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 16
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On the third Sabbath in December, being but two and a half months from the time when the offer was made, forty- two Bibles had been delivered. The whole number to the present time is one hundred and seventy-eight.
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We have sometimes called 1849, our happy year. All, certainly, were not so, few, indeed, were like it. The year 1855 contrasted strongly. Our numbers diminished that year, while neighboring schools increased. The attractions about town were too much for the Sabbath School. The river and the roads seemed scarred with sin. One boy, who left us, said he had got all the good there was to be had, he thought. Another said he had as lief go to hell as to the Sabbath School, and a third when asked by his teacher if he thought he could endure the judgment of the great day, boldly answered, yes ! We know Dr. L. Beecher's rule, that such boys should never be allowed to leave, but should be publicly expelled. But we were afraid. Our tears became our sorrowful meat. The cloud at length however gradually lifted. These distinguished Boston friends had more to do with lifting that cloud than they have ever yet known of. Through their agency, Massa- chusetts and New York shook hands together that year in the Crystal Palace, and the recollection of what we there heard and saw, chased all our tears and our fears away together.
INFANT DEPARTMENT.
Our infant department was formed and organized as a branch of the main school, on the first Sabbath of May 1859 .. It consisted at that time of thirty-two members, Mrs. Caleb Cogswell, teacher, assisted for a time by Miss Mary S. Spofford. Mrs. Cogswell continued to conduct the depart- ment with excellent success until she left for a year's residence in Minnesota.
It was determined that this department should begin at the beginning; that the first question should be, "Who was the first man; and the second, who was the first woman? and to follow in the train of the book, which gives us these facts. Because, that same first man, by his Fall, lost communion with God, and came under his wrath and curse ; and as by that one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin, the children could begin to understand why so many little tombstones
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were decking the burial ground in the spring of that year ; why some thirty weeping fathers had just then built their children's tombs. It was all because of the fall of man, that he and all his long posterity must die.
The late lamented Mrs. Bacon commenced teaching in the Infant Department, on the 17th of June 1860, Miss M. S. Spofford having found her health insufficient. The number had now increased to forty-eight. Mrs. Bacon conducted the department as her predecessor had done, with great success. Her manner of teaching, said a writer in the religious Papers, "was, like herself, affectionate and persuasive in the highest degree." Her labors ended only with her life. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them. She died on the 3Ist of January, 1863.
From this time, 31st of January, 1863 Miss Maria W. Crowell heard the class as frequently as she was able, until the first Sabbath in July, when her waning health forbade her meeting with them any longer. She died on the four- teenth of November, having often spoken of the children with the deepest affection and many prayers. After the . teacher's chair was vacated by Miss Crowell, it became occu- pied by the present incumbent, and now numbers ninety-one members, a great advance upon anything before.
It is, I presume, within our recollection that extensive blessings attended the preaching of the word and other means of grace in 1858. Our teachers felt it then, as in former years, only more so, to be their sweet and solemn duty to point to heaven and lead the way; to talk much of Christ and Him crucified ; to pour forth their thoughts of that won- drous One; His life; His death; His everlasting presence, and His power to save.
With curiously critical teaching we felt that we had but little to do. The Boston Review tells us that the word Uzzen Sherah occurs but once in the Bible, but that important mat-
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ters were connected with it. But we thought the salvation of the soul should transcend all other considerations. This was in that remarkable year, when the most extensive revivals of religion, ever known in our country or in Europe, were in progress ; and it was now that the third outpouring of God's Spirit was experienced in our Sabbath School. Thirty-one, in the judgment of charity, passed from death unto life, and on the first Sabbath in July following, twenty-seven of them publicly professed their faith in Christ. Some others have followed since. We could but say as on a similar occasion in 1849; This too is the Lord : we have again waited for Him, . and He has again come to bless us. O, that we could add, every one of us, in turning us away from our iniquities.
In bringing these somewhat disconnected thoughts to a close, I cannot allow myself to forget the obligations that our church and the rising generation are under: Ist, to the late Robert Crowell D.D. who founded this Sabbath School, and held it up so long by its infant hand. 2d, To our present pastor whose wakeful eye is upon the school with the same anxious assiduity, and whose presence is always sunshine in the school. 3d, To its first Superintendent for twelve to fifteen years, and who not long after collected the first of our eight adult classes; who has never failed of meeting that class on any but sick days, and those but few indeed, and who now in vigorous age, still stands up before some twenty adult members every Sabbath day "for to read" and expound ; and 4th, to the long line of teachers for fifty years, both the living and the dead.
When I have been sometimes looking at the town schools, I have said to myself, how much good a teacher does that he is never paid for! for the interest taken! for the plans laid in the wakeful hours of night, all centering in the school room ! midnight reviews of yesterday's work, or to-morrow's designs ! But how insignificant all this becomes, when laid alongside of the debt which the rising generation owe to
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faithful teachers in the Sabbath Schools. I am free to own, that I have often received more pain than pleasure, at some State, or other large Convention, when the speakers have been laying heavy burdens upon teachers' shoulders, as I thought already deeply loaded, almost requiring them, if I may change the figure, not merely to "roll away the stone," , but to bring the sleeping Lazarus forth! If by the use of that bad word unpaid, or unrequited labor in the Sabbath School, I have raised the thought in any mind that teachers should be paid, let me say, the Sabbath School system will no more bear the touch of selfishness or pay, than, as Mary Lyon said, the Mt. Holyoke Female Seminary would, where it is known that every Trustee or committee man who took pay for service had but one short step from the quarter-deck over the Ship's side. Sabbath School labor will not bear pay, I refer of course to labor in the school room.
If the American Churches owe that debt of gratitude to the 300,000 Sabbath School teachers which all great and good men say they do, then dear fellow teachers of this our Essex branch, a proportionate share is due to you. Your instructions have fallen upon seven hundred or a thousand minds. Your hands, I speak collectively of all the past as well as the present laborers in the field, have done what they could to fill these minds with God's word. And as the skill of the operator in our city churches, by one stroke of his art, lights a hundred lamps in an instant, so, says Dr. Nehemiah Adams, regeneration will convert the knowledge of the Sab- bath School child, at once into a source of pleasure unspeak- able.
In allusion then to the Marriage at Cana, I would use the words of the Great Guest and say, "Fill ye then the water pots with water, up to the brim." Christ is near by, and can change that water all into wine in a moment.
Travellers tell us, that beautiful rivers, golden rivers, some- times disappear under a burning sky, and seem lost in the
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sands, but you are sure to find them again bursting out in a more congenial clime, and thence rolling onward to the sea. So mental philosophers tell us, "the mind never forgets. The delicate tracery of early impressions may be lost a while under the sterner stamps of maturer years, but it is all there." Therefore, disheartened TEACHERS, SUPERINTENDENTS once of us, but now in more extensive fields of labor, dear Pastor of our own church, Life long laborers present, whose Sabbath School is the Commonwealth, Ministers, and men of God who gladden us with your presence to-day, "THEREFORE, I say, let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season ye shall reap if ye faint not."
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Appendix to the Historical Discourse. A.
May 2S. 1679. In ans. to the petition of the inhabitants of Chebacho, Wm. Cogswell, Sen., Robt. Crosse, Sen., William Story, &c., upon a full hearing of the Chebacho case, the Court judge, the petitioners of Chebacho have offended the council, in going expresly contrary to their aduise, in errecting a meeting house; which they order them immediately to acknowl- edge. & humble themselues for ; as also, wherein they have justly offended the officers & church of Ipsuich, wee order them seriously to apply them- selues to the church for reconciliation ; which being doun, doe grant them liberty to procure a minister, to be helpfull to them in the worke of the min- istry, provided he be pious, able, & orthodox, as the law directs, with the aduise of the following comittee, i.e., Joseph Dudley, Esq., Major Richard Waldron, Mr. Anthony Stoddard. Mr. Henry Bartholmew, & Leift. Wm. Johnson, who are appointed to be a comittee for that affaire, & are desired to meete on the place at the peticoners charge & request, & to heare theire allegations, & the allegations of some deputed by the toune of Ipsuich, referring to the accomodations of others of their inhabitants, & fynally to determine the place of errecting a meeting house that may be most acomo- dable for them: & all cases depending in Courts referring to this matter doe cease, & the Chebacho men are to pay tenn pounds for this Courts costs. As an addition or explanation of the order to Chebacho men, it is hereby ordered, that such of them as are delinquents, in errecting a meeting house there contrary to the aduise & prohibition of the council, & are sumoned to Salem Court. to ans. their say'd contempt, doe there make their acknowledgments in theise words, viz., that they are convinced that they have offended in so doing : for which they are sorry, & pray it may be forgiven them, & so to be dismissed with out any further trouble, charge, or attendance in that respect, or further attendance on the council for that their offence.
The Report of the Committee thus appointed, is as follows :
Ipswich, Jebacco, July 23, 1679.
The persons vnder written being a comittee of the honnorble General Court. as by their order, dated May 28, 1679, for the setlement of the buis- nes of Jebacco, touching the place of publick worship amoungst them. & the setlement of a minister in that part of the toune for their acomodation
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in the worship of God & proppogation of religion amongst them, as in say'd order is particularly recited, -
The say'd persons mette vpon the place, die supradicto, & there found present the peticoners & other inhabitants of say'd Jebacco, as also others that were deputed by the toune of Ipsuich to offer something refferring to the acomodation of others of their inhabitants, & vpon a full hearing & serious consideration of what was offered & pleaded by both parties, doe find the p'sons. peticon's & others, ye inhabitants there, haue attended the order of the honnorable Gennerall Court, in humbly acknowledging their fault, in going contrary to the advice of the honnorable council, & in giving sattisfaction to the offended church of Ipsuich, which, was allowed & attested by some of the reverend elders, & other persons of credit mem- bers of the say'd church, & therefor doe conclude, -
(Ist.) Refferring to the place of the meeting house, that though a remoove of the house from the place at present designed by said Jebacho inhabitants, farther towards the toune of Ipsuich, might acomodate some more of the inhabitants, & farmers of say'd toune, yet, perceiving that the number offering themselues are competent for such a setlement, & those at the head & on the other side of say'd river of Jebacho will be much disadvantaged thereby, who were the first agreived & petitioning partye, that therefore the place where the house now standeth be & is heereby allowed by us, & that they haue liberty to proceede to the finishing of the say'd meeting house for their comfort & setlement.
(2dly.) Referring to the setlement of a pious, able, & orthodoxe minis- ter amongst them for the due mannagement of the worship of God, wee find that the persons, inhabitants of Jebacho, who are like to be a joint society in this setlement, should seriously consider with themselues, with invoca- tion of God's name, of some meete person. able, learned & pious, that may be fitt to mannage the publick worshipp of God amongst them, some time betweene this & Tuesday, the day before the session of the Gennerall Court, in October next. vnto which time the comittee doe adjorne themselues there, to meet in Boston, there to give their approbation vnto such person for the minister to setle amongst them. earnestly entreating & advising them in the meanetime to lay aside all animosity, & to take such advice as may be beneficiall for their future setlement & good accord.
May 22th. 16So. The comittee aboue written mett accordingly. & the inhabitants of said Chebacho presented Mr. John Wise as a person vpon whom they have vnanimously agreed vpon for their minister, who is accep- table to us.
B. LIST OF BOOKS OWNED BY THEOPHILUS PICKERING.
List of some of the books owned by the Reverend Theophilus Pickering still preserved and bearing his name and the date within; furnished by Miss Mary O. Pickering of Salem, who also communicated the facts
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of Mr. Pickering's family and of his life prior to his settlement in Che- bacco, which are mentioned in the Discourse.
'T. P. 1719.' Compendium Theologiae Christianae, Authore Johanne Wollebio ss. Th. D. & in Acad. Basil Profess. Ord. Am- stelodami clo Ixxxxxxii.
'T. P. 1716.' Book of Common Prayer 12mo. London, 1713.
'T. P. 1716.' Physico-Theology or Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God from his Works of Creation by W. Derham, Rector of Upminster in Essex and F. R. S. Lon- don, 1716.
"T. P. 1718.' Astro-Theology, or a Demonstration of the Being and Attributes of God, from a survey of the Heavens, by W. Derham &c., London 1715.
'T. P. 1718.' The Whole Duty of Man &c., -with Private Devotions-, London 1710.
'T. P. 1719.' Brerewood's Survey of the Languages in the World, and of the various sorts of religion therein - 12mo. 1611.
'T. P. 1721-2.' Psalterium Americanum, by Cotton Mather. Boston. 1718.
'T. P. 1724.' The Jesuits Morals-by a Doctor of the Colledge of Sorbon in Paris-translated from the French : folio, London ; 1670.
'T. P. 1724.' Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity -folio : London, 1611.
'T. P. 1724.' Howel's History -An Institution of General History, from the beginning of the World to the Monarchy of Con- stantine the Great. By William Howel, M. A. Fellow of Magdalen College in Cambridge : folio, London, 1661.
T. P. 1743.' Fuller's Holy and Prophane States : folio, 1648.
C. CHURCH ARTICLES OF FAITHI.
The Church Articles of Faith and Discipline of the newly-gathered Congregational Church of Christ at Chebacco in Ipswich.
Whereas we the subscribers have seen it our Duty to congregate & Em- body ourselves into a Church State; & as we are of opinion : That a Lax admition into the Ministry, & a Lax admition into the Churches & want of Discipline are the Bane of Churches -
We the subscribers, & each of us for himself, Do therefore oblige our- selves, & each of ourselves Respectively, by these Presents, to stand, to abide by, & be governed according unto, the following Articles of Faith and Church government, viz :
Ist. That we will have such officers as Christ Jesus has appointed & ordained in his holy word, viz : a Pastor or Pastors, Ruling Elders & Dea- cons : see 1. Cor. 12, 2S: 1. Tim. 3, 2-10: 1. 5, 17.
2d. That no Person shall be admitted to either of said offices, Unless they have scripture qualifications Evidently appearing to the satisfaction of the Church. Titus 1, 5-9; 1. Tim. 3, 8-13.
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3d. That the Church shall have the Sole power of electing & appoint- ing all the officers of the Church. Acts. 6, 3.
4th. That the officers so elected shall be ordained to their several offi- ces by Imposition of Hands. Acts. 6, 6; 14, 23.
5th. That no Person shall be admitted as member of our Church, but such as shall give a particular account of a saving work of the spirit of God upon his or her soul, to the satisfaction of the Church ; & upon sat- isfaction given to them, then the Person or Persons desiring to join with us shall be propounded, fourteen days at least before admition. And if no Reasonable matter of objection be made, then such persons may be admitted, as members of the Church & not otherwise. 11. Chron. 23, 19; I. Cor. 11, 27, 28; 1. John 1, 3; 11. Cor. 13,5.
6th. That upon admition of any member or members into the Church, the covenant with these Articles shall be read to the Person or Persons to be admitted, in the Presence of the Church, & upon their approving & consenting thereunto, they shall then sign the same immediately. Neh. 9, 3; 10, 28, 29; Is. 46, 1-5.
7th. That we will not admit of any Person to minister to us in holy things, who shall refuse to submit to an Examination of the state of his soul by such a number of the Brethren as the Church from time to time shall think fit to appoint; & shall give to them a satisfactory account of a work of grace wro't upon his soul; who shall also sign these articles, before he shall be ordained to the Pastoral care of this Church. I. Pet. 3, 15; Rev. 2, 2 ; 1. John 4, 1 ; Neh. 9, 3S.
8th. That no adult Person shall be admitted to Baptism without giving to the Church sufficient evidence of a work of grace wro't on his or her soul, & that the infants of none but such, the Parents of whom, or one at least, shall be in full communion with the Church, shall be admitted to Baptism. Mark 16, 16; Acts 2, 38, 39, 45 ; 8, 37; 10, 47, 48; 1. Cor. 7, 14.
9th. That if any Member or Members shall walk inconsistently with the gospel, & their profession of Christ, they shall submit to such disci- pline as is agreeable to the word of God; & upon their continuing impen- itent, & refusing to submit to such wholesome discipline as God's holy word enjoins, they shall be publickly excommunicated from our holy com- munion, until such time as they shall give credible manifestation of their repentance. 1. Cor. 5, 11 ; Titus 3, 10; Matt. 18, 15-17.
Ioth. That if any member or members of any other Church whatsoever (saving such churches as hold communion with us) not excepting against any denominations of Christians shall at any time desire to sit down with us at the Lord's table, they shall not be admitted unless they have been with the Pastor and one or more of the Elders, and given them sufficient satisfaction about a work of grace being wrought on his or her soul. I. Peter 3. 15; 1. Cor. 11, 27, 28.
rith. That the Pastor or Pastors with the assistance of the Ruling Elders shall be, and hereby are obliged to visit every respective Person
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belonging to the Church at least twice in a year, and examine them in re- spect to their state, & growth in grace. I. Pet. 5, 10; Heb. 13, 17.
12th. That whenever the Sacranient of the Lord's Supper shall be admin- istered, after paying for the necessary provision & furniture of the same. the remaining part of the collection that shall then be made shall be wholly & solely applied for the relief of the church, & for no other use whatsoever. Rom. 12, 12; I Tim. 6, 18, 19.
13th. That neither Pastor nor Elders shall invite any Person to preach, until they are satisfyed that he has a work of grace wro't on his soul. I John 4, 3; Rev. 2, 2.
14th. We believe that all the gifts & graces that are bestowed on any of the members, are to be improved for the good of the whole, in order to which there ought to be such a gospel freedom, whereby the Church may know where every particular gift is, that it may be improved in its proper place, & to its right end, for the glory of God, & for the good of the Church. Acts 18, 24, 25; Rom. 12, 6-8.
15th. The confession of faith agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster we fully agree to in every respect. as to the substance of the same.
16th. We would always have recourse to the Platform agreed upon by the Synod at Cambridge in New England. A.D. 1648; & for the fuller explanation of our own sentiments respecting Church discipline, &c. we will always be willing to be guided thereby with the following exceptions & emendations, viz : Chap. I, at the close of the 4th Section : Respecting human determinations upon times & places of Divine worship, being accounted as if they were Divine, we except against. Chap. 4, Section 4: Respecting a constant practice in meeting together for Publick worship & a subjection & silent consent to the ordinances of Christ, being sutli- cient to constitute a church, we except against. Chap. 6, Sec. 5 : We think Pastor & Teacher are not distinct officers, but both may reside in one Per- son. Chap. 7. Sec. 2 : The power of the Eldership respecting spiritual rule, we hold doth reside in them jointly & severally, & may be accordingly exercised.
Chap. 10, Sec. 6 : Respecting the Direction of a Council being necessary in order for a Church to remove their Pastor, we do except against; Scc. S : We judge the Elders ought to call the Church together when desired by any one member, & whenever the church is mett, the brethren have a right one by one, (asking leave) to declare their mind, without interruption or hindrance, and that the Elders have no power to adjourn or dissolve meet- ings without a vote of the Church ; Sec. 13: Respecting the Elders having a negative voice. we except against. as not being founded upon the Scrip- tures. Chap. 13, Sec. 4. Respecting magistrates having a power to force people to contribute for the support of the gospel, we except against, being not intrusted with the support of the same ; that the church have power to deal with all such as will not. if able, contribute to the support of the gos- pel, we hold, and also that by the Holy Scriptures, Gifts may be received
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but not forced from any without. Chap.14, Sec. 7. Upon that respecting Baptised Infants being in a more hopeful way of attaining Regenerating grace than others, we say: They have no more power to attain it them- selves than unbaptized ones. Chap. 14, Sec. 9. Respecting the lawfulness of a worthy member partaking with profane and scandalous persons, we except against. Chap. 15, Sec. 2. Respecting the Churches calling in the Council of other Churches, we approve of, with this addition, viz. : when the church proceed to call a council, it does not in the least prevent or hin- der the third way of communion. if occasion require, after such council be dismissed. Chap. 17, Sec. 9. Respecting the magistrates having a coer- cive power, or right to punish a church that rends itself off from the Churches, being by them judged incorrigible and schismatick, we except against.
17th. We think it our duty, and hereby each one of us doth for himself, oblige ourselves to pay towards the support of the Gospel amongst us, according to our respective abilities. I Cor. 9, 7; I Tim. 5, 18; Gal. 6, 6.
ISth. Lastly, that if notwithstanding our great care in the admition of a Pastor or Pastors, or other officers, any or either of them should deny or walk contrary to these Doctrines, and persist therein, then in such a case said Person, or Persons, shall no longer have any power or authority in the Church, but shall be, and hereby are, debarred therefrom, until mani- fest tokens of their Humiliation and Repentance. II Jon 7, 10; I Tim. I, 17-20.
Witness our hands which we now put in the presence of the great God, and a council of these Churches, viz. : one from Boston, and the other from Plainfield, this 22d day of May, Anno Domini 1746.
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