USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Woburn > The history of Woburn, Middlesex County, Mass. from the grant of its territory to Charlestown, in 1640, to the year 1680 > Part 17
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" WILLIAM JOHNSON
" SAM" WALKER
" JOSEPH WRIGHT Sen'
" JAMES CONUERS Sen"
" WILLIAM LOCK SenT
" JAMES CONUERS Jun'."
The " Confession of Faith," to which the subscribers to this Declaration for themselves (and probably for the Church at large) profess their assent, is here, through inadvertence, erro- neonsly ascribed by them to the synod assembled at Cam- bridge in 1648. That synod framed no Confession of their own ; but only expressed their approbation of that composed by the Westminster Assembly. The Confession here intended is that which was agreed upon by the Reforming Synod (so called), assembled at Boston 1679 and 1680. Excepting some few variations, it is the same as the Savoy Confession, drawn up and assented to by the Elders and Messengers of the Congregation- al Churches in England convened at the Savoy Building in Lon- don in 1658. It is in sentiment thoroughly Calvinistic. Being adopted by the Reforming Synod in this country, May 1680, as
13*
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expressing their own views in religion, and those of the churches represented by them, it was immediately submitted to the Gen- eral Court, then sitting in Boston, for their approbation ; and, receiving their sanction, it thenceforth became for many years a common standard of faith to the churches of Massachusetts, especially to such as were gathered during the first half of the last century. In Chapter xxix. of this Confession, entitled " Of Baptism," the fourth paragraph reads as quoted in the Declara- tion, "Not only those that do actually profess Faith in, and Obedience unto Christ; but also the Infants of one or both be- living Parents, are to be baptized, and those only."
This Declaration may reasonably be considered as a decisive testimony to the faith, worship, and order of the church of Woburn at the period it was drawn up; and was, doubtless, made in compliance with a previous request, expressed or inti- mated, by Mr. Fox. But here the inquiry suggests itself; viz : What led Mr. Fox to present such a request to the church ? For, though it is very common for a church to require of a candidate for settlement over them a formal statement of his views of religion and ecclesiastical discipline, yet, churches have been but very rarely, if ever, asked to make such a statement by the candidates whom they employ, while preaching upon proba- tion among them. No light on this point can be gathered from the records of this church at that day, which have long been missing. The Town Records, too, are entirely silent on the subject. But the ecclesiastical history of the country at that period brings certain facts to view, from which may be deduced a plausible solution, at least, of this interesting inquiry. At the commencement of the last century appears to have been first raised an alarm that innovations were making in the primitive faith and constitution of the churches of Massachusetts. The ancient orthodox standards of religious belief, it is true, were yet acknowledged and retained; still, there is ground for sup- posing that declension from them was even then creeping into the churches, which some years afterward openly manifested itself. The opinion that the communion was a converting ordi- nance, and, consequently, that evidence of regeneration was not
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an indispensable prerequisite for admittance to church fellow- ship, was now, for the first time, advanced by Rev. Solomon Stoddard, of Northampton, a minister pre-eminent for learning, piety, and the distinguished success of his labors; and, being recommended by his great name and influence, was gaining ground in the churches, and lowering, in many places, the terms of admission to ecclesiastical privileges. Again, sundry novel- ties in the worship and discipline of Brattle Street Church, Boston, established in 1699, excited, for a while, apprehensions in many of a design to introduce Presbyterianism or Episcopacy on the ruins of Congregationalism.
From the year 1700, likewise, a plan appears to have been ripening, which, with the ostensible design of improving the con- stitution of the Congregational churches, was, in reality, calculated to subvert it. This plan was published and warmly recom- mended by one Clerical Association in 1705, and not improbably would have been extensively adopted, had it not been counter- acted by the opposition of Rev. Dr. Increase Mather (who, though friendly to its general provisions, warmly objected to some of its peculiarities); and, more especially, by the keen satire, as well as powerful reasoning of Rev. John Wise, minister of Chebacco Parish, Ipswich, in his celebrated work, entitled, " The Churches Quarrel Espoused." Moreover, it appears from documents to be presently adverted to, that about the year 1670, the church of Woburn, itself, was considerably divided on the subject of Baptism, and, although that division was now probably in good measure healed, yet the remembrance of it had not passed away, and might naturally excite some solicitude in the mind of one who was preaching here as a candidate for the pastoral office. It is not surprising, then, that Rev. Mr. Fox, while preaching at Woburn on probation in 1703, should desire of the church some distinct expression of their views, both of the various controversies which were then agitating the public mind, and also of that, which, it was still remembered, had once been debated among themselves. And such an expression was the Declaration above cited. It is a full, definite disclosure of the sentiments of the church, by some of its leading members, in
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regard to all the points of controversy alluded to; and it was excellently calculated to relieve Mr. Fox of all anxiety which the consideration of them might have occasioned.
The allusion just made to Baptists in Woburn, above a century before the foundations of the present numerous and highly respectable church and society of this denomination were laid, may naturally excite curiosity in the present inhabitants of the town to know who and how many these persons were; what stand they took in relation to their peculiar sentiments and practices ; and how long the separation continued before it ceased, and Congregationalists became once more the only pub- licly known denomination of Christians in town ? The great mass of the first settlers of the Bay State were either strictly Congregational at coming to this country, or speedily became so. For about thirty-five years from the settlement of Salem, the oldest town in the Massachusetts Colony, as distinct from that of Plymouth, all the churches that were gathered in it were Orthodox, Pædobaptist, Congregational churches. But in 1663, a Baptist Church was gathered at Rehoboth, now within the bounds of Massachusetts, but then within Plymouth jurisdiction. This church, in 1667, was removed to Swansea, by order of the Plymouth Government, and there flourished under the pastoral care of Rev. John Miles, a clergyman from Wales, in Great Britain. In 1665, the First Baptist Church in Boston was formed at Charlestown, two of the principal members of which, Mr. Thomas Gould and Mr. Thomas Osburn, had previously for years belonged to the Congregational Church of Charlestown. From Charlestown and Boston, the peculiar opinions of the Baptists seem to have quickly spread to Woburn ; and several members of the church here either embraced them, or were strongly disposed to favor them, and. consequently, to contemn or to withdraw from the worship and ordinances of the church to which they belonged, and to unite themselves with the church of the new denomination. But such a course of proceeding was then an offence against the Colony laws, and soon involved its abettors in trouble before the judicial tribunals. The follow- ing extracts from the Records of the ancient Quarterly Courts
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for the County of Middlesex 7 show the names, and the number of the persons indicted belonging to Woburn, the nature of their supposed offences, and the methods taken to punish or reclaim them.
" Court at Charlestown, December 19, 1671.
" John Johnson of Oburne 8 appearing according to sumons, to answer the presentment of the Grand Jury for his absenting himself constantly on the Lord's Dayes from the Publick Worship of God - confessed that he had formerly gone to the Anabaptisti- call assembly, but now he had left off; and for some time had attended the worship of the Lord with the People of God in the place where he dwells, and was resolved, God continuing life and health, that he would still so do. The Court accepted of his promise ; and paying Court fees, he was discharged.
" Hopestill Foster John Peirce of Oburne appearing before the Court to answer presentment of the Grand Jury for turning their back on the holy ordinance of Baptism, confessed the present- ment ; and being the first time, the Court sentenced them to be admonished ; which was accordingly performed in open court ; and paying fees of Court, were discharged.
" John Russell of Oburne sent. 8 appearing before the Court to answer the presentment of the Grand Jury for renouncing communion with the Church of Christ in that plase, whereoff he is a member ; and this declared of late by his frequent absenting himself from the Public ministry of God's word on the Lord's Dayes, and turning his back on the holy Ordinance of Baptism, and refusing to partake with the Church, in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, joiynng himself to the schismaticall assembly of the Anabaptists, and taking office power among them, casting ont John Johnson who was a member with them : He the said Russell confessed the presentment ; and the Court considering the nature of his Indictment, and the firm [former ?] endeavors legally used for his conviction and reformation, and by his obstinacy therein he hath made himself lyable to the judgment and sensure of the Court
" Copied from Lib. 3, pp. 11-13, and communicated by Thomas B. Wyman, Esq., of Charlestown.
8 No uncommon way of spelling Woburn in former days; but whence derived, uncertain. Beside John Russell, Senr., his son, John Russell, Jr., was also cited to appear before this Court. But his indictment, and the result of his trial, are not mentioned in these extracts ..
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of Assistants, do order that he give bond in ten pounds to appear at the next Court of Assistants to answer the aforesaid present- ment, and that he stands committed untill this order be fulfilled - John Russell sen' . doth acknowledge himself to stand bound in ten pounds sterling to be forfeited and payd to the crier of the Court, at Boston, On condition that the said John Russell shall appeare at the next Court of Assistants to be held at Boston, to answer the presentment of ye. Grand Jury as is above declared ; and that he shall abide the order of the Court therein, and not depart without license.
" Matthew Johnson appearing before the Court to answer the presentment of the Grand Jury for turning his back on the holy ordinance of Infant Baptism, confessed the presentment : and being the first time of his conviction, the Court sentenced him to be admonished ; which was accordingly done in open Court : pay- ing costs, he was discharged.
" Whereas John Wright,9 Isaac Cole, Ffrancis Wiman, John Wiman, Ffrancis Kendall, Robert Peirce, Matthew Smith & Joseph Wright, members in full communion with the Church of Christ at Woburne, were presented by the Grand Jury of the County of Middlesex in New England at the Court in October last for refuseing communion with the Church of Woburne in the Lord's Supper, and rejecting the counsell of neighboring churches, and all other measures for healing the disorder and scandall thereby occa- sioned : This Court having heard their severall answers, wherein they pretend and alledge that the grounds of their withdrawing are sundry scruples in poynt of conscience, not daring to partake with the church for fear of defilement by sin, giving some reasons of their dissatisfaction, which not being satisfactory to the Court, who are sensible of the scandall thereby redounding to our profes- sion, and considering the directions given by the word of God and laws of this Colony, requiring the attendance of all due meanes for preserving the peace and order of the churches in the wayes of godliness and honesty, that so all God's ordinances may have pas- sage unto edification, according to the rules of Christ.
" This Court do therefore, upon serious consideration of the whole case, order that the respective churches of Charlestown,
9 Not Deacon John Wright, but a son of his ; as was also Joseph Wright, presented at the same time. See notice of Joseph, at the close of this chapter.
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Cambridge, Watertown, Redding & Billerica be moved and re- quested from the Court, according to God's ordinance of commun- ion of churches, to send their elders and messengers unto the church of Woburne the day of March next, where the brethren that were presented as above said are ordered and required to give a meeting together with the church there, and shall have liberty humbly and inoffensively to declare their grievances, and the church also to declare the whole case for the hearing of their proceedings : And after the case is fully heard by the said councill, they are to endeavor the healing of their spirits, and making of peace among them, for the issuing of matters according to the word of God, and to make returne of what they shall do herein to the next county Court to be held at Cambridge : And the Recorder of this Court is ordered seasonably to signify the Court's mind herein to the several churches above named. It is ordered that the Court's final determination in the above named case be respited, untill they receive the councill's return, and the above named persons that were presented by the Grand Jury are ordered to attend at the next court at Cambridge."
By these extracts from the above mentioned authentic sources of information, it appears, that thirteen citizens of Woburn were prosecuted before the Middlesex County Court, in Dec. 1671, for publicly manifesting contempt for the ordinance of Infant Bap- tism, as administered in the church of Woburn; or for with- drawing from the worship or communion of that church, and attending the assemblies of the Anabaptists, (as they were called) which were not then allowed by law. Of these thirteen persons, one was discharged upon his acknowledgment and promise of change of conduct, and paying costs of Court. Three received in Court a public admonition. One deemed more irreclaimable than the rest, (viz : John Russell, Senr.,) was bound over to the Court of Assistants, then the Supreme Court of the Colony, for a final decision upon his case; and sentence upon the remaining eight was deferred by the Court, till the efficacy of the reasonings and persuasions of an ecclesiastical council could be tried for reducing them to terms of peace and unity with the church of Woburn once more. This Council appears to have met at the time and place appointed; for the Court after-
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wards ordered that its expense should be defrayed by the Church.10 But there being no known record of its result, or of any further action of the Court in the case, it seems probable, that the report of the Council was so far favorable to the persons indicted, as that the Court deemed it expedient to discharge them.
Two of the eight persons whom the Council had to deal with, viz, Joseph Wright and John Wyman, seem to have been con- vinced of error by the labors of the Council, or some other instrumentality, and to have become cordially reconciled to the church of Woburn again; for the former person became after- wards a deacon in that church, and was one of the subscribers to the above-cited "Declaration," and the latter took an active part in the settlement of Rev. Jabez Fox, as colleague of Rev. Thomas Carter, in 1679; and in his will, dated March 10, 1683-4, he left a legacy of forty shillings to cach of them, styling them his "Reverend Pastors." His brother, Francis Wyman, appears to have always retained his partiality for the sentiments of the Baptists; for, in his will, dated Sept. 5th, 1698, a few months before his death, he bequeathed to the two elders of the Baptist Church in Boston, Mr. Isaac Hull and Mr. John Emblen, "twenty shillings apiece." But in naming these gentlemen in his will, as he does not call them " his pas- tors," as his brother John does Messrs. Carter and Fox in his will, he gives room for the supposition that he ultimately decided, from prudential considerations, to attend public wor- ship with his neighbors where he lived; and that, keeping his peculiar sentiments on the subject of baptism to himself, as implying nothing in his view essential to the Christian character, he died in communion with the church of Woburn. The course taken by the other five members of the church, with whom the Council was to deal, by order of Court, is unknown. As I have been unable, however, either by tradition or records, to discover
10 " This Court doth order that the charges expended in entertnyning the late conneill at Woburne shall be satisfied by nll the church (apportiond?) as other charges are payd among them by order of the Selectmen; and the constable is ordered to levy the same." - Quarter Court Records, Vol. III., p. 37.
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any traces of Christians in Woburn, subsequently to this period, who maintained the opinions and worship of the Baptist denomi- nation, in opposition to Congregationalists, or in distinction from them, previously to the troubles with Rev. Mr. Sargent, about 1795, it seems but reasonable to conclude that all belong- ing to Woburn, who had been summoned before the civil tribunals for their Baptist sentiments and practices, December 1671, except John Russell, Senr., and John Russell, Jr., his son, either renounced those sentiments and practices as erroneous ; or else that they worshipped unitedly with their Congregational brethren while they lived, not accounting the differences between them as essential; and that, when they died, their peculiarities died with them in Woburn, or, at least, ceased to be publicly manifested there and insisted upon by any who might hold them.
But there was one person indicted as above, whose resolute spirit no opposition could subdue, no suffering could break down, or cause to swerve from the path which he deemed to be right. John Russell, Senr., was one of the earliest inhabitants of Woburn, being a subscriber to the Town Orders drawn up for it at Charlestown, in 1640. By occupation he was a shoemaker ; and, for several years, without interruption, was chosen to the responsible office of Sealer of Leather. He was also one of the Selectmen several years in succession; and, in 1664, was appointed on a highly respectable and important committee of seven for making distribution among the proprietors of the town " of plow lands and swamps, and a particular division of the. remote timber, according to justice and equity." 11 He is like- wise named in the Town Records of the same year as a deacon of the church; and, at that time, was doubtless an Orthodox Congregationalist, both in profession and practice. But, after- wards, embracing the peculiarities of the Baptists, he was in the latter part of the year 1669, or in the former part of 1670, admitted into the Baptist Church of Boston, which then met for worship at Noddle's Island. Of this church, he was soon after
11 Town Records, Vol. I., p. 29.
14
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chosen an elder. For in a letter from Edward Drinker, (a lead- ing member of that church, and one of its founders,) directed to Mr. Clarke and his Baptist Church at Newport, and dated November 30, 1670, he takes the following notice of Mr. Rus- sell : " The Lord has given us another elder, one John Russell Senr., a gracious, wise and holy man that lives at Woburn, where we have five brethren near that can meet with him; and they meet together first days, when they cannot come to us; and I hear there are some there looking that way with them." Before this, probably in consequence of the change in his relig- ious views, he had become remiss in his attendance upon public worship at Woburn, was wont to turn his back at the ministra- tion of Infant Baptism, and refused to partake with the church there, of which he then was, or recently had been, both a mem- ber and an officer, in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Upon these charges, and likewise for joining the Baptist Church in Boston, which had not been regularly gathered according to the laws of the Colony, and for accepting the eldership among them, and exercising the authority of that office in excommuni- cating John Johnson, Senr., of Woburn, who had been admitted a member before him, he was summoned and tried before the Court of Quarter Sessions at Charlestown, December 19, 1671 : and, by that Court, he was bound over, as we have seen, to appear before the Court of Assistants at their next session. By the decision of this tribunal, which was then the Supreme Judi- cial Court, as well as principal Legislative body of the Colony, he was committed to prison, but was shortly after released. For in a letter from William Hamlit, a Baptist brother, dated at Boston 14: 4 mo: (14 JJune) 1672, he is spoken of thus: " I perceive you have heard, as if our brother Russel had died in prison. Through grace he is yet in the land of the living, and out of prison bonds ; but is in a doubtful way as to the recovery of his outward health : but we ought to be quiet in the good will and pleasure of our God, who is only wise. I remain your loving brother,
" WILLIAM HAMLIT."
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After the death of Elder Gould, first pastor of the Baptist Church in Boston, in October 1675, Elder Miles, of Swansea, seems to have statedly ministered to it till 1679, when he returned to his former charge in Swansea, and Mr. Russell was ordained to succeed Mr. Gould in Boston. It seems to have been long taken for granted that the person thus ordained as Elder Gould's successor in the pastoral office, was John Russell, Senr., who had been an elder in the Baptist Church at Boston, almost from the time of his admission as a member. But the Records of Deaths in Woburn, represent "John Russell " to have deceased June 1, 1676; and that John Russell, Senr., is there intended, inspection of Woburn Records of Births, in which the births of the children of John Russell, Jr., are registered till January 1678, does plainly show. The obvious inference from these statements is, that Elder John Russell, Senr., died at Woburn, June 1, 1676, above three years before he is commonly supposed to have been recognized as the pastor of the Baptist Church in Boston. And this inference is confirmed by the date of his Will in the Probate Office, which is May 27, 1676,12 five days only before the date of the death referred to as recorded in Woburn Town Book. Reflection upon these and similar recorded facts has induced a firm persuasion, that the successor of Elder Gould, in the pastoral office at Boston, was John Russell, Jr., not John Russell, Senr .; as, through inadver- tence to the difference of the persons occasioned by the same- ness of name and secular occupation, has been commonly sup- posed.
John Russell, Jr., was probably born either in England, before his father came to this country, or at Charlestown, where his father resided before Woburn was settled; married Sarah Champney (of Cambridge, it is presumed), 31 October, 1661; followed, doubtless, his father's trade of shoemaking; and, like his father before him, was chosen repeatedly in Woburn, Sealer of Leather.13 He was admitted to the Baptist Church in Boston
12 Abstract of Wills, taken from Probate Office, and communicated by Thomas B. Wyman, Esq.
13 Viz : for 1677 and 1678. Town Records, Vol. I., pp. 72, 79.
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some months at least, if not a year or more, before his father, being the fourth male person received into that church after it was constituted, in 1665; and was always regarded by the other brethren, as a very respectable and valuable member. In letters to that church from other churches and ministers of the same denomination from abroad, as quoted in Backns' History of the Baptists, he is repeatedly mentioned with his father in their salutations, in terms of equal respect and affection. HIc was quite as obnoxious, too, as his father to the civil authorities ; and was presented with him to the Court of Quarter Sessions at the same time, December 1671. This fact we learn from a letter from Benjamin Sweetzer, a Baptist member belonging to Charlestown, to Mr Samuel Hubbard, a member of the Baptist Church at Newport, R. I. In that letter, dated at Charlestown, December 10, 1671, he writes, " The persecuting spirit begins to stir again. Elder Russel and his son, and brother Foster, are presented to the Court that is to be this month. We desire your prayers for us, that the Lord would keep us, that we may not dishonor that worthy name we have made profession of; and that the Lord would still stand by us, and be seen amongst us, as he has been in a wonderful manner, in preserving of us until this day."
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