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 45
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4. Installing Prayer, by Rev. L. Thompson, West Amesbury.
5. Charge, by Rev. J. W. CHICKERING, D. D., Portland.
6. Right Hand, by Rev. R. T. ROBINSON, Winchester.
7. Address to the people, by Rev. E. B. FOSTER, John Street Church, Lowell.
8. Concluding Prayer, by Rev. J. L. BENNETT, East Cambridge. Rev. David T. KIMBALL, (Ipswich.) Moderator.
Rev. E. P. MARVIN, Medford 2d Church, Seribe.10
The connection of the First Church and Society in Woburn with Rev. Mr. March, as their pastor and minister, was prosper- ous and happy ; but not destined to be of long duration. 1862, February 7, the church met to consider the request of the pastor, communicated the preceding Sabbath, to accept his resignation of the pastoral office. Voted, to accept his resignation.
Voted, to choose a committee of the church to unite with a committee of the parish, and with the pastor, in calling an ecclesiastical council to effect his dismission.11
1857, February 17, a council at the joint invitation of the First Church, society and pastor, met in Woburn, in which six churches by pastors and delegates were represented; Rev. Wil- liam Barrows, Moderator, and Rev. R. T. Robinson, Seribe.
Papers were presented to the council, containing Rev. Mr. March's letter of resignation, a certified copy of the action of the church, and the record of the doings of the parish.
10 Church Records, Vol. III., pp. 236, 237.
11 Church Records, Vol. III., p. 247.
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HISTORY OF WOBURN.
Verbal statements also were made by Rev. Mr. March, and by the respective committees ; after which, the council voted to be by themselves, and came to the following result, which was unanimously adopted.
Result.
" The Rev. Mr. March having resigned his office of Pastor of the First Congregational Church and Society in Woburn, and the Church and Society having voted unanimously to accept his resig- nation, the Council convened see no other course for them to pursue, than to complete the dissolution of the Pastoral Relation ; and the same is declared to be, and it hereby is dissolved.
" In coming to this Result, the Council cannot but regret, while they feel and would bear testimony to the fact, that Rev. Mr. March has acted conscientiously in this thing, and with a sincere desire to know and do the will of God, that a pastoral connection so recently and happily formed, one too which has proved so harmo- nions and productive of good, should be broken up. They deeply sympathize with the Church and Society in their severe disappoint- ment in the loss of their chosen and much loved Pastor : and ex- press the hope, that blessed of God as they have been in their history hitherto, and united as they still are, - having always shown a high appreciation of the Pastoral relation and office, - the Great Head of the Church will speedily guide them to the selection and settlement of another Pastor, under whose ministry they shall con- tinue to prosper in the future, as in the past.
" The Council also would give expression to their high estimation of, and undiminished confidence in, the Rev. Mr March, both as a sincere and devoted Christain man, and an able and faithful minis- ter of the Gospel. It is their united and fervent prayer, that in whatever station he may be placed, he may still show himself ap- proved unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed, and may ever receive largely of that grace, which is alone sufficient for the. great and responsible work committed unto his hand.
" Woburn, Feb. 17, 1862.
"W. BARROWS, Moderator.
R. T. ROBINSON, Scribe." 12
Rev. Mr. March was born at Millbury, Mass., July 21, 1806; graduated at Yale College, 1840; studied theology at the sem-
12 Church Records, Vol. III., pp. 247-249.
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inary in Yale College two years (having previously studied pri- vately) and received license to preach; was ordained over the church in Cheshire, Conn., April 29, 1845; installed over First Church in Nashua, N. H., January 3, 1849 ; installed over the South Congregational Church in Brooklyn, N. Y., January 16, 1855 ; at Woburn, October 1, 1856 ; and over the Clinton Street Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, February 23, 1862.13
During Rev. Mr. March's ministry in Woburn, two hundred and fourteen were admitted to the church, viz : one hundred and thirty-seven by profession, and seventy-seven by letter; one hundred and twenty-four were baptized, viz : sixty-three infants, and sixty-one adults, and forty-three marriages were solemnized by him.
At a meeting of the church, October 6, 1862, it was voted unanimously, (seventy-five votes in the affirmative, and none in the negative,) " That the First Congregational Church in Wo- burn extend an invitation to Rev. J. C. Bodwell of Framingham, Mass., to become its Pastor." In this measure the parish con- curred ; and also voted to give Mr. Bodwell an annual salary of $1,600, (which was afterwards increased to $2,000,) if he should settle over them. The invitation thus given him was accepted by Rev. Mr. Bodwell; and a council of ten churches (including Saxonville, Rev. B. G. Northrop) convened for his installation at the vestry of First Church, Woburn, November 11, 1862; of which Rev. E. P. Marvin was chosen Moderator, and Rev. Charles R. Bliss, Seribe.
The council listened to communications stating proceedings of the church and parish in extending a call to Rev. J. C. Bod- well to settle over them; to the letter containing their call; to . the reply of Mr. Bodwell, in evidence of his church member- ship; and to a report of the council, dismissing him from his former charge : all which being satisfactory, they proceeded to examination.
After attending to a very full and clear written statement of the theological views of the candidate, - a statement of his reli-
13 Letter from Rev. Mr. March.
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gious experience, and motives in entering the ministry, - council being by themselves, voted they were satisfied, and ready to pro- ceed to installation. Services on this occasion, were as follows :
Invocation, Rev. CHARLES R. BLISS.
Reading of the Scriptures, Rev. B. G. NORTHROP.
Introductory Prayer, Rev. J. S. KENNARD, Baptist.
Sermon, Rev. J. G. TUCKER, Holliston.
Prayer of Installation, Rev. DANIEL R. CADY.
Charge, Rev. W. BARROWS.
Right Hand, Rev. R. T. ROBINSON.
Address to the People, Rev. E. P. MARVIN.
Benediction, the PASTOR.
E. P. MARVIN, Moderator. C. R. BLISS, Scribe.
Rev. Mr. Bodwell commenced his ministry in Woburn under very favorable auspices. His people were attentive at his public services ; a very large majority became warmly attached to him ; and in evidence of this attachment, they not only paid him punc- tually his stipulated salary from year to year, but at the begin- ning of the year 1866, they presented him with $1,400 as a free gift.
But in view of an invitation given him to become the principal of the Theological Institute at Hartford, Conn., he thought pro- per to request a dismission from his pastoral charge in Woburn. This request was granted by his church and people; and his dismission was sanctioned by an Ecclesiastical Council assem- bled in Woburn, Angust 3, 1866, as appears by the annexed authentic record of its proceedings :
Result of Council.
" Pursuant to letters missive, an Ecclesiastical Council convened on Friday, August 3d, 1866, in the lecture room of the First Congre- gational Church in Woburn, to consider and act upon the request of their pastor, Rev. Jos. C. Bodwell, D. D., for a dismission from bis pastoral relation to them. The following churches were repre- sented :
" North Congregational church, Woburn : Rev. M. G. WHEELER, pastor, Dea C. R. THOMPSON, delegate.
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HISTORY OF WOBURN.
" 1st Trinitarian Congregational church, Medford : Rev. JAMES T. MCCOLLUM, pastor, Dea. HENRY L. BARNES, delegate.
" 1st Congregational church, Winchester ; Dea. O. R. CLARK, delegate.
" Congregational church, Stoneham ; Dea. SILAS DEAN, delegate.
"1st Congregational church, Middletown, Ct., Rev. J. TAYLOR, D. D., pastor.
" Old South church, Reading ; Rev. WILLIAM BARROWS, pastor, D. T. H. SWEETSER, Dea. H. WHEELER, delegates.
"Congregational church, Billerica, Rev. J. G. D. STEARNS, pastor.
" Congregational church, West Killingly, Ct., Rev. W. W. DAVENPORT, pastor.
" Rev. E. P. MARVIN, D. D., of Medford.
" The Council was organized by the choice of Rev. William Barrows, Moderator, and Rev. W. W. Davenport, Scribe.
" The Moderator opened the Council with prayer. The letter of Rev. Dr. Bodwell, asking a dismission in order that he may accept
a professorship in the Theological Seminary at Hartford, Ct. was read to the Council, together with the action of the church and society thereon, uniting with him in calling the Council. Remarks were made by Dr. Taylor, Dr. Marvin, Mr. Davenport, Mr. W. A. Stone of the committee of the Church, and by Dr. Bodwell.
" The Council being by itself, Dr. Marvin offered the following resolution : 'Resolved, That in the opinion of this Council, it is expedient that the request of Dr. Bodwell for a dismission, should be granted, in order that he may accept the professorship to which he has been elected in the Theological Seminary at Hartford : and his pastoral relation to the First Church in Woburn is hereby dissolved, the dissolution to take effect on the first day of September next.'"
The Resolution was unanimously adopted.
The scribe, the moderator, and Dr. Marvin were appointed a committee to prepare a result of council. The committee reported the following, which was unanimously adopted.
" The Council have come to this result with much sorrow, both on account of the great personal loss which we feel in the removal of so able a preacher, so cultivated and genial a man, and so true a Christian friend ; and also on account of the heavy sacrifice which this church and people are called to make. The deep affection cherished by the society for their minister ; his superior abilities as a preacher and pastor ; the marked success which has crowned his
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HISTORY OF WOBURN.
labors in this broad and difficult field ; the steady accessions by profession to the church ; the removal of a burdensome debt of $40,000 from the society ; the constant growth of the congregation ; the unusual influence of the pastor upon the schools of the town, and upon the community in general, all convince us that it is no ordinary loss which this church and society must now sustain.
" Nevertheless, the call which comes from another field of the highest importance to the cause of Christ, as presented so forcibly to this Council, constrains ns, as it has the church and parish, to feel that it is the clear and imperative voice of the Head of the church, which calls Dr. Bodwell away from his successful labors here. The peculiar interest which he has excited in the young men of the Theological Seminary at Hartford, and the unanimity and earnestness of the call from the Board of Trustees and the generous benefactors of the institution, are unmistakable indications that God has, in his providence, even a more important field for him to occupy.
" The Council also desire to express their unqualified confidence in Rev. Dr. Bodwell, as an able and faithful minister of the Gospel, sound in the faith, apt to teach, and wise to win souls. They tender to him their sympathy in this rupturing of the ties of affec- tion that bind him to his people.
" They also tender to the church and society their sincere and affectionate sympathy in the trial to which they are subjected in the providence of God, which takes from them a pastor to whom they cling with the warmest attachment and unwavering confidence ; and our trust is, that the Great Head of the church will care for them in their bereavement, and will soon send them a faithful and acceptable pastor, to feed them with knowledge and understanding. We trust that they may be comforted by the consideration, that he whom they surrender at the Master's call, is to be useful to them and to many other churches, in the new form of service in which he is now to be engaged.
" The minutes were read and approved ; and, after prayer by the Moderator, the Council was dissolved.
" Attest. W. Barrows, Moderator.
" William W. Davenport, Scribe." 14
" Rev. Joseph Connor Bodwell, D. D., was born at Sanbornton, N. H., June 11, 1812, a son of Rev. Abraham Bodwell, a gradu-
14 Church Records; Minutes of Council.
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ate of Harvard College, 1805, and pastor of the Congregational church in Sanbornton, from 1806 to 1852.
" Joseph C. Bodwell, his son, was fitted for college, at the academy in his native place; was graduated at Dartmouth Col- lege, 1833; was a teacher of youth three years in Haverhill, N. H., and in Sanbornton. In 1836, he went to London, and pursued his theological studies at Highbury College, under the venerable Dr. Henderson. On the 3d of April, 1839, Mr. Bod- well was ordained as pastor of the Independent Church, wor- shipping in St. Nicholas Street, Weymouth, a beautiful watering place in the South of England, and a favorite resort of King George III. and the lamented princess Charlotte. On the 15th of May, 1839, he was married to Catharine, only daughter of John Sykes, Esq., of Highbury Park, London. On the 22d of June, 1847, he was installed pastor of the Independent Church in Northgate Street, Bury St. Edmund's, famous in former ages for its magnificent Norman tower, and for its large and wealthy abbey. In the autumn of 1850, Mr. Bodwell returned to the United States with his wife, two sons and two daughters, having buried a son and a daughter in England. On the 30th of June, 1852, he was installed at Framingham; whence he was dismissed November 5, 1862, that he might accept a call to the pastoral office in Woburn. In 1864, the degree of Doctor in Divinity was conferred on him by Dartmouth College." 15
During the ministry of Rev. Dr. Bodwell in Woburn, there were one hundred and three admissions to the church, viz : fifty- five by profession, and forty-eight by letter; sixty-three bap- tisms, viz : thirty-six of infants, and twenty-seven of adults,16 and forty-two couples were united by him in marriage.
During the same period, too, there was erected, and in October 1863 dedicated by his society, a new church, an elegant and stately edifice, said to be one of the largest, if not the largest Congregational church in the State, being, in its extreme length' one hundred and fifty feet, its extreme width, eighty feet, its steeple one hundred and ninety-six feet in height, and capable
15 Letter from Rev. Dr. Bodwell.
16 Certificate of Dr. Ephraim Cutter, clerk.
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HISTORY OF WOBURN.
of seating fifteen hundred persons. The cost of the organ was $4,000, the cost of the building, in round numbers, was $62,000; all which has now been paid for.17
This ancient church, left destitute of a pastor by the dismis- sion of Dr. Bodwell, contains now (October 1, 1866) five hun- dred and thirty-four members, viz : one hundred and eighty-one males, and three hundred and fifty-three females.17
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN NORTH WOBURN.
Previously to 1846, the inhabitants of North Woburn had been attached to one or other of the religious societies in the centre of the town, and there resorted on the Sabbath for public worship. But that year, a number of gentlemen, inhabitants of that village, formed the plan of setting up a meeting on the Sab- bath among themselves; by which they would not only procure to themselves and families the privileges of public worship nearer home, but might also encourage such of their neighbors to attend, as had become negligent of the duty, on account of their distance from the centre. In pursuance of this plan, they, in September of that year, fitted up the chamber of the village school-house, as a place of assembly on the Sabbath for public worship; and then invited Rev. Samuel Sewall of Burlington, at that time without pastoral charge, to preach on Sabbath days in the room they had provided, for a year. Mr. Sewall accepted the invitation ; and preached for the first time in North Woburn school-house, October 11, 1846. The-experiment proved a suc- .cessful one, and very gratifying to those who initiated it. Meet- ings on Lord's days were well attended; one or two miles' travel was saved each day to those who had hitherto been ac- customed to worship in the centre; and many were induced to attend with them divine service, who from one cause or another had become careless or indifferent about attending elsewhere. Hence, Mr. Sewall's first engagement with them was prolonged from year to year. In March 1849, a regular religious society, upon evangelical principles, was formed in the village. In
17 Communication of Dr. Ephraim Cutter, clerk.
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HISTORY OF WOBURN.
June 1849, the foundations were laid for a new meeting-house, which was completed and dedicated, October 11th, of that year. On November 22d, of the same year, an orthodox church was gathered in the place, consisting of twelve males and twenty- eight females, of whom thirty-three had been dismissed and recommended by First Church, Woburn, and seven by several other churches. This solemn transaction was performed in the presence and with the advice and sanction of the following churches by their pastors and delegates, viz: First Church, Woburn, Rev. Jonathan Edwards, pastor, and Deacon Stephen Richardson, delegate; Wilmington, Rev. Barnabas M. Fay, pas- tor, and Deacon Benjamin Foster, delegate; Burlington, Rev. Harrison G. Park, pastor, and Deacon John Marion, delegate; and South Woburn ( Winchester) Church, Mr. Sumner Richard- son, delegate. The public services of the occasion were held in the meeting-house, P. M., when Rev. Mr. Fay offered the intro- duetory prayer; Rev. Mr. Park propounded the articles of faith and church covenant agreed upon, to the persons to be embodied, for their public assent; and then offered the conse- crating prayer; and finally, Rev. Mr. Edwards, in the name of his own church, and of the other churches here represented, gave the right hand of fellowship to Deacon Thompson on behalf of the church gathered and now solemnly recognized. A handsome set of communion and other church furniture, con- sisting of five plated cups, two tankards and a baptismal basin, was now presented this new church by Rev. Mr. Edwards, on behalf of individual members of his own church and society, in. an address to Rev. Mr. Sewall; to which, at the request of the church, he made a brief response, expressing thanks in their uame. Here, also, the church voted unanimously, that as the society in this place had given Rev. Mr. Sewall an invitation to preach to them another year, they approved that choice, and requested him to officiate at the communion, and to perform all other pastoral acts that might be called for during that time. The exercises of the solemnity were closed with the administra- tion of the communion to the newly organized church, and to all other professing Christians assembled on the interesting occa-
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sion, by Rev. Mr. Sewall, assisted by Rev. Mr. Fay ; Deacons Charles Thompson and Richardson, Foster and Marion, distri- buting the elements.
Rev. Mr. Sewall continued to minister to the society in North Woburn, as their stated supply, and as the acting pastor of the church, till January 1852; when, in view of his advanced age, and of the distance between the village and his home, he an- nounced his intentions of declining any further engagement to preach there, when his present engagement expired.
In June 1852, Rev. George T. Dole, who had previously been settled as a minister in Beverly, but was then residing in Lowell, commenced preaching as a candidate for settlement in North Woburn. In August following, a call was given him to the pas- toral office and to the gospel ministry in this place. This call was accepted, and he was installed October 12th. The churches convened in council on the occasion were, church in North Dan- vers, Rev. Milton P. Braman; First Church, Charlestown, Rev. William I. Budington ; South Reading, Rev. Messrs. Reuben and Alfred Emerson ; Lowell, Rev. Amos Blanchard, D. D. ; Reading, South Parish, Rev. Lyman Whiting ; Wilmington, Rev. Joseph E. Swallow ; Woburn, First Church, Rev. Jonathan Edwards ; Bur- lington, Rev. Samuel Sewall, delegate. Also Rev. Leander Thomp- son, returned missionary from the East; and Rev. Mr. Thompson, of Dracut, were present. The public services of the solemnity were, (1) Invocation and reading of the scriptures, by Rev. Mr. Edwards; (2) Prayer, by Rev. L. Thompson ; (3) Sermon, by ยท Rev. Mr. Braman, from 1. Cor. xii. 4. "Now there are diversi- ties of gifts, but the same Spirit :" a very ingenious discourse ; full of instruction, and well adapted to the occasion, and to the times. (4) Installing prayer, by Rev. Mr. Sewall; (5) Right Hand of Fellowship, by Rev. A. Emerson ; (6) Charge, by Rev. Mr. Budington ; (7) Address to the people, by Rev. Dr. Blan- chard; (8) Concluding prayer, by Rev. Mr. Whiting.
After laboring in the ministry with this church and people three years, Rev. Mr. Dole was dismissed at his own request, with the sanction of a council, October 3, 1855. During the
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HISTORY OF WOBURN.
two years which immediately followed his dismission, the pulpit was supplied part of the time with preaching by students from the Theological Seminary at Andover, and part of the time the house was closed.
In October 1857, Mr. Alpheus S. Nickerson, a student of Andover Theological Seminary, was engaged to supply the pul- pit a year ; and in December following, the church offered by vote to invite a council to ordain him, though without a legal set- tlement. This offer was accepted by Mr. Nickerson : and a coun- cil was accordingly convened, December 16th, for this purpose, consisting of the following churches, viz : First Church in Wo- burn, Rev. Daniel March; Winchester, Rev. R. T. Robinson ; Mystic church in Medford, Rev. E. Marvin; Mclrose, Rev. A. H. Sessions ; West Cambridge, Rev. D. Cady; Wilmington, Rev. S. H. Tolman; South Reading, Rev. J. B. Johnson; Burlington, Rev. S. Sewall, delegate.
This council, however, after a long and patient examination, decided not to ordain Mr. Nickerson immediately; but to give him opportunity, after an interval of eight weeks, to come before them once more, and be examined anew. But this decision did not satisfy the church, which called another council, to meet Feb- ruary 2, 1858, composed of the following churches, viz : Tewks- bury, Rev. R. Tolman; Pine Street, Boston, Rev. H. M. Dexter ; Plymouth church, Chelsea, Rev. E. H. Nevins; South Reading, Rev. J. B. Johnson; Chestnut Street, Chelsea, -; Park Street, Boston, Rev. A. L. Stone; Dighton, Rev. C. Sanford ; First, Woburn, Rev. Daniel March; Winchester, Rev. R. T. Robinson ; Wilmington, Rev. S. H. Tolman; Bedford, Rev. H. Patrick ; South Dennis, Rev. W. H. Sturtevant; East Bridge- water, -. This second council, " after a careful and pro- tracted consideration of the whole subject, decided to ordain Mr. Nickerson ;" which accordingly they did the same day.
In the month of April following, " Mr. Nickerson being with- out a legal settlement, left the society of his own choice." For several months afterwards, the meeting-house was not opened for regular worship, though the Sabbath school organization was kept up, and regular sessions maintained. From October 1858,
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HISTORY OF WOBURN.
till May 1860, with the exception of short intervals, the pulpit was supplied by students from the seminary in Andover. In May 1860, Rev. Henry Kimball, of New York city, was engaged to preach for one year. He was succeeded by Rev. Swift Byington, whose services were so acceptable, that at the expira- tion of his engagement for a year, the arrangement was con- tinued almost another year; that is, " as long as the society furnished the means to pay his salary."
" After Mr Byington left, the house was closed for several months, but was re-opened in the fall of 1863, and the pulpit was supplied for more than a year by Rev. Mr. Harding, agent of the Plymouth Monument Associatiou."
In July 1865, an invitation was extended to Rev. Melancthon G. Wheeler to become the stated pastor of the church and society. This invitation was accepted, and he was accordingly installed July 26, 1865, by a council then convened, consisting of pastors and delegates from the following churches :
First Church Woburn, Rev. J. C. Bodwell, pastor; Deacon Stephen Richardson, delegate.
Church in Stoneham, Deacon J. Dunlap, delegate.
Bethesda Church, Reading, Rev. W. H. Wilcox, pastor ; Deacon S. E. Park, delegate.
Church in West Amesbury, Rev. Leander Thompson, pastor ; Bro. Andrew Fryc, delegate.
Church in Winchester, Rev. R. T. Robinson, pastor; Deacon S. Abbott, delegate.
South Church, Reading, Rev. William Barrows, pastor; Bro. Nathan Bancroft, delegate.
Church in Wilmington, Deacon C. Morrill, delegate.
Church it: Burlington, Deacon John Marion, delegate.
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