USA > Maine > Ancient dominions of Maine : embracing the earliest facts, the recent discoveries, of the remains of aboriginal towns, the voyages, settlements, battle scenes, and incidents of Indian warfare, and other incidents of history, together with the religious developments of society within the ancient Sagadahoc, Sheepscot, and Pemaquid precincts and dependencies > Part 25
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NOTE .- Rev. John Murray of Boothbay used to be called " Damnation Murray," in distinction from the Universalist Rev. John Murray of Cape Ann, who was known as " Salvation Murray."-J. W. Thornton of Boston.
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whereby Mr. Murray " was liberated in manner and form as full as was desired."
MURRAY'S RETURN TO BOOTHBAY-PUBLIC PROCEEDINGS.
Three months nearly elapsed ere Mr. Murray reached Boothbay, where he arrived to the great joy of the inhabi- tants, though in a state of great physical prostration. The inhabitants were gathered by the town officers under the frame of their newly-erected meeting-house. Fully attend- ed, the meeting was opened with prayer. Mr. Murray pro- ceeded to narrate to the assembled town all their transac- tions with him from first to last. The town clerk read all the votes and papers, which being approved, Mr. Murray read to the assembled town his dismission -" opened at large the history of his education and degrees at the univer- sity ; his license to preach, and certain difficulties which had arisen between him and some ministers in Ireland, respecting a certificate, which he expressed great sorrow for attempting to support, after having discovered the error of its authors-( begging pardon of God and man )-together with the pretended censures which had appeared in the pub- lic prints, and were attempted to be fixed on him.", Mr. Murray also read the minutes of the Presbyteries of New York and Philadelphia, relating to himself-the correspond- ence &c. relating to the matter ; and when all was con- cluded, -" he called the meeting to testify, by the usual sign, if any were dissatisfied with anything written or said, or if any abatement of their desires for his immediate settle- ment had been occasioned ?" A unanimous answer in the negative relieved his solicitude. He then demanded, as a final test, if there " was any who did not then expressly renew the call to him to settle in the pastoral office, or who did not promise all that subjection to his ministrations in every pas- toral duty which is due to ministers of the gospel, and to every ordinance of the gospel, it should be signified." To
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all which the answers were in the negative, unanimously. Whereupon Mr. Murray declared his cheerful acceptance of the call, gave a short exhortation, and closed the scene with prayer. The following Sabbath he entered on his duties as pastor of this newly-organized people of his charge, in the services of a public dedication of their newly-erected house of worship, while it was still very likely in a primitive and naked condition.
ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
To exhibit more fully the religious views and cus- toms prevailing at this remote period, and which the 1766. Presbyterian Church, in its official administration of the duties of the pastoral relation among a people, required of its clergy, we shall extract a further detailed account of forms, facts, and circumstances, so fully recorded under the direction of the body of the Session, usually consisting of the pastor, elders, and deacons, of which body the pastor, ex officio, is moderator, chairman, or president.
PRINCIPLES OF PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE CHURCH ORGAN- IZATION.
Mr. Murray proceeded to organize a church among this newly-colonized people, on the ground " that their relation to God as a church, for the full enjoyment of the word and ordinances of the gospel, is the greatest beauty and glory of a people." In the solemn transaction the whole town en- gaged, the inhabitants thereof being obliged to acknowledge the great goodness of God in a very wonderful series of mercies, deliverances, and gifts of bounty from their first naked settlement. That God may be glorified, Christ's visi- ble kingdom enlarged, and their own and the souls of their posterity be daily built up in the knowledge and love of God, this people "adventured to set their public hand to the Lord's work." Such were the purposes and motives of this
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people as set forth in the public records, by which, add they, " we do, therefore, pursuant to a legal vote of this town, in town meeting assembled, this day unite and incorporate our- selves and all who shall from time to time join with us, into an organized branch of the visible church," upon certain fundamental articles, viz. " that the town of Boothbay shall be deemed to be under the ecclesiastical constitution of the Presbyterians as to worship, ordinances, discipline, and gov- ernment ; that the Westminster Confession of Faith, Longer and Shorter Catechism," be their public confession of faith ; that pastors, ruling elders, and deacons be always used in said church ; that no person shall be received to fellowship with this church in any sealing ordinance, as baptism for himself and infant children, or Lord's Supper, whose relig- ion, faith, or practice is found not conformed to the received standard, i. e. who are not in judgment of rational Christian charity, visible Christians.
PECULIAR FORMS OF PRESBYTERIANS.
It will be a novelty at least, if it do not show a wide and perilous departure from ancient usage in the practice of our churches at this day,-in which they are shorn of much of their glory and power, on account of which " Zion lan- guislies, because few come to hier solemn feasts," -- to nar- rate the formal rites of induction into office, as performed in this church, of its minor officers.
The result of the election and examination of the indi- viduals to be set apart to these offices in the church, was publicly declared, when it was unanimously agreed that ordination be solemnly attended in the meeting-house in the forenoon.
ORDINATION OF ELDERS.
A bench was set in the broad alley of the house, where the officers took their seats during the preparatory services.
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Then the pastor, calling on the congregation to 1767. look on the persons set before them, explained the Sept. 20. duties, authority, and institution of the offices of ruling elders and deacons-exhibited the warrant and necessity for such officers in every church of Christ. Their choice and election by the church, and " their acceptance of the call" were recited, together with the fact that they had been publicly propounded before the congregation three sev- eral Sabbaths, and that they had satisfactorily sustained examination, privately by the pastor, and then publicly before the church, as to knowledge, their creed, experience, and practice in religion. The pastor " then solemnly ad- jured all those present, as before the living God, to signify, by holding up the hand, if they knew anything against their being set apart to these offices." No objection being made, the church was called on to renew their confidence in and their call to these persons by the same token ; which being unanimously and publicly given, " the officers elect were called to stand forthi," and publicly interrogated as to their experimental acquaintance with the way of salvation through free grace in Christ Jesus, their resolutions of Christian practice, and their adhesion to the Westminster Confession of Faith, and as to the essential articles of religion and dis- cipline. In all these particulars, " having made such pro- fessions as were fully satisfactory," signified their acceptance of the call given them by the church, and indicated their purposes in such acceptance, " they solemnly covenanted and with uplifted hands did publicly swear to Almighty God the faithful and constant performance of the duties of their several offices, when by prayer ( with fasting ) they were solemnly set apart, ordained, and dedicated to their respective offices." "The minister, coming down from the pulpit, gave to each of them the right hand of fellowship, with the express form of their admission to their respective powers and trusts." This being done, " members appointed
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as commissioners for the church," coming up, " did, by giv ing the right hand, receive them as officers of the church, and stipulate to them as such, in the church's name, all due subjection, assistance, and encouragement in the Lord." The minister then returned to the pulpit, " and publicly recognized them by name, on his own and the church's behalf, as duly vested with the powers of their respective offices." A solemn charge then followed, a psalm was sung, and the great transaction was closed.
Thus constituted and endowed as a church estate, the people of this recently colonized and instituted town, char- acterized in all their acts by the stern virtues of their noble ancestry, animated with the spirit of Wickliff and Knox in the decided principles of a bold and earnest piety, publicly proclaimed their estimate of the value of the gospel, and endeavored to forestall covenanted mercies to the enjoyment of themselves and their posterity, in that they would seek the Lord after " due order."
William Moore, Robert Murray, 1 John Beath, Nehemiah Harrendon, were thus invested as Ruling Elders ; and Israel Davis, Samuel Adams, and Ephraim McFarland as Deacons.
RELIGION A BUSINESS.
The church, thus perfected in its organization, began, like " the leaven hid in three measures of meal," to develop its power in the community where it was constituted, and work out those results for which its Great Head had ordained it on earth, by bringing to bear on the popular mind and heart those restraining, reformatory, and saving influences which affect human welfare here and hereafter.
Monthly meetings of the Session for prayer, fasting, and mutual consultation and conference were instituted, each member of the Session making it "his care to know the
1 Father of Rev. John Murray .- Rev. Jonathan Adams.
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general state of the flock -to visit them in their families by two and two, and examine into their religious state every quarter." In the execution of this design, the field was divided into districts, and an elder and a deacon were as- signed to the charge of each district. The western, embrac ing Oven's Mouth, Menikuk, Damariscove, Cape Newagen, and the other islands, was given in charge to Harrendon and Davis. From the pond and meeting-house to Cross River, Murray and Adams were placed in charge, which embraced the northern district. From the bounds of the settlement called "Free Town," ( now Edgecomb ) and Pleasant Cove to Liniken's Neck, was made the eastern dis- triet, which was assigned to Beath and McFarland.
In this methodical manner, in accordance with the spirit of that organization of ecclesiastical polity termed Presby- terianism, the church by it animated sought in " due order" to cultivate the vineyard which the Lord had given her to
THE FIELD OF LABOR.
Mr. Murray's private journal will give an idea of the nature of his field of labor, and of the religious condition of the people prior to the organization of the church ; while a further extract from the manuscript records of the Session Book will show his abundant labors and fidelity as a pastor. A course of pastoral visitation was immediately instituted, in which "all the inhabitants at their houses were visited, catechised, and conversed with, every one separately, old and young, concerning the state of their souls and the great work of salvation it was necessary all should experience in order to their final welfare. The remarks of each day's visit, the names of all the persons in each family, with all the observations made of the state in which he found them, were entered on a book, and every visit concluded with prayer."
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STATE OF MURRAY'S MIND.
After one of these visits, Mr. Murray writes thus,- " Alas ! alas ! What shall I say ? I now fear the success of my ministry more than ever. Oh, my God, enable me to be found faithful. Make thy strength perfect in my great weak- ness. Oh, pour out thy Spirit on these poor families that they may not forget the promises this day made in thy siglit- that thy worship shall be daily morning and evening main- tained in their houses, and they shall never rest until they have received thy Christ into all their hearts. 1 A dismal prospect truly ! All prayerless-all ignorant of God and of themselves, -all determined to cherish their hopes, though I have found but two who can rationally profess any expe- rience of the power of religion,-some of the English Church, some separatists-most of them nothing at all. Arise, O Lord, or this people perish ! . O show thy salvation to them, revive thine own work, or we are an undone people !"
Again he writes : "Now this week's visits are finished, what have I done ? Have I been faithful ? O, if so in any measure, praise to my rock-my strength ! All have prom- ised to be in earnest about salvation. O Lord, I commit the whole to thec. Breathe on my poor feeble attempts -grant the success-'tis all of thec ! O come among this blind, hardened, perishing people ! Show them thy salvation. Lord, arise, arise and save ! Open, great God, the ear and heart of this people. O what triumphs would grace gain if such sinners were brought home ! Every house prayerless save one ! Every heart as adamant. O Lord, for a life-giv- ing word !"
But the scene began gradually to assume a more hopeful aspect to the eye of this man of God, as he made his weekly circuit of the field in search of sheaves.
1 Greenleaf's Eccles. Sketches, p. 134.
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RELIGIOUS INTEREST AWAKENING.
" Sonie comfort to-day, blessed be God. Three prayerful families-four professors-two communicants. But false hopes have slain their thousands ! Woful is the security of fig-leaves ! Very hard and painful work to bring any to con- viction of duty, sin, or danger. Prayerless, and yet self- condemned ! Christless, confessedly, and yet easy and se- cure ! Ignorant, and pleading that as a righteousness ! I have had sad views of ignorance and carelessness in every house. Youth wrapt in slumber, and old age by practice saying, Sleep on ! Conscience in a corner inaccessible. What shall I say ? inveterate habits of vice, and no remorse ! It gives me some comfort that I have one prayerful family and a humble professor at the head of it ; and in another, one struck off from false hope and under conviction. Lord, fasten it, and increase the number ! 1 Amen ! Amen !" Such were Mr. Murray's observations on the field of his labor, and such was the state of his mind in view thereof.
RELIGIOUS INTEREST DEEPENING.
Weekly prayer meetings were established from house to house ; and every family in each division of the town so classed as that every person was catechised once in three months, and the catechism completed with each class once a year. 2 The legitimate fruits of such a dissemination of gospel truth soon appeared. The field began to whiten for the harvest ; and the laborers, as they returned rejoicing with sheaves, said, -" We have abundant reason to say that this exercise has been often remarkably blessed with the most evident tokens of the Divine presence and the out- pouring of his Spirit, some manifest tokens of which were observed in the winter and spring." 2
1 Greenleaf's Eccles. Sketches, pp. 134-6.
2 MSS, records of Session, p. 18.
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INDICATIONS OF REVIVAL.
This " sound of a going in the tops of the mul- 1767. berry trees," indicative of the coming of the Lord to
Zion, soon developed itself in one of the most remark- able, as it was the first of revival scenes within the precincts of the ancient Sagadahoc, Sheepscot, and Pemaquid planta- tions, throughout the bounds of which it prevailed. The Lord first stirred up his people, who like " clouds and as doves to their windows," began to flock from every point. Of various names and denominations, scattered and living like sheep without a shepherd-gathering here and there from the distant mountain-tops and valleys of the newly-set- tled wilds, under the quickening influences of the word-it became a delicate and responsible work to embody them into church estate, out of elements so heterogeneous.
But to this task Mr. Murray 'applied himself with great fidelity and success.
APPLICATION FOR CHURCH MEMBERSHIP.
Eleven men and twenty women, from the circumjacent settlements and plantations, "members of other churches," made application to be incorporated in the church. It is eminently desirable that original forms ( and the form is often essential to the successful execution of a duty ) should not be forgotten, if permitted to pass into desuetude. There ever has been a " due order" to be observed in the church service, which, if not essential as a guarantee of Divine favor, yet, when neglected, it has been the precursor of the Divine displeasure. A spirit of innovation, begetting neg- lect and depreciation of ancient rites, duties, and forms of faith and service, now prevails, foreboding the utter efface- ment of " ancient landmarks" in the church, and the entire abandonment of those metes and bounds whereon she was accustomed to "lengthen her cords and strengthen her stakes."
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Is it, therefore, matter of surprise that weakness, insta- bility, leanness, and looseness should be marked features of the church ? This view is offered as our only apology for a detailed account of the rites, ceremonies, and practice of the church in Boothbay, at this early period, while in the freshness and fervor of her zeal.
FORMS OF ADMISSION.
The persons seeking the enjoyment of sealing ordinances in the bosom of this church were first " privately examined by the pastor as to their faith and knowledge of the princi- ples of religion ; as to their experience of a work of grace in their souls, and their ends in seeking, as well as their knowledge of the nature of the ordinances they would enjoy ; and as to their practice of religion in their lives and conver- sation." Being found, in the judgment of charity, visible members of the visible church, it was decided to receive them to the enjoyment of " sealing ordinances." But, as these persons had not been under the watch of their own churches, having lived remote, before a public recognition of their newly-created relationship should be made, it was deemed as a condition of their admission to sealing ordinan- ces, that " they should first be propounded before the con- gregation."
This was done " by adjuring the assembly in the name of the Most High God, on three Lord's days in time of public worship, as they should answer at his awful bar,-as they would not conspire for his dishonor, and overthrow the church of Christ,-as they would not be found guilty of the blood of souls,-if they knew any matter of just objec- tion against any of the persons propounded, they should freely declare it." Such was the solemn and impressive ceremony preliminary to a recognition of membership in the body of Christ. An appointed day was assigned, when at the pastor's lodgings, in the presence of all, objections, if
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any, would be heard. No one appeared against any one of the candidates. Here the terms of the covenant of grace were made known ; and each, with uplifted hand, having adopted it and promised compliance with divine ordinances, was incorporated.
PUBLIC ESPOUSALS.
A sabbath was now announced, in which the saerament of the Lord's Supper was to be celebrated ; and a free invi- tation was extended to " all of such and such qualifications as were there mentioned, to come and welcome to the saered feast." In prospeet of this sacred festival, many eame for- ward to join therein, to which those only were admitted on examination and approval, as before deseribed in manner and form -" for several persons applied whom it was thought necessary to discourage and debar." On Tuesday before the preparation Sabbatlı, the approved communicants assem- bled for publie worship according to previous appointment ; when a large congregation besides gathered at the place of meeting, " and evident tokens of God's gracious presence were seen and felt by many."
PREPARATION FOR COMMUNION.
The preparation Sabbath at length dawned, and the entire day was spent in considering the nature of the Lord's Sup- per, -the qualifications of worthy communicants, -the per- ils of unworthily communicating were plainly set forth in an exposition of the inquiry, " Friend, how eamest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment ?" and " the ends proper to have in view in coming, and the business proper at the Lord's Table." The following Wednesday was ap- pointed as a day of publie humiliation and fasting in town. The congregation met. All were summoned to unite in the solemn transaction. A solemn confession was made before Almighty God. Their iniquities, as they stood " particu-
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larly opposed to each of the ten commandments of the law, and to all the articles of the gospel with their peculiar aggra- vations, were spread out before the Lord "-as the narrator records, " accusing, judging, and condemning ourselves for them-by which our hearts were rendered unfit and our- selves unworthy to make so near an approach to liim as we had the prospect of attempting the ensuing Sabbath." And then the benefits of redemption were opened, " as leading the way of the congregation over to a solemn and particular covenant with God, in which we all were given away for- ever"-and the whole concluded by charging every one with the " great work of self-examination, and secret per- sonal renewing their covenant by word or writing that day."
DISTRIBUTION OF TOKENS.
The Saturday afternoon preceding the great festival Sab- bath was occupied in a preparatory sermon on the dying love of Christ, and on this occasion, the pastor, " before dis- missing the congregation, came down from the pulpit, and standing before the Communion table, declared the qualifi- cations of such as should be welcome to approach the ordi- · nance in view ; published a free invitation addressed to par- ticular characters ; and then poured out on the table a great number of small square pieces of lead, on which the initial letters of his name were stamped in capitals." The congre- gation were informed that it was a custom of Presbyterians to distribute tliese, as tokens of admission to the privileges of Christ's disciples, before the administration of the Lord's supper, by which the church intends to guard against the approach of persons not approved ; no one being permitted to sit down at that table without delivering his token into the hands of the elder, wlio is to be stationed at the end of the table for that purpose ; and to give every communicant a previous opportunity of knowing all his fellow communi- cants at that feast, both that they may have the more partic-
1
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ular inducement to sit together in the bonds of love, and that time may be given them to object to any person who has broken the law of charity, and that this token may be a perpetual monitor to him that takes it of his great obliga- tions-reminding him of his high privileges, and need of preparation and self-examination.
Before the delivery of these tokens, solemn prayer was made ; and then an exhortation given, during which the communicants were desired, one by one, to come up and receive their tokens from the pastor's hand, and then return to their seats. Thus was made the distribution.
SACRAMENTAL FESTIVAL.
On the morning of the sacramental Sabbath, the congre- gation convened at nine o'clock, attracted by the auspicious event, so long looked forward to with deep and tender inter- est by all the inhabitants of the circumjacent region.
SPREADING THE TABLES.
The tables then were set in form of a triangle, extending to the three principal alleys of the house, " allowing room for the communicants to sit on each side of each table, and for the serving officers to pass at the communicants' back. The tables met and joined in the midst, just before the pulpit. In the center was set a small table, on which the elements were placed, where also the minister was to stand during the administration. All the tables were spread with clean linen. Six platters were set in two rows par- allel to each other ; and on each platter a communion cup, and " fronting each table a flagon full of red wine, the only sort used by Presbyterians in this ordinance."
Between the two rows of cups, were set in the middle three large dishes covered with a fine napkin, the central one containing a large common loaf of bread, pared and scored so as to be easily broken by the minister's hands.
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The serving officers were stationed, one at the door to receive the contribution of the assembling congregation, an elder and a deacon were stationed at each table, the former to receive the tokens as the communicants sat down, and both to aid in sending the bread and wine along the table, and an elder was stationed at the store or closet under the pul- pit, where the elements were kept, to supply any deficiency in the elements served.
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