USA > Maine > Waldo County > Belfast > History of the city of Belfast in the state of Maine v.I, 1770-1875 > Part 23
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First, voted Lieu! Jonathan Wilson Moderator.
2ª That the Prayer of the Petition of Solon Stephenson and others praying to be incorporated, &", is unsatisfactory to the town of Belfast.
3.ª To choose a Committee, in behalf of the Town, to show Cause at the next Session of the General Court why the Prayer of the Petitioners should not be granted. And,
4th That Rob! Houston, Esq., John Cochran, and Tolford Dur- ham be the Committee in behalf of the Town.
(From the Records.) Attest : ALEX" CLARK, Town Clerk.
We, the Undersigners, according to our appointment in the Name and behalf of the Inhabitants of Belfast, in the County of Hancock and Commonwealth of Massachusetts : -
Most Humbly shew : That feeling themselves happy in the enjoyment of the invaluable privilege of worshiping God accord- ing to the dictates of their own consciences, the Inhabitants of Belfast would be very far from using any influence they may pos- sess wantonly to deprive any individual of so great a blessing. But, called upon as they are, duty impels them to say that the Prayer of your Petitioners is unsatisfactory ; and this for the Reason set forth in the Petition, and because there are existing Reasons against it.
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HISTORY OF BELFAST.
First, The Reason set forth in the Petition is a belief " that the Principles approved and Doctrines inculcated by the Minister of Belfast Rev. Mr. Price, are unscriptural, immoral, and destructive to the order and interest of Society." On this Belief hazarded, we need only observe, That Mr. Price, our Revª Pastor, has preached to the People of Belfast almost three years, nearly two of which he has been a settled Minister. He was introduced among us on the Congregational Platform of Church government, generally observed in New England Churches, and the mode to which most of your Petitioners have been accustomed. And we can cheerfully say, that he has uniformly, in his preaching, accord- ing to the understanding of his hearers, delivered the Doctrines of the Gospel in their purity and simplicity agreeable to the "faith which was once delivered." He has taught the same by his example, and in his private exhortations, to the abundant satisfaction of those who have waited on his Ministry.
But whatever import is intended by your Petitioners' Belief against Mr. Price, we are authorized to say it is groundless : for the same objection offered in the Petition, and the only one your Petitioners have ever pretended to make against Mr. Price, was presented by them to the Venerable Council at the Ordination of Mr. Price, which was esteemed by the Council an " Opposition without foundation ; " therefore was passed unnoticed, as appears from the Records of the proceedings of that Council.
Your Petitioners make the Principles and Doctrines of the Minister of Belfast the Reason of their Prayer, but we feel our- selves called upon to place things in their true light before your Honors: therefore must take the liberty to assert this is the ostensible but not the Real reason, as may appear from attested facts, as well as the uniform conduct of your Petitioners.
The Real reason which has led your Petitioners to be separated from the Society in Belfast is their Disaffection at the Settlement made to the present Minister of the Town, as declared by a number of your Petitioners repeatedly : That they had no objection to the Minister, and cared nothing about his Religious Sentiments, it was the Land alluding to the settlement, which was about one hundred acres of Land. This Land is and has been viewed by the Town of Belfast to be the cause of your Petitioners' disaffec- tion. We, therefore, beg your Honors' indulgence to mention some circumstances of your Petitioners' conduct in relation to this object.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Said land was given by the Proprietors to the first settled Minister, was laid out in a Central situation in the Town, and improvements made thereon from year to year, by the Town previous to a Minister being settled, and under the name of the Minister's Lot. Your Petitioners, without any exception, con- sidered this land to be given, laid out, and improved for this purpose ; But when the settlement of a Minister was in agitation, for some reason best known to themselves, they wished, exerted their influence, and laid various plans to retain said land in the hands of the Town. To this end meeting was called after meeting, but to no avail, for the Town viewed said land already appropriated and beyond their reach of disposal otherwise than by settling a Minister. Here, it may be observed, was the begin- ning of your Petitioners' disaffection. For, in consequence of the Town's neglect of the unreasonable proposition of your Petitioners respecting said Lot, they opposed and repeatedly protested against the lawful proceedings of the Town, in relation to the calling or settling a Minister. But finding their attempts fail here, a point on which their minds were most intently bent, your Petitioners turned the seale, and instead of treating said land appropriated as above, they now declared it to be in the hand of the Proprietors undivided : And this tho' the land had been given and laid out, as was clear from the Proprietors' Records, and had been con- sidered and treated by the Town Inhabitants, your Petitioners not excepted, as land in reserve for the first settled Minister for more than Twenty five years, It being found that by some oversight there was no exception of this Land in the General Deed of the Town. Therefore, on this ground, your Petitioners have taken their last mentioned position with respect to said land.
That this Lot of land has lain with far greater weight on the minds of your Petitioners than the Religious sentiments of the Minister in Town is further evident from a Letter, signed by Eleven of your Petitioners, sent to Mr. Price, before he gave his Answer to the Invitation of the Town, A copy of which we have obtained, and present it to your Honors, which is the best repre- sentative we can give of the real spirit by which they have been uniformly actuated :-
MR. PRICE : SIR, - We the Subscribers being dissatisfied with the Representation that has been made to Mr. Price in respect to their being a small number in opposition to his settling in this
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HISTORY OF BELFAST.
Town, We are willing to treat you as a Gentleman & undeceive you, And we the Subscribers resolve, that if you settle here, not to hear you preach, neither pay any thing toward your maintainance. The Constitution tollerates all religions, and the Law will not oblige us to support that Religion which is dis- agreeable to our Principles, & 'tis our opinion your principle Motive is the Land. But we are satisfied that Lot No. 26 is the Proprietors' property, & before it shall be given in this form we mean to have a Division.
BELFAST, Nov. 7, 1796.
A copy of the original letter. Names excepted.
It may be repeated that this letter was sent to Mr. Price before he had given or even intimated the result of his mind on the Town's proposals for settlement. Our only apology for com- mnnicating the above is duty, fairly to state the ultimate object of the hopes, fears, and exertions of your Petitioners, and would only add, the same object was unremittedly pursued after Mr. Price became our Pastor. Some of your Petitioners being Proprietors commenced a suit in law against the Possessor of sª land, repeatedly forbidding his improving on the premises; and 'tis painful to intimate, with other things too degrading to be mentioned, the natural consequence of which has been much unceasing expence and interruption of the good order and regu- larity of the Town.
The Undersigners have been thus particular on this point that the Inhabitants of Belfast may appear to your Honors impartial in their judgment of your Petitioners' conduct when they say They have ever considered the opposition and disaffection of your Petitioners to the Religious order of the Town as having the before mentioned land for an object, and not the Minister, - interest, and not religious principles ; and that they now consider the Reason set forth in the Petition to have not the smallest resemblance of their real feelings which have been uniformly acted out, - Therefore, the Prayer of your Petitioners is unsatis- factory to the Town of Belfast.
But, There are existing Reasons which lie against the Prayer of your Petitioners, which the Undersigners would beg to lay before your Honors.
1
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
REASONS.
First, The Town of Belfast, in its present infant state, is barely able to support one Minister, while the Inhabitants are all con- nected in one Society. Therefore, for even a small number to be taken off from the Town, it must be attended with very injurious consequences.
2d, Your Petitioners declare they wish not to be exempted from taxation, and plead their willingness to pay their full pro- portion for the support of Protestant Preachers, on whom they can conscienciously attend, but their practice speaks a different language. A number of them have professed the belief that it was contrary to the dictates of conscience and unscriptural to support Ministers of the Gospel as pointed out by law, and they with the rest of your Petitioners have obtained Certificates from a Travelling Baptist Preacher to screen them from taxation, tho' they are opposed to that Denomination, And have repeatedly refused to pay their proportion of Taxation into the town Treasury. Therefore, their principle is viewed as objectionable.
3d, But granting that your Petitioners were inclined, and were they empowered by Law to settle a Minister, their number would show their inability. Their whole number is but Twenty Three, Seven of whom are single Polls, and Two not Inhabitants : of the remainder, some are men of good property.
4th, We still feel it duty to urge that from the disposition which has been and still is discovered by your Petitioners, with respect to Religious Order or Denomination, were they to be incorporated into a Society by themselves, the prospect is not in favor of their happiness. Tho' they are united in their Prayer to your Honors, yet present appearances do not indicate agreement, should it be granted. Their maxim is, " The Constitution gives liberty of conscience; " hence, each is disposed to walk in his own way. They disclaim any particular Denomination. This is con- firmed by their employing a variety of Preachers of different Denominations, and also by their Prayer to your Honors to be incorporated into a "Religious Society " indefinitely.
5th, The Prayer of your Petitioners would be less objectionable, did they reside in any Part or division of the Town where they could be compact, or could join in religious society with others ; but they are mostly in Central situations in the Town, and there is no Society with whom they could join, were they disposed for it.
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HISTORY OF BELFAST.
6th, Your Honors are very sensible that the Town of Belfast, considering its infant state, must have been at very great ex- pense in the settling and support of a Minister of the Gospel, by which the value of your Petitioners' property, as well as theirs, have been greatly advanced; and, we presume, do feel the justice of their bearing a proportionable part of the burthen of the Town's expense.
Finally, The Undersigners, in the Name and behalf of the In- habitants of Belfast, would most sincerely assure your Honors : that, from existing circumstances, we have rational grounds to believe, were the Prayer of your Petitioners granted, it would be the greatest injury to them; it would be highly prejudicial to the growth, prosperity, peace, and religious order of the Town, and thereby the interest and happiness of Individuals affected. Therefore, -
In the most perfect confidence and esteem of your Honor's wisdom and candour, we have freely submitted to your Honor's consideration, in this Memorial, our views and Reasons why the Prayer of your Petitioners should not be granted. And as in duty hound shall ever pray.1
BELFAST, Nov. 30, 1798.
ROBERT HOUSTON, Committee
(Signed) JOHN COCHRAN, in behalf of the Town of
TOLFORD DURHAM, Belfast.
This memorial had the desired effect. "The friends of Mr. Price procured a majority, and the prayer of the petitioners was refused to be granted. The opposition remained undismayed. New subjects of complaint were found, true or false ; and old ones urged with new zeal." 2 At the annual spring meeting in 1801, the disaffected elements had so far increased that the town voted "not to raise two hundred and forty dollars as a Salary to the Rev. Ebenezer Price, nor to have any more employment for him." Tolford Durham and John Cochran, 1st, protested against this vote, but their dissent was not regarded.3
By the law then in force, any contract made by a town with their minister had the same force, and was as binding as any other lawful contract; and all courts of competent jurisdiction
1 This remonstrance is said to have been written by Robert Houston. Gazette, May 5, 1824.
2 White's History, 69.
8 Town records.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
had power to sustain suits bonght to enforce its performance.1 The inhabitants of Belfast, in their agreement with Mr. Price, had entered into a contract, the subsequent issue of which was not duly considered. They not only became bound to pay the stipulated salary during his continuance with them, but to give him Lot No. 26, whereas the original intention of the proprietors was to make the land transmissible as a glebe or parsonage, instead of becoming the absolute property of the first settled clergyman. Upon the withholdment of his salary, Mr. Priee very properly sought a legal remedy, by commencing a suit against the town. In 1802, the inhabitants perceived that their course was illegal, and appointed a committee to treat with Mr. Price upon dissolving the contract existing between the parties. They also voted to reconsider the vote which repudiated payment of his salary, and raised two hundred and forty dollars for 1801, and two hundred and fifty dollars for the succeeding year.
The following is the answer of Mr. Price to the committee, after a conference with the church, at which "the subject of the present difficulties was taken up, and the conduct of the town in appointing a committee to wait on the pastor, and see on what conditions he will give up the civil contract with the town, was deliberately considered, and the brethren were united in opinion that, taking all things into consideration, it was duty for the pastor to give up the contract." 1
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE TOWN OF BELFAST IN TOWN MEETING :
MY PEOPLE, - I received by the Committee of your appoint- ment your request, that I should state the Conditions on which I would give up the civil Contract between me and the Town.
You are very sensible that this is a point too Solemn in its nature, too interesting to myself and you, and too nearly allied to that Glorious canse which God hath Declared he will defend, to be rashly Decided upon. I have therefore taken time to delib- erate upon circumstances, and Prayerfully to inquire into the Ex- pediency of Complying with your request, and 'tis but very lately that I have been satisfied what was duty. I now lay before you the result of my mind,
It was by the voice of a Large majority of the People that I was invited to settle in the work of the ministry in this Town. In compliance with what appeared duty, I entered into the most solemn obligations; and it has been my unceasing endeavor to
1 Church records.
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HISTORY OF BELFAST.
walk in all good Conscience, both in my Public and private min- istration, thro' the whole term of time I have been with you.
At my Settlement, I was sensible of an Opposition which has since proved an increasing one. As to its origin and Manner in which it has been conducted, as they embrace a Combination of circumstances, altogether unpleasant, tho' indelibly impressed on my mind, I pass them over as I have ever done, without recrimi- nating observations. For this has uniformly been the motto of my public Life : if a minister cannot live with his people in the exercise of a dispassionate, condescending, and prudent conduct, there is an unavoidable end to his usefulness. But at the present time, this opposition, evidently, from various motives comprises in it a Majority of the people : who seem fully Determined that nothing short of a Discontinuance of my Ministerial connection with the Town will be satisfactory. I would persuade myself, however, that this opposition is not against me personally, but would be exhibited towards any man in my circumstances : also, that some favourite point is in view, to gain which my removal is Necessary, but its effects are the same as tho' it were personal, and my removal the only object.
And when a Minister has a Parish or a Town in which he is Settled, against him, with hut few exceptions, the Probability of bris usefulness expires, and when his usefulness is over, whatever Step leads to the event, duty requires that his connections with that People should cease.
Such I am fully persuaded is my case : I therefore view the way opened for a Discontinuance of my Ministerial connection with the Town of Belfast : on certain conditions, which you re- quest me to state.
They are the following < -
1st. That the Town fulfil its contract with me, by paying up the arreages of my salary to the present time.
2d. As I have spent more than Six years of the best part of my life in your Service, according to the ability which God hath given me, I have made my Calculations and Disposed of my in- terest here, in such a manner, that I might be most useful to the People. Also, I have experienced a great want of promptness in the payment of my Salary from year to year; And now, at your request, by giving up the Contract, my arrangements must all be broken. I must experience for me a great loss of property in the Sale of what I possess, and a considerable time must elapse before
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
I should be able to Settle in another place. These circumstances being viewed, Propriety, reason, and Justice demand that you make me an indemnity. I do not calculate, nor ask a full indem- nity : all I shall state is, the amount of one year's Salary, or two hundred and fifty Dollars.
3d. The town of Belfast voted to give up Lot No. 26 (with two reserves) to the first settled minister, by which vote the Town is holden to defray any expenses which have arisen or may arise, in consequence of its being possessed by the first Settled minister. This property was secured to me by virtue of my settlement, agreeable to the intentions of the Proprietary. When- ever, therefore, the Town shall furnish me with a Warrantee deed from the proprietors, I bind myself to free the town forever from any expense, which otherwise from that vote would be obliged to pay. Furthermore, when the Town shall thus furnish me with a Deed from the Proprietors, I bind myself to comply with the reserves in said vote ; (viz.), To lay out land for a Burying ground, also one acre of land where the meeting-house stands, on the east side of Belfast river, and Deed the same to the Town, by those persons whom the Town shall appoint for that purpose. These are the only conditions I shall state; and by your compliance with them, the civil Contract between me and the town is forever dissolved.
But tho' I have stated the condition, and your Compliance with them dissolves my connection with the Town, yet in such an event I shall continue my relation to the Church in this place as pastor, until this relation be dissolved by an Ecclesiastical Council, and in the meantime to preach to the Church and people if desir- able, at those places which shall be thought most suitable. I shall do this, not from any view of a compensation for my ser- vices ; for in giving up the contract, I relinquish every claim, or from any expectation of being Established in this town in any other way, for present appearances do not favor such an idea; but I am Prompted to this from a view of the destitute Situation of this Town and vicinity, in case of my removal. I would, however, be understood, that notwithstanding my proposal for continuing my relations to the Church and Ministerial labours, that I should feel myself at full liberty at any time to leave them, on the calling of a Council, when a door, in Providence, should be opened for my Greater usefulness elsewhere. Also the Church to have an undoubted right to look after another Minister, with the Town or a part of the Town, who may be likely to be more useful than I
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HISTORY OF BELFAST.
have been : could such a one be found and obtained, I think I could most heartily rejoice in the event.
Before I close this result, it is my duty to observe, that in stating to you my conditions of giving up the contract, I do virtu- ally leave this place, this Church, and this people ; for all founda- tion for my continuance seems secured. And a most gloomy idea is suggested, that there will never be a Minister to succeed me over this town; for local circumstances with the present popula- tion forbid it. Societies must be formed, before a re-settlement can take place ; and, when we consider the divided state of the minds of the people, such an event seems very distant. There- fore, this is to me, and I presume to those who love the Gospel Institutions, a time of feeling -it is very Interesting to all. I cannot but feel for you, whether you are disposed to be friendly or otherwise ; for, from habits of Intimacy, an attachment is formd in heart, which nothing but time can erase.
As a Minister of the Gospel, I have felt your burthens, I have sought your spiritual good, I have labored for your Souls. And while I give up the hope of being farther useful as your Minister, a most gloomy prospect in your situation presents itself. I view you destitute of the stated means of Grace. I view you divided by local circumstances, by Interest, and by Religious opinions ; and I view you as accountable to the Searcher of Hearts, before whom both you and I must shortly appear.
If this is the last time of my addressing you as my people, as I am a man of much imperfection, I readily ask the forgiveness of all to whom I have given the least occasion for offence. In a word, I would commend you and your tender offspring to the care of the great Bishop of Souls, who knows your wants and alone can supply them ; but, in his Tremendous name, I must once more charge you, as you will answer it in the great day of God Almighty, to respect the things of God's Kingdom, to avoid contentions, to cherish brotherly Love, and to oppose that increasing Torrent of vice, which threatens the extermination of every christian and moral virtue from among you. EBENR PRICE.
BELFAST, May 6, 1802.
Recorded, May 10, 1802. A true Copy.
Attest : JON' WILSON, Town Clerk." 1
1 Town records.
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ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
The terms proposed by Mr. Price were promptly accepted, and on the 7th of June it was voted "that James Patterson, Robert Houston, and James Nesmith be a Committee to request the Proprietors to give the Revª Ebenezer Price a Deed of Lot No. 26, and take a Deed of him, of the land reserved for the town in said lot ; " also, "to grant $250 to the Revª Eben! Price, agree- able to his proposals, which the town voted at their last meeting, and have the same assessed immediately." At the next meeting of the proprietors, the request was acceded to; and Robert Hous- ton, Alexander Clark, and John Durham were chosen to make a conveyance.1 Bohan P. Field was constituted an agent on behalf of the town, to complete the agreement with Mr. Price, who took a formal dismissal on the twenty-second day of September, 1802. The ecclesiastical council, convened for the purpose, was com- posed of the Rev. Messrs. Daniel Merrill, of Sedgwick, Jonathan Fisher, of Bluehill, and Eliphalet Gillet, of Hallowell, with dele- gates from their respective churches. In advising a dissolution of the pastoral relation, the following expression of views was given : -
Not from a desire to criminate any person or persons, or unnecessarily to excite painful or disagreeable sensations in any bosom, but to vindicate our proceedings to the candid, and to represent the present sorrowful event in a just and proper light, we proceed to offer the following reasons and observations, under the influence of which we have been led to this result, viz. :
1. That though the Church appears to be unitedly satisfied with the ministerial labors of the Rev. Mr. Price, and unitedly desirous of his continuance with them, if it could be consistent with usefulness, yet there appears evidently to be a large opposi- tion among the people, which has at length even risen to a major- ity, by which such steps have been taken to withhold from Mr. Price a necessary support, as have rendered it impossible to obtain it, continuing his connection without recourse to such measures as tend immediately to destroy a Minister's usefulness and favorable influence.
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