastor, the Rev. Mr. Bucknam, all present renewed their vows to God and to one another by signing their names to the Church Covenant.
This was the original Covenant of the Church. It has recently come to light in a well-preserved copy, and is here printed for the first time.
" MEDWAY CHH. COVENANT : Renewed by the major part of ye Chh. at a Chh. Meet- ing october 8 1736.
WE THE MEMBERS OF THE CHH. OF CHRIST in medway that are in full Commun- ion, having apprehended it Convenient & Even expedient for some reasons to renew Covenant with God & one another & being now assembled in the Holy presence of god, in the name of the lord Jesus Christ after humble Confession of our manifold Transgressions before the lord our god, & Earnestly Supplicating for pardoning mercy through the blood of Christ & deep acknowledgment of our great un Worthiness to be owned to be the lord's Covenant people to perform any Spiritual duty unless the lord Jesus does enable us thereunto by his Spirit dwelling in us & being awfully Sensi- ble that it is a dreadful thing for Sinful dust and ashes personally to Transact with the infinitely glorious majesty of heaven, we do in humble Confidence of his gracious assistance & acceptance through Christ each One of us for himself and Jointly together Explicitly Covenant in manner and form following, viz.
I. We give up Ourselves to that god Whose name alone is Jehovah father Son & holy ghost the only true & living God, and to our blessed lord Jesus Christ & our only blessed Saviour phrophet priest & king over Our Souls, Only mediator of the Cove- nant of grace, promising by the help of his spirit & grace to cleave unto God as our chief good & to the lord Jesus Christ by faith & gospel Obedience as becometh his covenant people forever.
2. We do give up our ofspring to god in Jesus Christ, avouching the lord to be the god of our Children as well as our god & children with ourselves to be his people humble adorning the grace of god that we and our ofspring with us may be looked upon to be the Lord's.
3. We do give up ourselves to one another, in the love, and according to the will of god freely Covenanting & binding ourselves to walk Together as a particular Con-
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gregational Chh. of Christ in all the ways of his worship according to the holy rules of ye word of god promising in brotherly love to watch over one anothers Souls faith- fully & to Submit to the government & discipline of Christ in his Chh. & duly to at- tend all those ordinances which Christ hath Instituted in his Chh. and Commanded to be attended by his people according to the order of the gospel & degrees of com- munion unto which we have attained, but promising after all & so that we will each of us do our part to uphold & maintain the word & worship of god & endeavor to transmit the same faithfully to posterity.
4. We promise & engage to walk orderly in a way of fellowship & Communion with all the Chhs. of Christ among us according to those rules of holy order which he hath appointed, that the lord may be one & his name one in all the Chhs. throughout all generations to his Eternal glory in Christ Jesus.
5. We do freely promise & engage as in the presence of god that we will, Christ helping us, Endeavor every one of us to reform our hearts & life by Seeking to mor- tify all our Sins & labouring to walk more Closely with god then ever yet we have done, and will worship god in publick private & secret, & endeavor to do it without formality & hipocricy & fully & faithfully discharge all covenant Duties one to another in Chh. Communion.
6. We promise and engage that we will walk before god in our houses with a per- fect heart & that we will uphold the worship of god therein Continually according as he in word doth require both in respect of prayer & reading the Scriptures that so the word of god may dwell richly in us & will do what on us lies to bring up Our Chil- dren for Christ that they may be Such as those who have the name of Christ put upon them by a Solemn dedication to god in christ ought to be, & will therefore, as need Shall be Catechize exhort & Charge them to the fear of the lord, & endeavor to set a holy example before them & be much in prayer for their Convertion & Salvation.
7. We will endeavor to be pure from the sins of the times and in our places en- deavor the suppression thereof & be careful So to walk as that we may give no occa- tion to others to Sin or Speak evil of our holy profession. Now that we may observe & keep this Sacred Covenant & all the branches of it inviolable forever, we desire to deny ourselves & to depend wholy upon the power of the eternal Spirit of grace & on the free mercy of god & merit of Christ Jesus & where we shall fail thereto, wait upon the Lord Jesus for pardon, acceptance & healing for his names Sake."
This public renewal of the Covenant, by each one subscribing with his own hand, made the occasion one of deep solemnity. And to this act the Rev. Mr. Wright credits largely, the deepened spirituality that followed, which developed into a revival of religion in 1741, the most marked that had hitherto occurred in the history of the church, the results of which were the addition of some fifty persons to its membership.
There are many church papers not included in the book of records, which are quaint and deeply interesting, but which cannot have a place here. The Halfway Covenant, which was widely adopted by the churches of Mas- sachusetts from the early date of 1662, the later Covenant of this church, and other documents may be found published in A Historical Discourse of the First Church of Christ, 1876.
Our fathers had their church troubles as well as those living now. Take for example, the matter of singing in the early days. It often was at the greatest remove from harmony.
THE OLD WAY OF SINGING was for the chorister to start the tune with the pitch-pipe, the congregation to follow each in his own fashion at his own tune, and no two persons singing alike, but singing with all their might, " like the voice of many waters."
The Westerly Precinct of Wrentham, now Franklin, June 26, 1738,
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voted, " To sing no other Tunes than are Pricked Down in our former Psalm Books which were Printed between thirty and forty years Agoe and To Sing Them as They are Prickt down in them as Near as they can."
This was a blow at the old way of singing, and March 8, 1739, that church voted not to sing in the old way ; and near the close of that meeting the query was raised : "To see what notice the church will take of one of the brethren's striking into a pitch of the tune unusualy raised, February 18, 1739."
And it was voted,
" Whereas, our brother David Pond, as several of our brethren viz. : David Jones Ebenezer Hunting, Benjamin Rockwood Jr., Aaron Haws and Michael Metcalf apprehends, struck into a pitch of the tune on Feb. 18, in public worship on the forenoon raised above what was set, after most of the Congregation as is thought, kept the pitch for three lines and after our Pastor had desired them that had raised it to fall to the pitch that was set to be suitable, decent or to that purpose.
"The question was put, whether the church apprehends this our brother David Pond's so doing to be disorderly, and it passed in the affirmative and David Pond is suspended until satisfaction is given."
David Pond afterwards applied to the Church of Christ, in Medway, for admission. Letters, which well illustrate the characteristics of the times, were exchanged by the two churches in regard to the case of Mr. Pond. It has been suggested that because of his uncommon height and muscular strength he pitched the tune too high. Whether this, or because of willfulness, others must determine ; at any rate he was excommunicated from the church, but some years after made confession of fault, was restored to good standing, and became one of the founders of the Second Church of Christ, in Med- way.
THE NOON-HOUSE.
Shortly after the Rev. Mr. Bucknam's settlement, it appears that, permis- sion being given by the town, there was a subscription raised for the purpose as expressed, "To erect an house fifteen feet square in some convenient place near the meeting-house for our convenience on ye Sabbath between meetings." This subscription was headed by " Jonathan Plympton, £3."
This building was boarded on three sides, being open toward the south ; in the centre was a large, flat stone, on which in cold weather a fire was kindled, there being an opening in the roof overhead for the smoke to escape ; and all around were pine benches, where the people sat and ate their Sab- bath lunch. This was called the Noon-house.
The FIRST MEETING-HOUSE was destroyed by fire January 18, 1749- How it took fire was unknown. Some surmised that it was set on fire by a certain negro, others, that a prominent desire among many persons to have a new meeting-house inspired the burning of the old ; but, whatever the un- known facts, we see that burning meeting-houses is not a " new thing under the sun," and that the world has not yet outgrown a very old iniquity. It
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seems that nothing was saved from the fire except the glass ; this the parish, which began to exist about that time, voted should be sold, and accordingly sales were made from time to time, as opportunity offered, and the avails were appropriated to pay the incidental expenses of the parish, and for sev- eral years the income from this source was more than sufficient ; so that, finally, from the unexpended receipts for the glass from the old meeting-house, ten shillings were appropriated to purchase a parish record book, five shil- lings for a latch to put on the pulpit door in the new meeting-house, and the balance, about four shillings, to compensate the parish clerk, Samuel Hard- ing, Esq., for copying the minutes of the parish into the new and large record book. That old record book is still in existence ; but what became of the five-shilling latch on the pulpit door is among the things unknown.
After the burning of the first meeting-house, public worship was con- ducted, for a time, in the dwelling-house of Captain Joseph Lovell, Esq. The people, however, took immediate steps to rebuild.
Hitherto the town had transacted the secular business of the church, but now, by a warrant issued under authority of King George II., in the twenty- second year of his reign, to one Samuel Harding, Esq., a meeting of the citizens of this part of the town was called, and the First Precinct in Med- way was organized February 3, 1749. At this first meeting Samuel Harding, Esq., being chosen moderator and precinct clerk ; it was “ voted to build a meeting-house for the public worship of God." "Then voted to choose five men to be a committee to manage the affair of building said house, viz. : 1st, Sam1 Harding ; 2d, Dea. Thomas Harding; 3d, Lieut. Timothy Clark ; 4th, Ensgn Joseph Richardson ; 5th, Jona. Adams, Jur. Voted 1600 pound old tenor to be assessed on polls & estates in said First Precinct, towards building said house." This sum was about £213 lawful money, or $1,000 in our currency.
" April 5, 1749, Voted, That ye committee should build the meeting- house 42 feet long & 33 feet in width and twenty feet high between joynts." " Voted that the said meeting-house shall be raised about ye width of ye house, toward ye North from ye spot of land where ye old meeting-house stood. Voted, that ye provision that is to be made for ye raising said meeting- house shall be by a free contribution, then voted that Samuel Ellis, Dea. Barbar, Joshua Partridge and Samuel Hill, shall take care that there shall be an equal or suitable quantity of Cyder, Rum & Beer brought to said house and a baiting bitt for the men before the Raising be finished."
The raising of this meeting-house came off on Thursday, April 27, 1749. The old house was burned the 18th of the previous January ; and thus, in a little over three months, the trees that were standing in the forests were felled, drawn to the spot, hewn into timber, framed, and raised into a meet- ing-house, about a half larger than its predecessor. The 21st of May, fol- lowing, just three weeks from the Sabbath next after the raising, the people gathered for public worship, and the Rev. Mr. Bucknam preached for the first time in the new meeting-house. But it was not finished ; and while everything, so far, had gone on very harmoniously and with great dispatch, there was yet to come up quite a division of feeling and considerable delay before the house should be completed. The question arose, " whether ye Precinct will have an Alley three feet and a half wide straight from the
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great double doors to the Pulpit " in their new house. At the first meeting of the precinct to consider this weighty matter, they voted not to have it. Another meeting was called, and they voted to have the alley. Then a meeting was called to reconsider. There was great excitement through the precinct ; meeting after meeting was held ; finally, at a crowded meeting, they polled the house. All in favor went to one side, all opposed, to the other, until counted ; it was found that there was a majority of four in favor of the alley ; thus, after a year's delay, great stir, much talk, and many meet- ings, it was decided; and the alley was made "from the great double doors straight to the pulpit."
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THE SECOND MEETING-HOUSE.
1749-1816.
The second meeting-house stood some forty feet to the north of the site of the one destroyed. The spot of the front entrance to the new meeting- house is marked by the grave of Adam Bullard, Esq. The seating of peo- ple in the house of God at this date was a matter of grave importance, re- quiring the united wisdom of men whose good judgment was acknowledged.
In 1766 Moses Richardson, Elijah Clark, and Jonathan Adams, were in- structed to " seat the meeting-house one pound of estate to a year's age as near as may be." About ten years after the house was built, the precinct appropriated " three pounds and eighteen shillings to be laid out in coloring and repairing the meeting-house." For some number of years they paid the Rev. Mr. Bucknam " for his negro woman keeping the meeting-house, 9s. 4d." In 1769 special seats were built for the negroes to sit in.
April 30, 1770 :
" Put to vote, to see if it be the minds of the Precinct, That the new seats built for the Negroes at each end of the Public meeting-house in said Precinct below, shall be the seats, and the only seats, in the sd meeting-house for the Mulattoes, Negros, and Indians of this Precinct to sit in, in times of Divine Service, during the Precinct's pleasure. Resolved in the affirmative."
" Put to vote to see if it be the minds of the Precinct to prohibit the Mulattoes, Negros, & Indians of this precinct, sitting or standing in any of the allies or on the stairs of the sd meeting-house in times of Divine Service. Resolved in ye affirma- tive."
" Put to vote to see if it be the minds of the Precinct to choose a committee of three men, to inform the masters of the Negros Mulattoes & Indians of this Precinct, of the above mentioned votes & resolves, and to desire them in the name of the Pre-
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cinct to conform themselves thereunto and to order their servants into the seats built and provided for them. Resolved in ye affirmative. Jonathan Adams Capt, Jona. Adams, and Isaiah Morse was unanimously chosen for the sd Committee."
" Put to vote to see if the Precinct will choose a committee of three men to prose- cute the disobedience or non observance of the afore mentioned votes & resolves of this Precinct relating to the Mulattoes, Negros &c. Resolved in the affirmative."
" Adjourned to last Wednesday in May, 1770," at which time " Moses Richardson Oliver Adams and Jonathan Adams ye 3d was chosen for the sd committee. Then the sd inhabitants granted the sum of 386-os -od for the necessary charge of the sd com- mittee."
This second meeting-house continued to be occupied for sixty-seven years. Soon after the close of the Rev. Mr. Wright's ministry it was abandoned, a new and much larger house having been erected.
THE THIRD (COLLEAGUE) PASTORATE. 1788-1793.
THE REV. BENJAMIN GREENE commenced preaching as a candidate for settlement in Medway, February 26, 1787. The church, and the parish also, were deeply impressed that to settle a minister was a grave responsi- bility, for such an event had not occurred for sixty-three years. The church called a special Day of Fasting and Prayer in view of it. And we find the parish in public meeting, March 29; 1787, voting as follows : "That we will join with the Church in this place, in setting apart a Day of Fast- ing and Prayer for direction in calling and settling a Gospel Minister in this place." That day was observed accordingly.
A call to settle was extended to Mr. Greene, June 13, 1787, but declined. It was renewed in August, and again declined. But the call being again renewed February 12, 1788, was accepted. The salary was £75, with a settlement of £200. Mr. Greene was ordained June 25, 1788, colleague pastor with the Rev. Mr. Bucknam. The Rev. Jacob Cushing, D. D., of Waltham, preached the sermon, taking for the text, "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom." 1 Cor. i., 22-24. This dis- course was published. The Rev. Jonas Clark, of Lexington, delivered the charge to the pastor ; and the right hand of fellowship was given by the Rev. Elijah Brown, of Sherborn.
It is said that Joseph Lovell, Esq., entertained the council and learned gentlemen present on the occasion at his own expense, and that some two hundred persons sat down to dine at tables spread under the elm trees near his house. In 1885 these trees were still standing near the house of C. W. Emerson, M. D.
The Rev. Mr. Greene's ministry continued only about five years. He was dismissed at his own request, February 28, 1793, some two years prior to Mr. Bucknam's death. He preached his farewell sermon, March 17, 1793, taking for the text, " But none of these things move me," etc., Acts xx., 24-27, 32. This discourse was printed and widely circulated.
On leaving Medway the Rev. Mr. Greene gave up preaching, and entered the legal profession, where he attained to eminence. He died in 1837, in Berwick, Me. Vid. BIOGRAPHIES, also GENEALOGIES.
III
The Rev. Mr. Greene was a man of fine abilities and widely respected for his commanding talents and acquirements. It is narrated that a last and very important service to his old parish was rendered by the Rev. Mr. Greene years after his dismission. Being in Boston, he was met by his old friend, Joseph Lovell, Esq., who was there to appear in court for Medway in some case involving large interests. The lawyer engaged to attend to the case did not handle it successfully, and it was quite apparent that it would go against the town. At this juncture, Mr. Lovell asked the Rev. Mr. Greene to ap- pear and speak in its behalf, which he did, and the case, that all thought lost, was gained.
THE FOURTH PASTORATE. 1798-1815.
THE REV. LUTHER WRIGHT, a recent graduate from Harvard College. Mass., preached his first sermon in Medway, Sunday, June 25, 1797. Sub- sequently he supplied the pulpit for three months with great acceptance. Afterward, while fulfilling an engagement of a few months in Brentwood, N. H., he received a call to return to Medway, and become their pastor.
This call to Mr. Wright was dated January 4, 1798, and the salary offered was $266.67, with a settlement of $666.67, to be paid within two years. Under date of April 29, 1798, the Rev. Mr. Wright returned an answer of acceptance, and was ordained June 13, 1798. At the time of his settlement he was unmarried, but about two years later the following appeared in The Massachusetts Mercury of January 3, 1800 : "At East Sudbury, on Monday, 23d ult., Rev. Luther Wright, of Medway, to Miss Nancy Bridge, daughter of the Rev. Josiah Bridge." It was on this day that the death of Washington, nine days after its occurrence, was first announced in Boston. Not long after their marriage the young minister and his bride arrived in Medway to receive the congratulations of his parishioners. Rev. and Mrs. Wright resided, during his ministry of some seventeen years, in the house recently the home of the late venerable Oliver Phillips, Esq.
The Rev. Mr. Wright, in person, was a short, thick-set man, of fair. full countenance, and is remembered by some persons still living. He was de- voted to his work, and while he met with some discouragements, he was loved by his people, and showed himself a man of ability and sagacity. Some fifty persons were added to the church, and during the first and last years of his pastorate, there were seasons of marked refreshing from the Lord. He was largely instrumental in bringing about the renewed fellowship of the First and Second Churches in the town, after an alienation of thirty-two years.
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