USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Sanbornton > Addresses and proceedings at the centennial anniversary of the Congregational Church, in Sanbornton, N.H., November 12 and 13, 1871 > Part 1
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01804 3239
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GENEALOGY 974.202 SA54AA
1771.
1871.
ADDRESSES AND PROCEEDINGS
AT THE
CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH,
IN
SANBORNTON, N. H.,
November 12 and 13, 1871.
COMPILED BY ORDER OF THE CHURCH, By M. T. RUNNELS, Pastor.
HARTFORD, CONN : PRESS OF CASE, LOCKWOOD & BRAINARD. 1872.
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CONTENTS.
PRELIMINARY AND INTRODUCTORY,
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ORDER OF EXERCISES,
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" SERMON," -
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REMARKS AT THE MEMORIAL COMMUNION, - 22
" HISTORICAL ADDRESS," - -
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PROCEEDINGS AT THE TOWN HALL, - 64 APPENDIX. - - - 79
PAGE.
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PRELIMINARY AND INTRODUCTORY.
The present situation of the Congregational Parish of Sanbornton, N. H., is peculiar. Fifty years ago the "Square," where the Church is located, was a large business centre ; but now all trade and nearly all branches of mechanical industry have deserted that place and gone to the neighboring villages.
The present members of the Church and Society belong to two different towns, and go to no less than seven different localities for store and post-office accommodations.
The ecclesiastical tie is now the only one which holds the people to this ancient " hill of Zion." This survives all other bonds of connec- tion, and is still a strong one. May it never be dissolved. With the view to perpetuating this bond of union by the hallowed memories of the past, though chiefly for the purpose of doing honor to the fathers and guardians of the Church through all its remarkable history, a plan was entered upon in 1870 to celebrate the one hundredth anni- versary of its organization, in some appropriate way, the following year.
At a Church meeting, December 31, 1870, an expression was made by nearly every member present in favor of attempting such centennial observances.
At a subsequent meeting, March 4, 1871. Dea. Abraham B. San- born, Dea. Joseph Emery, and the Pastor, Rev. Moses T. Runnels, were chosen as a "Committee of Arrangements." The day of the Rev. Joseph Woodman's ordination in 1771, November 13, having on two occasions afterwards been observed by the Church as an anni- versary day, and the evidence having increased that the Church was probably formed on that day or very near it, the precise date being
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unknown, the Committee felt at liberty to select none other than No- vember 13, 1871, for the Centennial Day, though knowing that the lateness of the season might serve as an objection to many minds.
Finding that this day came on Monday, it was resolved to observe also the Sabbath preceding by appropriate services, especially by a " Memorial Communion " season in the afternoon. It was also voted to invite Prof. Joseph C. Bodwell, of the Hartford Theological Sem- inary to deliver the " Historical Address" on Monday the 13th ; and the Rev. Frederic T. Perkins, also of Hartford, Conn., to preach the " Sermon " on Sabbath morning of the 12th, with the understanding that the two, as sons of the Church, should officiate jointly at the Communion Table, on Sabbath, P. M.
It was further determined to extend particular or official invitations only to absent members of the Church, and to those who had former- ly been members, so far as their present residences could be ascer- tained, with the understanding that individual members of the Church or Society might privately invite their absent friends at pleasure ; also to send general notices of the meeting, a few Sabbaths in ad- vance, to all the other churches of Sanbornton, and to those churches in Tilton, Franklin, and Hill, which originally were, in part, com- posed of Sanbornton material.
When the anniversary days arrived, the events of a favoring Provi- dence proved the wisdom of these arrangements, and crowned them with success. The weather was all that could have been desired ; both days clear, calm, resplendent, and decidedly, though not uncom- fortably, cool ; quite unlike the corresponding days in November, 1806. when Rev. Mr. Woodman was dismissed and Rev. Mr. Bodwell or- dained, which are said to have been remarkably " warm and Summer like "; while now six inches of snow, which had fallen two days be- fore, afforded " the first sleighing of the season," and thus gave op- portunity to several aged people to be present at the exercises who could not otherwise have come. The audiences were composed of citizens of the town and friends of the Church from abroad, all evidently in deep sympathy with the occasion. They varied in numbers from 300 to 500, completely filling, but not thronging, the houses, so that all confusion was avoided.
All outward circumstances,-except the want of " more time " as night on the second day approached-tended to the success of the Celebration, and the heart-felt satisfaction of those engaged in it.
By a vote of the Church, January 6, 1872, copies of the sermon
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of Rev. Mr. Perkins, and the address of Dr. Bodwell, " with sincere thanks for the same," were requested for publication. They are here presented to the public, with notices of the accompanying exercises, and with the added prayer that the great Head of the Church may continue to make them a means of spiritual profit and blessing, both to the present and to succeeding generations.
SANBORNTON, March 18, 1872.
ORDER OF EXERCISES.
The exercises on Sunday A. M., November 12th, in the meeting- house (see Appendix, Note A) consisted of the Opening Services and Prayer by the Pastor, followed by the "Sermon " of the Rev. F. T. Perkins.
At intermission the Sabbath-School Concert exercises were of a memorial character, followed by appropriate remarks from Mr. Jona. P. Sanborn, of Tilton, and Mr. Joseph W. Lang, of Meredith Village. (See Appendix, Note B.)
In the P. M., before the Memorial Communion, passages of Scrip- ture were read by the Pastor as follows : Exodus, xii. 21-27 ; Deut. vi. 20-25 ; Eph. ii. 13-22.
Administration of the Sacrament by Rev. Messrs. Bodwell and Perkins.
Programme of Exercises in the meeting-house, November 13th, commencing at 102 A. M.
1. Announcement by the Marshal. (Appendix Note C.)
2. Voluntary by the Choir. (Appendix, Note D.)
3. Invocation and reading of the following select passages of Scrip- ture by the Pastor : Ps. xliv. 1-4; Ps. cxxxii. 1-9 and 13-16; Ps. cxxxiii; Matt. xviii. 15-17 ; Matt. xvi. 16-18; Eph. iv. 4-8 and 11-13; Col. i. 16-18; Eph. iii. 20-21.
4. Singing by the Choir. "Denmark."
5. Prayer by the Rev. T. C. Pratt, of Tilton.
6. Singing by the Choir: 1025 Sabbath Hymn-Book.
7. " Historical Address," interluded by the singing of "Lenox ": 120 Sabbath Hymn-Book, first and last stanzas.
8. Concluding Prayer by the Rev. N. P. Philbrick, of Northfield.
9. Singing by the Choir and Congregation. "Turner ": 462 Sab- bath Hymn-Book, first and last stanzas.
10. Further Announcement by the Marshal and adjournment to the Town Hall.
SERMON.
GOD AS LOVE IN CHRIST.
For this centennial occasion you may have expected some- thing historical in character. But remembering that this is your communion Sabbath, and that history is to come to-mor- row, I have chosen to bring to mind the great fact from which have come the life of the Church and all that is of value in your history for a hundred years,-
"GOD IS LOVE." I John, 4, 8.
The proof of this-the most blessed fact of revelation-is given in the next verse : " In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him."
This is not merely a proof but the proof of the fact stated. God as love is found neither in nature nor in providence, till He is found in Christ.
Entering the Patent Office at Washington, one bright June morning, and examining the works of inventive minds, hour after hour, till brain-weary, and then, yielding to the influ- ences of the place, I seemed in the presence of the living minds that had been darkly working their way into a friendly acquaintance with some of the principles and forces created of God for our willing servants, and caught bright glimpses of some grand design of good for man, outside of and above
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nature-a foreshadowing of something better, as reddening clouds of morning herald the light coming up-I felt some- thing of the warmth of a great love beyond ; caught sounds as of distant heralds crying, " Behold your Saviour cometh !"
But Nature must feel the touch of a live coal from God's altar, before she can utter the great words, "God is love." And none but the Son of Man can put that coal to her lips. And no ear hears the voice when uttered till that also is touched by the finger of Jesus. We come to God in Christ to learn that " God is love."
We stand in the presence of a great fact, hard, yet easy, to understand-impossible for the intellect alone, but easy for a right heart.
Power may be handled by the intellect. We find it excit- ing to work the great problems respecting the material uni- verse. Intellect goes forth exulting also in her successful researches amid the exhibitions of wisdom.
But love is not so handled. Just here, more than any- where else, is the blight of sin on the heart, on the power of loving, and so on the power of apprehending God. Love apprehends Him who is love.
God would reveal himself, not as power, not as wisdom, nor yet as mere goodness, but as love. This term expresses Him as no other term does. Other terms, as power and wisdom, express attributes. Love expresses that to which the attri- butes belong. What if God would be known as Almighty Power ? How would He show himself to a world in sin ? Who dare imagine what forms of wrath Omnipotence-out against the wicked-would assume ? From what unseen hands retribution would play upon us ? If displays of power were the main thing they would meet us every where. Great forces now sleeping quietly all around us, or cheerfully serv- ing us, would come forth as ministers of evil. The earth, the clouds, the winds, all the elements, are full of mighty forces. Should the Almighty body himself forth in these to impress the world with the thought that He is all power, sud- den terror would seize all hearts. Or, if knowledge was the one thing, without reference to beneficent ends, how unlike what now is.
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I thus merely start a thought of much interest. Not as power or wisdom, but as love God would be known. He is not merely lovely, but is Love itself. A particular manifesta- tion of this love we call goodness, wisdom, or power, truth, mercy, or justice, according to the specific act or work in mind. But that which is the source of them all is Love. Light may reveal itself in rays red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or violet ; but light is not expressed by either. It is the sum of them all. So it is with the love of God. Take up any line of truth and follow it out, and we come into the light of love.
Here then we stand in a universe illimitable, and through all its parts, laws, and ends, shines a light from a Sun beyond.
Upon the leaves of Nature God writes what He can; but only in the record of his Son can be found the three syllables, " God is love."
Here it may be well to forestall objections. From the fact of sin, from clouds of darkness over-hanging us, from sorrows experienced, and woes denounced, objections arise. These may spring from ignorance or wickedness. Objections have sometimes been urged against God's wisdom. Astronomers have found among the heavenly bodies, irregularities, scem- ingly, against the perfection of God's work. A royal astron- omer of England-Alphonso-impiously said, " If I had been by when God made the universe, I could have given Him some good advice." But advanced science finds established order in the seeming variations, and hence proofs for, not against creative wisdom. Hence the irresistible conviction that, with a correct understanding of all, we should find per- fect wisdom in all. Science, as well as the Bible, rebukes the impiety that would instruct the All-wise. So it turns out, also, respecting objections to Divine goodness : as, e. g., the objection arising from our exposure to suffering. A careful examination shows that God has guarded against unneces- sary suffering ; that in covering the surface of the human system with sensitiveness, special pains have been taken to reduce suffering to the lowest point consistent with the safety of the body and the greatest practicable amount of happiness.
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With increasing light comes the conviction that, could we see through every thing, we should find in every provision of the Creator bright evidence of perfect goodness, and that, at the last, there will remain on pure minds, no shadow of doubt of Divine Goodness in any respect whatsoever. Here, too, what seemed an objection turns out a witness for God.
So in regard to God as Love. Finite minds find difficul- ties in the fact and in the consequences of sin. But what if unable to answer every question about the creation and treat- ment of moral beings ? We may be sure that, as the appear- ance of imperfection in creation results from our ignorance, so seeming objections to God's love spring from our blindness or perverseness, and will, in the end, proclaim that love.
From what we do know we are assured that,when fully un- derstood, every thing in creation, in providence, and in re- demption, will prove the offspring and the expression of Infinite Love.
At the outset we find that the very difficulties standing in our way, the very sins and sorrows confronting us, do this against God's expressed wish ; that they have broken in upon a system of order, and arc at war upon its intended ends. Disorders and rebellions against the Federal Government prove, not the badness of the government, but of the men un- der it.
Then by the side of these very evils, thus intruding themselves, are special provisions to check, overrule, and re- move them. God meets them in such a way as to show that there can be in his heart nothing but good will. When we come to see far enough we shall find that Omnipotence does not step in to prevent these evils because .wisdom and good- ness forbid.
But come to positive proof. "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only be- gotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." Amid all other proofs, this one stands as a bright sun amid glimmering stars.
Love is estimated by its expressions in deeds, in sacrifices and sufferings : and these expressions are measured by the
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characters making them. Thus we measure the devotion of loyal Americans to their institutions as expressed in their sac- rifices to save them, and these sacrifices, the great heart-offer- ings of intelligent Christian men and women. But what if all in the service of the country had been as exalted as the President ; great as the Prophets ; good as the Apostles ? Then how expressive the devotion, though for their own in- stitutions and their own country ! But greater still the offer- ing so far as it was for the poor and the oppressed. But what if the noblest of Europe-kings and emperors-had crossed the Atlantic to lay down their lives for the sake of free insti- tutions for us and for the world ? What if the greatest and purest before the throne of God had taken our places and suffered for us ? Then what an offering upon the Altar of Freedom !
But the Lord of angels, the King of kings-GOD-came in the flesh and laid His life upon the altar of Redemption. What thought can reach the height whence the Lord Jesus came ? or take the great steps down to the low depths to which he went? What an expression of love! What a movement of God !
And for whom ? Not for holy angels-not for beings ready to hail Him as a deliverer and bless Him for His goodness. For whom ? "God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." For us sin- ners-for us rebels against a perfect government-rebels worse than any ever in arms against our government. For guiltiest rebels Immanuel died.
For our President to sacrifice his life to save our government was a great sacrifice ; but what to the offering of the Son of God for us-for us all-even for those now sinning by reject- ing Him. With anything short of love as the sum and substance of His being, could God have made such a mani- festation of Himself ?
We were to be reached and lifted, not by the hand of Om- nipotence, but only by the heart of love divine. Our Lord came forth in a form like our own ; entered the ordinary con- ditions, met the common necessities of trial and temptation,
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suffered death ! that He might come within the reach of our sympathies, within the embrace of our affections.
With this manifestation of love we are all familiar. From childhood we have heard and read it, thought and sung of it ; and yet it is so great we cannot grasp it. God is not to be brought within the little measure of our thought. Beside, the heart, not the mind, finds the true God. Love finds Him who is Love.
I can only touch the hem of the great subject, suggest points to awaken thought, that thinking we may open our hearts, and opening our hearts may come to know God. O, Spirit of Love ! Touch our hearts-open them-manifest in them Him who is Love !
Advancing as far as finite minds can go amid the wonders of power and wisdom, the wisest feel that they have only reached the borders of creation. Beyond all seen and known is infinitely more-beyond all is God ! How, then, measure this love which moves the Infinite One in His ways, shines through everything, spreads itself over all, is felt even by our wicked hearts ? As the sun comes down upon the earth, spreads its light over it, sends its heat into it, covers it with the blessedness of life, so the God of love comes upon our race, would enter all hearts and fill them with the light of life and love.
Of the proofs of this love, of some of its blessed fruits, we can speak. From this ocean of God's Being-never by us to be fathomed nor surrounded-we may drink.
We help our conceptions by what we know of human love. A mother's love is wonderful. It can bear any burden, en- dure any suffering, any death, for a child. A mother with her babe overtaken by a cold storm of snow, wandering, weary and lost, lies down, the better to shelter her little one, and give it the warmth of her bosom. As it grows cold she spares more and more of the covering of her own suffering, freezing body, and wraps the babe safely. In the embrace of a frozen mother the child was found with the clothing and warmth of her love. When, last fall, the flames, with the speed of a race-horse, were rushing through the forests of the
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Northwest, they encircled a mother with her child. She hol- lowed out a place in the earth for her child, then, covering it with her own body, awaited the flames and remained till, burned to a crisp, her lifeless form sunk too heavily down and smothered the life which her love had saved from the fire.
The love of companion for companion can not only suffer but find joy in so doing, and make its object feel that neither father nor mother, son nor daughter, is so dear; a love so pure, so strong, that only love for God can be purer or stronger. Feeling this love, dwelling in it as in an atmos- phere of love, and able to characterize such a heart only by saying it is all love, we come to understand something of Divine love-but only as, from a single drop, we understand the ocean whence the drop comes. Then we learn something of Divine love from its effects, its production of love like itself.
As all the waters of the continents in dew, rain, snow, in springs, rivers, and lakes, come from the ocean, raised by the sun and borne in clouds on wings of winds, so all true love and the joys thence arising come from the great ocean- God-through our Sun of Righteousness. Who measure the good thus brought to us ? Who number the streams so full, filling myriads with holy joy, causing exulting anthems to burst forth from happy hearts ? What the fountain compared with which all this is but a drop ?
To heighten our conceptions of this work of love, we re- member in what kind of hearts this is done. A mother's love for the true and loving child is wonderful. But the love that holds out, grows strong, finds ways of expression towards the child wayward and wicked ; the love that can hold on to him, reach him in his farthest wanderings, find his heart in his worst degradation, and in holiest communings bear him up and hold him up before the throne of grace, and there wrestle in pleading's more than if for life; the love that, through God, can soften and save, that can awaken love like itself-O, that is a greater love. O, the love of a good mother! Thank God for the priceless treasure !
So the conjugal love for the true and noble, responding to its every sign and token, is great. But the love that lives,
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moves, and has its being for one who has put off his human- ity and has put on the ferocity of a brute; the love that can live, grow strong, turn God-like in expression, win, save such an one, bring him back to a better love than his first-this is most wonderful. O, the wealth of affection in such a heart ! so like Christ's love that it could go to the cross for its object !
But the love of God in Christ, doing the wisest, kindest, best possible things for beings whose guilt and degradation no language can express ; love making the greatest sacrifices, most affecting demonstrations of itself for enemies ; Love In- carnate moving among the guilty in all the winning forms of goodness ; stooping down to touch bosoms warmed by no love in return, pressing down to the lowest, touching hearts the hardest, opening the gates of life before the worst ; love that can reach cold, dark, guilty spirits, make them all pure, glow- ing, God-like in love ; the love that can do this we compre- hend only as we comprehend God.
Could we now gather up the trophies of this victorious love, have in one view the whole work of Love Incarnate in souls purified, enter the inner life and learn the joys unutterable in fellowship with the God of love, foresee the growth-the future greatness-of souls in love, and still with a power of growth above all present power of conception, then might we have some worthy view of the work of Him who is Love.
We sometimes feel the power of this Divine love, are warmed, lifted, filled with it. But we cannot express it. Many others have felt the same. O, how many here in con- nection with this church during the century past, have rejoiced in more than could be expressed ! They have comprehended something of the breadth and length, depth and height of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge ; and so they came to be filled with all the fulness of Him who is Love.
This-all this-here, as the fruit of that love.
But how much more there, in the presence of Love, where all are changed into the same image ! Some very dear to us, beloved pastors, deacons, and members of this church, and of others, are in that home of love-some long there! How much they know of Him who is Love !
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There is a great multitude there. Many more are to be gathered in. We, many of us, enjoy foretastes, expect soon to be filled full with that love. O, that all might !
Note this also : that God is revealed not only in what His love does, but in what it is fitted to do.
Made to love and be loved of God, every heart should be filled with His love. He would have a great tide of love flow through every bosom. He would have every heart-beat a throbbing of pure love. So the God of love would have it. What if here, for a century, the love of God had wrought out all that it is fitted to do in every heart and life ? What blessed results in this old church and town ! Such a state- blessed beyond our present conceptions-redeeming love will yet produce. Bad as the world is, cold in spiritual death, Divine love, as the breath of life, shall be breathed over this great vale of death. As the Prophet stretched himself upon the widow's son, hands upon hands, face to face, till by his warmth and life he restored the child to his mother ; so God, in Christ, comes to us with all the warmth and life of Infinite Love Incarnate, to come into contact with our race, to impart His life to dead souls.
The Finlanders have a beautiful legend to show the power of love. It states that a mother having lost her only son, sought him with unwearied diligence, with long and patient toil. At last she found his remains, torn into a thousand pieces, at the bottom of the river of death. Eagerly gather- ing the scattered fragments of her child, she folded them to her bosom, sang to them, and rocked them, till, such was the warmth and power of her love, it restored her boy to form and life.
Thus our Father in heaven loves and seeks us all. We, spiritually dead, should remain forever in hopeless ruin but for this love, holier than a mother's, which seeks us, lifts us to the Divine bosom, sings to us of Bethlehem, Gethsemane, and Calvary ; and so heals our wounds, restores to our souls the lost life of love, and fills with eternal joy. Amazing love ! God Incarnate, that He might search us out, be bruised for our iniquities, torn to pieces for us, that in dying
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