USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Taunton > The ministry of Taunton, with incidental notices of other professions > Part 9
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The appeal of the church to the congregation was not suc- cessful in constraining a sufficient number to unite in the sup- port of Mr. Judson, to render his continuance in town desirable and pleasant.
NOTE B. Page 40.
THE Council called to consider the question of dismissing Mr. Judson, consisted of Rev. Mr. Weld, of Braintree, Rev. Mr. Niles, of Abington, Rev. Mr. Smith, of Dighton, Rev. Mr. Andros, of Berkley, and their delegates. The Letter Missive which invited them to meet has been preserved. In it, the church of Taunton make use of the following language :
" Dearly beloved; several disagreeable things in Divine Providence have taken place in this town, which to the inex- pressible grief of us, your brethren, threaten to deprive us of our worthy Pastor. In our distressed state, we have agreed to apply to the churches, to hear our case, and give us advice."
A communication their Pastor had addressed to the church was read before the Council. It was as follows :
" Dear brethren : when preaching on probation among you, I was highly pleased to find, that the church was disposed to examine me, before they gave me a call to settle, relative to my
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ideas of the doctrines of grace, and experimental religion. By the questions that were asked, the mutual conversations that we had, and by your Articles of Faith,* I found that we were agreed in sentiment, relative to the interesting doctrines of sal- vation, and the rule of building the spiritual House of God. You have always appeared, since my connection with you, to adhere to the doctrines of Grace. You have appeared unani- mous in your friendship to me. We have always been united in instances of discipline, some of which have been important and deeply interesting. We have harmoniously concurred in the admission of forty-five persons to church fellowship. You have walked in a measure, so far as I know, agreeable to the rules of the Gospel. I have met you at the Sacrament with pleasure. I have always felt myself happy in my Pastoral re- lation to you. No event in the course of my life has been more affecting, than the difficulties of the town, that have greatly in- terrupted our peace, and which, it seems, may be the occasion of dissolving our connection. The difficulties appear to have arisen partly from a heavy tax occasioned by the Episcopalians' drawing a large sum from our congregation; partly from local inconveniency to attend at the old meeting house ; partly from an opinion, that I had not a legal right to my salary, because the town inadvertently took an illegal step in voting my sup- port, when I was called to settle, and partly from a dislike, that a few influential characters have to the doctrines that are preach- ed. These difficulties have excited you to call a Council for advice. In this prudent step, I heartily acquiesce, hoping it may give us light. It affords me great consolation that you are harmoniously united with one another, and friendly to me. And above all, that you regard the great doctrines of Grace, respect- ing man's salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. May the Fath- er of Mercies open your hearts more and more to receive them, is the prayer of your affectionate Pastor,
EPHRAIM JUDSON."
The Council voted to dismiss Mr. Judson, commending him,
Appended to this note.
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DISMISSION OF MR. JUDSON.
in their Result, to the Churches. They speak approvingly both of him, and of his doctrinal views-of his ministerial life and teachings. They lament the necessity imposed upon them, by " the opposition of a few in the Society to some of the distin- guishing doctrines of the Gospel, contained in the Westminster Confession of Faith." They represent the Church as treating "their Rev. Pastor with the sincerest cordiality, with respect both to his person and ministry," as ready "to contribute to his support according to their abilities."
On the second and last day of the meeting of the Council, that is, the 29th of December, 1790, Mr. Judson and the Church accepted the Result of Council, recommending in view of circumstances, beyond their control, and with no promise of improvement, a dissolution of the Pastoral relation.
Accordingly Mr. Judson asked a dismission from his Pasto- ral charge, which the Church reluctantly granted, accompany- ing their vote, according to the Records,* with the following Recommendation, f adopted Jan. 2, 1791 :
" Whereas a Council of Ministers and delegates convened at Taunton on the 28th and 29th days of Dec'br, in the year of our Lord one thousand, seven hundred and ninety, on the re- quest of the Church of Christ in Taunton, for consideration and advice under the present situation said Church and Congrega- tional Society labor respecting the Rev. Ephraim Judson con- tinuing as their Pastor for some longer term of time, in that relation to them ; said Council after deliberation on a subject of great consequence and interesting to the parties concerned, unanimously gave in their result and advice, that the connection between us and our Rev'd Pastor be dissolved. In conse- quence thereof, and by his desire, said Church with painful sen-
* The Records of the Church to the time of Mr. Judson are lost, but fortunately there is a full account of the proceedings of the Church during the ministry of Mr. Judson, as also a true copy of the " Articles of Faith," which, being the " ancient ones," are particularly valuable.
t This Recommendation is given without amendment. It expresses in no professional, studied manner the sentiments of those who adopted it. Its very awkwardness of style is perhaps a proof of its genuineness.
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sations of mind Voted his dismission, when no accusation was exhibited against him-the said Mr. Judson. We, the Church, recommend him to other churches, and all persons, whom it may concern, as one of an exemplary moral character, and the doc- trines held up to view by him from time to time during his min- istry among us, well agreed with the religion of our forefathers, and the sentiments revealed in the Holy Scriptures, especially such as respected faith and practice were his delightful themes on Sabbath days. Wishing him that peace of God, that passeth all understanding, to lead and direct him through this wicked world to the Kingdom of Heaven."
The " Articles of Faith" to which Mr. Judson refers in his communication to the Church are to be found on the 22d page of what is now the earliest Book of Records of the Church, of which he was Pastor. What adds to the interest of these " Articles," is the fact stated in a note, that they are " the an- tient ones " of the Church. It is in keeping with the object of this work, which professes to treat of "ancient" things, to transfer these "ancient Articles of Faith," with the accompany- ing " Covenant " to its pages.
" ARTICLES OF FAITH
OF THE
Original Church of Christ in Taunton.
1. You believe that there is but one only living and True God, maker of Heaven and Earth, and Governor of all things; and that this only True God is the God we worship ; that this God is but one, yet Three distinct Persons, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, each equally God.
2. You believe God created man after His own image in knowledge, righteousness and true holiness; that by one man sin. entered into the World, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned ; and that thereby, they are all dead in trespasses and sins; and are by nature children of wrath, and liable to Eternal Death, the Wages of sin.
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ANCIENT ARTICLES OF FAITHI.
3. You believe there is but one Mediator between God and Man, the man Christ Jesus, Who is over all, Blessed for ever ; that there is salvation in no other. You believe, He was con- ceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, and died on the cross to save His people from their sins, rose from the dead the third day, ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of the Father, making continual intercession for us, of whose fullness we receive grace that is necessary to salvation.
4. You believe that Christ and His benefits are applied only by faith, and that faith is the gift of God, that we have it not of ourselves, but is wrought in us by the Word and Spirit of God ; that faith is that grace, whereby we believe and trust in Christ, for the remission of sin and life everlasting, according to the promises of the Gospel; that whoever believeth not the Son of God shall not see life, but shall perish eternally ; that those, who truly repent of their sins, do see them and turn from them unto the Lord, shall be saved, and that except men be- lieve, they shall truly perish. You also believe, that a holy, godly life is conscientiously ordered according to the Word of God in holiness and righteousness, without which no man shall see the Lord. That the sacraments are seals of the covenant of Grace ; that the sacraments of the New Testament are Bap- tism, and the Lord's Supper; that the outward elements in the Lord's Supper are Bread and Wine, and do signify the worthy receivers by faith Christ has ordained for a remembrance of His death ; that whoever cateth and drinketh unworthily is guilty of the body and blood of our Lord; and therefore every one should examine himself lest he eat and drink judgment to him- self, not discerning the Lord's body.
5. You believe the souls of believers go immediately to bless- edness when they die, and the souls of unbelievers immediately to Hell torments.
6. You believe there will be a General Judgment, at which time the bodies of the Just and the Unjust, will be raised and appear at Christ's bar, to receive according to what they have done, in this life, whether it be good, or whether it be evil, and
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that the wicked will go into everlasting punishment, and the righteous into life eternal. Amen.
Church Covenant.
IN the presence of God, angels and this assembly, you seri- ously and solemnly, according to the terms of the everlasting covenant, take the True God, the Lord Jehovah to be your God. Renouncing all other gods, you take the Lord Jesus to be your Redeemer, Prophet, Priest and King. You solemnly promise, (Grace assisting) to walk sincerely and uprightly be- fore God all your days, in obedience to all His holy command- ments, as they are or shall be made known to you, from time to time. You give up yourself to this Church in the Lord, prom- ising and covenanting to cleave to us, and walk together with us as a member of the same mystical body, and as an instituted Church of Christ, while you continue a member of it in holy love, subjection, and watchfulness, determining to assemble with us for the Worship of God, ministering to our need as God shall enable you. You submit to the discipline of Christ in this Church. You promise to walk orderly in a way of fellow- ship with all the Churches of Christ among us, agreeable to those rules of holy order which He has appointed, that the Lord may be one and His name one in all the Churches through all generations, to His Eternal Glory in Christ Jesus. Thus you promise.
These articles and covenant are the antient ones of this Church."
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FRIENDS AND SANDEMANIAN MEETINGS.
CHAPTER IV.
THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON, FROM THE TIME OF THE DISMISSION OF REV. EPHRAIM JUDSON.
WE can no longer speak of a single church, or of a sin- gle minister in the town of Taunton. Messrs. Hooke, Street, Shove, Danforth, and Clap preached to a congre- gation gathered from the whole town, and were the sole Pastors of the place. It was not so with their successors.
The Meeting of Friends.
MR. DANFORTHI in his letter to Cotton Mather, and the other ministers of Boston in 1720,* gives intimation of a meeting distinct from his own "in a corner" of his parish, attended however only by "three or four." This was a meeting of such as had embraced, what he calls "Quaker notions," and there is now in the North-West part of the town a Quaker meeting-house, unoccupied, which must have been built sometime in the last century. There is a place of worship belonging to the Society of Friends in Freetown, near the Berkley line, and yet another in Mans- field, which are located in what was once a part of Mr. Danforth's parish.
The Sandemanian Meeting.
WE have already noticedt the origin of the Sandema-
* Vide page 264, vol. 1.
11 1 Vide page 241, vol. 1.
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THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
nian meeting in 1785, under the auspices of one Mr. Brewer, from Connecticut. According to a statistical pa- per noticed in the previous volume, (page 345,) the Polls for 1788 in the whole town were six hundred and sixty- seven, of which twenty-seven were Sandemanians, six were Friends, fifty-seven were Baptists connected with Mr. Nelson's church in North Taunton, twenty-two were Bap- tists connected with Mr. Goff and others in South Taun- ton, ninety were Episcopalians, two were Murrenites, and the remainder, (two hundred and sixty-three,) were Con- gregationalists. Whilst the Society of Friends have sus- pended their meeting, and the church of Mr. Nelson re- moved to Norton, there are also very few of the Sandema- nians remaining in town.
The Protestant Episcopal Church.
THE origin of this church in the last century was noticed in a preceding chapter .* Its "first resident minister," (if I may once more refer to Rev. N. T. Bent's Discourse, historical of St. Thomas' Church,) "appears to have been the Rev. John Lyon, who holds this claim upon our gratitude, that he left a fair and apparently a complete record of his official acts. Mr. Lyon's first baptism was on February 6th, 1765, from about which time, perhaps a few months earlier, his ministry here commenced. In April of that year, we find the parish agreeing with Mr. Lyon as their minister, for a salary of twenty pounds an- nually, as long as he should continue with them; this prob- ably in addition to the use of the Globe, and a stipend from the society in England. And what may be mention- ed to their praise, we find the statement of the Wardens,
* Vide page 342, vol. 1.
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PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.
that in March, 1766, before the expiration of his first year, they had settled with Mr. Lyon, and paid him his salary " to his good acceptance "- an example of prompt- ness, we venture to say, which few parishes in New-Eng- land have more uniformly imitated than this.
The number of communicants in the church in 1764 was Twelve. Twenty more were added in 1765. This made the number Thirty-two. In the same year there were Twenty-seven baptisms of children and adults. Tradition speaks of Mr. Lyon as a most estimable man, and exem- plary minister of Christ. He seems to have been watch- ful over the lambs of his flock. The number of children under catechetical instruction in 1765 was sixteen. Con- firmation in the absence of a Bishop, could not be admin- istered. It appears also that Mr. Lyon was not regard- less of the interests of the community in the matter of so- briety and good morals. We sometimes accuse the minis- try of that period with indifference to existing vices. Mr. Lyon, it appears from the record, distributed at one time, twenty copies of a book or tract, entitled, " Admonition to the drinkers of spirituous liquors." One evidence, at least, of a minister's laboring to make men temperate, and that too in his own appointed sphere, eighty years ago. Who shall say, that such labors were in vain, however much they left to be done by those who should come after ?"
" The loss of records," continues Mr. Bent, " forbids me to say, how long Mr. Lyon's ministry continued. He left some time before the Revolution, it is believed, and went to Virginia, where he died.
During the Revolution, most of the Episcopal churches, in this section of the country especially, were closed ; a measure which the evils, and particularly the political de-
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THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
rangements of the times made necessary. The Church in Taunton probably shared the common fate. Its fortunes during that dark period are unknown. Nor are we able to fix the date of its next minister's connection with it - the Rev. Wm. W. Wheeler. It was probably in 1785, or 1786. His first recorded baptism was in November, 1786. I regret that I can say so little of his ministry. The leaves which bore its records are gone to the flames or the winds. As in the case of Mr. Lyon, sacrilegious hands have left us the beginning, as if to excite our curiosity, and taken away the continuance, as if to disappoint it. And those, whose memories might have been to us, a more interesting book than the parish register, are slumbering with the dead. Tradition speaks of Mr. Wheeler's ministry as suc- cessful for the times. In connection with his parish, he also ministered to the people in Middleboro', Bridgewater, and Scituate, giving one-fourth of his time to each of these places. He resided for many years upon the Glebe* of the parish here. His congregation, according to the mem- ory of one, who often attended during the latter part of his ministry here, was variable, from thirty to one hundred persons. He is reported to have been an estimable man and an intelligent divine. But his usefulness was much hindered in the latter portion of his ministry by political causes. He was here during the period of the French
Revolution. His political opinions were very decided. They were the occasion of his leaving the parish, a major- ity being opposed to him on that ground, and on that ground alone. His connection with the parish ceased in April, 1793. IIe removed hence to Scituate, where he
* It has already been stated, that this Glebe is in the west part of the town, nearly opposite the birth-place of Judge Wilde.
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PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
labored acceptably for some years, where he died Jan. 14, 1810, and was buried."
This parish had no settled minister from 1798 to 1829. The old meeting-house on the Glebe was for many years " the sport of the elements, and the shelter of the birds." " The sparrow " there "found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, even thine altars, O Lord." At length, in 1815, the memorable September gale made a complete wreck of what was never after rebuilt. "The frail foun- dation walls, and moss-covered tomb-stones of those who once worshipped beneath its unceiled roof alone remain.
Several efforts were made to revive the parish of St. Thomas, before the successful one." The present Church of the society, which with its organ, furniture and enlarge- ment in 1840-41, has cost not far from $12,000, was consecrated by Bishop Griswold, in June, 1829.
Rev. JOHN WEST, a native of Boston, and graduate at Harvard University in 1813, officiated as Rector of the church from the revival of its services until 1833.
Rev. HENRY BLACKALLER, a native of England, was in- stituted Rector, May 5th, 1833, and resigned in 1835.
Rev. SAMUEL HASSARD, a native of Jamaica, West Indies, graduated at Yale College in 1826, was instituted Rector Nov. 5th, 1835, resigned Oct. 31, 1838, removed to Great Barrington, Mass., and there died.
Rev. EDMUND NEVILLE, a native of England, and a student of Rev. Thomas Scott, was instituted Rector, July 24, 1839, resigned June, 1841, and removed to Philadel- phia, where he still remains, one of the most popular and influential preachers of that city.
Rev. N. T. BENT, a native of Milton, Mass., graduated 11*
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THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
at Harvard University, in 1831, was instituted Rector Feb. 1842, and resigned Oct. 1846.
Rev. THEODORE W. SNow, a native of Boston, gradua- ted at Harvard University in 1830, was instituted Rector, April 5th, 1847, and still continues in that office.
The fear expressed by the original church of Taunton in their communication to the town,* lest the dismission of Mr. Judson might lead to a division of the society was not without reason. Such a division actually took place; and refraining from all comments on the occasion for this division, and every incidental question connected therewith, I only propose, in accordance with the plan of this work, to make the briefest possible statement concern- ing the ministry of each section of the church and society, leaving the vexed question of church identity, and the de- tails of their respective histories, to those who may have time, taste, and materials for the undertaking.
The Congregational Church. West Taunton.
This was composed of the entire original Church, with the exception of three males and one female. These sep- aratedt themselves from the Town Parish in 1792, organiz- ed a new society in the west part of the town, and soon after built a meeting-house, nearly a mile beyond the Episcopal glebe, in which they worshipped for thirty-two years .¿
Rev. Mr. Judson the former pastor of the church,
* Vide page 114.
t The immediate cause of the separation was the attempt to settle Mr. John Foster, against whom several serious charges were brought by the church, all of which the future more than verified.
# Their first meeting after the separation was in Dea. Isaac Tubbs' barn. The meeting-house afterwards built, was taken down in 1824, and a new one erected in another part of the parish, in the centre of a small manufacturing village, known as " Westville."
127
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. WEST TAUNTON.
preached for a short time ; and after him, a variety of ministers, some of whom are yet held in grateful remem- brance. Mr. Preston, Mr. Wines, Mr. Farrington, and Mr. Ogdon are more particularly mentioned as acceptable preachers and excellent men. Mr. Farrington received a . call to settle, which he declined. Mr. Ogdon died at the house of Mr. Peter Walker, and was buried on the plain, near the Society's first House of Worship. The stone which marks the place of his burial bears the following in- scription :
"In memory of Mr. Nath. Ogdon, A. B., of Fairfield, N. J., Preacher of the Gospel, who died July 11th, 1796, . aged 28. He had preached only seven Lord Days, when our high expectations of his future usefulness were sud- denly blasted."
Rev. Mr. Cobb, present Pastor of the church in West Taunton, to whom I am indebted for several of the above facts, says of Mr. Ogdon : "He was a very promising young man, sound in doctrine, clear in religious experi- ence, and forcible in argumentation."
Rev. SAMUEL W. COLBURN accepted an invitation to settle with this church in 1809, and was ordained August 30th of that year. Rev. Otis Thompson of Rehoboth offered the Introductory Prayer. Rev. Benjamin Wood of Upton preached the sermon. Rev. Mr. Shepherd of R. I. offered the Ordaining Prayer. Rev. Frederick Crafts of Middleboro' gave the Charge. Rev. Thomas Andros of Berkley expressed the Fellowship of the churches. Rev. Mr. Holman of Attleboro' offered the Concluding Prayer. In the latter part of the year 1812, Mr. Colburn asked a dismission, which was granted.
On the 19th of April, 1815, Rev. Alvan Cobb, present
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THE MINISTRY OF TAUNTON.
Pastor, was ordained, and installed as successor of Mr. Colburn, and is one of the oldest settled ministers in Mas- sachusetts. In a historical sermon of Mr. Cobb, in MS., to which I have had access, he makes the following inter- esting statements : "The first Sabbath School in Bristol County was organized in connection with this church in 1816 .* Several seasons of unusual religious interest have been enjoyed. The first in 1815, when seventeen were received to the church. In 1820, there was a still larger accession of thirty. In 1825, the new meeting-house of the Society was dedicated by a memorable season of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, when the whole parish was reached, and nearly sixty hopefully converted and brought into the church. Rev. A. Nettleton was an honored in- strument of doing great good in that Revival. In 1830-31, a fourth precious Revival was enjoyed. During one week, nineteen expressed a hope in Christ, thirty-six pro- fessed religion. In 1838-39, there was a more limited season of refreshing. Twenty-six were added to the church. In 1840, there was a further addition of six." Some of Mr. Cobb's sermons have been published .* He
* This was four years previous to the first Sabbath School organiza- tion at " the Green." In 1820, two ladies, (see pp. 246 and 248, vol. 1. Mrs. Sarah K. Fales and Miss Frances Sproat,) opened a school, simi- lar in its character to the Sabbath School, on Saturday afternoon, in a private room, with eight scholars, the expenses being borne by the teachers. After being removed from place to place, as the school in- creased in numbers, it at length so far gained the sympathy of others, that the Town Hall was offered, when one male, and two female teach- ers were added to their number, and the school reached the sum total of twenty-five. Thence it removed to the old Court House, and for the first time was regularly organized by the appointment of a Superintend- ent and other officers. From this small beginning thirty-two years ago, have sprung the numerous Sabbath Schools of the place, preceded, as we have seen, by a still earlier experiment in the west part of the town. My informant in this matter is George B. Atwood, Esq.
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