USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Truro > Truro-Cape Cod; or, Land marks and sea marks > Part 26
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in erecting this honored temple, joyfully dedicated to the praise of Almighty God. The accompanying cut which we have secured almost by accident, is believed a good representation of the first meeting-house built by the Methodists on Cape Cod, and the second in New England. No plastering or finish was made. For twenty years the swallows flew in and out at pleasure, building their nests on the rough open beams and feeding their young during divine services. One narrow
SECOND METHODIST CHURCH BUILT IN NEW ENGLAND.
aisle ran through the centre of the house, with about eighteen long plank seats on either side, seating altogether less than three hundred. It is not known who were the first officers ; inferentially, from among the members mentioned.
It is established history, and about all that is established, that the Provincetown meeting-house was built in '95. We have shown that Provincetown Methodists assisted in building the meeting-house in Truro, and were among the principal members. This they would not have done had they a house of their own, as the distance was long, the passage made mostly in boats, and for other obvious reasons. It is not rea- sonable that they built the same year after joining the Truro and Wellfleet brethren ; consequently the meeting-house at South Truro was built in 1794, if not as some claim, at an earlier date. Can the other statements be reconciled, particu-
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larly with reference to Mr. Snelling's remark, that there was no meeting-house in Truro on his first visit ? We have shown that published history as referring to Provincetown is quite inaccurate and unreliable. As we have seen by the Minutes, George Cannon was at Provincetown in '95 with Jesse Lee, Presiding Elder. One of the men who carried the table to Boston Common, which Jesse Lee used as a pulpit when he preached his first sermon under the Old Elm, was Joseph Snelling. He became a member of the first society in Boston, a disciple and companion of Lee, and the first from the society to enter the ministry.
Lee first visited the Cape as Presiding Elder according to the Minutes, in '95, to which we shall refer. The next year, although Robert Yallaly is in the Minutes for Provincetown, the inference is that he did not go, or remain ; and Lee know- ing Snelling, sent him to Provincetown, of which Truro, Wellfleet and other towns were the circuit. This is the reason Snelling's name does not appear in '96, but appears for the first time in '97, for Sandwich, a new station, also for the Vineyard in '98. George Pickering as Presiding Elder afterwards sent Snelling to Truro to settle some trouble in the Church occa- sioned, he says, by "a certain local preacher residing there ; " and that, "I had preached to some of these people about two years before ; when that friendship was established between us that is not easily broken. They now received me with every mark of affection. In the winter season when they were all at home, our meeting-house was filled to overflowing. Our singing was excellent, for many of them sung with the spirit and the understanding also."
Mr. Snelling wrote his life when an old man, and, as is evi- dent, relied entirely upon his memory. He had visited Truro at three different times. The town is fourteen miles long, and since the beginning of Methodism, preaching has been held in different parts of the town. The original Church was in the extreme south part. All these features are to be taken into consideration; and if he failed after more than forty years in some particulars of statement, it should be no surprise.
Returning to the record, we find: "George Cannon who
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was stationed at Provincetown 1795, formed the society that year ; a mob destroyed the timber that was landed all fitted for building the meeting-house, and tarred and feathered the preacher in effigy, and threatened to serve him the same. But by keeping guard at night, and keeping their weapons by them while at work, in about four months, they erected a chapel, with songs of praise." The father of Hon. Nathaniel Atwood watched night after night, musket in hand, guarding the slowly rising walls of their Jerusalem.
A town meeting had voted, "That there shall not be a Methodist Meeting-house built in this town." Also voted, "That any that will not pay the standing Minister's Rate, shall have his intrest sesed."
Jesse Lee says :-
I went to see the timber destroyed by the mob, and felt astonished at the conduct of the people, considering that we live in a free country. However, I expect this will be for the good of the little society.
Persecution seems to have had the usual result, and as Lee expected ; for in a few years the little society swallowed up the other literally, and voted them out of their church, and has continued the leading denomination to the present.
Solomon Cook, whose name was mentioned among the members of the original society, was, with others, incorporated in 1811 as the M. E. Society in Provincetown. The same year Rev. Samuel Parker, the Congregationalist minister of Provincetown, died after a pastorate of thirty-seven years. Mr. Stone was the next minister. Mr. Parker was born in Barn- stable, 1740 ; ordained 1769. His stone says the first settled minister in Provincetown. Although Rev. Jeremiah Cushing to whom we have already referred in an early chapter, was for several years minister, it is not certain that he was regu- larly settled.
Taking into consideration all the circumstances, the oppo- sition to the Methodists was a natural result, and the maddest of the mob were not without examples abundant, and unques- tionably thought they were doing good service. We should be slow to condemn religious persecutions. The ablest and
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least prejudiced historians and moral essayists of modern times, assure us that the Spanish Inquisitionists were men of unsul- lied morals, noble feelings, and really great kindness at heart ; but they were religious bigots and blinded by superstitious zeal. These same Spanish bigots with humane kindness saved from slavery the American Indians whom the Pilgrims and Puritans ordered sold in the markets of Europe. A few hundred years before, a learned Jew, a Pharisee of the Phari- sees, persecuted the Christian Church, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, and held the raiment of the first Christian martyr while he was stoned to death. "He that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone."
From the fact that Truro was known in the Minutes, and that a meeting-house was built at Provincetown in '95, it has always been understood as the first. The following are all the General Minutes referring to the Cape for many years : "'95, Provincetown, George Cannon ; '96, Robert Yallaly ; '97, Jacob Rickham ; '98, Smith Weeks ; '99, William Beauchamp ; 1800, John Merrick ; 'or, Solomon Langdon ; '02, Edward Whittle; '03, Allen H. Cobb ; '04, Alfred Metcalf ; '05, Philip Munger ; '06, Elijah Willard."
After 1806, Provincetown drops from the Minutes,and is not again mentioned till 1824, when it appears as a regular sta- tion. Harwich supersedes Provincetown, as it appears, 1807, with Joel Steel. Jesse Lee was Presiding Elder, 1795-97 ; George Pickering, '98, and with exception of 1801-02, till the change to Harwich. These were the master builders of Methodism on the Cape.
The first mention of Truro is, " 1811, Wellfleet and Truro, Joseph A. Merrill." " 1812, Wellfleet and Truro, Robert Arnold." Truro is not again mentioned till " 1827, Warren Wilbur," who was the first stationed preacher at the new Church and Society at the centre. So the history of Metho- dism in Truro, where the first society was formed,and the first meeting-house built on the Cape, and the second in New Eng- land where the altar fires burned for more than thirty years, which turned the community upside down religiously, and was a home for her ministers, is mentioned twice most casu-
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ally in the General Minutes. This is not even a skeleton. Professor Agassiz given a bone, could construct the perfect fish. Perfect history needs more than a bone. This is a case in hand of the poverty of the early records. After 1812, Well- fleet became a separate station. "1813, Elias Marble ; 1814, Bartholomew Otherman ; 1815, Thomas C. Pierce ; 1816, Orin Roberts ; 1817, Benj. Keith (the first mention of his name) ; 1818-19 Ephraim Wiley ; 1820-21, Edward Hide." Lorenzo Dow was often on the Cape, and popular there, though I do not find his name. Captain Lorenzo Dow Baker, now of Port Antonia, Jamaica, bears his name. Joel Steele also preached in Wellfleet during this time. We have mentioned all these names as they were among the Circuit Riders who preached and kept the fire constantly flaming at the old Church in Truro, which never had a stationed minister. The same may be said of Provincetown from 1807-1824. Not a few of the preachers married on the Cape during this time. I have the following : Edward Whittle, Elizabeth, a sister of Captain Eleazer Higgins ; Elijah Willard, Thankful, one of the ten sisters, a daughter of Deacon Thomas Gross ; Bartho- lomew Otherman, Mrs. Mary Gross Cartwright, another daugh- ter of Deacon Gross ; Joel Steel, Jerusha, daughter of Captain Eleazer Higgins ; Benjamin Keith, Delia, daughter of Captain Thomas Atwood ; all of Wellfleet ; Epaphras Kibby, Miss Cook of Provincetown. I presume others from these three towns.
The closing years of the last century and the first thirty of the present, covered a remarkable period in ecclesiastical history, both in this country and in England. The his- tory of this crude little chapel in the oak glades of Truro, embraced these years, and was wonderful in religious life and spiritual development. From the first, it was filled to over- flowing. Leagues shrink to miles, and miles to furlongs, where love or religious zeal leads. So these enthusiastic Christians came from Provincetown on the north at least twelve miles, and from Wellfleet and North Eastham on the south, an equal distance, to worship together in the beauty of holiness.
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People who lived three and four miles away, especially during "Four-days Meetings," would attend three services a day, walking back and forth. How the songs and the shouts and the happy amens testified these joyful meetings ! That some of these demonstrations were caused by extreme religious excitement, and were broadly open to criticism, there is much reason to believe. Chaff and wheat are cast together upon the threshing floor. Making, however, the largest allowance for temperaments, education and all other extraneous circum- stances, a more powerful wave of religious fire never swept a community. Such a victory for Christian truth, and deep, intensified piety, rarely blesses the world. In the struggle, the noblest liberty of conscience and the best qualities of manliness were realized. The majority were converted head and heart, and have either died at their posts, or remain the salt of the churches to this day.
It is as plain as any providential doctrine, that the pioneer Methodist ministers, like all men raised up to fill providential places, were providentially qualified for the work they had to do. It required men of extraordinary courage and self reli- ance ; and only men who felt called of God and thrust out, would turn their backs upon the world, and make the sacri- fice to enter these ranks. It required everything, it offered nothing as the world counts ; but men came, and the work went on.
It cannot be denied that they were somewhat ignorant of books and schools, but the book that contained their divine commission, was learned and conned by note. The injunc- tion, " Beware of the man of one book," was never more forcibly applied than to the early ministers of the Church of Wesley. Many a valiant knight, with more courage than discretion, felt the full measure of their well-poised lance, and withdrew crestfallen from the self-sought conflict. That such men were peculiar and eccentric- even sometimes enjoying and perpetrating a joke - surprising their congregations by some unexpected turn, is a part of their history.
One morning service at the old church, when Mr. - had been preaching as he thought without his usual liberty, he
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surprised his congregation by saying, " Brethren, your stove- pipe is so confounded crooked that I can't preach a straight sermon." The words had hardly fallen from his lips when one of the brethren replied, " Sir, it shall be straightened so that you can preach a straight sermon this afternoon." It was done, and a powerful sermon that went straight to many hearts followed.
A certain minister, who had some unpleasantness with the church, took as his text, "The world, the flesh, and the devil,'' and said, "I shall touch lightly upon the world, hasten to the flesh, and pass on to the devil, when I will give it to you hot as you can sup it."
In those days young men left the farm, the forge, and the shoebench with no other preparation than the gift of the Holy Ghost, and a sublime faith in the word of promise to save souls. The Cape was a choice field to exercise their new-born zeal, and to grow in knowledge and grace. The people were ready to hear. Under the Pilgrim ashes lay the live coals of the old Scrooby Church, first touched by Richard Barnard, " Barnard of Batcombe," the Puritan of Epworth. Now came the disciples of Wesley of Epworth, like a flame to the buried coals, and a mighty fire was kindled that illuminated the Cape.
My grandfather's house near the Seven Ponds, was a home for the fresh-levied soldiers. One who became a valiant war- rior, and a Doctor of Divinity, used to read his hymns over several times before some one of the girls for correction, pre- paratory to the service. One night when my grandmother was preparing supper, a young minister sat by the open fire. He had just preached an able sermon, and was trying to draw her out about it. She quietly remarked, "Your text was the same that Brother - preached from the last time he was here." A great fire was roaring up the chimney, and the tea- kettle hung steaming at the end of the crane. The young minister mused a moment with a discomfitted countenance, and turning to my grandmother said, " I think I will try and crawl up that teakettle nose, if you will help me ! "
One of the most respectable families in this part of the town is Cobb - a good Old Colony name of more than two
3×5
THE PEOPLE CALLED METHODISTS.
hundred years' standing. But kinks happen in the best of families as well as accidents. One of this patronymic unfor- tunately gave offence to the preacher, who left on the church records abreast the name in a strong hand, "- Cobb, dis- missed ; too cobby ; all cob and no corn."
One of the members had a proclivity to cut wood on a lot joining his own, belonging to a woman of the same church. After several trespasses, she sent for the offender to come and see her, and said to him, "I have heard of your cutting my wood. If you will pay me the value and do so no more, I will say no more about it ; but if not I must prosecute." The old gentleman knowing her love for discussing Scripture, replied, " What do you think of the Queen of Sheba ?" A long argu- ment was the result, and when they had finished the Queen of Sheba, the wood was forgotten. The Methodists in those days were zealous, enthusiastic, and self-sacrificing ; no labor or self-denial was counted too much for the cause. It is related that the minister having a meeting to attend at a dis- tant part of the town, on the way called at the house of an elect lady. He found her making for herself a pair of thick calf-skin shoes. The oak and pine logs were crackling in the huge fireplace, the baby sleeping in the cradle. A foot or more of fresh-fallen snow lay on the ground. The place for the meeting was two miles away, through the woods. Said this primitive example of Christianity in earnest, to the minis- ter, " Wait till I finish this shoe, when I will get dinner, put on my new shoes, take the baby on my arm and go along with you," all which she did, taking besides the hatchet in her hand, to cut away the brush or trees that might have fallen in the way. When at the meeting she exhorted with power and eloquence.
This little building continued to be the only one of the denomination in town till 1822, when the first parish society was organized at the Centre. As the Wellfleet part of the society had long before withdrawn to their own new church, the old society now small and the building poor, many of the members united with the new parish, and worshipped there. It was not. however, sitting under their own vine and
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fig-tree. They earnestly desired their old ways. The next few years being prosperous, they determined to build on the old spot. Their new society was organized as the South Truro M. E. Church, April 29, 1829. A commodious and convenient house for the times, was dedicated December 15, 1831. Rev. Benjamin F. Lambord, Presiding Elder, preached the dedica- tory sermon.
I have known many instances of great personal sacrifices made for religious worship, but none that will compare with the determined zeal and positive liberality that marked build- ing and paying for this plain, cheerful house of God.
A gentleman stated that the first hundred dollars he earned, and all he had, he gave. He mentioned another who was just twenty-one, and without a dollar, who pledged one hun- dred dollars, and paid it out of his first schools of fish. It is gratifying to state that neither of these men has ever been pushed for want of a hundred dollars.
Rev. Benjamin Keith was very active and useful in this Church and aided greatly by his influence to the completion of the work. Mr. Keith was born in Vermont ; was many years an itinerant minister. When ill health compelled him to locate, he made Truro his home, but continued to preach as his strength would allow, sometimes supplying the pulpit for a year, and always laboring successfully at Four-Days Meeting, and on all special occasions. A modest marble mon- ument in the graveyard, perhaps on the very site of the orig- inal meeting-house, marks the grave of the faithful minister and his wife.
Sacred To the memory of the REV. BENJAMIN KEITH who died Feb. 11, 1834, Æ 45 yrs.
I saw the faithful herald fall, I saw him burst his prison wall, I traced him when he took his flight To dwell among the saints of light.
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MRS. DELIVERANCE wife of RET. BENJAMIN KEITH died June 7, 1835, ZE 37 years.
In 1851, when the town was at the height of its prosperity, the society had outgrown their house of 1831, and the present
6 19
M. F. CHURCH, SOUTH TRURO.
graceful and attractive building most eligibly situated west- ward of the old site, was built. The old burying-ground is used by the society.
The following is a correct list since the organization of this society in 1831.
1832 Benjamin Keith; 1833 Joseph B. Brown ; 1834-37, supplied by Thomas Dodge a local preacher, who had been a sca captain. Afterwards followed that profession, making his home in Chatham. In 1861, was a member of the Legis- lature, and brought down the house by shouting Amen ! at the close of Andrew's famous speech (that made him Governor) on the duty of Massachusetts. When Dodge shouted amen, it was no uncertain sound. He could make more noise in the pulpit with less religion, and spoil more Bibles than any man I have ever heard ; 1839-40, Joel Steele : 1841, James Bignall ; 1842-44, Henry II. Smith ; 1845, Lozian Pierce ; 1846-47, William Leonard, now a Congregational minister
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in South Wellfleet ; 1848-49, Adin H. Newton, now practising medicine in Provincetown; 1850, Ira M. Bidwell; 1851, Anthony Palmer ; 1852-53, William Keller; 1854-55, William Leonard; 1856-57, F. A. Loomis ; 1857-59, Josiah C. Allen ; 1860, A. Lathan; 1861, S. B. Chase; 1862-63, George S. Alexander ; 1864-65, E. M. Anthony ; 1866, supplied by Mr. Bowditch or S. Ayer ; 1867-69 B. L. Sayer ; 1870-75, supplied by S. Wetherbee, Miller, and Macomber ; 1876 supplied by Butler ; married while here, Miss Stocker; Since 1876 Truro and South Truro have been united under the same appointment, each society having one preaching service every Sabbath ; 1876-78, Virgil W. Matoon ; 1879, Charles N. Hinckley ; 1880-82, John S. Fish.
Truro, January 25, 1826, at a quarterly meeting of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the town of Truro, voted to build a meeting-house. Made choice of the following members as trustees for the said house :
JOHN SMITH. President.
MICHAEL COLLINS. Secretary.
SAMUEL COAN,
SAMUEL SMALL,
ZOHETH SMITH,
EBENEZER L. DAVIS,
JOHN RICH,
JOEL ATWOOD,
CORNELIUS HAMBLIN OF WELLFLEET.
Voted, that Captain Michael Collins and Ebenezer L. Davis be a Building Committee.
1826- MEETING-HOUSE OF THE M. E. CHURCH, TRURO- 1882.
A plain barn-like building, the rule for Methodist meeting- houses of that time, about forty feet square, with two tiers of windows like the port-holes of a ship of the line, stiff galleries on three sides, and a two-story pulpit with red doors, was finished within the year. Unfortunately for architecture, this
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house was entirely remodelled in about 1845 ; a few years ago was again modernized, and is now a neat and quite tasty little chapel, kept with all its appointments in excellent condition.
For many years, and at a time when the history of the M. E. Church was important, no general form for records was fur- nished. The Parish Meetings were usually well recorded, but nothing general. For more than fifty years of this Church history, the name of the preacher in charge is rarely found. From other sources, I have been enabled to gather a list of the appointments, which I trust will be found correct.
1827, Warren Wilbur; 1828, Benjamin Keith; 1829, Abram Holway; 1830-I, William R. Stone; 1832-3, William Ramsdell; 1834-5, Enoch Bradley; 1836-7, Thomas W. Gile; 1838-9, J. R. Barstow; 1840, Levi Woods; 1841-2, Reuben Bowen; 1843, Thomas Patten; 1844-5, Charles A. Carter ; 1846, Henry Mayo; 1847-8, Samuel Beedle ; 1849, Onesiphorus Robbins; 1850, Theophilus B. Gurney ; 1851-2, Thomas D. Blake; 1853, Edward B. Hinckley; 1854, Lewis E. Dunham; 1855-6, John W. Willett; 1857, William E. Sheldon; 1858-9, Nathan P. Selee ; 1860-1-2, James B. Washburn ; 1863, Lawton Cady ; 1864, Adin H. Newton ; 1865, Joseph Gerry ; 1866, Hefflin S. Smith ; 1867-8, Jason Gill; 1869, ( Unsupplied) ; 1870, Isaac G. Price; 1871-2-3, Isaac Sherman; 1874-5, Richard Burn; 1876-7-8, Virgil W. Mattoon; 1879, Charles N. Hinckley; 1880-3, John S. Fish.
Many of the above names and of the other list, were noble, Christian men of talent and power, deserving of especial notice.
In 1821, the " Great Revival " in Truro and Wellfleet under Edward Hyde, Frederick Upham and others, took place. It was a Pentecostal year. Then was fulfilled that prophecy of the millennial day, "When no man shall say to his neighbor know ye the Lord, for all shall know him from the least to the greatest." It was said that on Bound Brook Island, then quite a populous district, not a man or woman was left profes- sedly unconverted. Over four hundred made a profession of religion, two hundred and thirty-six joined the Methodist Church. Among so large a number, many of whom were men past middle age, of varied experience and keen observa- tion, it would not be surprising to find some of rare character
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and ability, who had been educated by the world, and had acquired habits of thought and independence. When the love of Christ blossomed out in their lives, they were too old and biased to lean to any set forms ; they were still marked by the original angles and sinuosities of all strong characters. Early Methodism intensified natural powers and offered occupation in her own channels. Her charms of natural fitness and ready adaptation were strong factors in these agencies. Scores in this connection are worthy to be named; space forbids, but the history we narrate would be glaringly deficient without a few cases to illustrate the power of religion upon the human heart.
A representative man in this list was Ephraim Doane Rich, a local preacher, who was licensed by Presiding Elder Webb in 1830, when about fifty years of age. A man who was violently prejudiced against Methodist preachers ; who had never heard and would not hear them preach; when he understood that Mr. Rich was to preach on a certain occasion, was so surprised that he determined to hear what such a man could say in the pulpit. The text was, "When Israel was a child," etc.
This man declared to his dying day, that a better sermon he never heard. To reason logically and draw forcible inductions, seemed as natural to this born preacher as to breathe. Much prominence was given in those days to exhortations. The exhorter, now in the dim background, and fast fading from sight, was a figure distinct and inseparable, both male and female, in early Methodism. Undoubtedly, it was one of the great sources of her power and success. In comparison with the Church of to-day, it is surprising how many men and women could give powerful and effective exhortations. Mr. Rich was a powerful exhorter. He would stand against the rail of the little altar, with one hand in his pocket, and with the other force home his rugged reasoning, and vivid personal experience, with an energy and eloquence that swept like a torrent. I heard him say, when referring to his early advantages, that his entire school books consisted of psalter and arithmetic. The Christian religion is a living miracle, and the highest development of spiritual power.
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