USA > Maine > History of the Baptists in Maine > Part 5
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At the time when this action was taken Napthali Har- mon and Daniel Coffin were chosen deacons, or as the record reads, "table-servers, or servants of the church." Letters were sent to the above mentioned churches, and the churches responded by the appointment of delegates. These met October 20. From Stratham, N. H., came
1 Pelatiah Tingley was born in Attleboro', Mass., about the year 1735, was converted when sixteen years of age, entered Yale College, from which he was graduated in 1761. He then studied theology two years. After preaching a year or more in Gorham, Province of Maine, he declined in 1766 an invitation to settle there as parish minister. In 1767 he united with the Baptist church in Haverhill, Mass. The following is an extract from the diary of Rev. Hezekiah Smith, pastor of the Baptist church in Haver- hill: "Fri. Nov. 13 [1767]. Mr. Tingley, A. M., a Congregational minister, was before the church and examined for baptism. Sept. 15. Preached two sermons from Mark 10.28, and between meetings baptized Mr. Pelatiah Tingley, who was examined the Friday before." After several years of service as pastor of the Sanford church Mr. Tingley removed to Waterboro, where he became pastor of a Baptist church "not in full fellowship with most of our Baptist churches," says Backus. Mr. Tingley was one of those who accepted Benjamin Randall's doctrinal views, and was active in their propaga- tion. He was a delegate from Waterboro to the famous convention held in Boston, Jan. 10, 1788, for the purpose of ratifying the Federal Constitution. He died in Water- boro, Sept. 3, 1821, aged 83, and was buried on what is called the old Barrows farm in the north part of Waterboro.
This record is in the handwriting of Mr. Tingley.
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Elder Samuel Shepard and Elder Samuel Hovey; from Haverhill, Mass., Bro. Moses Welch; from Brentwood, N. H., Dea. Stephen Sleeper, Bro. John Folsham, Bro. John Eastman ; from Deerfield, N. H., Elder Eliphalet Smith, Dea. Wadley Cram, Bro. Sanbourn ; from Berwick, Bro. Wm. Frost, Bro. Hooper. Upon inquiry it was "'found that the desire of the church here and of said Tingley was that said messengers should (if able) bear testimony that the Lord has (in a measure) qualified and called said Tingley to the work of an evangelist, or to administer the ordinances of Christ wherever he may be properly called. Then the said Tingley upon strict decla- ration and examination gave satisfaction, as to a work of special grace, gifts, and qualifications for said work." The ordination occurred on the following day, October 21. Elder E. Smith offered prayer. Elder S. Shepard preached the sermon from 1 Cor. 9:16 and also gave the charge. Elder Hovey gave the right hand of fellowship, "but after the teaching elders and two of the private brethren had laid on hands and one prayed. Then, after prayer, singing, &c., Dea. Sleeper gave an excellent cau- tion and exhortation to the church not to lean on ministers, &c. Then returned from the open air [the ordination services were held on a large flat rock] into the widow Powers' and the house seemed in a few minutes' space to be filled with the glory of the Lord. Then the solemn ordinance of baptism was administered by Elder Shep- ard to eight persons, Moses Tebbets, Benj. Harmon and Catherine, his wife, Sarah Linscot, Susanna Haselton, Eunice Merrill, Mary Sanbourn, and Anna Harmon. Ruth Haselton was baptized by him next day at Berwick. At night also the power of God's love, &c., flowed very sweetly."
The church records show that much of the time at the meetings of the church was given to matters of discipline. Some of the regulations of the church found in these records were peculiar. Under date of December 5, 1772, is this entry : "Church met and voted. 1. That it shall be
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esteemed a matter of offence for a brother to wear more buttons on his clothes than are needed or convenient for the body. 2. To wear a silken ribbon on his hair. Also for a sister (1) to wear ruffles, (2) to bow ribbons, (3) to wear laces on their clothes." But March 1, 1773, it was "Voted the sisters may wear the laces that are now on their clothes." The following is an extract from the record of the meeting of the church September 7, 1774 : "Dea. Powers brought a charge against Dea. Coffin for judging the church covetous and arbitrary. Evidences. Bro. Eleazer Chadbourn says that Dea. Coffin said Sept. 3, 1774, that he could not walk with us and that it sprung from a covetous disposition, and that if we persisted in it we should be more arbitrary than the Standing Order. Also Dea. Harmon and Bro. Samuel Harmon say the same in substance according to the best of their remembrance. Voted that Dea. Powers' charge against Dea. Coffin was supported and proved. That Dea. Coffin's reasons for his charge against the church were not sufficient. To meet for fasting and prayer next Wednesday at Dea. Coffin's." In the record of the next meeting there is an indication that this matter was not easily settled. "After much con- ference the brethren who were present agreed to walk together, except Dea. Coffin." There is no further men- tion of this trouble in the church records until July 7, . 1777, when the church met at Dea. Powers, "and Dea. Coffin, upon his confessing he was sorry he had spoken as he did and did not keep his thoughts to himself, &c., was received into fellowship with the church." Not all of the meetings, however, were devoted to these minor mat- ters or cases of discipline. There were times when the "power and glory of the Lord" were especially manifest.
About the middle of July, 1773, a request was received from a number of Baptists in Lebanon for the appoint- ment of a committee of the Sanford church to consult with them as to the propriety of their uniting with that church or of organizing another church in Lebanon. Elder Tingley, Dea. Powers and Bro. Edward Harmon accord-
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ingly visited Lebanon by direction of the church. After due inquiry they concluded that it would be better for the Lebanon brethren to unite with the Sanford church; and this they did.
At a meeting of the church July 2, 1774, Tozer Lord, a member "of the branch church at Lebanon" stated that it was the desire of the brethren there "to embody in a church by themselves," and the suggestion met with the approval of the Sanford church. In the record of a meet- ing of the Sanford church held Aug. 6, 1774, occurs the following : "Dea. Powers made return from Lebanon that the church there is embodied in peace."
There is no entry in the Sanford church records from Nov. 15, 1774, until May 11, 1776, when the following appears : "After long declension, etc., church met at Dea. Powers."
The Berwick church, however, increased in numbers, and in 1776 a division of the church was found to be desirable.1 The members of the church living in the north part of the town united with the Baptists in Madbury, N. H., in organizing the "Berwick and Madbury church." Those who remained adopted the name of the "Berwick church at Great Hill." Of this new church across the New Hampshire line William Hooper2 was ordained pastor at Berwick Aug. 14, 1776. Previous to his ordination he
1 Joshua Emery, who for many years was minister of this people, was never ordained. He was assisted in preaching by Mr. Joshua Eaton. Under their "united and well- directed efforts, the church, like the rising sun, cast its cheering beams over the sur- rounding darkness and sent forth its healthful influence into the new and growing settlements." But the church had its trials. In the records of the Sanford church under date Sept. 21, 1774, occurs the following entry : "A request of the Baptist church of Christ in Berwick to this church, requesting us to send chosen men to sit with them and others in council upon difficulties subsisting between them and Bro. Joshua Emery was read and voted in the affirmative, and chose Dea. Powers and Dea. Harmon." All the light the Sanford records throw upon the trouble at Berwick is found in these words in the record of a meeting held November 15: "Upon inquiry the committee to Berwick made return that they were not accepted."
2 Mr. Hooper was a member of the convention that framed the Constitution of the State of New Hampshire, and in the debate with reference to religious liberty and the entire separation of church and state took an active part, but the opposite view pre- vailed. Noah Hooper, his son, became a successful Baptist minister. His grandson, Rev. Noah Hooper, was for many years pastor of the Baptist church in Exeter, N. H.
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was a member of the Berwick church. Dr. W. H. Shailer1 says of him : "He was a man for the times, and though stigmatized and persecuted by the 'Standing Order,' he manifested great decision and boldness, and was not a man to be deterred by opposition or ridicule from preach- ing the truth, and performing what he believed to be duty. His talents, his firmness, and his zeal gave him an influence over others greater in many instances than the individuals themselves were willing to admit. He was called a 'New Light' preacher, a term by which the Baptists were then generally known; a term given in reproach, yet having a significance and adaptedness not dreamed of by those with whom it originated. It was a new light which emanated from them and their instruc- tion, shedding its rays upon several important subjects connected with the welfare of Zion; a light not new in the absolute sense, for it had shined brightly in the primi- tive church, but which having been hidden for ages was new to those among whom it was now shining as in a dark place ; a light which revealed more clearly the great doc- trine of 'soul liberty,' or the right to worship God accord- ing to the convictions of the individual intellect, and the dictates of the individual conscience ; new light in regard to conformity to civil and ecclesiastical authority, when it involved non-conformity to the authority of God; new light in regard to the organizing of a church of Christ, on the basis of an entirely regenerated membership of immersed believers, and hence new light in regard to the nature and design of the ordinance of baptism and the terms of church fellowship."
The Revolutionary War was now in progress and the energies of the people were largely enlisted in the effort to secure the independence of the colonies. Rev. Hezekiah Smith of Haverhill was a chaplain in the Continental army. He was present at the battle of Bunker Hill, became the intimate friend of Washington and served
1 Historical Discourse preached in Hallowell June 20, 1776.
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with distinction throughout the war.1 The Baptists of New England generally, as throughout the colonies, were among the first to pledge to the cause their lives and honor. Their attitude is well expressed by Backus. "Since the Baptists have often been oppressed in this land, and would have suffered more than they did, had it not been for restraints from Great Britain, how came they to join in a war against her ? Many have wondered at it, and some have censured them severely therefor. But
1. they had the following reasons for their conduct : Where Episcopalians have had all the power of govern- ment, they have never allowed others so much liberty as we here enjoyed. In England, all are taxed to their wor- ship, while none are admitted into civil offices but com- municants in their church. In Virginia, they cruelly imprisoned Baptist ministers, only for preaching the gos- pel to perishing souls without license from their courts, until this war compelled them to desist therefrom. Of this we had incontestable evidence. Therefore we could have no rational hopes of any real advantage in joining with them. 2. The worst treatment we here met with came from the same principles, and much of it from the same persons as the American War did. Many proofs of this have already been given, and more are at hand if called for. 3. The first Baptist minister in America pub- licly held forth, that all righteous government is founded in compact, expressed or implied, which is equally binding upon rulers and ruled ; so that every officer, whether suc- ceeding or elected, who intermeddles in any matter not fairly derived from thence, goes beyond his commission. When therefore our countrymen adopted these principles, and founded their opposition to arbitrary claims wholly thereon, how could we avoid joining with them ? For 4. Those claims appeared to us absolutely unjust, and a direct violation of the immutable rules of truth and equity ; so that a concurrence with them would have brought such
1 See Guild's Chaplain Smith and the Baptists for Hezekiah Smith's Revolutionary record.
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guilt upon our consciences, as is infinitely worse than all the frowns of men. 5. Though heavy corrections were to be expected, yet a strong hope was begotten of final deliverance to this land; the good effects whereof might hereafter return to the people who now invaded our rights. It is not pretended that our denomination were all agreed, or had equal clearness in these points, but a majority of them were more or less influenced thereby."1
Three churches were organized in the District of Maine during the Revolutionary War. Wells, Oct. 10, 1780 ; First Shapleigh, now Acton,2 in 1781, and Coxhall, now Lyman, Oct. 29, 1782.
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1 History of the Baptists in New England (Ed. of 1871) Vol. 2, pp. 197, 198.
2 Millet's statement is this : "Rev. Nehemiah Davis was the first Baptist to unfurl the glorious gospel banner in this place. Nor was the effort in vain. A few persons became pious Baptists, who, in 1781, united together for the worship of God." Millet gives as his authority for this statement, Dea. J. Bragdon.
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CHAPTER IV.
THE FREEWILL BAPTIST MOVEMENT.
Rev. William Hooper, immediately following the services connected with his ordination, Aug. 14, 1776, baptized in the river at Great Falls four candidates. These were Benjamin Randall, John Trefethen, Nathaniel Lord and Ephraim Foss. All four united with the Baptist church in Berwick and all became ministers of the gospel; while Randall also became the founder of the Freewill Baptist denomination.
Benjamin Randall was born Feb. 7, 1749, in Newcastle, N. H., near the mouth of the Piscataqua river. In his childhood, he tells us,1 he was under deep conviction of sin several times, but he failed to obtain gospel peace. Sept. 23, 1770, Whitefield, who was then on this side of the sea, came to Portsmouth, N. H., and Randall attended his ser- vices. He remained unresponsive, however, to the preach- er's fervent appeals. On the following Sunday, Sept. 30, Whitefield died suddenly at Newburyport, Mass. "The minister of our town went to Portsmouth to preach at the great meeting-house, and I went with him," wrote Mr. Randall.2 "At noon as I went from the place of worship, I stopped with an acquaintance at Packer's Corner, and a man came riding along, and as he rode, he cried, 'Mr. Whitefield is dead. He died this morning at Newbury [port], about six o'clock.' As soon as his voice reached my ears, an arrow from the quiver of the Almighty struck through my heart, and a voice more loud and startling than ever thunder pealed upon my ears, Whitefield is dead!" At once the startled young man recalled the words of
1 The Life of Benjamin Randall. By John Buzzell (Limerick, 1827), pp. 5-9.
2 Buzzell's Life of Elder Benjamin Randall, p. 13.
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Whitefield to which he had so recently listened, but which he had so willfully disregarded; and the thought at once flashed upon his mind, "O that I could hear his voice again ! But, ah, never, never more shall I hear it in this life, and he will be a swift witness against me in the judg- ment of the great day!" Mr. Randall's distress of mind and heart was very great for weeks, but at length, Oct. 15, 1770, he was led, as he tells us, to behold in Christ "a blessed sacrifice for sin to the full satisfaction of divine justice." The heavy burden was now lifted from his soul. "It seemed if I had ten thousand souls, I could trust them all with Jesus. I saw in him a universal love, a universal atonement, a universal call to all mankind, and was confi- dent that none would ever perish, but those who refused to obey it." Mr. Randall at this time, Oct. 15, 1770, was twenty-one years and eight months old.1
In November, 1772, Mr. Randall united with the Congre- gational church in Newcastle. In this relation, however, he did not find that spiritual blessing which he antici- pated. Some of the members of the church were intem- perate and of corrupt and ungodly lives, yet they came to the communion table every month without reproof. This condition of things in the church distressed Mr. Randall, and at length he opened his heart to some of his brethren, who seemed to be interested in sacred things. These came together from time to time, and a revival followed. But more and more as time went on Mr. Randall found himself out of harmony with his brethren in the church at Newcastle, and in May, 1775, he withdrew from its fellowship.
This was at the opening of the Revolutionary War. A large British man-of-war was lying near the town, and the inhabitants moved back into the country. Mr. Randall for awhile entered the military service. But his thoughts were still upon sacred things. His study of the New Tes- tament about this time led to the conviction that believers only were the proper subjects of baptism, and that infant
1 Buzzell's Life of Elder Benjamin Randall, pp. 18-21.
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baptism was a human invention, a tradition of man and nowhere authorized by Christ or his apostles. "Although it was like taking away a right hand to give it up," he said, "yet I dared not to hold it, while I found not a 'Thus saith the Lord' for it." For awhile, lest he should wound the feelings of others, this change in his views with ref- erence to the scriptural subjects of baptism was kept a secret in his own breast; but when in May, 1776, his third child was born, and his wife wished to have the infant christened as their other children had been, he was com- pelled at length to disclose to her his objections, though in deference to her wishes he yielded and the child was sprinkled.
Not long after, having brought his "entire faith and practice to the test of Scripture proof," as he says, he came to the conclusion that it was his duty to be baptized, and it was his purpose to go to Stratham, N. H., and be baptized by Dr. Samuel Shepard, a former Congregational minister who was baptized in 1771 by Rev. Hezekiah Smith, having become a Baptist by reading Norcott's work on baptism. But Randall found that others independently were having an experience like his own, and the ordina- tion of Rev. William Hooper at Berwick, Aug. 14, 1776, provided an administrator of the ordinance nearer home.
The ordination of Mr. Hooper was an occasion of very great interest to the members of the Baptist church in Berwick; but they had an added joy in witnessing his administration of the ordinance on the day of his ordina- tion, as these four young men were buried with Christ in baptism.
Mr. Randall while conducting religious meetings had already been under strong conviction that it was his duty to preach ; but he could not bring himself to a willingness to enter upon such a work. Such was his sense of his unworthiness and unfitness for this work that he even prayed that God would take him out of the world rather than call him to the ministry of the Word. But his duty was at length made plain, and divinely led, as he believed, 5
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Mr. Randall entered upon the work with the purpose by the help of God to devote his life to the preaching of the gospel. The power of God attended him. In his own town in connection with his labors a wonderful display of God's converting grace was manifested. Soon he was invited to preach in New Durham, N. H. There, also, converts were multiplied, as the truth was earnestly, impressively proclaimed, and Mr. Randall was asked to take the pastorate of the Baptist church in that place. The call was accepted, with the understanding, however, that he should be allowed to work elsewhere as the Lord seemed to direct. New Durham became Mr. Randall's home March 26, 1778, and there he continued to reside during the remainder of his life, a minister of Jesus Christ not by the will of men, but by the grace of God, who had called him, as he believed, into his service. Men might reject his message, as at home or here and there he preached the word, but it was because of their unwilling- ness to accept Christ as Saviour and Lord, and not because of any insufficiency in the provisions of the gospel. These were full and free.
Mr. Randall had not as yet been ordained. His ordi- nation occurred April 5, 1780. He had received no special training for the work of the ministry. Following the sea with his father from the age of nine years until he was nearly eighteen, he could find only such opportunities for school instruction as a country town in New Hampshire at that early period afforded. But he had studied by himself his English Bible, and its teachings, as he apprehended them, he fully accepted. Of the views of the New Eng- land theologians of his time he knew nothing. Books were few in those days. But the influences of the Great Awakening had reached to these remote settlements, and Mr. Randall, as we have seen, in the continued revival movements, came under the influence of Whitefield, as this fiery evangelist made his way into New England and with persuasive eloquence called upon men to repent of their sins and become reconciled unto God. In Mr. Ran-
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dall's preaching, as he entered upon the work, there was doubtless little more than the plainest, simplest statements of gospel teaching. He asserted the lost condition of man as a sinner, exalted Christ as an all-sufficient Saviour, and closed with an exhortation, urging upon his hearers instant action in fleeing from the wrath to come. A somewhat forceful personality, doubtless, added to the effectiveness of the message.
In his preaching Mr. Randall supposed that he was in entire agreement with his Baptist brethren. Concerning the theological views held by Baptists generally at this time he knew absolutely nothing. Calvinism and Armin- ianism, he tells us, he had never heard discussed. "As the doctrine of Calvin had not been in dispute among us," he wrote, "I had not considered whether I believed it or not. But as the Lord had shewed me an universal atone- ment, and fulness enough in Christ for all men-the appearance of grace to all men-that the call of the gospel was to all, and that God was not willing that any should perish-that same love constrained me to go forth, and call upon all men to come to Christ and be saved."1
But early in 1779, Mr. Randall was unexpectedly requested in a public meeting by one of his older brethren in the ministry to tell why he did not preach election according to Calvin's doctrine. The name of the minister who made this request Mr. Randall did not give. The articles of faith in general use among Baptists at that time were what is known as the Philadelphia Confession of 1742. This was the London Baptist Confession of 1689, which was the Westminster Confession of Faith adapted to Baptist uses, and of course was strongly Calvinistic. "'Those whom God had predestinated unto life," said the Philadelphia Confession, "he is pleased, in his appointed and accepted time, effectually to call by his Word and Spirit out of that state of sin and death in which they are by nature to grace of salvation by Jesus Christ.
This effectual call is of God's free and special grace alone,
1Life of Elder Benjamin Randall by John Buzzell, p. 75.
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not from anything at all foreseen in man, nor from any power or agency in the creature co-working with his special grace ; the creature being wholly passive therein, being dead in trespasses and sins, until, being quickened and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and conveyed in it, and that by no less power than that which raised up Christ from the dead."1
No one at this time was better informed in reference to the Baptists of New England than Isaac Backus. In a statement with reference to their doctrinal beliefs he says :2 They believe: "2. That in infinite mercy the eternal Father gave a certain number of the children of men to his beloved Son, before the world was, to redeem and save: and that he, by his obedience and sufferings, has procured eternal redemption for them. 3. That by the influence of the Holy Spirit, these persons individu- ally, as they come into existence, are effectually called in time, and savingly renewed in the spirit of their minds."
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