USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Taunton > The ministry of Taunton, with incidental notices of other professions > Part 21
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I then, in the name of Jesus Christ, declare You to be a member in full communion with the church of Christ in this place, and in the name of the church I promise that, being helped by the divine Spirit, we will carry it towards you as towards a member of the same body with our- selves, whereof Christ is the head, and that with a spirit of meekness, tenderness and care, carnestly praying that the Lord would take delight in and dwell among us, and that his glorious kingdom may be advanced by us. - AMEN.
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EBENEZER WHITE.
before one could be found with whom the pastoral union would be mutually agreeable.
The list of candidates is appended.
1. Mr. Ephraim Littel. He was the oldest son of Mr. David Littel, of Marshfield, but then resident of Scituate; afterwards settled in Colchester Ct., 20th Sept. 1732.
2. Mr. Abial Howard. He was son of Jonathan How- ard, of Bridgewater ; afterwards physician ; never settled in the ministry.
3. Mr. Atherton Wales. He was the fifteenth child and the youngest son of Elder Jonathan Wales of Braintree, and brother to Rev. John Wales of Raynham. He set- tled in Marshfield and died there in 1795, at the age of eighty-two.
4. Mr. Samuel Tobey. He was a native of Sandwich .*
These all declined a settlement. After five years effort the town succeeded in securing their first minister.
On the 7th of Sept. 1736, the town " made choice of the Reverend Mr. EBENEZER WHITE, of Brookline, to set- tle in the worke of the Gospel Ministrey in said precinct according to the Congregational platform, without one negative vote."
After a long consideration, this call was accepted, 4th of Dec. 1736, and Mr. White was ordained 23d Feb'y, 1737. Of the services on that occasion no record remains. Indeed the scantiest fragments exist to construct any me- moir of his ministry amongst this people. A diligent search of several years has detected none of his writings printed or in manuscript, save his answer to the call of the church, a few receipts for his salary, and other communications. His ministry was comparatively short, and broken up tow-
* Probably the same as settled in Berkley in 1737 - its first minister. 24*
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ards the close by a sickness of some years. The follow- ing items are all that have been collected.
Reverend Ebenezer White was a native of Brookline, and was born March 29, 1713. He was the son of Dea. Benjamin White, and grandson of Joseph White one of the founders of the church in Brookline. Joseph White had three sons ; (1) Rev. John White of Gloucester, who married a daughter of Father Moody of York ; (2) Sam- uel White, Esq., who married Ann, daughter of John Bruce ; (3) Dea. Benjamin White, who was the father of Rev. Ebenezer White of Mansfield.
Mr. White graduated at Cambridge in 1733* and receiv- ed the degree of A. M., in course.
Mr. White appears to have been of feeble constitution and predisposed to pulmonary diseases, which ultimately terminated his life. He was frequently unable to dis- charge his ministerial duties on account of his health, and many town meetings were consequently called to devise measures for supplying the pulpit. As a result of these interruptions, a number became uneasy and moved for a dismission. But the church adhered to their pastor, and at first refused by a major vote in the town meeting to ac- cede to any such proposal. Another objection secured a party against the minister, that he had not ruled and gov- erned the church " according to the Platform of church discipline which said church had voted to be their rule of discipline." What particular reference is intended is not known. It could not be any defection in point of the doc- trine then held by the church. For although Mr. White
* There were several ministers of that name in the early history of our country. One graduated at Cambridge in 1692, another in 1704, a third graduated at Yale College in 1733, and a fourth in 1760.
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signed a bitter protest against the revival of 1740, yet he promises to be no hindrance to the church " in settling a Learned and orthodox minister " among them which he declares " he shall heartily rejoice in."
The communication expressing these sentiments is dated "Norton, Sept. 1, 1760," and was called forth by a vote of dismission, passed by the town or precinct on July 28, of the same year, in which the church were invited to join. In consequence of this vote, he proposed to relinquish his salary at the close of his year (October) receiving pay only when he preached, and resign his pastorate on the election of a successor. The arrangement was agreed to and candidates again occupied the pulpit.
Jan. 12, 1761. The precinct met to see if they would concur with the church in their call to Mr. Roland Green, of Malden, to become their minister ; but on the Monday following the election of his successor and while the peo- ple were waiting the candidate's reply to his call, Jan'y 18, 1761, Rev. Mr. White died, in his 48th year, and the 24th of his ministry .*
His first wife's christened name was Lydia Gennison of Malden. She died the 28th of March, 1749, in her 36th year. His second wife was Hannah Richards of Milton. She survived him nearly forty years and died in widow- hood, Dec. 1, 1800, aged 83 years.
Mr. White's children so far as known, were :
(1) John, born 1737, died Nov. 23, 1743.
(2) Betsey, who married a Lincoln of Norton and was the mother of Moses and Aaron Lincoln.
* His body sleeps by the side of his two wives in the village grave- yard, awaiting the call of the archangel. I have read the Inscriptions. They correspond with these statements.
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(3) Ebenezer, b. March 31, 1742, mar. Mary Hinks of Boston, Sept. 19, 1765, d. Oct. 28, 1812. He had seven children, one of whom, Polly, still lives, in Mans- field.
(4) Mary, mar. Lemuel Fisher, April 7, 1763. Sev- eral of her descendants still reside in town, one of her sons, Daniel, is alive here.
(5) Margaret, mar. Job Hodges, April 15, 1771. Her descendants are in Rutland, whither the family removed about 1800.
Mr. White lived in a two-story house fronting the east, with a leanto on the west side, about a mile south from the meeting-house and just within the bounds of Taunton old township. The site is now occupied by the residence of Mr. Alvan White.
Rev. ROLAND GREEN, the successor of Mr. White, and the second minister of Mansfield, was born in Malden, Sept. 10, 1737. His ancestral line is traceable to James Green who is found at Mystic Fields (now Malden) in 1647 in which year he was admitted freeman. He died March 29, 1687, leaving a widow, Elizabeth, and two sons, John and James. The younger settled in Boston.
II. John died in 1707, leaving a widow, Mary, three daughters, and a son, Samuel.
III. Samuel, born 1679 and died Feb'y 21, 1761. His wife, Martha, died seven years before. He left four sons and one daughter.
IV. James, the oldest son was the father of Rev. Ro- land Green above. He married a daughter of Joseph Hartwell of Charlestown, and had two sons and three daugh- ters. He died at Mansfield, Aug. 21, 1779.
V. Roland, Rev., was the second son and child, graduat- ed at Harvard University 1758, and also A. M., in course.
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ROLAND GREEN.
On the 12th of January, 1761, Mr. Green received a call from the precinct to settle "as an orthodox gospel minister to settel agreeable to the Congregation Platforme in the Room of the Rev. Mr. White."
To this call he replied in the affirmative, March 3d. Some expressions relating to the " platform," in which the church seemed to be very sensitive, led to further com- munications, in which the candidate declares his intention to " follow the platform so far as it is agreable to the word of God." The ordination was fixed to be on the 26th of August, 1761, and £13 6s &d voted to defray the expen- ses.
Twelve churches were invited to form the ordaining council, viz : The two churches in Malden, two in Attle- boro', two in Stoughton, the 2d and 3d churches in Ded- ham and the churches in Taunton, Walpole, Norton and Wrentham.
Council met at Col. Ephraim Leonard's .* The services were performed under the shade of some venerable oaks west of the meeting-house, which were ruthlessly felled a few years since, but no record remains of the proceedings, nor of the number of the church at this time.
* Col. Ephraim Leonard was son of Major George Leonard, who set- tled in Norton in 1690. He was born Jan. 16, 1706, and died May 2, 1786. He had three wives : 1st. Judith Perkins ; 2d, Melatiah, "had been ye wife of Jonathan Ware, Esq., and of Benjamin Ware, M. D."; 3d, Anna, "had been the wife of Mr. Elisha Woodworth, and also of ye Rev. Mr. Timothy Ruggles." He was a Colonel, a Judge of the Court, and a man of eminent piety. He lived to be more than eighty. He was the wealthiest man in Mansfield, and had a greater influence in public affairs, than any other individual in that town. Col. Leonard and his three wives lie buried in a grove in Mansfield a short distance from his former residence. The house is now owned and occupied by Calvin Thomas, Esq. - (Dean's Gen. Mem. of Leonard family, p. 9.)
Col. Ephraim was father of Hon. Daniel Leonard, a distinguished Taunton lawyer, of whom a particular account is given on pp. 244, 245, of the 1st volume.
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THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
Mr. Green's ministry continued many years, unmarked however by any events of special interest.
The whole town were united in one society and congre- gation. An incomplete paper gives one hundred and forty- two admissions to the church, two hundred and fifty-nine baptisms, and two hundred and fifty marriages. At his death the church embraced fourteen male and thirty-one female members.
In the early part of his ministry, a new house of wor- ship was erected, which still stands and is occupied by the Unitarian Society.
After a long and useful life Mr. Green suddenly died, July 4th, 1808, in the 71st year of his age and 47th of his ministry. He had gone to Norton to join in the cele- bration of our National Independence. On his way from Rev. Mr. Clarke's to the meeting-house, he was smitten with apoplexy and died in a few hours, at 2 o'clock, P. M .*
Mr. Green married Miss Hannah Fairbanks of South Dedham. She survived him a few years and died 28th of June, 1824. They had seven children.
(1) Roland, Jr., b. May 9, 1765, mar. Miss Hannah Talbot of Dighton, a physician of extensive practice in his native town. He died Oct. 1, 1841, aged 76.
Zuinglius and Joel died in infancy.
(4) Hannah, born Dec. 26, and died July 9, 1786.
(5) Deborah, born May 8, 1773, married Horatio Gil- bert, Esq.
* Rev. Stephen Palmer, of Needham, son of the second minister of Norton, preached Mr. Green's funeral sermon. He remarks that "for the space of thirty years, habits of the greatest intimacy subsisted be- tween Mr. Green and his father. Their affection was mutual and unin- terrupted." When Mr. Palmer of Norton, died, the " father's friend acted a father's part " toward the orphan children.
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ROLAND GREEN.
(6) Nabby, born July 22, 1775, was married to Mr. Henry Sweet of Attleboro', and is dead.
(7) Simeon, born June 3, 1779, married Miss Eliza- beth Hodges, daughter of John Hodges. She died Aug. 20, 1819, and he married Miss Fanny Francis of this place.
It is not known that any sermons of Mr. Green were printed, other than the last one he preached and which is appended to his funeral sermon .* His manuscripts were mostly written in brief and with many abbreviations, and but a few only of even these remain.t A record, how- ever, of him made by a committee of the Bristol Associa- tion, speaks of him in the following terms :
" It pleased the God of nature to furnish him with an athletic constitution of body, vigorous powers of mind, and a lively cheerful disposition. In the early part of his life he was small in stature, though ever of a bold and resolute mien. As he advanced in years he grew so fleshy as to carry a portly appearance. Quickness of perception, vivacity and energy of thought were prominent features in the complexion of his mind. In the private walks of life he was pleasant and facetious, and partook largely of the joys of social intercourse. In chambers of sickness and mourning he took a sympathetic part with the distressed and was ready to administer the balm of comfort. Though
* Note A.
t The only remaining son of the minister Mr. Simeon Green, has permitted me to examine several of the manuscript sermons of his fath- er. I find them of an interesting character, and, if our limits would al- low, one or more of them should be inserted in this work. I must con- tent myself with the reprint of the " Substance of a Sermon," the last Mr. Green ever preached, which was appended to his funeral sermon, and which will be found in Note A.
Among the manuscripts committed to me, is a " Charge by the Rev Roland Green, Mansfield," which will be found in Note B.
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he was feelingly alive to another's woe his own troubles and afflictions were cautiously kept to himself. In his family, he was kind and indulgent, provident and exempla- ry. He was strong in his attachments, ardent in his af- fection for his country, fervent in his friendship towards his brother clergymen and a lover of order and decorum.
In the appropriate duties of his profession he was punc- tual, energetic and faithful. He possessed the gift of prayer in a happy degree and on special occasions his thoughts and expressions were ready, pertinent and im- pressive. In the public services of the sanctuary he used plainness of speech, and his general strain of instruction was evangelical and practical. He professed ONE only to be his master, even Christ, and disdained to teach for doc- trines the commandments of men. He went not to hu- man creeds, but to the Word of God for doctrine, reproof and instruction. What he believed to be scriptural, he boldly inculcated and enforced. Founding his opinions on what he conceived to be the true sense of the Gospel, he was strong in the faith and valiant in the truth. He nev- er disguised his sentiments through fear or favor of men, but what he believed he openly avowed. The vice of hy- pocrisy was a stranger to his heart, and we have reason to hope that his endeavors to promote the cause of his Re- deemer constitute a bright gem in the crown of his present rejoicing."
" By the Com. - J. Pipon, S. Doggett, P. Clarke."
Mr. Green is chiefly remembered by the aged people, for his kind, cheerful and social disposition, and his gener- al affability of manners. His people continued united in
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RICHARD BRIGGS.
him during his life, and the concourse at the funeral* ex- hibited indications of the depth to which their sympathies were disturbed by the sudden departure of their pastor.
The pulpit was occupied with occasional supplies until the following April, when the society united with the church in extending a call to Mr. Richard Briggs to settle over them in the work of the gospel ministry. The call is dated April 13, 1809, and Mr. Briggs' answer on the day following. It was in the affirmative. He was ordained May 24, 1809.
The Council was composed of the two churches in Bridgewater and the churches in Walpole, Easton, Middle- boro', Stoughton, Halifax, Sharon, Boxford, Foxboro', and Norton. The services were as follows :
Introductory Prayer. - Rev. Mr. Morey, of Walpole. Sermon. - Rev. Mr. Richmond, of Stoughton. Ordaining Prayer. - Rev. Dr. Reed, of Bridgewater. Charge. - Rev. Dr. Sanger, of Bridgewater.
* Appended to the funeral sermon is a " Biographical Sketch, by another hand," in which the last Sabbath of the minister of Mansfield, and the funeral occasion are thus described. " The day prior to his exit he administered the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. In the morning exercise he was impressive, inviting his hearers to celebrate the victory obtain ed by our Savior at his death; and as the celebration of our Inde- pendence was to take place the next day, he took occasion to impress on their minds the superior importance of celebrating the triumphs of Christ, above that of our Independence. On the morning following, (July 4,) he arose with uncommon health and cheerfulness, rode mode- rately to Rev. Mr. Clark's, was congratulated on his good state of health started for the meeting-house, on the way was seized with a fit of apo- plexy, and at 2, P. M., expired. He was buried on the 6th, with every mark of respect from a congregation of 600 persons, who moved to the grave in the following order: Band, playing a funeral dirge. Male mem- bers of the Church, Bearers, Corpse, Pall supported by the Rev. Messrs. Thacher. Morey, Reed, Palmer, Richmond, Clarke, Fisk, Whittaker; Mourners. Particular friends of the deceased, Female members of the Church, Singing Society, Members of the Congregation, Strangers." They laid him down by the side of his predecessor in the ministry, sur- rounded by scores of his beloved people. His wife also slumbers by his side.
25
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Right Hand of Fellowship. - Rev. P. Clarke, Norton. Concluding Prayer. - Rev. Mr. Briggs, of Boxford.
Rev. RICHARD BRIGGS, the third minister of Mansfield, was a native of Halifax, and descendant of Mr. Richard Briggs, one of the first settlers of Taunton. Three gen- erations bore the name of Richard, the last of whom was Deacon of the church in Mansfield, and grandfather of Rev. R. Briggs. His father, Ephraim, was pastor of the church in Halifax, where he himself was born, 2d March, 1782. He graduated at Brown University in 1804, and received the degree of A. M. in course. He studied the- ology with Rev. Doctor Richmond of Stoughton, afterwards of Dorchester.
Mr. Briggs arrived in town the last day in December, 1808, and preached on the following Sabbath. His labors were acceptable to the people, and the church extended to him a call to settle over them 28th February, 1809, which call was seconded by the parish, as before stated, 13th April, 1809.
He continued the active minister of this people until 1833, when he was disabled by sickness. His last public performance was on 20th January, 1833, twenty-five years from his first sermon; and his last texts were, in the A. M., Gal. 6: 9, in the P. M., Philippians 3: 13.
He lingered, however, from this date, in a feeble state, incapable of professional labor for four years. He died 5 July, 1837, at the age of fifty-five, just twenty-nine years and one day after his predecessor .* He had received a dismission 8th December, 1834.
* It is an interesting fact that the first three ministers of Mansfield lie buried side by side in the town where they ministered, A few days since I looked upon their graves - a sight delightful, as it is rare even in the most ancient and stable parts of the Commonwealth.
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RICHARD BRIGGS.
The people of Mansfield seem not to have been given to publishing the sermons of their ministers, and therefore Mr. Briggs, like his predecessors, left no printed specimen of his abilities as a writer.
The following sketch of Mr. Briggs was drawn up by one of his hearers through the whole of his ministry, and a man of reliable sagacity and candor. It no doubt ex- presses the impression of his surviving people.
" Mr. Briggs' character as a man, was irreproachable. He was kind, sympathetic and generous. He was cm- phatically a philanthropist-seemed to feel for 'all the woes of mankind.' He was peculiarly fond of children; always addressing them with tenderness, and often bestow- ing upon them some small token of approbation. Perhaps the most prominent trait in his character was benevolence - an untiring assiduity in administering to the wants of all with whom he had intercourse in the world. He was accustomed to speak of the 'luxury of doing good,' as if it were the very height of carthly enjoyment ; and this was doubtless, the sincere expression of his own personal feelings. It is believed that all who were acquainted with Mr. Briggs will agree in saying that he had not-at least while residing in this place- one personal enemy.
In stature, Mr. Briggs was somewhat above the middle size, being about five feet, ten inches in height, well form- ed, though not athletic ; complexion light, face large and square, forehead high and broad; exhibiting in his coun- tenance a union of mildness with solemnity. His voice was peculiarly sonorous, and his gestures in speaking nat- ural and graceful."
Mr. Briggs married Miss Fanny D. Billings, daughter of Doctor Benjamin Billings of this town. His widow
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THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
still survives, a respected member of the Trinitarian Congregational Church in town.
After the failure of Mr. Briggs' ability to preach, Rev. Nathan Holman, formerly of Attleboro', was engaged to supply the desk, which he did until 16th June, 1833, and alternately with Rev. Doctor Saunders of Medfield, from that date until January, 1835. The various tastes of the congregation led to this arrangement.
On the 30th January, 1835, Mr. James H. Sayward of Gloucester, arrived, and preached on the Sabbath follow- ing from 1 Thess. 5: 15. His labors were acceptable to the people generally, so that on the 27th April, a call was extended to him to become their minister, and the sum of five hundred dollars annually was offered him as salary for three years, and longer "as the parties shall mutually agree."
His answer, dated the same day, was in the affirmative. The 17th of June was fixe l for the ordination services, and fourteen churches were invited to form a council.
This connection was not of long continuance. On the 7th May, 1837, Mr. Sayward requested a dismission at the end of his pastoral year, which, at a meeting on the 29th, was granted, and he was dismissed 17th June, 1837, two years from his ordination.
Mr. Sayward married Miss Mary B. Pratt, daughter of Hon. Solomon Pratt of Mansfield. He died in Fitzwil- liam, N. H., where he was engaged in pastoral labor, Jan- uary 13, 1844, at the age of thirty-six. He, like his predecessors, White, Green and Briggs, was buried in Mansfield. His widow still resides there. The ministry of Mr. Sayward was too short to be marked with any pe- culiar results.
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SECOND CONG. SOCIETY IN MANSFIELD.
Soon after his arrival, he proposed and assisted in form- ing a Female Benevolent Society, the first in the town. He also warmly engaged in the Temperance cause, the Sabbath School, and Bible Class; and for some time held weekly meetings at private houses for prayer and confer- ence. Throughout his ministry he manifested a deep in- terest in the welfare of his people, and resigned his charge amongst them only from the conviction forced upon him "after long and serious deliberation," that the existing state of things was a preventive of its farther advanta- geous continuance. No publication of his is known to exist in print, as an index of his intellectual ability.
In continuing the history of the Congregational Church in Mansfield, it is necessary there, as in many, if not most of the towns in the Commonwealth, to speak of it as in two bands. Here, as in previous parts of our history, it is our single object to give facts, and leave inferences from those facts to others.
May 9, 1838, a new society was formed, called the "Orthodox Congregational Society," composed of twenty- eight legal voters, who were legally organized October 6, of the same year. On the 20th of October, 1838, Dea. Daniel Williams, the only officer in the Congregational Church, fourteen other males, and twenty-four females, connected themselves with this society, calling themselves as a church, by the same name which the new society had assumed. They at once commenced public worship in a school-house, Rev. N. Holman, who supplied the church previous to Mr. Sayward's settlement, being the preacher. They afterwards hired the Hall of the Village Hotel, which they occupied, until a meeting-house was completed, and dedicated in 1839. Rev. Mr. Hunt, afterward of Natick,
25*
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THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
now of Franklin, preached to this people for a time. He was never settled. Their first and present Pastor,
Rev. MORTIMER BLAKE,* of Franklin, a graduate of Amherst in 1835, was ordained December 4, 1839. Rev. Doctor Smalley, then of Franklin, now of Worcester, preached the sermon. The church soon after enjoyed a revival of religion which enlarged and strengthened the congregation, and added to the church twenty-four; which is less than one third of the number added since its new connection.
The original Parish, and the residue of the church, con- sisting, as nearly as can be ascertained, of four males and twenty-five females, united in calling Mr. James L. Stone of Bridgewater, a member of Brown University, to become their Pastor. He accepted the invitation, and was ordain- ed October 28, 1840. He was dismissed in 1844; since which time, the pulpit has been occupied by stated sup- plies, until 1850, when Mr. Daniel W. Stevens of Marl- boro', was ordained as Pastor, which office he continues to fill acceptably to his people.
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