USA > New Hampshire > Sullivan County > Newport > Centennial celebration of the Congregational Church in Newport, N.H. : October 28, 1879 > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00075 6707
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CENTENNIAL
OF THE
nal Church,
NEWPORT, N. H.,
- OCTOBER 28, 1879. ---
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
OF THE
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
IN NEWPORT, N. H.,
OCTOBER
28, 1879.
CONCORD : PRINTED BY THE REPUBLICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION 1880.
1
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
OF THE
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN NEWPORT, N. H.,
OCTOBER 28, 1879.
1987611
At the annual meeting of the church, held January 6, it was voted to celebrate the approaching centennial, and Dexter Richards, Richard S. Howe, Benjamin M. Gilmore, and the pastor, Rev. E. E. P. Abbott, were appointed to make the necessary arrangements. In due time, sub-com- mittees were chosen, invitations sent out, and ample arrange- ments made. On the morning of the day there assembled in the church a large audience, including former pastors and members of the church, neighboring clergymen, and friends.
The officers of the day were,-
DEXTER RICHARDS, President. EDWARD A. JENKS, Toast-Master.
BENJAMIN R. ALLEN, Musical Director. MRS. ELLEN E. KIMBALL, Organist. FRANCIS BOARDMAN, Committee on Collation.
MRS. WM. W. HUBBELL, Committee on Decorations.
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The order of exercises was as follows :
Invocation,-Rev. G. R. W. Scott.
Anthem,-" Wake the Song of Jubilee."
Reading of the Scriptures,-Rev. Charles E. Harrington. Prayer,-Rev. E. H. Greeley. Address of Welcome,-Pastor.
Hymn,-"O God, beneath thy guiding hand."
Historical Address,-Albert S. Wait. :
Reminiscences,-Rev. Henry Cummings and Rev. G. R. W. Scott, the only ex-pastors who survive.
Hymn,-written by Edward A. Jenks.
A thousand hearts are swelling With gratitude to-day, For here, to this His dwelling, Our Saviour leads the way : We turn the ancient pages, We scan the yellow leaves, Where Jesus, through the ages, Has written of His sheaves.
We've heard the simple story Of that courageous band, The young, and heads all hoary, Who came to this fair land,- The pathless wild before them, The sleepless stars above, With Heaven bending o'er them, And great hearts full of love.
The dews of June* were glist'ning Among the tree-tops there, And softest breezes list'ning To sadly cadenced prayer,
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*In June, 1766, these men, eight in all, five having families, arrived in town Saturday night; and the following day they spent in religious worship, under the shadow of a pine tree. Since these men met under that tree, to the present time, the Congregationalists have never permitted a Sunday to pass without meeting for religious worship .- History of New- bort.
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When on that Sabbath morning The fire began to glow,- This Church's faint, sweet dawning, A hundred years ago.
A hundred years !- how glorious Their voices, and how strong, As down the years, victorious, The echoes roll along.
O Christ ! like them undaunted When overwhelmed with woe,
Come bless the Church they planted A hundred years ago.
Benediction,-Rev. C. H. Holbrook.
At one o'clock, the whole congregation sat down to a bountiful collation, served in the chapel.
In the afternoon, brief responses and addresses were made by past and present members, representatives of neighboring churches and others. Prayers were offered by Rev. A. W. Bunker and Rev. C. M. Palmer.
Tea was served in the chapel at 6 o'clock.
In the evening, the past century was discussed in its more general aspects,-material, intellectual, and spiritual,- by Rev. Henry Cummings, Rev. G. R. W. Scott, and Rev. E. E. P. Abbott.
Prayers were offered by Rev. Geo. F. Chapin and Rev. Charles A. Downs, and the exercises closed, the audience joining in the hymn,-
" Come, let us anew our journey pursue."
The day was stormy, but the occasion was an enjoyable and profitable one for all those who were able to be present.
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There was so much of permanent interest incorporated in the historical address, that, by the liberality of Dea. Dexter Richards, it is here preserved in a more durable form, and is sent out to the many who have had a part in the history of the first century of the church, or who have been in- terested in its prosperity.
--
HISTORICAL ADDRESS.
BY A. S. WAIT.
I propose to speak of the progress of our church from its foundation, when it had become the visible outgrowth- the ripened fruit-of the teachings and the labors of men in long preceding generations.
In the town of Killingworth, in our then sister province of Connecticut, lived, in the middle and latter part of the century preceding the present, many devout men and pious women, reared under the pure influences of the gospel, and taught the principles of church independence. Eight of the young and enterprising men of this community deter- mined to go out from the land of their fathers and make themselves homes in the wilderness of the north. Becom- ing of the Proprietors of the township of Newport under the charter granted by King George III, in October, 1761, they arrived on a Sunday morning in June, 1766, a few days more than ten years before the Declaration of American Independence, upon the beautiful plain in the westerly part of our village. And there and then began the observance of the Christian Sabbath in our town, which, by the de- scendants and successors of this little colony, has to our day had no interruption.
Let us pause for a moment to dwell upon the scene. No bell rang out its cheerful notes to listeners devoutly waiting for its call : no church edifice opened its doors to receive the worshippers within consecrated walls : no spire pointed
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to heaven to aid the thoughts of the people of God to ascend to the throne of grace. There was only surrounding na- ture-beautifully picturesque, indeed, and exemplifying the grandeur of the wilderness. Hardships and difficulties were in prospect, but all trusted in the guiding mercies of Jehovah, whose glorious sun shone forth resplendent with encouragement and promise, and from beneath the waving branches of a stately pine went up the incense of prayer and of praise.
From this time these people met regularly on the Sab- bath for worship, several years in a private log-house, where the services were conducted by a layman. The community having received accessions to their numbers, in November, 1772, they, as proprietors of the township, voted to build a Proprietors' house, 30 feet in length and 20 in width, with one fire-place, to be used also for religious worship and for a school. The building was completed the following year. When the settlers first obtained the services of a regular preacher is not ascertained ; it is certain, however, that it was prior to June, 1775, for in a warrant calling a meeting of the Proprietors on the 29th of that month was an arti- cle,-
"To see if the Town will hire Mr. Eliezer Sweetland to preach the Gospel in Newport for some time longer;"-and at an adjourned meeting on the next day it was
"Voted, that Mr. Robert Lane, Mr. David Dudley, and Mr. Josiah Stevens, be a Committee to treat with Mr. Elie- zer Sweetland in regard to our employing him in some future time."
Whether, or how long, Mr. Sweetland remained does not appear, but in the warrant calling a meeting of the Proprie- tors, to be held on the 29th of April, 1778, was an article,-
"To see if the Town will agree to have Mr. Kendall stay and preach with us."
At the meeting thus warned, Robert Lane, Benjamin Giles, and Josiah Stevens were chosen a committee "to
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confer with Mr. Thomas Kendall to see if he will continue a space of time to preach the Gospel in this Town of New- port." At the same meeting, held by adjournment on May 4th, it was
" Voted, that Mr. Thomas Kendall stay and preach in this Town and the Town to contribute every Sabbath for to support it."
Also,-
" Voted, that the Committee confer with Mr. Thomas Kendall to see if he will return to this town as soon as he can with convenience after he hath accomplished his pur- posed journey."
Whether Mr. Thomas Kendall continued "a space of time," or whether he returned after he had accomplished his purposed journey, or whether the journey was ever ac- complished, the record saith not. If so, the "space" was short, for in the warrant for a town-meeting, to be held March 9 of the succeeding year (1779), was an article,-
" To see if the Town will choose a Committee in order to look out a candidate to settle with us in the work of the Gospel Ministry."
And at an adjourned meeting, on the 15th of the same month, it was
" Voted, that Aaron Buell and Josiah Stevens be a com- mittee to make application to the Rev. Mr. Hall of Keene, to look out for a candidate to settle in the work of the Min- istry in the Town of Newport."
Hitherto no church organization had been formed. But it now came to be felt that the cause of the Master, and the religious interests, present and prospective, of the commun- ity, required the work to be carried on in a more systematized manner. It was therefore determined that a church should be gathered. No accounts tell us of the discussions prelim- inary to this purpose, but, on the 28th day of October, A. D. 1779, just one hundred years ago to-day, a meeting was held, when the Rev. Aaron Hall, pastor of the church at
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Keene, the only clergyman present, was chosen moderator, and Aaron Buel was chosen scribe. Articles of faith and of discipline, and a church covenant previously drawn up, were then adopted as the rule of the new church. They show the founders to have possessed competent education, and sound and clear views of Christian faith and duty. They cannot fail to be of interest to the Christian of to-day. In how far do they assure us of faithfulness? In how far do they admonish us to return to the way of the fathers ? Are they the true light of Christian faith and conduct, or has a century developed new light, which shows a new, a ยท better, and a safer way? Let each answer to his conscience in the presence of Him with whom the centuries make no change. They are in these words :
" We whose names are under written, being desirous of forming ourselves into a distinct Church of Christ for ye sake of enjoying ye special ordinances of ye gospel accord- ing to our own consciences, have come into ye following mutual agreement with each other, as in ye fear of God, re- specting articles of faith & discipline.
"I. As to articles of faith, we say we believe ye scriptures of ye old & new testament is ye only infallible rule of faith & practice : but as all denominations & sectaries among those who profess christianity pretend to form their re- ligious sentiments on ye scriptures, we think it expedient to have some plain & explicit articles of faith for a test of orthodoxy, yt we may know whether we understand ye scriptures alike, or not. For, we look upon it necessary yt every Chh of Christ be agreed, at least in ye fundamentals of ye christian religion : & for ye purpose above, we profess to believe the shorter, & longer Catechisms & articles of faith all composed by ye Assembly of Divines at Westmin- ster to be ye best human composition explanatory of ye word of God.
" II. We believe ye following summary articles of faith to be contained in ye sacred scriptures, & very suitable for
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every one understandingly to give their assent to, who are admitted to special ordinances in ye Chh. The same we ourselves profess to do.
"I. We believe yt there is but only one living and true God in three persons, ye Father, Son, & Holy Ghost, the great creator, preserver, & governor of ye worlds.
" 2. We believe yt God did make man in his own image, consisting in knowledge, righteousness & holiness ; but, man by his disobedience, fell from that holy happy state, & has plunged himself into a state of sin & misery, out of which he cannot recover himself, & in which he might have been justly left of God to all eternity.
" 3. That God out of his mere good pleasure, has opened up a new & living way of life to fallen sinful man, by ye mediation of his Son Christ Jesus, who has offered up him- self a sacrifice of atonement to God for ye sins of ye world : & yt all are invited to put their trust in him, to return home to God through him, & yt there is salvation in no other way.
"4. That mankind in their present fallen state are dead in trespasses & sins, & so contrary to God, & a life of holi- ness, & opposed to reconciliation, yt without ye special influence of divine grace they will never surely hearken to, & comply with ye call of ye gospel, & yt therefore ye con- version & salvation of sinners is really owing to distinguish- ing sovereign grace of God in Christ Jesus.
" 5. That although we are justified by faith, & saved by grace, yet ye law as a rule of life remains in full force to be- lievers, so yt perfect holiness of heart & life is their duty ; nor does ye gospel of free grace countenance, or encourage them to live in ye least sin whatever.
"6. That all true believers shall finally be recovered by ye grace of God to perfect holiness & be perfectly happy in ye full enjoyment of God to all eternity ; while ye wicked & impenitent shall go away into everlasting punishment.
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" The following covenant of grace we do hereby declare our sincere & hearty consent to & do judge it expedient & necessary all who are admitted to special privileges in this Chh shall do ye same.
" We do now, in a most humble & solemn sense of an indispensable duty to obey ye call of Christ in ye gospel, who, notwithstanding our sinfulness & lost miserable state by nature, mercifully invites us to partake of ye blessings of ye covenant of grace in ye internal & external privileges thereof.
" As we have obtained mercy & help of ye Lord, we do now with ye most profound awe & reverence, in ye presence of ye dread majesty of heaven & earth, before angels & men avouch ye Lord Jehovah ye Father, Son & Holy Ghost, to be our God & supreme good, giving up ourselves to him through Jesus Christ, ye mediator of ye new covenant, in ye way, & on ye terms of ye covenant of grace, to love ye Lord our God, with all our heart, with all our souls & with all our might, ye whole of our lives, trusting in him, rejoicing in his reign & government, & yielding obedience to him in all things.
" We also give up ourselves to one another according to ye will of God, promising to watch over one another as be- comes saints ; &, in our place bearing testimony against sin, & in any wise will rebuke a brother & not suffer sin upon him, loving our neighbor as ourselves, walking in all ye ordinances of Christ's house, keeping up that discipline in his Chh, which he enjoins in his gospel, with all ye gen- uine expressions of true love to immortal souls yt they may be saved in ye day of ye Lord Jesus. We covenant to be faithful to one another as brethren, upholding ye worship of God in this place ; yt we will not scandalously absent our ourselves from any part of instituted worship ; but do what in us lies to prepare ourselves for ye improvement of all ye ordinances of Christ. Particularly in our families, we will as frequently as may be read or cause to be read ye word of
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God, & attend ye same with sincerity of heart yt it may dwell richly in us ; subjecting ourselves to ye discipline of Christ according to his word, which is contained in ye scriptures of ye old & new testament, which we take as ye only rule of our faith & manners.
" We further covenant to give up our children to ye Lord in baptism, engaging by his help to bring them up in ye nurture & admonition of ye Lord ; setting good examples of piety, righteousness & sobriety before them, taking them under our watch & discipline as a Chh to see yt they walk in all ye commandments & ordinances of Christ, as becom- eth his disciples & followers ; & in our families & as a Chh unitedly to be much in prayer for ye conversion & salvation of our children, teaching them & all under our care to know & fear ye Lord.
" Whereas we have given up ourselves to ye Lord & to one another in ye Lord, we purpose & promise yt we will live together in this holy fellowship, in all holy watchfulness over ourselves & each other. Amen.
" We who have given up ourselves to God & to each other in ye Lord & have engaged to devote our offspring to God, in covenant, heartily invite all our Christian neighbors to join us in this solemn relation, yt we & they may walk together as becomes Christians in holy fellowship. Amen.
"III. Agreeably to ye above articles of faith & covenant, we believe no one is a qualified member of communion in all special ordinances but such as are sound & knowing in ye fundamental doctrines of ye christian religion, & are per- sons of real holiness & honesty, professing cordial subjec- tion to Jesus Christ, & yt ye Chh ought not to admit any to communion in all special ordinances but those who to a judgment of charity, regulated by ye word of God, are per- sons of this character.
"IV. As to ye practice of owning ye covenant in ye half
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way form, according to ye usage of some Chlis, we wholly reject as what we verily believe has no foundation in ye word of God.
"CHURCH DISCIPLINE.
" I. Candidates for communion shall be examined by ye pastor, when ye Chh has one; but if there is no pastor, ye moderator shall ask questions, before ye Chh at stated Chh meetings, after this each brother shall have liberty to ask any question he pleases, for satisfaction, & if ye candidate is accepted by ye Chh he shall after yt stand propounded two weeks, yt ye congregation may have opportunity to inform, in case ye candidate has been guilty of scandal. The pas- tor & Chh shall judge of the validity & regularity of com- plaints & of ye sufficiency of evidence which may at any time be offered.
" 2. That no person shall be admitted to special privileges barely upon a letter of recommendation without examina- tion because particular Chhs receive members upon different principles ; however, letters shall be looked upon requisite.
" 3. That in case of discipline no vote shall be valid un- less ye majority of ye brethren be in ye vote. The pastor shall officiate as moderator & his vote be no more valid than one of ye brethren. But, if it should ever so happen yt ye majority should differ in judgment from ye minority about any case of discipline then ye case shall be referred to a mutual Council for their help & advice. The Council shall consist of a number of regular pastors of regular Chhs which we hold communion with, & their delegates, & in case ye pastor shall be accused of scandal or heresy ye mat- ter shall be judged & determined by a council consisting of pastors of regular Chhs & their delegates mutually chosen. unless they shall agree otherwise. But if either party will not consent to a mutual Council ye other party shall be at liberty to call a Council to advise them as above specified.
" 4. If any shall speak reproachfully to or of & concern-
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ing ye pastor, or diminutively, or contemptuously of his doc- trines, he shall be deemed & treated as a scandalous offender except it be by regular complaint to ye Chh or by way of evidence to such complaint. And before any complaint shall be exhibited against a pastor ye previous steps of pri- vate dealing directed in ye 18 of Matthew shall be duly ob- served ; ye same method shall be strictly observed in re- gard to a private brother.
"5. Every member of ye Chh shall duly observe ye Lord's day as a sabbath, & constantly attend ye public worship of God, & duly observe his ordinances every sabbath or Lord's day (when there is opportunity for it, unless necessarily de- tained) or be judged guilty of scandal & be proceeded with accordingly ; & if any such person neglect ye public wor- ship, & ordinances of God any one sabbath, he shall be ready to give ye reason of his conduct herein to every brother who asks him ; & if any man who is a brother shall neglect ye worship of God in his family (if he have any), or shall not pray morning & evening with his family & daily read some portion of ye sacred scriptures with or to his family (ex- traordinaries excepted) shall be deemed guilty of scandal, provided also he be not necessarily absent. If any brother or sister shall neglect to instruct his or her family, if he or she have any, & yt most frequently & diligently according to his or her ability, & as much as in them lies to restrain them from evil courses, shall be deemed guilty of scandal, & be proceeded with accordingly, & in case he is obstinate he shall be treated & prayed for as an heathen. If any man have children, or servants, that shall not submit to his in- structions, he shall call in ye assistance of some of ye breth- ren, & if they cannot prevail, then shall ye man proceed farther according to rules of discipline in other cases.
"7. That those out of the Chh who have been guilty of scandal, of which proper notice shall be taken, if they 'ever afterwards desire privileges in ye Chh, shall first make con- fession of sin & repentance towards God.
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"8. We who enter into this covenant and agreement, do promise & engage, as in ye presence of God, yt we will faith- fully watch over ourselves, & one another, & exhort one another while it is called to-day, & if we see our brother or sister taken in a fault we will most surely reprove him in ye spirit of meekness, & not suffer sin upon him ; we will do it immediately, if circumstances admit, if not we will watch for opportunity, & do it as soon as may be, from sincere love to him according to ye rule given in ye 18 of Matthew. We engage we will be very careful & tender of our brother's good name & character in ye world, & never expose his fail- ings any further than will be necessary for his good to his edification, but will cover them with ye mantle of love.
"9. We will make it our constant endeavor to provoke to love & good works, laboring to keep ye unity of ye spirit in ye bond of peace among ourselves, & as much as in us lies live peaceably with all men : yt we will behave ourselves soberly and righteously towards them who are without, yt the word of God be not blasphemed, & in all things we will endeavor faithfully to keep & conform ourselves to this our covenant articles & agreement ; for which we pray God to give us grace to ye praise of his great name. Amen."
To these solemn articles were subscribed the names of
Robert Lane
Josiah Stevens Esther Lane
Daniel Dudley
Esther Buel
Jane Buel
Daniel Buel
Susanna Dudley
Chloe Wilcox
Aaron Buel Lydia Hurd
Mary Buel.
Elias Bascom
Eunice Bascom
Matthew Buel
Mary Stevens
Following the adoption of this church union, the record shows these entries :
"Voted, yt Mr. Robert Lane, Mr. Daniel Dudley, Mr. Dan- iel Buel, Aaron Buel, Mr. Elias Bascom, Lieut. Matthew Buel, Mr. Josiah Stevens, Mrs. Esther Buel, Mrs. Susanna Dudley, Mrs. Lydia Hurd, Mrs. Eunice Bascom, Mrs. Mary
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Stevens, Mrs. Esther Lane, upon hearing each one's relation and experience and asking each one's forgiveness, receive each other into their love and fellowship.
"Voted, yt Capt. Samuel Hurd, Mrs. Jane Buel, Mrs. Chloe Wilcox, having heard their relations and experience, and they having asked ye brethren's forgiveness, be taken into love and fellowship.
"Benjamin Giles received a member on condition he get
? his letters."
The following, of the same date, seems worthy of especial note :
"Voted, I. That inasmuch as some of ye brethren plead ye right of exhortation according to ye gospel, while others of ye brethren do not look upon it expedient for brethren to ex- hort in public, yt this matter shall be attended to according to ye following restrictions. If any brother shall be under ye influence of ye holy Ghost & very deep impressions of divine things upon his mind, may give a word of exhortation with- out offence, after sermon, or at any other proper time, ye brethren being judges whether he does it according to ye measure of faith God hath given him, as set forth by ye Apostle in Rom. 12 Ch. Yet no one not of ye Chh shall as- sume this right, nor shall any brother assume ye air of a minister, or preacher, in his exhortation. Notwithstanding this restriction, if any brother is disposed to withdraw before a brother begins to exhort after a public exercise or in ye time of his exhortation, he may do it without giving offence; for we think there is so much liberty in ye gospel as for brethren to be at liberty in these things, & yt they may be done without disorder or distraction.
"V. 2. That it be looked upon a breach of communion for brethren to be at taverns or elsewhere at unseasonable hours, drinking or countenancing such meetings, unless special business call them to such places.
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"V. 3. That it be looked upon a breach of communion for brethren to use profane language, or foolish vain jesting.
"V. 4. That it be a breach of communion for brethren to game at cards or not to discountenance every thing of ye like complexion."
The foundations of the church having been thus estab- lished upon clear principles of Christian faith, we find evi- dences in the records of the town of efforts to secure a minister to settle over the flock thus gathered ; and early in December, 1779, a committee was chosen to confer to that end with a Mr. Tracy, who had been preaching as a supply, but without success. It appears, also, that between this and August of the following year a Mr. Samuel Wood sojourned for a time, imparting the words of truth to the people; and on the 24th of the same August the town voted to him a gratuity of one hundred pounds, and a yearly salary of forty- five pounds, and after two years to increase it five pounds a year until it should reach seventy pounds per year, on con- dition that he would settle over the church. The offer seems not to have been accepted. It appears, however, that Mr. Wood remained here as a preacher for some length of time, for at a town-meeting, held Nov. 24, 1780, it was "Voted, that a tax of six hundred dollars be granted and paid to the Rev. Samuel Wood for his labor in preaching the gospel in this Town." We learn from the town records the amount in our money of the above offer to Mr. Wood, for, at a town- meeting held March 13, 1781, it was "Voted, a tax of thirty pounds, equal to one hundred silver dollars, be granted to detray the necessary charges of the Town."
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