USA > Maine > Knox County > Union > A history of the town of Union, in the county of Lincoln, Maine : to the middle of the nineteenth century, with a family register of the settlers before the year 1800, and of their descendants > Part 17
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1 According to Mr. Huse's letter, it seems that, in relation to this council, " Mr. True, with some of the church, met them, and assured them they did not mean to acknowledge them as a council. They proceeded, however, to examine the charges of grievance exhibited by these three disaffected members against the church. The charges were much the same as those laid before the mutual council. They all had some relation to the conduct of the church with regard to the
188
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
" The council would betray weakness and the want of gos- pel-impartiality, were they to decide that nothing wrong, in this long state of controversy and difficulty, had fallen to the lot of the minority. But, from a view of the whole of their proceedings, we consider them as having acted in the main agreeably to the directions of the gospel.
"And it is our decided belief, that, had the church been earnest for the maintenance of a just, equal, and faithful gospel-discipline, this very unhappy separation would not have taken place.
" To the church now formed by their desire, and the appro- bation of this council.
" Christian Brethren, - We acknowledge you as a church of Christ, and receive you into the fellowship of the churches of Christ. We wish you the presence and bless- ing of Jesus, the great Head of the church, and pray that he would establish and build you up in the faith and in love, and increase you abundantly. But, when we view your situation and prospects, we tremble for you. We therefore exhort you to be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Walk circumspectly towards those that are without, and let your light shine before others. Remember you are a city set upon a hill. Let the word of God dwell in you richly. Be much in prayer. Forsake not the assembling yourselves
settlement of Mr. True. Nothing intentionally wrong was proved against the church, except their persevering to settle Mr. True in op- position to the desire of the minority. It is worthy of notice, that three members of this ex parte council were on the preceding mutual council ; and all, at least except one, assented to the result of said council. But, notwithstanding the mutual council resulted that ' the church, on their part, made such explanations and concessions with regard to the charges produced against them by their brethren, Hills, March, and Walker, as manifested a conciliatory disposition,' and exhorted them all to be at peace among themselves, this ex parte council resulted that ' the covenant-relation between the majority and minority of the church in Union is dissolved, in consequence of the breach of cove- nant on the part of the majority and the steps taken by the minority ; ' and that they ' feel themselves justified, and under indispensable obli- gation from Christ's command to feed his sheep and lambs, to assist them by forming them into a church.' They censured the conduct of the church, and expressed an ardent prayer ' that God would give them repentance unto life,' and exhorted and besought them 'to turn to God with all their hearts, with supplication and prayer, and to amend their ways, return to their brethren, and endeavor to heal the wounds which they have occasioned, and build up the kingdom of Christ in this place.' "
189
SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
together ; but be careful to meet statedly for the worship of God on the sabbath, and endeavor, as far as you can, to ob- tain the public ministrations of the word and ordinances of God. Hold fast the doctrines1 of the uncorrupted gospel. Be attentive to the examination of those who are admitted to your communion. Watch over one another in the Lord. See that the discipline of God's house be duly executed, and that you fall not out by the way. Be not high-minded, but fear lest you bring a reproach upon yourselves and others, to the great injury of religion. We exhort you to keep toge- ther, and to strengthen each other's hands in every good work. Bring up your children for God. We charge you to live in love, and to cultivate peace and good under- standing among yourselves ; and we pray that the God of peace may dwell with you. And now, brethren, we com- mend you to God and the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified.
"The above result approved by the unanimous vote of council, this seventeenth day of February, 1809.
" JOHN SAWYER, Moderator. "JONATHAN BELDEN, Scribe."
To continue Mr. Huse's letter : -
" Even before this separation, it was no uncommon thing for missionaries to go into Union, give advice to the dis- affected party, preach public lectures, while Mr. True was preaching there on probation and after his ordination ; - I
1 One objection to Mr. True was, that the Rev. Mr. Ripley, of Con- cord, Mass., had sent him ; and therefore he must be a Socinian. This charge was constantly made throughout his ministry, though Mr. Ripley had probably never heard of him till after he came to Union. The first sabbath Mr. True was here, " Mr. Sawyer, then of Boothbay, was present from the Lincoln and Kennebec Association to hold the ground. Mr. True supplied in the morning. He went to Warren in the afternoon to attend a funeral, and Mr. Sawyer preached in the meeting-house while he was gone." A system of opposition ran through all the veins of the Lincoln and Kennebec Association. Mr. Hills carried his opposition so far, that he " got Mr. True to his house one evening to examine his experience, while others were in a differ- ent room to listen and report according to his [Hills's] dictation." Hills and the Lincoln and Kennebec Association were identified in their spirit. When Mr. True was supported by subscription, and be- fore dismission, Sewall, Belden, and others took possession of the
17
190
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
mean such missionaries as were under the influence of, and immediately connected with, the members of the before- mentioned party-council. Since the separation, the mem- bers of the council have considered this little party as under their immediate and exclusive care, and have taken pains to countenance and support them in their separate condition, by visiting them, preaching to them, administering the sacra- ment to them, and by often directing missionaries to them, who are of their particular sentiments in religion. They are countenanced by the Maine Missionary Society, par- ticularly by the Lincoln and Kennebec Association, the most active and influential members of which societies com- posed the ex parte council.
" Mr. True is a modest, moderate Calvinist. No one pre- tends to find fault with his doctrines or moral conduct ; only that he does not go far enough, and they cannot feel that he is a converted man. The majority of the church of which he is pastor are apparently serious, orthodox, and exem- plary Christians. I have personally known them for many years. But they do not carry points of doctrine quite so far as some others, particularly as Mr. Hills, who is a disciple of Dr. Emmons; and they do not wish to be under the en- tire control of the Lincoln and Kennebec Association.
"Members of the ex parte council above mentioned, and missionaries under their influence, not only visit and preach to the party in Union, but many times preach in other towns where are settled ministers, barely at the request of an individual, male or female, boy or girl, over whom they have gained some ascendency. They make a practice of passing by settled ministers, and associating with those in parishes who are a little disaffected toward their own mini- sters. These things are done very frequently in this and other towns in this county."1
meeting-house. Even while Mr. True was a candidate, "Jotham and Samuel Sewall appointed lectures at the meeting-house and other places, without consulting him." It should be added, in justice to Rev. Mr. Mitchell, who afterward was settled in Waldoborough, that he did not sympathize with the opposers of Mr. True, "and invited Mr. True to take a mission from the Maine Missionary Society."
1 The details given will enable those who wish it to judge of the merits of a controversy which kept the community in high excite- ment for many years, and of which the lamentable effects are felt to the present day. A lesson may be learned respecting the sectarian spirit of the time, not merely in Union, but in the State generally ;
191
PROSELYTISM.
Such was the origin of the Second Congregational Church in this town. At the organization, Feb. 17, 1809, they adopted the articles of faith and the cove- nant which were then in use by the First Church, and which were adopted by them, Feb. 6, 1804, with the alterations then made to suit Mr. Hills. The only change of the language was in the substitution of the words, " We engage to admit to our holy communion such, and none but such, as give a rational, scriptural evidence," for the words, " We engage to admit to our holy communion all who can give a rational, scripture evidence," &c.
and, though the remaining part of Mr. Huse's letter does not per- tain exclusively to Union, it is thought proper to add it : -
" The Maine Missionary Society, or rather Mr. Bayley, of Newcas- tle, its President, and the Lincoln and Kennebec Association, take the utmost pains to ascertain every vacant parish, where there is the least prospect of establishing a minister, and immediately send them one after their own heart, supported for a while by the society's funds, but accompanied with a letter to some individual in the parish, suggesting to him the propriety of their hiring him, at least for a while, after the term of his mission expires; and the good, unsus- pecting people think they can do no less. By this means, they have sometimes succeeded in palming ministers of a particular complexion upon towns and societies in this quarter. In some instances they have established ministers, whose sentiments, when fully known, are very obnoxious to a great majority of the people.
" The ministers and missionaries from the Maine Society, or Lin- coln Association, avoid other settled ministers, who do not belong to those societies. They do not allow their candidates to have any mini- sterial connection with those ministers, any further than to preach in their towns, not exchange. Nor do they allow the churches, over which they gain control, to invite the assistance of neighboring churches in ordinations, whose pastors are not of their number, or whose sentiments, they suspect, do not perfectly correspond with theirs. Two such instances have recently occurred in this immediate vicinity. I need not mention them to you. I am well acquainted with the members of a church in an adjoining town, where they have lately settled a minister, have often administered the ordinances to them, and am well convinced they are in fellowship with me and our church, and yet our church was not invited to assist at the ordina- tion. One of the members frankly told me ' they did not send to all churches they wished, because they were under the Maine Missionary Society.' I must close my narration, though it might be protracted. You are at liberty to make any use of it you please.
" I am your brother in the ministry,
" JONA. HUSE."
192
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
The following are the names of the seceders who formed the Second Congregational Church :-
Samuel Hills
Abigail March
Stephen March
Sarah Nicholson
Amos Walker
Martha Williams
Abigail Hills
Huldah Blanchard
Mary Fogler
Sally Barnard
Hannah Walker
Sally Shepard.
To these were added, at the time of the organization, Feb. 17, 1809, -
John Clark, Judith Clark, Judith Walker.
There were subsequently added, -
David Starrett, June 11, 1810; Jane Kirkpatrick, Aug. 5, 1810; Sarah Tucker, Aug. 5, 1810; Daniel Walker, Nov. 18, 1810; James Starrett, March 5, 1815; Rev. James Ricker, July 2, 1815; and afterward, Jane Cutting.
CHAPTER XX.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, 1807-1819.
Proceedings of the Town to pay Mr. True. - Remission of Ministe- rial Taxes. - Signers to the Methodists; to the Friends; to the Baptists. - Movements to dissolve the Town's Contract with Mr. True. - Incorporation of the First Congregational Society. - Dis- solution of the Town's Contract.
1807.
DURING these church-difficulties, the town was re- quired each year to act on parochial affairs; for towns then discharged the duties which now devolve on parishes. Mr. True's opponents were not inactive. March, 1807, Jonathan Newhall, Nathaniel Robbins, Nathan Blake, Joel Adams, Simeon Butters, Oliver
193
REMISSION OF MINISTERIAL TAXES.
Pratt, and Marlboro' Packard, being two persons from each of the principal denominations in town, and one Quaker, were chosen a committee "to consider the aggrieved of all parties, to fix a compromise, and to report at the May meeting." May 11, the town ac- cepted their report, -
" That all who are not of the Congregational Society, and who do not intermeddle with said society's affairs, or vote in town on ministerial matters, and will exhibit to the selectmen a certificate thereof signed by each person of their society who are subject to be taxed, and by a committee of three members of their church, in the month of June or July annually, shall have their ministerial taxes abated before the tax-bills are committed to the collector. And it shall be the duty of the selectmen and assessors to make said abatements, and form a list of said persons, and set the sums against each name so abated, and cross said ministe- rial tax, and deliver said list to the town-clerk, who shall make record of the same, and certify to the town-treasurer the amount of said abatement."
This principle was adopted also in 1808, 1809, and 1810. Thus, although the taxes were assessed regularly, those of the seceders were not called for by the collector; and it was virtually left optional with the societies, except the Congregational, to raise any thing or nothing for the support of religious wor- ship among themselves.
1808.
March 7, the town voted "to relinquish so much of the ministerial tax of the Methodists for 1806 and 1807 as the selectmen may think proper to cross." 1 It was also "voted to relinquish the ministerial taxes assessed to the following names in the year 1807, viz. : Spencer Walcott, Oliver Pratt, Simon Fuller, Nathan
1 At the same time it was voted to let the Methodists have the meeting-house the last sabbath in March. Sept. 17, it was voted to let the Baptists have the meeting-house the first sabbath in Novem- ber.
17*
194
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Carver, Thomas Daggett, Sterling Davis, Zelotes Tucker, Marlboro' Packard, Barnabas Simmons, Ezra Bowen, Abel Walker, Mary Gay, Marble Alford, Ja- cob Ring, and Robert Thompson," who belonged to the Baptist denomination.
In accordance with the report accepted May 11, 1807, the town-records, under the year 1808, contain the following names of persons who did not belong to the Congregational Society, together with their ministerial taxes : -
METHODISTS.
Joel Adams
$4.43
Solomon Hewes . . $1.54
Christopher Butler
Levi Irish .
1.06
John Butler
6.54
Cornelius Irish
1.89
Gorham Butler
Edward Jones 2.77
Jonathan Brown .
1.37
John Kieff . 1.41 .
Thomas Butler
4.36
Asaph Lucas .
. 1.26
Joseph Butler
4.40
Thaddeus Luce
1.65
Simeon Butters
3.05
Josiah Maxcy .
6.05
Charles Butters
1.67
Hervey Maxcy
3.95
Alford Butters
1.02
Obadiah Morse
3.42
John Clarke
3.43
Bela Robbins .
4.81
John Clarke, 2d .
1.42
Nathan D. Rice
1.91
Joshua Collamore
1.96
Timothy Stewart 4.25
Alpheus Collamore
1.46
David Snell
4.06
Simon Drake .
2.03
David Snell, jun.
.
1.13
Simon Chaffin
2.18
Jacob Severance .
1.73
John Drake
2.55
James Thompson 4.25
Rufus Dyer
3.00
Olney Titus
2.78
Henry Esensa
3.26
Daniel Walker
2.77
Jonathan Eastman 3.71
John Walker .
3.78
Royal Grinnell
4.45
Jason Ware
7.92
Richard Grinnell
1.54
Aaron Young
2.91
Bailey Grinnell
6.61
Aaron Young, jun. 2.36
Samuel S. Grinnell
1.53
Matthias Hawes
8.27
Daniel Murray James Maxfield
. 1.00
Reuben Hills .
13.27
Jeremiah Clough . . 1.00
Samuel Hills, 2d .
1.86
Lewis Robbins, 2d . 1.00
Nathan Hills .
1.95
Isaac Carkin . 1.00
Reuben Hills, jun. . 1.86
Jeremiah Stubbs . 1.00
1.00
195
DEFICIENCY OF SALARY.
FRIENDS.
Jonathan Newhall, $4.25; Ichabod Irish, $2.56; total, $6.81.
BAPTISTS.
Marble Alford
$1.81
William Lermond . $3.46
Ezra Bowen
3.61
James Lermond . 2.49
William Boggs
3.40
Oliver Pratt 5.76
Nathan Carver
2.39
William Peabody 1.50
Thomas Daggett .
4.22
Marlboro' Packard
. 5.67
Sterling Davis
3.52
Barnabas Simmons .
6.41
Simon Fuller .
2.78
Daniel Shepard, jun. Jacob Sibley
2.92
Mary Gay .
2.92
Zelotes Tucker
2.39
John Hemenway .
1.86
Abel Walker .
1.58
Daniel Howard
1.38
George W. West .
4.38
Edmund Luce
2.19
Spencer Walcott . 5.87
John Lermond
7.24
Jacob Ring
1.00
1809.
March 6, 1809, a committee, consisting of Amos Bar- rett, Nathan Blake, Congregationalists ; Joel Adams, Edward Jones, Methodists ; and Spencer Walcott, Oli- ver Pratt, Baptists, was chosen to inquire into the state of the treasury respecting ministerial money. The town accepted the report, May 1, in which they say, " So far as we can ascertain by the selectmen's book and other documents, there is a deficiency in the treasury, to complete Mr. True's salary to September, 1808, of the sum of $262.56, including orders of the assessors for Richard Cummings and others," - who stated that they belonged to some other society, - " and that Mr. True relinquished his right to twenty-five dollars' an- nual allowance in place of firewood," until such time as he might signify his want of it.
At the same time, it was voted to raise one thousand dollars for ministerial use ; and Nathan Blake, Ebene- zer Alden, and Charles Pope, were chosen a committee to treat with Mr. True. There is no record of the re- port of this committee.
1.70
Peter Fales
3.55
196
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
The names of the signers to other societies, Nov. 1, 1809, with their several ministerial taxes, are on record as follows : -
METHODISTS.
David Snell *
$4.00
Rufus Dyer* .
. $3.13
Cornelius Irish
3.03
Alpheus Collamore *
2.60
Obadiah Morse *
4.86
Joseph Butler 5.85
Edward Jones
3.94
Adam Martin .
2.88
James Thompson
5.17
Joel Adams *
5.85
Solomon Hewes *
1.64
Bailey Grinnell *
6.83
Jocob S. Adams .
1.23
Thaddeus Luce *
2.19
Matthias Hawes *
11.94
James Maxfield
1.99
Ebenezer Robbins
1.91
Isaac Carkin
1.23
Mace S. Grinnell *
1.23
Jeremiah Luce *
1.23
Jacob Sevrance
2.30
Ezra Bowen, jun.
1.23
Alford Butters
2.73
Samuel Hills, 2d *
2.68
Samuel Spurr .
3.70
Jason Ware * .
10.07
Gorham Butler
2.94
Philip Robbins
0.32
Aaron Young *
2.20
Thomas Messer
3.39
Christopher Butler
3.16
John Drake *
3.56
John Lermond *
9.74
Ichabod Maddocks
3.17
Aaron Young, jun.
3.41
Richard Grinnell *
1.80
Josiah Hills * .
2.46
Simon Chaffin
2.96
Reuben Hills, jun. *.
2.34
David Snell, jun .*
1.89
Nathan Hills *
3.01
Royal Grinnell *
6.98
Jonathan Eastman *
5.36
Bela Robbins *
6.28
Thomas Butler* .
5.80
John Walker *
5.02
Simon Drake *
3.18
Olney Titus
3.35
William Lermond
5.22
John Clark *
4.12
Joseph Miller *
4.64
John Kieff.
1.76
Hervey Maxcy
.
5.60
Ezekiel Clark .
1.62
Henry Esensa *
4.13
Nathan D. Rice
2.46
James Brown .
1.72
Joshua Collamore *
2.28
Simeon Butters *
ยท 3.46
John Butler **
2.77
Timothy Stewart
5.68
Isaac Booth **
1.23
*
Jeremiah Stubbs .
1.70
Reuben Hills *
. 16.09
* Under date July 18, 1811, these persons, with Alford Adams, Leonard Bump, Jesse Drake, David Grafton. Isaac Hills, James Little- hale, Lewis Robbins 2d, Shadrach Snell, Vinal Ware, and George W. West, are recorded as belonging to the Methodist Society.
197
OBJECTIONS TO MR. TRUE.
BAPTISTS.
Jacob Demuth
. $3.17
Jacob Sibley *
$4.42
James Lermond *
3.80
Thomas Daggett *
6.67
Marble Alford
2.90
Edmund Luce 3.00
Abel Walker
2.04
Ezra Bowen * . 4.87
James Sinclair **
1.67
Richard Cummings 8.78
Daniel Howard *
1.83
Abel Le Doit . 1.23
Simon Fuller *
3.85
Benjamin Buzzell 1.90
Nathan Carver *
3.47
William Boggs * 4.61
Marlboro' Packard *
7.60
Spencer Walcott*
9.00
Barney Simmons *
9.49
James Littlehale . 3.96
Sterling Davis *
4.65
Peter Fales
4.56
Jacob Ring *
1.23
Zelotes Tucker
2.92
William Peabody
1.81
George W. West .
6.36
Oliver Pratt
6.36
1810.
In May, and also in September, 1810, unsuccessful attempts were made to reconsider the vote relieving the Baptists and the Methodists from paying their taxes to the collector. Sept. 17, it was " voted to dis- miss the Rev. Henry True as minister of the town of Union." Nov. 5, a similar idea was contained in an article "to see if the town will take measures, and what they shall be, to dissolve the contract between the Rev. Henry True and the inhabitants of this town of Union, or act or do any thing relative to ministe- rial or religious matters which may come before them." No action was taken till Nov. 19, when the town voted to "adopt measures to dissolve the contract, ... and to choose a committee of three to state their
* Together with Mary Gay, Aaron Gleason, John Hemenway, Ziba Simmons, and Simon Wingate, are entered on the town-records July 18, 1811, as belonging to the Baptists.
May 6, 1811, the town voted to allow Samuel Hills, Stephen March, Daniel Walker, Amos Walker, John Clark 2d, and Stephen Childs, to " have the appropriation of their ministerial money to the support of their own teacher." And, April 13, 1812, a certificate, signed by Samuel Hills and Stephen March, states that Samuel Hills, Daniel Walker, Amos Walker, John Clark, jun., Stephen Childs, John Whiting, John Whitney, Nathan Barnard, and Stephen March, are members of the religious society in Union, called the Second Congregational Society.
198
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
objections against him." The committee, viz. Ed- mund Mallard, Thomas Nye, and Herman Hawes, at an adjourned meeting, Nov. 19, made the following statement : -
" Your committee, after due deliberation, have unani- mously agreed to report as follows : -
" From our own daily observation, and the repeated com- plaints of our friends and many others, supporters of the Rev. Henry True, we are led to believe that the said Henry True is unmindful of a large portion of his parishioners, and treats his congregation with great partiality. We are fully convinced that he, the said Rev. Henry True, treats some of his parishioners in a familiar and friendly manner, as a minister in our opinion ought to do ; while many others are treated with great indifference, and, in some instances, with an apparent studied neglect. We are of opinion that the said Henry True's ministration and manner of instruc- tion, for the reasons above stated, has [have] become un- profitable, and [are] rather calculated to scatter, divide, and wean the members of the Congregational Society in this town from each other, than to cherish that equality, harmo- ny, and friendship, without which the said society will be soon broken up, and the great blessings resulting from such regulated and properly conducted societies wholly lost. We are fully convinced, that a large proportion of the said Rev. Henry True's supporters are dissatisfied, and the dis- satisfaction is still increasing, which lessens the number of his supporters to that degree, that the ministerial tax on the few remaining is very burthensome, and in some instances peculiarly distressing. All which is humbly submitted."
The report was not accepted. The town adopted the motion made by Jonathan Sibley, as follows :-
" That it is the opinion of this town that the ministerial taxes have become too burthensome to be borne, and pray the Rev. Henry True to aid the town in taking such mea- sures as will have a tendency to ease the town somewhat of the burden." Philip Robbins, Josiah Robbins, Henry Blunt, Jonathan Sibley, Walter Blake, Edmund Mallard, and Nathaniel Bachelor, were chosen " a committee to pre- sent the above to Mr. True, and try to treat with him on the above subject."
199
PROPOSALS BY MR. TRUE.
1811.
Jan. 7, 1811, the town voted1 to accept the pro- posal made by the Rev. Henry True, " that his parish- ioners pay him the same tax upon the poll and the same valuation of property as they paid him the first year after said True's settlement."
The subject of dissolving the connection between the town and Mr. True was often brought up, and might have created much difficulty if he had insisted on his salary during the whole of his ministry ; for the town would have been obliged to pay it. Consequent- ly, the warrants frequently contain articles in relation to this subject. Many of them are substantially repe- titions of others; but they show the difficulty attend- ing a dissolution of the connection between pastor and people, and the inclination to have a legal adjustment.
1813.
June 19, 1813, the proposition was "to see if the town will choose a committee to compromise with the Rev. Henry True." They voted "to choose a com- mittee to settle" with him. It consisted of Ebenezer Alden, Nathaniel Robbins, Joseph Morse, George Kimball, and Jonathan Sibley. The committee re- ported,-
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