USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Essex > Two centuries of church history : celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the organization of the Congregational church & parish in Essex, Mass., August 19-22, 1883 > Part 14
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As a preacher, Mr. Webster was solemn and impressive. His exhibitions of truth were clear, intelligible and direct, not encumbered with verboseness nor metaphysical subtilties, but adapted to the comprehension of all classes of hearers, and uttered with an earnestness and ardor, which showed how deeply he was impressed with the magnitude and respon- sibility of the gospel ministry."
Hon. David Choate, under date, Essex, April 18, 1870 wrote :
"The impressive yet affectionate solemnity of your father ·more especially in, but often out of the pulpit was a striking feature-how he would glow as he advanced both in prayer and preaching, rising from half inarticulate utterance to the full swellings of a rich and mellow voice, increasing frequently to the end. And then it was more especially that the gran- dure of the Amen was so overwhelming, always in the prayers, and, I think, always at the close of the sermon. And the Amen, I have never yet forgotten, was uttered, as a part of the prayer, and never as a word added to it; thus giving more than mortal significance to it I have often
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times wished your father's manner in pronouncing the Amen might be revived. I have seen an audience so lifted up by it, so filled with it, that after its utterance he would himself be calmly occupying his seat long before the people began to sit down or could think he was done, -"they thought him still speaking, still stood firm to hear." I assure you this is no fancy sketch, it began in my childhood, I could never for- get it: I never shall."
Hon. Rufus Choate wrote as follows from Boston, July 27, 1857:
"He had times of hearing the children of the parish in their catechism, and his appearance then and in the pulpit are all blended in my recollections, into one general impres- sion of a certain dignity of goodness. What led to his dis- missal I do not know Three or four years after- ward, passing that way he was invited to preach in his own pulpit, and the house was crowded as at an ordination, [which in those days, meant a crowd].
When boarding in his family for five or six months in 1815, [at Hampton, N.H.] while preparing for college, his kindness during all that time was so uniform, his councils regarding studies, deportment and a good life, so anxious, parental and wise, that I remember him as a son remembers his father, and would as little attempt an analysis of his character or critical estimate of his intellectual and professional claims and rank. In his general manner he was serious. He held the very highest tone of the orthodox opinions of his school and preached them without shade or accommoda- tion. But his disposition was gentle and affectionate, his en- joyment of beauty in nature, music, literature and eloquence enthusiastic and tasteful; his occasional laugh unforced and most pleasant, and his conversation instructive and full of illustrative anecdote. I do not know what were the judg- ments of his clerical brethren, but, if I may trust my own distinct recollection, he was among the most graceful and
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most chaste of the elocutionists of the pulpit of that time and that Association."
Were it practicable, it would afford me great pleasure to be present at your celebration. It must be one of unusual historic and general interest. And I shall esteem it a great favor to receive from you any published account of it.
.Very fraternally yours,
J. C. WEBSTER.
BOXFORD, Aug, 20th, 1883.
Gentlemen,-Accept my thanks for your kind invitation to be present on the interesting occasion you are to observe on the 22nd inst., an invitation with which I should gladly comply, if my health permitted.
Among the names, so far as my knowledge extends, which have rendered Essex memorable, two are very prominent- Crowell and Choate ("par nobile fratrum,") the one, for a long period pastor of the Church ; the other, for several years, an officer in the Church and superintendent of the Sabbath School.
Dr. Crowell was in the prime of life when I, as a young man, first came to this town. From the very beginning of my acquaintance, I was led highly to esteem him. He was a sound and able preacher. I was accustomed to make a yearly exchange with him, and my people were always glad to see him in the pulpit.
Dea. Choate, besides possessing many other excellent qual- ities, I remember as peculiarly original and entertaining in his method of conducting the Sabbath School.
It may well be said of these sainted men that "Being dead, they yet speak." The blessed influence of their instructions and example will long be felt.
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On the day you are to observe, mention will undoubtedly be made of many other worthies now in glory. May the occasion, and its results, be to you all that you can desire ! Yours very truly, WM. S. COGGIN.
To Messrs. Gage, Cogswell. and others, Committee of Church and Parish.
SABBATH SCHOOL HISTORY.
In the absence of the Address on the Sabbath School which was expected at the Anni- versary, the Church voted Oct. 23d, 1883 that the following Historical Address delivered at the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Sabbath School Dec. 26, 1864, by the Superintendent Dea. David Choate, be published in this volume.
Dear friends ! twice five and twenty years ago! Alas ! how time escapes, -- 'tis even so !
It was nearly in this manner, that the English Poet began his letter to his friend. He indeed had the lapse of only once that section of man's life to mourn, - we have it twice.
Whether on a review, our joy should be greater than his for having survived the longer campaign; - or whether our sorrow should overbalance for the reason that so many more have fallen by our side to renew the battles of life no more, it may not be easy to decide.
"Twice five and twenty years" ! How difficult, how impos- sible to realize the flight of so vast a portion of human life ! Do you ask, where is the age, the manhood, the maidens fair, the children sweet of fifty years ago? I should answer of all the first, and many of the second class, in the words of Doct. Daniel Hopkins heard here in my earliest boyhood, "They are all gone down into the grave, minister and all" ! Do you ask after the young men and the fair maidens? Alas ! the. survivors of them have slid or are sliding into the arm- chair of life. And if the second generation of those "sweet children" are with us here to-day, what time of life I ask, do you think it is with them?
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We are still however far, I apprehend, from appreciating all that is implied in the space of fifty years. Let us look a moment outside these venerated walls and see how the world itself has moved on since the first classes assembled around the newly ordained minister. Take a short walk about town. The same river still runs between the same banks. The same fine sheet of water, rolling down the same gentle Falls, still supplies it, thence rolling onward to the sea. You see the same woodlands and the same salt meadows -almost the same King-fisher and Robin seem to fly over us : - But with the exception of the unchanged face of unchanging nature, how changed is all beside ! Old Chebacco becomes the namesake of the county. Her population more stationary than other things, has yet gone up from about twelve hundred to seven- teen hundred, notwithstanding small but unreturning swarms have been going away from the parent hive. Two hundred dwelling houses, or nearly so, five school houses and two churches have been built and one remodeled. The little Pinkey of twelve to fifteen tons, drawn upon wheels, has be- come the tall schooner of 150 or 200. And as a fine comment upon the industry and economy of the people, the wealth of the town has advanced in these fifty years from $258,000 by the assessors' books in 1819, to $930,000 being three and six tenths times as great now as then.
A moments glance at the outside world may aid still further in taking in the great idea of fifty years. Since the day when one of the earliest Sabbath School Scholars whose step is still firm, repeated the 176 verses of the 119th Psalm, a thing never since done I believe at one lesson, every Railroad in America has been built.
The idea of a Telegraph wire either through the air or under the sea, had entered no man's mind until this Sabbath School had been in operation eighteen years. Within less than one half of the time of our Sabbath School existence Steam Power which had already one foot upon the land, has set the
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other down upon the sea. And although we may not say with Campbell, I believe, that "the Roman Empire has begun and ended" since that day, yet an empire larger by far than ever the Roman was, has been acquired by us and added to us. Since the early classes were assembled within these dear old walls, sixteen states have been added to the Union, while I deny that any have dropped out of it. Sixteen states I say of such magnitude as would make 164 like Massachusetts, besides territory enough to make six and thirty more. And while these lessons have been going on, we have seen thirteen Presidents of these United States. The country has endured twelve party conflicts, some of which have been nearly con- vulsive, and yet every one of them has subsided within a week after the struggle, as did the severest and the last.
Such is a glance at a few of the events that have transpired outside the Sabbath School room during the past fifty years. But I see and feel how inadequate all this has been to pro- mote the object I have desired, and dismiss it with very little satisfaction.
The precise day and hour when our Sabbath School be- gan to assemble around the old Pulpit cannot now be de- termined. The utter absence of Records is most painfully felt this day. The following statement of its origin however, collected from various conversations with the founder himself was read in his hearing July 4, 1849, and it is believed he ap- proved it, as he made no objection to it either then or at any other time. The following is the language, "The experiment of organizing a Sabbath School in the town of Essex, then Chebacco, was first made by Rev. Robert Crowell, our present pastor, in the Summer of 1814, and within a few weeks after his ordination. He met the children, then thirty to forty in number, in the pews fronting the pulpit, at the ringing of the first bell in the morning, and heard them repeat verses of Scripture and Hymns. The school was discontinued through the Winter for several successive years."
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It is known by documentary evidence, that the ordination referred to, took place on August 10, 1814, and the expres- sion "within a few weeks after the ordination," would lead us to believe that in September or October the School began to assemble.
The earliest Record relating to the school known to exist is dated October 14, 1828, and reads as follows, viz .: "At a meeting of the Managers of the Essex Sabbath School, voted Samuel Burnham, Superintendent for one year: Voted that the following persons be requested to instruct in the Sabbath School for one year, viz. : J. S. Burnham, U. G. Spofford, Caleb Cogswell, Joseph Perkins, Zacheus Burnham, John Mears, Jr., William Henry Mears, -Louisa Crowell, Lucy Choate, Mary Boyd, Sally Burnham, Elizabeth Perkins, Lydia Perkins, Clara Perkins, Sally Bowers, Betsey Kinsman, Elizabeth Proctor : Voted David Choate Assistant Superintendent. And at a meeting of the Managers, Dec. 2, 1829, voted that there be two Superintendents, viz. : S. Burnham, and D. Choate."
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It was also voted that there be two Librarians, viz .: U. G. Spofford and J. S. Burnham ; the teachers of last year were re-chosen for one year more with the following in addition, Francis Burnham, Adoniram Story, Philemon S. Eveleth, Mrs. Hannah C. Crowell, Miss Abigail P. Choate, Mrs. Sally Burnham, Mrs. E. W. Choate, Mrs. Mina Burnham, Miss Sally Norton.
Twenty of the above twenty-seven teachers for these two years, were the fruits of the first revival of religion after the opening of the Sabbath School and which commenced late in the autumn of 1827.
No list of the members of the school for the first seventeen years can now be found. A full record however, of the mem- bers, in the hand writing of the Founder of the School, as it stood in 1831 has been carefully preserved, and is of much historical value. The whole number attending as pupils was then 140, of whom 84 had left when the present Superinten- dent began to act as such in the summer of 1837.
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It would at first seem a natural division of a Historical sketch of the Sabbath School at the close of its 50th year, to
. take each of the five decades by itself. In the operations of the School however, there seems nothing particularly distinctive. One decade runs into another, and as there would be the un- avoidable overlapping, and more especially as even the greatest latitude of time will require whole years to be crowded into a word, or omitted altogether, a running sketch of detached events is all that can be attempted, and not always regarding strictly chronological order, even then.
An uncertainty to us, hangs over the time when the change was made from simply committing Scripture, and a Question book was introduced. The first written evidence we have is the following. "At a Meeting of the Managers of the Sabbath School Oct. 14, 1828, it was voted to recommend 'Judson's Questions' for the use of the school and that brother Francis Burnham be a committee to procure two dozen of them." It seems probable that this was the first use of a Question Book, and they continued to be used until in July, 1843, their use was discontinued by vote of the teachers; and this discontin- uance lasted through eleven consecutive years.
Our Sabbath School is the child of the Church. Although this idea has been sometimes repudiated, there is still evidence of its truth in our case the most abundant.
To say nothing of the fact, that the minister brought the school into existence, rocked it in its cradle, and carried it in his arms for whole years together, the Church itself as early as August, 1828, procured Watts' Catechism at its own expense, for the little ones of the school, and on the 7th of December, 1829, the Church voted to appropriate the sum of $15 for the purchase of a Library, and again on the 6th of May, 1832, eight dollars more for the same purpose. In Jan. 1838, the Church bought two dozen more Question Books, and three dozen Catechisms. The great expenditure for Bibles, begun in 1849, will be referred to again.
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But if a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the time when committing Scripture exclusively gave way to the Question Book, a still deeper one rests upon the time when the transi- tion of the School from the hands of its Founder, to those of its first Superintendent, Capt. Samuel Burnham, was made. Probably it was done gradually. That early Superintendent is not fully able to recollect the time when he first came into the School. Female teachers are believed to have heard the classes at first when the pastor was absent on exchange. The first male teachers were probably non-professors; indeed, they must have been ; and with two or three exceptions this must have continued until the Revival of religion in 1828.
The learning and reciting of Watts' Psalms and Hymns in connection with the Bible lessons, was more popular with the School for the first five or six years, beginning in 1838, than it has been since. The 138th Hymn, Ist Book was quite a fa- vorite, if we may judge from the number who committed it. The hymn commences with the verse-
"Firm as the earth, thy gospel stands, My Lord, my hope, my trust; If I am found in Jesus' hands. My soul can ne'er be lost."
This Hymn was committed twenty-six years ago, and twenty-five out of the thirty-one who learned it, are believed to be still living. Of the six not living, some, we are certain, died in the undoubting belief that being "found in Jesus' hands their souls would ne'er be lost."
Among other hymns committed by the school during the years referred to, were those beginning
"Stand up my soul, shake off thy fears"-
"Life is the time to serve the Lord"-
"Thus far the Lord hath led me on"-
"There is a land of pure delight"-
"Lo! on a narrow neck of land"-
"Lord I am thine, but thou wilt prove My faith, my patience, and my love."
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These are only specimens, I give them by special request, as the recollection of them is dear to many hearts.
A call for volunteers in 1839 to read the Bible through without the offer of any reward whatever, was responded to by 136, not including teachers. These were all called on at two different times to report progress. A few (one certainly) had finished the whole before the first inquiry. How much was read after the second inquiry cannot now be known. Some, no doubt, left the great body of the book unread. But on summing up the chapters as given in by those who read, the number was 29,991 ; - equal to reading the whole Bible by 25 readers, with 272 verses to spare. All were charged to read names of persons and places with care. My belief is, that much of this reading was too rapid. Indeed, when in 1852, on the suggestion of a distinguished neighboring cler- gyman, a large number entered upon the plan of reading the Bible through in a year by reading three chapters on each and every week day, and five on every Sabbath, I became more than ever convinced that the reading was quite to rapid to derive lasting good from it. I have never encouraged such hasty reading since, and I probably never shall again.
If Dr. Taylor of Norwich could read the Epistle to the Romans through seventeen times, and never find the doctrine of Atonement in it, as he said he did, though it is admitted that his prejudice like an extinguisher upon a candle would be pretty effectual against receiving light from it, as Mr. Newton said was the case; - yet I ask were not some of his readings probably too rapid, to admit of his discovering that pearl of great price ?
I was about to speak of a system of class papers kept by the teachers for a few years, reporting the doings and conduct of the members, but must pass that with much other matter relating to the machinery of Sabbath Schools.
So of five pages of statistics, I must omit the details and give only a few results. Since our fourth of July celebration
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in 1859, when a full report was made, the school has contri- buted for benevolent purposes $442.99, - Expended at home on Libraries, library cases, and incidentals $185.
Reading for Soldiers $102. Missionary operations $109. Whole amount contributed, disbursed, mostly abroad since July 1849, back of which date I have not reckoned, $1015.72, leaving however a balance of $32.74 on hand. - I must omit all details of our numbers, except the fact that from and since 1831 when the record of them begins, the whole number is 724. Of their present residences and upon their occupations, I must be reluctantly silent, or only say, that of 72, we have lost all knowledge, and that 40 of our late or former number, are, or have been in the army or navy-that of these, seven will return no more by reason of death. Of Marriages, 42 females, and 19 male members, either present, late, or at some former time have entered the marriage state since the com- mencement of 1854-23 young men never members, have sought and found their brides in our Sabbath School, and led them to the altar, -and finally I mention the vase once filled with beautiful flowers, now changed to dried leaves, and smell- ing of death. Seventy-three late or former members have died since the beginning of 1850, 26 of them being abroad (including the Soldiers). One precious teacher Mrs. Cogswell and one dear pupil, Mary A. Andrews have died since this oc- casion was contemplated.
The whole number now enrolled is 338, of whom 184 are over 15 years of age - 143 between 5 and 15-and 12 under 5,-91 belong to the Infant Department.
It is disagreeable to pass over the Sabbaths, the months and the years of our history in so much silence. Character has been developed sometimes with amazing rapidity. A small turn of the moral kaleidoscope, has often presented character in a new light entirely. The minds and hearts of children are being constantly developed, in some new and often unexpected form. Something of all this is known, but
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more is unknown, except as revealed by events, sometimes long years afterward. A boy has sometimes appeared to be · attending closely to all that was said in Sabbath School, when it was subsequently found that he was meditating a robbery and + really perpetrated it before sundown on the same day. Another would seem careless and would half break his teacher's heart, when there was afterwards some reason to think that under that unpropitious exterior there was a hopeful upspringing plant, and the boy was laying up treasure in heaven ! One great defect in the working of the Sabbath School, is the want of power to collect the scintillations of thought struck out in the classes, and then bring them together, and let the rays commingle and the light be held up where all may see it. Who is to be the Prof. Morse of the Sunday School laying a telegraph wire from each class to the Superintendent's desk?
While upon this point of bringing out character in the Sunday School, I would love to recur to a few, perhaps for- gotten incidents, and by many never known, for the reason that it may bear with advantage on the future. When in 1852 we were upon the character of Mary, last at the cross, and first at the Sepulchre, it seemed proper to ask for an imitation of that trait in any cross bearing matter relating to the Sunday School. We were then reviewing the Catechism publicly once a month. Some were occasionally absent on that day. I had had too much experience not to know, that there may be good cause for absence often repeated too. You may be too ill, in a world where pain is the side com- panion of man. One of our older members was absent in 1861 for which I could not at the time account, and it troub- led me. It was afterwards known that the absence was for the purpose of ministering to the wants of a dying mother, and another, at another time, was about the bed of a dying daughter.
One of our early members, once sent me word giving the
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reason of absence, I have forgotten the year, but never the message !
But let me repeat the rule to-day, laid down twelve years ago, that when God puts no sorrow in your path, beware how you put any obstacle to duty there.
It is no part of the female character to be too timid for duty ; but there may be such a misapprehension of it, as admits of deserting our appropriate place. That person has never yet walked worthily through this world, who has had no pain- ful duty to do. I once desired a young lady to read a piece upon the stage at one of our fourth of July celebrations. It raised a great conflict in her mind between her native mod- esty and her sense of duty. "I don't see how I can," was her answer, "but if you wish me to, I will," smiling, "if it half kills me." And another of a great heart but waning life, and whose feet have brought her here with difficulty enough for years, was never known to draw back from duty. One of those "suns has set, O rise some other such." You know, dear friends, that classes have sometimes come and staid and gone away, when none could be found to act as teacher. May that blot never stain the yet uuwritten page of the opening fifty years.
And now let me say, that having been upon a voyage of fifty years, we come to anchor for one hour in port. Owners, underwriters and friends, we bid you a hearty welcome on board our little Barque. You will demand to know what we have done and left undone. On our part, we ask your further orders, and take a new departure for the voyage this day.
What account, fellow teachers, have we to give of ourselves?
What have we learnt, where'er we've been? From all we've heard, from all we've seen? What know we more that's worth the knowing? What have we done, that's worth the doing? What have we sought, that we should shun? What duty have we left undone ; Or into what new follies run?
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Smooth as the sea of the Sabbath School seems to be, must we not say it is as deceitful as any other sea. And that it abounds with dangers, to which we must not be blind. Oh may this christian mariner (Mr. Bullard) continue to hang out the flag, or float the buoy over the quicksands and the rocks, as he has so long been doing.
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