USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > The history of the town of Royalston, Massachusetts > Part 7
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65 1
THE BAPTIST CHURCH
THE BAPTIST CHURCH
In a Half-Century Discourse preached Oct. 19, 1818, by Rev. Joseph Lee, first Congregational minister of Royalston, this statement occurs :- "When I first came into town in Decem- ber, 1767, there were 42 or 43 families in the place ; and ten of these were of the Baptist denomination, who had a teacher and main- tained religious worship by themselves. They some years afterwards built a house for their own use, which, after a number of years was taken down, and an elegant meeting house was erected by them near the Northwest limits of the town."
The old records of this Church give an account of how and why this branch of the Church was formed as follows: "The following lines is to give a brief account how the Church of Christ was gathered in Royalston agreeable to the Baptist Con- stitution-and also of theirs-which is as follows:
Whereas God in His Providence has cast the lot of a number of Baptist brethren and sisters in Royalston belonging to several churches, which are situated at a great distance from us so that we can not enjoy church privileges with them but seldom. Therefore we consider it to be our duty and our greatest privilege to strive by the assistance of God's grace to embody into a church among ourselves that we may enjoy the Privileges which Christ hath purchased for his children. And for the same purpose we met together and held a conference meeting and being so far agreed in this thing that we sent to the church of Christ in Thompson under the pastoral care of Elder Whitman Jacobs to dismiss such of us as was under their watch and care to assist us in Imbodying into a church among ourselves and in answer to our request they sent us their elder and by him sent us a dismission and gave us full liberty to Imbody among our- selves (and Brother David Morse of Sturbridge met with us at the same time whom we gladly received into our meeting), the brethren being met together at the same time June, ye 19th, 1767. Then held a conference meeting but did not imbody in a church because some which we expected to joyn with us was not met with us so we adjourned our meeting to ye 18th day of September insuing, expecting that Elder Whitman Jacobs to meet with us on our adjournment (Thomas Chamberlin, Jun., was baptized by Elder Jacobs, June ye 20th, A. D. 1767) but Elder Jacobs did not meet us on our adjournment so we remained
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
in the same ease till the 10th day of March, 1768. Then being met together by appointment to consider of our present circum- stances and it was concluded by the major part of us that it was our duty to strive to Imbody into a church among ourselves. Not because we did not esteem it a very great privilege to have assistance from some other church or churches, but because we had been long waiting for Elder Jacobs to assist us, but in Provi- dence he was hindered from coming, therefore we thought it not expedient to wait any longer for assistance but adjourned our meeting to ye 24th day of March, instant, then being met together. and acted on our adjournment and came to a full conclusion that by the assistance of God's grace to Imbody into a church, and adjourned our meeting to the Seventh Day of April, insuing, then being met together and the major part of us were still of the same mind, but some could not act be- cause they feared they were not true believers in Christ, so we acted nothing except that we chose Brother Asa Jones Scribe, and adjourned our meeting to the 25th day of April, instant, then met together on our adjournment and labored with those brethren that could not act with us in our last meeting, and our labours seemed to be blest for the strengthening their faith, so we ad- journed our meeting to the 5th day of May, insuing, and being met together to act on our adjournment, then renewed our fellowship by giving a relation of our Christian experience one to the other and gave up ourselves afresh to God and each other, promising by the assistance of God's grace to watch over one another and to admonish one another in the fear and love of God and to act as brethren together in Christ, thus we Imboded together in church order, viz., of the brethren Isaac Estey, Thomas Chamberlin, Jun., Elisha Rich, Asa Jones, Jacob Estey, John Chamberlin, of the sisters Sarah Estey, Charity Cham- berlin."
Thus after these various attempts, for nearly a year to Imbody, the Baptist Church of Royalston was organized with eight members, being the 5th Baptist church in Worcester County and the 22d in Massachusetts. A month later Thomas Chamberlain, Simeon Chamberlain, Lois Chamberlain and Mary Marsh united with the little band, and soon after they were joined by Naphtali Streeter and Eliphalet Moore, and after- wards by other kindred spirits until when a century had passed not less than six hundred different persons had been connected
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THE BAPTIST CHURCH
with this church. The records state that "May ye 19th, 1768, the brethren by appointment met together to converse concern- ing brother Elisha Rich's Improvement amongst us and being satisfied that he had a gift to preach the gospel, whereupon we desired him still to Improve his gift with us and also to lead in church meetings." Elder Elisha Rich continued to be the teacher of the Baptist people about two years when he moved to Chelms- ford, where he was ordained in 1774, and in 1795 he was preach- ing in Pittsford, Vt.
The first settled pastor of this church was Rev. Whitman Jacobs who was installed Dec. 13, 1770, after a successful pastorate of twenty years in Thompson, Conn., from which place many of the Baptist families that settled in Royalston had come. He was a native of Bristol, R. I., of the unadulter- ated Roger Williams stock. He was pastor sixteen years and resigned in 1786. It is stated that his connection with the church as pastor was terminated on account of the position that he took regarding Shay's Rebellion, the minister favoring the Government side, while most of the church sympathized with Shay, and such a controversy arose in the church that Mr. Jacobs was dismissed. Soon after he became pastor at Guilford, Vt., where he was preaching in 1795. Elder Jacobs was living with his son, Joseph, in Royalston when he died, March 28, 1801. His salary while pastor of the Royalston church was fifty dollars per year. His descendants have been among the prominent citizens of the town.
On the installation of the first pastor, Isaac Estey and Thomas Chamberlin were appointed and duly qualified to the office of Deacons and Asa Jones was chosen Scribe.
The first meeting house built by this Society was located upon the margin of those beautiful meadows bordering Long Pond: "a point in one respect as (Elder Kenney says in his historical address) at least, more favorable from which to unfur! the Baptist banners than any since occupied by this Church, because, like "Enon, near to Salim, there was much water there." Rev. Silas Kenney says regarding this building: "But when that house was built, or who were the principal actors in the enter- prise, are questions which the records do not solve. Certain it is that the house continued to be occupied as a place of worship till near the time when the other elegant house mentioned by Minister Lee, was built." It was probably erected some time
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
between 1779 and 1783. This building was about 36 by 40 feet in size.
The successor of Elder Jacobs was EIder Moses Kenney of Dublin, N. H. The call of the Church was extended March 21, 1789. The call being accepted the Church proceeded to make arrangements for his support. It was voted, first to hire a farm for Brother Kenney to live on, for the present year, and then to build him a house during the year. Kenney received ordination, both as pastor of the Church and as an evangelist, to itinerate a part of his time in the region round about, Oct. 1, 1789. He was dismissed from ministerial labors Jan. 28, 1796, and died in Royalston April 23, 1800, at the age of 47 years. Rev. Isaac Kenney, brother of Moses Kenney, from Richmond, N. H., was pastor of the church about a year. After this the church was destitute of a pastor for several years and had to depend on private "gifts" and occasional pulpit supplies. From time to time the Deacons and in some instances private brethren, were appointed to lead in worship in the public meet- ings. May 24, 1798, a movement was made to constitute a Baptist church in Warwick, and to set off a portion of the mem- bers of this church, to build a church of "lively stones" in that place." Twenty-two members accordingly signified their wish to form themselves into a new Church in Warwick, and they were dismissed agreeably to their request. After preliminary measures had been attended to, an ecclesiastical council con- vened at the house of Bro. James Kelton in Warwick Jan. 16, 1799, and proceeded to constitute the new Church. From the formation of the Church in Warwick, the book of records loses sight of the old church in Royalston for a considerable period. The church had ceased to occupy the old meeting house as the place of public worship, and were actually making pre- parations to build another house. Their religious services for some time were held in a large hall in the house of Brother John Jacobs, formerly known as the Garfield place at the City. The Church voted Aug. 8, 1801, to invite Elder Levi Hodge to take the lead of the church and "break unto them the bread of life." He was installed in June, 1802, and in June of the following year, measures were taken, by appointing a joint committee of brethren from the Church in Warwick and the Church in Royalston, to bring about a re-union of the two churches, and as the result, a council was called by whose judi-
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THE BAPTIST CHURCH
cious advice, these feeble intersts became one Church under the cognomen of the Royalston and Warwick Baptist Church. The terms of union were well defined, one of which was that in respect to the location of a new meeting-house which had now become necessary, the old Church should meet the brethren of Warwick on the spot now known as the old Baptist Common in the northwest part of Royalston. According to the advice of the Council a church building was erected there. The size of the church was about 40 by 60 feet, with 24 feet posts, finished within and without, according to the most advanced tastes of the times. This was the building referred to by Parson Lee in his half century sermon preached in 1818, as "a new and elegant meeting-house." It was dedicated in January, 1805.
The sermon was preached by Elder Elisha Andrews of Tem- pleton, who rode from home with his wife on the same horse. Mrs. Isaac Gale, mother of Hon. S. C. Gale, in her reminiscences of her early days, says: "I sang at the dedication, I remember there was a row of singers from the front on the treble side clear down to the pulpit." This was the only time the building was ever filled. It was on the occasion of the raising of this meeting- house, that it is said, the prayer of Elder Hodge was heard at the distance of half a mile.
Rev. Mr. Hodge served as pastor until his death in 1819. He had a salary of $50 per year, afterwards increased to $55, then to $60, and when it had reached $75, he procured an additional horse for his wife to ride to church upon. He lived on a farm in Warwick and used to say his salary just kept his horse shod. At the end of the minutes of the Leyden Association we find the following:
"We announce to the Church the death of Elder Levi Hodge, pastor of the Baptist Church of Royalston and Warwick. He was faithful in his charge, unspotted in his life and beloved by his flock. The memory of the just is blessed."
The successor of Elder Hodge was Rev. Joseph M. Graves of Wendell, a young man with a family, and a shoemaker by trade; he was ordained Jan. 10, 1821. The field of Elder Graves's labors in this place extended over the whole territory now occu- pied by the three churches into which the people of his charge have since become divided. His work continued for a term of four years, when at his own request he was dismissed. Probably not less than a hundred members were added, while a large
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
number died, twelve were dismissed and five excluded. During his pastorate the congregation on fair weather Sundays is said to have numbered 300 or more.
Rev. Asaph Merriam succeeded Bro. Graves. He was set apart to the work of the ministry, in conjunction with two others, who were ordained as evangelists Sept. 29, 1825. He officiated as pastor of the Church about five years, when at his request, he was dismissed Nov. 30, 1830, enjoying the unquali- fied respect and esteem of his people. Elder Thomas Marshall was the next pastor called and was installed April 20, 1831. His stay was brief, efforts being made during his pastorate to have the meetings given up in the west part of the town and removed to the Centre. He was dismissed and recommended on the last Tuesday in February, 1833. The Church was now dependent on occasional supplies till the spring of 1835, when on April 13, Elder Henry Tonkin became pastor; he resigned his care of the Church in the spring of 1837, and on Sept. 3d, of that year, Elder Silas Kenney was constituted pastor by the simple vote of the Church. Rev. Silas Kenney was born in Sutton, June 12, 1797. His father was a farmer of Sutton, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. his ancestor Daniel Kenney coming to America with the first of the Scotch-Irish emigration in 1718. He was the popular pastor of this church for upwards of twenty years being dismissed at his own request in April, 1858. He was also popular among his townsmen representing the town in the Legislature of 1848. In his Centennial address Governor Bullock speaks well of his ability and faithfulness.
Rev. S. Cutler of Grafton, became pastor Sept. 19, 1849, and remained such over two years, until the time of his death Jan. 25, 1861, and in May following Rev. L. Tandy assumed the watch care of the Church, a position which he filled for five years. Rev. J. D. Miller was called to the pastorate and was ordained April 27, 1866; at the end of one year he gave place to Rev. C. Brooks, who entered upon his work in April, 1867, being the fifteenth pastor of the Church. Later ministers have been: Rev. L. Wheeler, 1869; Rev. Z. W. Kemp, 1871; Rev. A. V. Clark, May, 1874, to April, 1878; Rev. Tilson and Bro. L. F. Shepardson supplied during 1878; W. F. Slocum, 1879; no pastor in 1880; Rev. J. H. Parmelee, 1881; supplied by Bro. E. Hatfield in 1882; no pastor in 1883; Rev. J. T. Smith, D. D., Nov., 1883, to April, 1887; no settled pastor from April 1, 1887,
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THE BAPTIST CHURCH
to April 1, 1888; Rev. Andrew Dunn, April, 1888, to May, 1891; Rev. John W. Denno, May, 1891, to Sept., 1892; Rev. George L. Ruberg, Dec., 1892, to April, 1897; Rev. E. O. Taylor, May, 1897, to Jan., 1901; Rev. H. T. Slocum, July, 1901, to May, 1906; Rev. C. B. Williams, Nov., 1906, to Oct, 1909; Rev. W. J. Halse, Feb., 1910, to March, 1914; Harold W. Curtis stated supply June, 1914, to Sept., 1915. The present pastor is Rev. R. C. Eaton, who commenced his duties Oct., 1915.
The second House of Worship served the purpose of this church until August, 1846, when the pastor, Rev. Silas Kenney, says: "On the last Sabbath in August we took leave of our large and once elegant meeting house, as a place of worship, when an appropriate discourse was delivered by the Pastor giving the outlines of the history of the church fromits earliest organiza- tion to the present time. Next day we commenced the sad work of taking down the long cherished edifice."
The third church of the Society which was erected in that part of Royalston known as the "City", was dedicated Dec. 3, 1846, and was the home of this church for almost half a century when it was destroyed by fire Dec. 23, 1894, having been occu- pied as a place of worship longer than either of the other meeting houses. The members of this little church although few in numbers were not disheartened, but soon commenced making plans for rebuilding. A building committee was appointed consisting of the Pastor, Rev. Geo. L. Ruberg, Luther E. Stewart Luke B. Shepardson, Albert Whaland and Geo. A. Bemis. The Committee organized with George A. Bemis as Chairman, Luther E. Stewart secretary, and Luke B. Shepardson treasurer.
Work was soon commenced on the erection of the building and in a little more than a year, the present beautiful little church edifice was ready for dedication which took place on Feb. 19, 1896, when a good number of the members of the church, with their friends from surrounding towns were present. Rev. Geo. L. Ruberg, pastor of the church was president of the day and the services of the afternoon opened with an organ voluntary with Emil H. Bemis of Holyoke as organist. The invocation was by Rev. J. H. Mansfield of the Athol Methodist church, Rev. F. J. Fairbanks of the Royalston Congregational church read scripture selections, George A. Bemis gave the report of the building committee and Rev. J. N. Shipman of the Athol Baptist
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
Church offered prayer. Rev. C. H. Spaulding of Boston preach- ed the sermon from the text, "The Lord hath done great things for us." The Prayer of Dedication was by Rev. W. H. Eaton and the Address by Rev. Dr. Eaton. One of the anthems of the afternoon, "I was Glad" was composed for the occasion by E. H. Bemis and the benediction was by Rev. Daniel Shepardson.
Interesting exercises were also held in the evening.
The cost of the building was about Four Thousand dollars, of which Two Thousand dollars was given by Joel Gates of Burlington, Vt., a native of West Royalston; Elbridge Boyden of Worcester was the architect; Herbert S. Goddard of Athol gave the organ and Lyman Stone of Royalston a clock.
It seems that the matter of singing was a subject of conten- tion in the churches of the olden times as well as the present day. The old records show the following action taken in 1791: "Voted that the singers do sing the old tunes in the former part of the day and such tunes as they please in the after part of the day by reading two lines at a time only, the last singing, and then to sing without reading."
For many years Dea. Enos Metcalf had charge of the singing in the old meeting-house under the hill, and when he requested that the custom of lining off the hymns be dispensed with, many of the people left the meeting-house. The excitement ran quite high, and the introduction of some new tunes added fuel to the flame.
Although this little church has not had more than fifty members at any time for fifty-five years, yet it has given to America as follows: Nine soldiers to the Revolution, sixteen soldiers to the War of 1812, thirty-one soldiers to the Civil War, twenty-nine ministers of the Gospel, six ministers' wives, one governor, one hundred and sixty-eight public school teachers, and scores of efficient members sent to other churches.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH AT ROYALSTON CENTER.
Owing to the trouble in the West Royalston Baptist Church eleven members of that church including the Church Clerk, were granted letters of dismission March 27, 1836. These with seven others sought membership in the Athol Baptist church and were received May 11, 1836. The same day these with five others asked to be established as a branch of the Athol church
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BAPTIST CHURCH AT ROYALSTON CENTRE -
in Royalston Centre and the request was granted. Elder Simonds pastor of the New Boston (Royalston and Winchendon) church, assumed pastoral charge over them and continued until his death seventeen months later. Regarding this church Governor Bullock says that the Baptists bought out the property of a Union Society on the southeast corner of the Common and for
OLD BAPTIST CHURCH AT ROYALSTON CENTRE
some time kept up a church quite large in its numbers having at one time one hundred and twenty members. This church severed its connection with the Athol Church Oct. 27, 1839, and on Nov. 14, 1839, a Council met and duly established the church.
Wm. G. Lord in his history of the First Baptist Church of Athol says: "In the heyday of its existence this church numbered eighty-five souls, but its life was short and its end a gradual death. Its last report to the association was in 1855, but it was kept on the list of churches until 1860, when verbal information to the association that the members were gradually taking letters to other churches led the association to drop the name from the roll. Many of the members sought affiliation
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
with the Athol church where they remained constant and loyal until their death, others affiliated with the West Royalston and New Boston churches. Rev. Lysander Fay of Athol was one of the pastors of this church for several years.
In 1863 the church building was sold and moved from its original location to near the north end of the Common where it served for many years as a barn or stable for Col. George Whitney, and is now used as headquarters for the fire depart- ment of Royalston Centre.
FREE DONATION SOCIETY
A religious Society known as the Free Donation Society of Royalston, existed in the first half of the 19th century, which had a considerable following. Of their religious belief and the character of their services we have no definite knowledge. The names of the members of this Society would indicate that the membership of this organization was composed mostly of those living in the west part of the town. Their meetings were held in school houses.
The first record we have of this Society is a certificate of the members in 1820, which reads as follows:
We certify that Jonah Walker, James Walker, Calvin Walker, John Hill, Moses Garfield, Solomon Peck, 2d, Jonas Brewer, Lewis Brewer, Russell Ballou, Luther Ballou, Wesson Ball, Benjamin W. Bliss, Abel Bliss, Walter Erskine, Calvin Peck, David Fisher, Jason Fisher, Joseph Davis, Benjamin Thurston, Elisha Kingsley, of the town of Royalston, are members of the Religious Society in the Town of Royalston Called Free Dona- tion.
Dated this first Day of May, A. D., 1820.
ABEL BLISS, MOSES GARFIELD, Committee. SOLOMON PECK, 2d,
Other certificates of membership are recorded up to 1827.
We have seen no records of their meetings and it is safe to assume as Governor Bullock says in his Centennial address that when the third articles of the Bill of Rights was so changed, about 1832, as to invest every citizen with the right to contribute to any religious society, or to none at all, according to his volition, this class of organizations disappeared from the town and have left no record behind.
2
CHAPTER VII
POLITICAL
A town meeting was held September 1, 1808, at which the business was, "To hear and consider a letter from the Selectmen of Boston, respecting Petitioning the President of the United States to suspend or procure the repeal of the existing Embargo Laws, or act anything thereon they may think proper."
Ammi Faulkner was moderator, and it was voted to Petition the President of the United States relative to the Embargo Laws of which the following is a copy :
"To the President of the United States. The inhabitants of the Town of Royalston in legal town meeting assembled most respectfully approach the Chief Magistrate of our Nation, and beg leave to lay before him this, our petition and request, and would most humbly represent that we view with the deepest concern the effects of the Present existing Embargo Laws upon this Nation, and more particularly the eastern part thereof, as we think the effects are there more severely felt; it will be unnecessary to detail to your Excellency the many and various evils resulting from the total suspension of Commerce among which is the great loss to the revenue of the United States. This small section of your citizens are mostly Husbandmen. They sensibly feel the effects of the Embargo in the reduced prices of the surplus of the produce of their Farms and the enhanced prices of those things which have be- come necessarys and conveniences of Life, and which the people of this country have been in the habit of importing; likewise the reduced price of labour and the discouragement of our young men from purchasing and clearing new land for the want of a market for the produce thereof. Sir, we assure you that we have ever been quiet and peaceable Citizens and have uniformly manifested our patriotism and respect for the laws and Govern- ment of our Country. But so distressing are the embarrassments produced by the Embargo that we can not contemplate its continuance without serious and alarming apprehensions. Your petitioners, therefore, pray that the embargo in whole
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
or in part may be suspended according to the powers vested in the President by the Congress of the United States.
By order for and in behalf of said meeting, AMMI FAULKNER, Moderator.
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