USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Princeton > The history of Princeton, Worcester county, Mass. from its first settlement; with a sketch of the present religious controversy in that place. Designed for the use of the inhabitants > Part 7
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This advice, in view of all the circumstances, cannot be re- garded but as judicious. There was no probability, at this period of the controversy, that a reconciliation between the two opposing parties would ensue, should Mr. Clarke leave. On the contrary, the supposition was well grounded that the breach would have been still farther widened by such an event. The majority of the town, exasperated at being dis- appointed in their efforts to procure the settlement of their favorite candidate, would have labored with no little zeal against any person whom the church might have selected,
* During Dr. Murdock's ministry, a new church covenant, differing essen- tially in its language from that of the Rev. Mr. Russell, had been introduced without objection, I believe, at its introduction, but which was now obnox- ious to the minority of the church. As this covenant has already appeared two or three times in print in the pamphlets which this controversy called forth, and as it is not of material consequence, its republication is unneces- sary. It is the same at present in use by the church.
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however unexceptionable he might have been at another time. Besides, there was at this stage of the contest, doubt- less, difference of sentiment, real or fancied, sufficient to war- rant a separation. Convinced of these facts, the council di- rected their efforts rather to the prevention of greater, than the reconciliation of existing difficulties. Mr. Clarke beyond question united more votes of the town than any other candi- date would, while possessed of those mild and amiable virtues, which, while they rendered him adverse to a settlement in the midst of controversy, endeared him to the people, and peculiarly fitted him for a position which would require their constant and yet often unsuccessful exercise, he was peculiar- ly adapted to the situation, which subsequent events called him to fill.
Of the ten individuals composing the council, six supported the " Result," while the remaining four gave their views in a " Protest," in which, after expressing their dissent from said Result, they assign the following reasons in justification :-
1. " Because it recommends an unnecessary and unau- thorized subversion of the confession of faith and form of cov- enant adopted by this church in circumstances peculiarly solemn, and which appear to us happily calculated to main- tain the purity of the church in faith and practice.
2. Because said Result appears to us inconsistent with the character given by inspiration of the church as the pillar and ground of the truth ; and as an unwarrantable attack on the rights and usages of the New-England churches, which have been uniformly recognised from the infancy of the country to the present day.
3. Because said Result exhibits an alarming stretch of ec- clesiastical power, which threatens the liberties and privileges, and even existence of congregational churches, by depriving them of the right of choosing their own pastors, breaking down their sacred enclosures, and subjecting them to the unenlight- ened guidance of the world.
4. Because, in our view, said Result tends to perpetuate and increase the unhappy divisions which exist in this church and society, and which might probably be healed by such temperate measures as wisdom and duty appear to dictate."
The validity of the three first of these reasons it is not our province to argue. Those curious to examine them in detail are refered to the " Remarks, Notes, and Observations" upon,
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and the " Vindication" of the proceedings of the Council ; two pamphlets which appeared at the time, the former from the pen of the Rev. Mr. Goffe of Millbury, and the latter from that of Dr. Bancroft of Worcester. Of the fourth reason we have already given our views.
The Result of the council was laid before the church for their action March 17th, 1817, when they voted, twenty to eight, a non-compliance with its recommendations. No ac- tion was necessary on the part of the town, inasmuch as they had already anticipated the decision of the council in their invitation to Mr. Clarke, which was still awaiting his reply. This was received in the April following, and is subjoined.
" To the Congregational Society in Princeton.
My Christian Brethren and Friends,-When I last address- ed you from this sacred place, I bid you an affectionate, and, as I then supposed, a final farewell. I believed that I was doing my duty, both to you and myself, in again negativing your invitation, to settle with you in the work of the ministry. The consciousness of having done my duty gave me satisfac- tion and peace. Contrary, however, to my expectations, at that time, you have seen fit to renew your invitation ; and by the hands of your committee I lately received your third call to settle with you in the Christian Ministry. This repeated proof of your firm attachment to my person and doctrines has excited in my mind the liveliest emotions of pleasure and grat- itude. I have again been led to deliberation, and to commit my cause to that all wise and good Being, who is able and willing to impart all necessary light and instruction. Be as- sured, my friends, that it has been to me an anxious, a trying season. After, however, mature consideration, and fervent prayer ; having received the fullest possible assurance of your increased attachment to me, and zeal to obtain me as your minister ; having received the assurances of a very respectable part of the church of their firm resolution to unite with the town in my Ordination ; and having received the advice con- tained in the result of an enlightened and pious mutual Coun- cil, lately convened in this place, together with the advice of many distinguished ministers and laymen, in whose judgement I have the highest confidence, I have been able to come to a decision. This decision has been formed in the fear of God ; and from the heart I can say, that a sincere desire to promote
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his glory and your temporal and spiritual welfare has influ- enced it. In the presence and in the fear of Almighty God I accept your invitation to settle with you in the solemn and interesting work of the Gospel Ministry.
My Brethren, I come to you with the deepest humility, sen- sible of my own insufficiency for so great an undertaking ; yet relying on the mercy and assistance of that great and good Being, who has hitherto directed my steps, and praying, that in this trying important hour he would not forsake, but still continue to prosper and bless me, I come breathing nothing but love and peace. It is from the conviction that your har- mony and happiness is to be promoted by having me as your minister, that I have concluded to accept your call. I have been satisfied, from the disposition you discovered towards me after I gave my last answer, and from your recent conduct and zeal, that you are really and firmly attached to me, and that this attachment and affection will be continued so long as I shall be in any degree worthy of them. It is my desire, therefore, to come to you in the fulness of the Gospel of peace, ardently praying that I may be made an instrument of pro- moting your peace and happiness here, and of leading to the mansions of peace and joy in Heaven.
Yet, my Brethren, while I rejoice in the belief that I shall be happy and useful among you, I do most sincerely lament that I have not been so fortunate as to effect a greater degree of unanimity than exists in the church and town. It is an unpleasant thing for me to settle with you contrary to the wishes of any individual in this place. Nevertheless, from the acquaintance I have with those opposed to my settlement ; from the civility and respect with which I have ever been personally treated by them, I am fully satisfied that, although they cannot at present regard me with favor as a preacher, yet they will ever regard me with that friendship and charity, which are due from man to man, and from Christian to Christ- ian, and that they will never do any thing designedly to injure my character, or my feelings. I believe that I can say from the heart, that I feel towards them the love and affection of a Christian ; that they have, and always will have my prayers and best wishes, and that I shall at all times be ready to ex- tend to them the hand of fellowship, of consolation, and of Christian love.
9
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From your past expressions of kindness and affection I feel assured, my Christian Friends, that they will be continued to me ; that in all seasons of want, of distress, of affliction, and trial, you will be ready to assist, advise, and comfort me ; that I shall always have your prayers, that I may be faithful to you and myself, and that you will do all in your power to strength- en my hands, and encourage my heart. You will, I trust, always find me ready to do every thing in your behalf which belongs to me as a Christian Minister and a man. Let it then be our united prayer to the throne of grace, that, should our contemplated union be consummated, it may be productive of the happiest consequences both as it regards our present and eternal peace, that we may be enabled to walk together in the exercise of all the mild peaceful graces of our holy religion. Let us be much in prayer to God for light and direction. And O may it be our happiness to be mutual sources of improvement, peace, and comfort in this life, and of joy and rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus.
SAMUEL CLARKE.
Princeton, April 6th, 1817."
Our limits do not allow us to transcribe the other two let- ters of Mr. Clarke, declining the invitation of the town. We give the conclusion of each. Under date of September 30th, 1816, he writes :- " In taking my leave of you, permit me to express my sincere hope, that the failure of this your first at- tempt to obtain a minister will not discourage you from a fur- ther trial. It is, and will continue to be, my earnest fervent prayer to God, that you may be so fortunate as to obtain a man after God's own heart, in whom you may all be united ; who shall be infinitely more worthy of being placed over you than I am; who shall preach to you the unsearchable riches of Christ, lead you into the knowledge of all truth, and be an instument in God's hand of promoting your best interest here, and of leading you to happiness hereafter. With a sincere wish for your union, peace, and welfare in this life, and that we may hereafter meet in the peaceful mansions of rest and glory in Heaven, I bid you farewell."
Under date of November 10th, of the same year, Mr. Clarke thus concludes :- " In again taking my leave of you I beg you to accept my renewed assurance of my sincere attach-
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ment and love. I believe I can say from my heart, that I feel an affectionate, charitable, and Christian spirit towards all who have attended upon my ministrations in this house ; and that it will be my fervent earnest prayer to the righteous Disposer of all events, that he will unite your hearts and minds ; that he will guide you in the choice of a Teacher, who shall faith- fully conduct you in the way of Salvation ; and that although we cannot be united here on earth, both you and I may here- after meet and be united in the pure and peaceful mansions in Heaven, whence is banished all discord and contention, and there shall be nothing to alienate and divide us. And now I can say with the holy and venerable Apostle, 'Finally, Brethren, farewell ; Be perfect ; Be of good comfort ; Be of one mind. Live in peace ; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.' "
Mr. Clarke's Ordination took place June 18th, 1817. The Sermon on this occasion was preached by the Rev. Dr. Pierce of Brookline. Thus was consummated the religious division in the town, commenced with Dr. Murdock's dismiss- ion and which originating undoubtedly in, to some extent, differences of sentiment, but which subsequent events have shown not to have been insurmountable, yet so heightened by a temporary excitement, as at last to render a separation, be- tween portions of the church and town, with all its attendant evils, the most judicious and desirable course. The minority of the church, by their adoption of the covenant recommended by the mutual council, were recognised as a church of Christ in Princeton. Over these and a majority of the town Mr. Clarke continued for many years the faithful and esteemed pastor, en- joying the unlimited confidence of his friends, without incur- ring the displeasure of his opponents. His dismission, which is the date of the commencement of the present controversy in the town, took place in 1832.
The narration of the causes and consequences of this, as well as the proceedings of those opposed to his settlement, is reserved for another chapter.
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CHAPTER VI.
Call of a Council by the majority of the Church. Organization of a Society. Invitation to Mr. Bond. Invitation and Settlement of Mr. Phillips. His Letter. History of the Baptist Society. Mr. Clarke's Dismission. First proposal for a Union of the Congregational Societies. Settlement of Mr. Cowles. Dismission. Farther measures for a Union. Call of a Council. The Result. Proceedings upon it. Mr. Phillips's " Appeal."
MR. CLARKE's settlement was of course the signal for a secession of a majority of the church, and a portion of the congregation, from the usual place of worship where his min- istrations were had. Previous, however, to this event, and as early as April, 1817, the church had called an ex parte council to advise them as to their future action. It consist- ed of the Rev. Dr. Payson of Rindge, N. H., Rev. Dr. Crane of Northbridge, Rev. Dr. Snell of Brookfield, Rev. Joseph Goffe of Millbury, and the Rev. Mr. Conant of Paxton, each of these clergymen being accompanied by a delegate. The council met April 29th, and after giving notice of their pres- ence to the minority of the church, proceeded to business. After deprecating the result of the former council, as con- taining an assumed power " unprecedented in our country, and unauthorised by the Gospel ; a power, that threatens the liberties, the privileges, the very existence of our churches, which are founded upon the pillar of truth, by depriving them of their inalienable rights, subverting their confessions of faith, and their forms of covenant ;" after commending the majority of the church for their " firm stand in defence of the truth once delivered to the saints, so honorable to them as professed Christians," they proceed to the following recom- mendations :-
1. " That they give themselves unto prayer for the direction and holy keeping of the great Head of the church, that they may be guided into the paths of wisdom and Christian pru- dence, that they may meekly and patiently endure every trial to which, in Providence, they are subjected, as the friends of truth, and remain united together in love as the humble fol- lowers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. That they take all legal and proper measures to form themselves, together with such inhabitants of the town as may choose to unite with them into a distinct and separate religious
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society, for the quiet enjoyment of Christian ordinances, and the instructions of an evangelical ministry, cleaving to their articles of faith and the holy covenant into which they have most solemnly entered, and from which their brethren have so unwarrantably departed."
The Result closes among other things with the following judicious advice :- " Walk in the meekness of wisdom towards those that are otherwise minded, and convince them by a uni- form Christian deportment that conscience, and not prejudice, a zeal for the truth, and not an unyielding perverseness, that the fear of God and love to our Lord Jesus Christ, and not a spirit of discord, have prevented you from a coalescence with your Brethren."
In accordance with this advice of the council, the appro- priate measures were taken and a society duly organized. Their meetings were for some time held in one of the school- houses, until a small house of worship was erected in 1819. In 1818 the church voted unanimously to adopt the Presby- terian confession of faith and discipline, and became connect- ed with the Newburyport Presbytery. This connexion con- tinued until 1829, when, on account of their distance from the place of meeting and the difficulty of performing the duties of a member of this body, it was, at the request of the church, dissolved. The society being thus organized, in December, 1818, invited the Rev. Alvan Bond of Andover, to settle with them in the work of the ministry. This invitation Mr. Bond declined, alleging as a reason the feeble state of his health, and a desire to engage in a foreign mission. He thus concludes his letter negativing the call of the church :- " And now my dear Brethren and Friends, I must bid you an affec- tionate farewell. Long shall I cherish a tender recollection of your kindness and cordiality, and the many interesting scenes that I enjoyed during my residence with you. I trust that my labors with you will not be in vain. I most sincere- ly wish you abundant success and prosperity, and hope that I shall still have an interest in your prayers, and share in your friendship. Should we meet no more in this vale of tears, O ! may we be united at last in a better world, where there will be fulness of joys and pleasures forevermore."
After this call to Mr. Bond, no further attempts were made to procure a settled minister until March; 1820, when it was voted unanimously to invite the Rev. Alonzo Phillips, who
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was at that time supplying their pulpit, to become their pas- tor. To this invitation Mr. Phillips returned the following reply, which I copy, as it stands on the church records, with- out address or signature :-
" The office of the Christian Minister is doubtless the most important and the most responsible with which man can be invested. He receives his commission from God and is ac- countable to him for the manner in which he discharges it. His business lies with immortal beings ; its design is to per- suade them to become good; if it fails of this, its design is lost, and worse than lost. Obviously, then, he who thinks of taking this office upon himself ought not to assume it, till he has made it the subject of the most serious contemplation and fervent prayer. This remark is applicable to his decision concerning the particular part of his Lord's vinyard, in which it is his duty to labor. The first, and indeed the only question, which ought to govern his decision is-where can I do the most good ? In deciding this question, several things must be taken into consideration ; such as the ability and willingness of a people to give him support, which will enable him to de- vote himself wholly to the work peculiar to his office ; the part of the world, or particular place in which, at a time like the present, he is most needed ; his ability to sustain the labors and perform the duties which will devolve upon him in a par- ticular place ; the feelings and unanimity of the people, who invite him to settle with them. These considerations I have endeavored to examine with impartiality in forming the decis- ion now to be made public.
In regard to the first of these, the support, I can only say, that on the part of the society there is certainly at present a very pleasing willingness ; as to the ability they are the only proper judges. Whether the sum proposed be adequate to a support, in my case, time must determine ; for on this subject I am at present wholly inexperienced. All I wish for is a support, which, with prudence and econemy, will enable me to live in a manner, which you, Brethren, would call respect- able ; which will enable me to unite with my brethren in the ministry, in aiding the religious and benevolent plans which distinguish the present period of the church. In regard to the second thing to be considered-the particular place to which duty calls, this is a much more difficult question to decide. When I have looked at the smallness of this society, and at
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their ability to live a while longer without a settled minister, I have thought it my duty to go to some other place. But when I have contemplated the stand they have taken, and its bearings, the everlasting importance of the truths they wish to support, the connexion of these truths with vital religion and the salvation of men, I cannot doubt. When I look at this church, consider what it has sustained and how it has been blessed, I am fully satisfied, that it is a real branch of the kingdom of Christ, and a branch too which is as precious: to him as any other branch of his kingdom. Why then should it not be as precious to his ministers ? Of the next thing to be considered-the ability of a man to sustain the labors and discharge the duties of a particular place, in the present case others are judges ; if they have erred time will rectify the mis- take. In regard to the last thing to be considered-the feel- ings and unanimity of the people-they are all any man could wish for to afford him happiness and give him influence.
With these things before me, what could I do, but resolve to engage in the same cause with you-cast my lot with yours, to live or die with you ? What could I do but answer your invitation in the affirmative ? With these things before me, I do answer in the affimative. May the Head of the church approve the answer, and to his name be glory forever, Amen."
Mr. Phillips was ordained June 7th, 1820. The sermon on this occasion was preached by the Rev. Leonard Woods, D. D. of Andover. The charge was given by the Rev. Dr. Dana, and the right hand of fellowship, by the Rev. Mr. Bond. From this period the society continued gradually to increase. Mr. Phillips remained for many years its minister, enjoying the unlimited confidence of the people of his charge nearly to the time of his dismission. How far it then became impaired, and for how good reasons, must appear in the sequel.
We have now sketched, somewhat in detail, the history of the religious divisions consequent upon Mr. Clarke's settle- ment. This was not only necessary, as they make an impor- tant, though melancholy part of the history of the town, but absolutely essential to a proper understanding of the present controversy, while it is extremely questionable whether a con- test so apparently groundless, I had almost said senseless, can even then be made intelligible to an unprejudiced observer.
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The town was now divided into two distinct societies, each en- joying the privilege of a minister of their choice. That under Mr. Clarke was indeed in fellowship with the Unitarian socie- ties of the vicinity, although much more rigid in their views and covenant than most of that sect. The exchanges of Mr. Clarke were at times with Orthodox clergymen. That under Mr. Phillips, as before stated, adopted and maintained, until 1829, the confession and discipline of the Presbyterian church of the United States. The present contest grew out of a re- cent attempt, with few exceptions successful, to unite these two societies, between whom no difference of religious senti- ment now exists. The two societies, therefore, have, for the last four years, presented the extraordinary spectacle of a re- ligious community, perfectly agreeing in their articles of faith, and, when united, making but a tolerable society as to num- bers, all admitting a union to be necessary and desirable, and yet contending with no ordinary bitterness as to the manner of effecting this, reminding one of the contest sometimes witnessed between two small schoolboys, at the junction of two roads leading to the same spot, as to which is the proper one for their journey, when each, with embittered feel- ings, perhaps bloody face, has at last taken that which he originally knew to be straightest and best. Which party have in this case been the combatants for the crooked and hilly way we leave facts to decide.
Before, however, I proceed to the detail of this controversy, it is necessary to record another division which, without its usual unpleasant attendants, arose in the town. This was the formation of the Baptist society. As early as 1770, I find a Mr. Aaron Perry, who formerly lived on the farm now owned by John P. Rice, Esq. was " left out of the minister rates," by vote of the town, "on account of being of the Baptist persuasion." In one of the warrants for a town meeting in 1776, I find the following article :- " To see if the Town will abate all, or any of the Ministereal Rates of Those persons That are of The Baptist persuasion." On this article the town voted "To abate the Ministerial Rates of Stephen Rolph, Sadey Mason, and Aaron Perry." This favor was, however, refused for several subsequent years by the town, who seem not to have been very scrupulously con- siderate of the rights of religious toleration. These three individuals were probably for many years the only Baptists in
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