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 18
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"That Mr. True has received nothing for his services for his three last ministerial years ; that his legal demand upon the town for said services is $1,273.44.
"That Mr. True makes the same proposition to the town now that he made in January, 1811, to wit: 'that his par- ishioners pay him the same upon the poll and the same tax upon the same valuation of property as they paid him the first year after his settlement;' or, in other words, if the so- ciety will pay him the amount of the sums already assessed for ministerial use, with the addition of $200 before the first of March next, he will give a receipt in full for his salary up
1 At the same town-meeting it was " voted that the town consent to have the Methodist Society petition to the Legislature" " for an Act of Incorporation." Probably the petition was not sent.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
to the present month ; which sum of $600 already assessed with $200 added, amounting in the whole to $800, in the opinion of your committee, is about what Mr. True would have received the said three years, provided the said propo- sition of January, 1811, had been properly met and properly carried into effect.
" Your committee further report, that Mr. True will not make any further demand upon the town for his salary the year beginning the present month, from the strength of con- tract subsisting between him and the town, provided the town desired that he should continue his connection with his society that time, and that he will receive his salary by subscription.
"Your committee would recommend, that, on this pre- sent day, an order be drawn by the proper officers upon the treasurer for the sum of $600, and that the treasurer be or- dered to give Mr. True a note of hand for the sum of $200, payable next March, that Mr. True may receipt for said sum of $800 agreeable to his proposal, which will bar all de- mands by Mr. True upon the town for salary, up to the last Wednesday in the present month.
" All which is respectfully submitted, "Per order, EBENR. ALDEN. " Union, Sept. 6, 1813."
The report was accepted, with the exception of the clause respecting the treasurer's giving to Mr. True a note of hand.
1814.
May 9, the question was again brought forward " to see if the town will dismiss the Rev. Henry True as a town-minister. ... Motioned, that whereas the Rev. Henry True has repeatedly in the pulpit professed a readiness to dissolve the contract between the town of Union and himself as their pastor, whenever it was their desire, - Voted that it is the desire of the peo- ple of the town of Union, one of the contracting parties, that the said contract with the Rev. Henry True be dissolved, and expire at the expiration of six months; and that the town-clerk be ordered to
201
INCORPORATION OF THE SOCIETY.
serve the Rev. Mr. True with an attested copy of the above."
1815.
May 8, 1815, agreeably to an article inserted in the warrant, the town "gave their consent" to have the Congregational Society incorporated. Accordingly, the Massachusetts Legislature, Jan. 31, 1816, passed the following -
"Act to incorporate the First Congregational Society in the town of Union.
"Sec. 1 .- Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the au- thority of the same, That Nathaniel Robbins, Rufus Gillmor, Ebenezer Alden, Robert Foster, Amos Barrett, John Little, Joseph Vaughan, Elisha Bennet, Moses Morse, Jonathan Carriel, jun., Calvin Morse, John Fogler, Abijah Hawes, David Robbins, James Rice, Seth Luce, Jessa Robbins, Herman Hawes, Amariah Mero, Thomas Mitchell, Nathan Daniels, Levi Morse, John P. Robbins, Nathaniel Bache- lor, William Dougherty, Fisher Hart, Caleb T. Jacobs, William Hart, David Robbins, jun., Jonathan Carriel, Mica- jah Gleason, Whiting Hawes, John W. Lindley, Ebenezer W. Adams, Samuel Spear, John Tobey, David Carriel, Jere- miah Mitchell, Thaddeus Shepard, and Noah Rice, with such other inhabitants of the town of Union as do not be- long to any other religious society, and such as may here- after associate with them, with their polls and estates, be, and they hereby are, incorporated into a religious society, by the name of the First Congregational Society in Union ; and the said society is hereby invested with all the powers and privileges, and subjected to the same duties and requi- sitions as other religious societies are invested and sub- jected to, according to the laws and constitution of this Commonwealth.
" Sec. 2. - Be it further enacted, That if any person liv- ing in said town of Union, who may at any time hereafter desire to become a member of said First Congregational Society, shall declare his or her desire and intention thereof in writing, and deliver the same to the minister or clerk of said society, and a copy of the same to the minister or clerk of the religious society to which he or she may at that
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
time belong, such person shall, from the time of delivering such declaration, be considered a member of said First Con- gregational Society in Union.
" Sec. 3. - Be it further enacted, That when any member of the said First Congregational Society may think proper to secede therefrom, and to unite with any other religious society in the said town of Union, the same course and pro- cess, mutatis mutandis, shall be had and done as is presented in the second section of this Act. Provided, however, that in every case of secession from one religious society and join- ing another, every such person shall be held to pay his or her proportion or assessment of all parish or society taxes legally voted by the society, prior to his or her secession therefrom, in manner above pointed out.
" Sec. 4. - Be it further enacted, That any Justice of the Peace for the county of Lincoln, upon application therefor, is hereby authorized to issue his warrant, directed to some member of said Congregational Society, requiring him to notify and summon the members thereof to meet at such con- venient time and place as may be appointed in said warrant, to organize the said society by the election of its officers.
"Approved by the Governor, Feb. 1, 1816."
The warrant was issued by Stephen March, Esq., Justice of the Peace, to Ebenezer W. Adams, one of the members of the First Congregational Society in Union ; and the first meeting was held April 10, 1816.
1819.
After the incorporation of this society, parochial matters were not acted upon as town-business. But a settlement was yet to be made with Rev. Mr. True. Nothing seems to have been done till April 15, 1819, when Mr. True signed the following document : " I, the subscriber, hereby release the town of Union from all demands and claims whatever, and fully acknow- ledge that I have no claim or demands against them." Even this seems not to have been entirely satisfactory ; for, May 8, the selectmen were chosen a committee to wait on him, "and in behalf of the town to dissolve the contract which was made with him at or about
203
SETTLEMENT WITH THE PASTOR.
the time of his ordination." The following report, made at an adjourned meeting in May, was accept- ed : -
" Whereas the inhabitants of the town of Union, on the eleventh day of November, 1805, voted to pay the Rev. Henry True an annual salary of four hundred dollars, so long as he should continue to be the minister of said town; and whereas the said vote contains conditions to be per- formed by either party wishing a dissolution of the connec- tion between said parties, antecedent to such dissolution; and whereas the said True did, in April, A.D. 1816, discon- tinue to be the minister of said town; and whereas doubts have arisen whether said vote or contract does not remain in force, -now, therefore, I, the said True, and we, Micajah Gleason, John Lermond, and John W. Lindley, in behalf of said town, chosen for that purpose, do hereby agree to dis- solve said vote or contract, and all contracts subsisting be- tween said town and said True; and we mutually agree to waive all right of notice which either party may have pre- cedent to said dissolution; and I, the said True, for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, release said town from all contracts heretofore made to me by said town; and we, the said Gleason, Lermond, and Lindley, on the part of the said town as aforesaid, discharge the said True from all contracts and engagements which he may have heretofore entered into with said town.
" HENRY TRUE. " MICAJAH GLEASON,
"JOHN LERMOND, Committee.
"JOHN W. LINDLEY,
" Union, May 26, 1819."
By this act, Mr. True probably relinquished all that was due to him before the incorporation of the so- ciety.
The only other movement which the town as such afterward made about sustaining public worship was to " pass over an article," Sept. 8, 1823, "to see if the town would raise a sum of money, to be divided among the several denominations, to defray the ex- penses of preaching the gospel."
204
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
CHAPTER XXI.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, 1816-1825.
Attempts to raise Money. - Dissolution of Mr. True's Pastoral Con - nection with the Church and Society. - Result of the Council. - Proposals for uniting the Congregational Churches. - Obstacles to a Union. - Union effected.
CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY.
THE evils which existed while parochial business was transacted by the town were not obviated by the incor- poration into a society. At the meeting, April 10, 1816, called for organization, the society "voted that $250 be raised by assessment for the support of the Rev. Henry True." Similar votes were passed in 1817 and in 1818. No money was voted in 1819. In 1820 it was " voted to raise money by subscription for minis- terial use." In 1821, propositions, first to raise $200, and next $150, both failed; as did another to raise $200 in 1824. Mr. True, however, received but a small part of what was voted; a few presents were made to him by friends; and, during the latter part of his ministry, he received a small sum for preaching as a missionary in the vicinity.
After several indications of the necessity of a disso- lution, the church, March 7, 1820, " voted unanimously that they did not wish the pastoral relation between them and the Rev. Henry True dissolved at present." But, Sept. 21, the church " met at Brother James Rice's, agreeably to previous notice; and it was mutually agreed that the pastoral relation between the Rev. Henry True and the church should be dissolved,1 and the pastor choose the council and fix the time for effecting the object; and that the pastor may remove all relation from the church, if he should be desirous of
1 This change in the purposes of the church was brought about by the manœuvring of Mr. Noah Emerson, then preaching in town.
205
RESULT OF COUNCIL.
it." The churches in Wiscasset, Dresden, and War- ren, were sent to; but the Dresden church was not represented. The council met Oct. 25.
" After organization and prayer by the moderator, pro- ceeded to business.
"Preparatory to the deliberations of the occasion, the church was requested to communicate the several results of council relating to ecclesiastical affairs of the town. After examining the documents exhibited, the council came to the following result : -
"1. The connection between pastor and church, minister and people, is peculiarly endearing and solemn and sacred, and has been, in all ages in the Christian church, instrumen- tal in building up the Redeemer's kingdom. The council now convened deem this connection too sacred to be dis- solved for trivial reasons ; but they doubt not that causes may exist and circumstances occur which justify a separa- tion.
"2. The council, finding that, at a regular meeting of the church, Sept. 21, 1820, it was mutually agreed that the pas- toral relation between the Rev. Henry True and the church be dissolved, and that the pastor choose the council and fix the time for effecting that object, by the authority vested in them, declare said connection dissolved accordingly.
"3. The council are happy to find the church have passed the following vote : 'The church of Christ, of which the Rev. Henry True is pastor, voted, Oct. 25, 1820, that they highly esteem their pastor as a neighbor and friend, as a citizen and Christian ; and that they regard and respect him as a consci- entious and faithful minister of the Christ, and deeply lament that circumstances are such that a dissolution of his pastoral relation to them has become expedient: The church is still anxious for his welfare, and prays for his health and prosperity.' And the council cordially unite in giving him their approbation as a minister of Christ, and recommend him as such to the service of the churches, wishing him to administer gospel-ordinances as occasions may require." [Then follow pertinent words of counsel and of sympathy with the pastor; after which the fourth section contains similar sentiments for the church.]
" 5. The council think it their duty, before closing this result, to introduce the following statement of facts : -
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
" It appears from letters missive, calling an ex parte coun- cil, that those who were erected by that council into a church-state had, 'after long waiting and many painful efforts to settle difficulties subsisting between them and the majority of the church, finally remonstrated, protested, and withdrew.' And yet it appears from the result of the coun- cil which ordained Mr. True, that, in the unanimous opinion of said council, Mr. True's confession of faith, and the answers he gave to questions proposed to him by the coun- cil, obviated and did away all the objections brought against him by the professedly aggrieved. It appears also from the result of a mutual council, called in 1808, to adjust difficulties subsisting between the brethren of the church in Union, that the church manifested toward the disaffected a conciliatory disposition ; and the council regretted, although a full recon- ciliation was truly desirable, that they had not the satisfac- tion to see all matters of difficulty done away. It appears likewise that the ex parte council, whose result has been carefully examined, 'exhort and beseech the church to repent and turn to God with all their heart, with supplication and prayer, and to amend their ways, and return to their brethren, and endeavor to heal the wounds they had occasioned.' And yet great exertions have been made from time to time, and even by members of the said ex parte council, to unite the two churches; thus expressing a wish to hold Christian fellowship with those whom they had severely censured and virtually discarded. Indeed, the council deem it proper dis- tinctly to state, from the testimony before them, that the original objectors to the Rev. Mr. True have, in the opinion of the council, manifested unreasonable opposition to his labors and ministry in this place ; and that their advisors have been wanting in that uniting and conciliatory spirit which is required in the disciples of Christ, and especially in them who are set for the preaching and defence of the gos- pel of peace.
" Voted that the scribe read this result in public.
"H. PACKARD, Moderator. "D. F. HARDING, Scribe."
This was the termination of Mr. True's ministry. On the same day, the church chose the Rev. Jonathan Huse, of Warren, to act as moderator, "during the time of their destitution of a pastor."
207
NOAH EMERSON.
About this time, measures were taken to effect a union of the First with the Second Congregational Church. Conversations were held; but there does not appear to have been any action till June 17, 1820, when, at a meeting of the two churches, the Rev. Amasa Smith was chosen moderator, and Daniel F. Harding scribe; and it was "voted that each church have a copy of " certain written " proposals " for a union. It was also voted to adjourn the meeting to July 6, which should " be observed as a day of public fasting and prayer; and that the Rev. Messrs. Ingra- ham, Mitchell, Huse, True, and Smith be requested to attend on that day" At the adjourned meeting, Mr. Huse was chosen moderator in the place of Mr. Smith, who declined; and the First Church "resolved that a union at that time was unadvisable."
In a communication to the Maine Missionary So- ciety, extracts from which are published in their four- teenth annual report, appended to the anniversary sermon of the Rev. Benjamin Tappan, is the following language of Noah Emerson, who was engaged in preaching during the greater part of this year :-
" I labored in the place six weeks, with very little apparent success. But it then appeared that the Lord was there by the special influence of his Spirit. On the 24th of Septem- ber, at the close of the public exercises of the sabbath, a meeting of religious inquiry was appointed for the benefit of those that might entertain a hope of renewing grace, and for that of others who might be under serious impressions. Eight such individuals attended the first meeting, which was solemn and interesting. One about fifty years of age ap- peared, and declared, as David, ' what the Lord had done for his soul.' One such meeting was held every week; and, in every meeting for six successive weeks, the number of con- victed sinners and hopeful converts continued to increase ; so that the cries of distressed souls and praises of renewing grace were alternately heard, which seemed on the one hand to increase the distress and deepen the conviction, while on the other to temper the joy and increase the thankfulness for saving mercy."
208
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Oct. 25, 1820, the day when the council met to ratify the proceedings in regard to Mr. True's dismis- sion, the following vote was passed by the church of which he had been the pastor : -
" Whereas no regular communication has been made from the Second to the First Congregational Church in this place, relative to a union; and whereas there are some members of the First Church whose feelings and wishes have not been consulted, and who have expressed an opinion that there is not a probability of a harmonious co-operation in ecclesias- tical. matters, if a union should take place between the churches, - therefore voted unanimously, that, if any mem- bers of this church cannot be reconciled to its proceedings, they shall have liberty to remove their relation from this church, and join any sister-church they may wish."
"Nov. 1, 1820, voted that the proposals presented by the Rev. Noah Emerson be read. Voted to acquiesce in said proposals, in case Mr. Samuel Hills withdraw his relation to the Second Church, and in case the sisters of the First Church acquiesce." The last vote was reconsidered Nov. 16, and it was "voted to invite the Second Congregational Church to return, agreeably to proposals of Rev. Mr. Emer- son. ... Nov. 23, voted by both churches unanimously to unite ; " that " the proposals be read next sabbath, and the churches sit together. Voted to dismiss both moderators, viz. Rev. Jonathan Belden and Rev. Jonathan Huse."
The following were the " proposals :"-
" Considering that, several years ago, a number of our church (i.e. the First Congregational Church in Union) be- came dissatisfied, and, without our consent, were formed into a separate Congregational Church by an ex parte council ; that, since the formation of this church, an unhappy division has existed, which has occasioned many party feelings, much to the dishonor of religion; that, while this division con- tinues, we have but little reason to think that the ministra- tions of the gospel will be constantly supported among us ; that a number of individuals, giving satisfactory evidence of piety, wish to join a Congregational Church and enjoy the privileges of the same, but, being much grieved by this un- happy division, are hence prevented from joining either church ; considering also that a number of said separate church
209
UNION OF THE CHURCHES.
have of late manifested a disposition to join us again, - we, the First Congregational Church of Christ in Union, de- sirous of healing the unhappy division, and of restoring peace and prosperity to the church, feel it our duty and pri- vilege to invite the said separate church to join us, and, as many of them as went out from us, to return to their former standing in our church, on the following conditions : -
"1. That we, Samuel Hills, Amos Walker, David Starrett, Daniel Walker, Abigail Hills, Sarah Barnard, Martha Wil- liams, Judith Walker, Jane Cutting, Judith Clark, members of the said separate church, do confess to God and man whatever we have done amiss, and ask forgiveness of both.
" 2. That we, John Gleason, Seth Luce, David Robbins, James Rice, William Daggett, Dorothy Law, Mary Mitchell, Mercy D. Mitchell, Anna Gleason, Mercy Robbins, Rhoda Ellis, Rebecca Gowen, Mary Tobey, Jedidah Daggett, Daniel Shepard, Sarah Shepard, members of the First Congregational ·Church in Union, do, on our part, confess to God and man whatever we have done amiss, and ask forgiveness of both.
"3. That we, said members of both churches, do now for- give each other, and do solemnly promise never to mention any past difficulties to the offence or grief of any member ; and, should any one be so unhappy as to be overtaken in such a fault, he or she, thus in fault, shall immediately con- fess it, and be forgiven.
"4. That we, the First Congregational Church of Christ in Union, do now receive you, the said separate church, into our church in regular standing and in full communion, upon your giving renewedly your assent to our confession of faith and articles of covenant.
" 5. This exhibition we make in public before all, that others also may fear. (1 Tim. v. 20.)"
[Accordingly], " on the following sabbath, the united church made a public exhibition of their union, which, after mutual confession and forgiveness of both churches, was effected by the First Church's receiving the Second into their church in regular standing and in full communion, as soon as the Second had given a public assent to their confes- sion of faith and articles of covenant." 1
Although by this act the two churches came to- gether, there were some church-members who did not
1 Mr. Emerson, in Appendix to the Rev. Dr. Tappan's Discourse.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
join in it, and they considered themselves not bound by it. Dec. 28, there was chosen a committee who made an unsuccessful attempt to obtain the records of the First Congregational Church. Jan. 9, 1821, the committee was increased; and, "to make further ex- ertions to obtain former church-records." Mr. True offered to meet the clerk, and let him copy all he wished ; but he declined giving up the original records, as he desired to deliver them to his successor. Jan. 16, it was voted, "that the deacons and clerk be a com- mittee to treat with Deacon Abijah Hawes and others respecting a communication received from them, and to try to effect a further union of churches." April 26, voted "that Brother James Rice deliver those church-vessels, now in his care, into Deacon Daniel Walker's hands for keeping." At the same meeting, a committee was chosen and " instructed to inform our dissenting brethren, that we expect them to accede to the articles of our union, or withdraw, or agree upon a mutual council, previous to our next communion." May 5, voted " that an address be pre- sented to Deacon Hawes, to be communicated to our dissenting brethren." The address, which has not been found, drew out the following reply : -
"From the brethren and sisters who decline acceding to the articles of union of churches, to Mr. Daniel Walker, moderator of a church-meeting, held May 5, 1821 : -
" Taking into view the communications already passed on the subject of the union, we are constrained to conclude that your communication, containing only presumptuous accusations, inconsiderate assertions, and rash declamations, was purposely intended to terrify.
" We, however, wish you to examine circumstances im- partially, and be undeceived respecting the votes referred to. The vote of the First Church, giving liberty to withdraw and join a sister-church, you have not correctly stated. And in no way does it impose on us any duty or obliga- tion to avail ourselves of its privileges ; and, until we do choose to avail ourselves of it, it is of no effect, and we stand in the same condition as if the vote had never passed.
211
WANT OF HARMONY.
"The 'vote of the same church at a subsequent meeting, to invite conditionally the Second Church to unite,' was not a vote of the church, but a vote of five members only, and the meeting irregularly and imprudently called. 'And the still later vote to receive them' was not a vote of the church, but a vote of five members at an adjournment of an irregular meeting. And they did not unite by any vote, but in compliance with certain extraneous articles of agree- ment.
" There has never been an actual reception of the Second Church into the First ; but a part of the First have seceded, and united with the Second.
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