USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Bedford > Centennial historical discourse of the Presbyterian Church, Bedford, N.H. : delivered Sabbath July 2, 1876 > Part 1
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CENTENNIAL C-263 187
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE
OF THE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
BEDFORD, N. H.,
DELIVERED SABBATH, JULY 2, 1876, BY THE PASTOR, REV. IRA C. TYSON. 11
1 PREPARED BY DIRECTION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
CITY OF
IGN
MANCHESTER : JOHN B. CLARKE'S STEAM BOOK AND JOB PRESS. 1876.
BX9211 . BRATO
DISCOURSE.
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Ps. 102 : 18 :- " This shall be written for the generation to come ; and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord."
To gather up the records of the past and present, and faith- fully transmit them to the future, is a duty which one genera- tion owes to another. Especially is this true with reference to the history of God's people, whose experiences of faith afford an illustration of Divine grace and mercy.
The early struggles of the church of Christ in the new world, its growth and development amidst all the adversities through which it passed, its aspect as a moral and spiritual power in the land during this Centennial year, with the grand future which seems to open up before it, are points of ever-increasing interest as the lapse of time brings us nearer to the glorious consumma- tion.
. A general interest attaches to the history of the New England churches. In all the great cities of the West, and in every vil- lage and hamlet, are to be found the representatives of these old New England towns. To them, as well as to ourselves, the history of the church in which their early lot was cast, and within whose walls there cluster so many precious memories, must ever be a matter of absorbing interest. To gather up these recollections of the past, as connected with the Presby- terian church in Bedford, is the object we have at present espe- cially in view. This task is the more pleasing from the fact, that in all its history this church has sustained an honorable record. Its early struggles, the blessings of Divine grace which have been visited upon it, along with the general character of its ministry, afford us material for the most pleasant retrospect, and
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give us facts to make up a history which no church need wish to forget.
The Presbyterian church in Bedford claims a common origin with those who planted the venerable church in Londonderry, N. H. Although the date of its organization is a few years later, yet the most of the original settlers came direct from Londonderry to Bedford. In the original memorial to Governor Shute, of Massachusetts, dated 1718, wherein the memorialists, "Inhabitants of ye north of Ireland," requested encouragement to come to this country and settle, we find many names of those who were closely identified with the early history of this town. They trace their origin, therefore, back to Scotland, and to Scottish Presbyterianism. Their ancestors were the men who came from Argyleshire, in 1612, to the counties of Ulster, An- trim and Londonderry, in the north of Ireland, who were fore- most in the memorable siege of Londonderry, by which the Papal restoration in England, under James the II, was success- fully resisted ; and who, having thus fought for their liberties, especially for the liberty to worship God, refused conformity to the Church Establishment, and chose rather to suffer the priva- tions of a life in the wilderness than yield to the dictation of a persecuting hierarchy.
While the most of the early settlers of Bedford were thus of Scottish extraction, receiving the title of Scotch-Irish, because of their temporary residence in the north of Ireland, there was, also, a Puritanical element in the early settlement of the town. The government of Massachusetts, claiming jurisdiction over the province of New Hampshire, gave to the soldiers who fought in the Indian war of 1675, commonly known as the Narragan- sett war, grants of land in various places in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. These grants of land were numbered from one to seven. No. 5 comprehended all the territory of the present town of Bedford, with that portion of the town of Mer- rimack lying north of the Souhegan river and west of the Merrimack, with so much of Manchester as is embraced within the present limits of Piscataquog. These lines were altered at a more recent date.
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The tract of land thus assigned to the Narragansett soldiers received the name of Souhegan East. A few of the original proprietors only became actual settlers, the others for the most part selling out their rights to those who were willing to enter and occupy the land. Those who came were mostly from towns in the vicinity of Boston, and were probably of Puritanic ex- traction. But the Scotch-Irish element, in a short time, largely predominated.
The Scotch-Irish and Puritans, however they may have dif- fered in national characteristics, made common cause in reli- gious principle. The same religious persecution which drove the Puritans from England, forced the Presbyterians of the north of Ireland to seek for freedom and independence in these western wilds. They were alike men of deep religious convictions, and made the service of God the principal busi- ness of life. It was because of these deep convictions that they were willing to give up the comforts and luxuries of civil- ized society, and endure the privations that are incident to the settlement of a new country. The very first duty to which they turned their attention was the building of a meeting-house and the settlement of an ordained ministry. To secure these privileges at the earliest opportunity, lands were set off in the original grant for the first minister who should settle among them, and other lands for the use of the ministry afterwards.
At that early day the idea of the church and state existing independently of each other, however it may have existed in the minds of some, had not been practically carried out to any extent. We find, therefore, that the business of the church, as well as that of the town, was all done in town-meeting. The town voted to build meeting houses, to support the Gospel, to call ministers, to apply for their dismission, and everything else pertaining to the cause of religion. This may account for the fact that we have no sessional records of this church prior to the year 1804, or any other church records except those which are found in regular reports of the town.
The meeting of Narragansett grantees, at which they divided themselves into seven distinct societies, and assigned Souhegan East to No. 5, was held in Boston Common, June 6, 1733.
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The Proprietors of No. 5 took immediate measures to have their land divided up into lots, for occupancy, and voted that each alternate lot should be marked for a settler. The land was then an unbroken wilderness ; nor does it appear that there were any actual settlers in the town until the fall of 1737. The proprietors, however, continued to hold meetings in Boston, and in the winter of 1737-8, a number of settlers having taken up lands in the town, the question of building a meeting-house be- gan to be discussed. At a Proprietors' meeting in February, 1738, a committee was chosen to fix upon the cost and dimen- sions of a meeting-house, and report. They even went so får at this meeting as to locate the proposed meeting-house, "on a knoll of common land, about 25 rods eastward of the 11th Range." Subsequently, the southern part of Souhegan East was set off to Merrimack, which necessitated the location of the meeting-house in another place. But the "knoll " referred to took the name of "Meeting-House Hill," and is so called to this day.
For the convenience of non-settlers the meetings of the Pro- prietors continued to be held in Boston at the house of Luke Verdy, inn-holder, and also at the house of Pelatiah Glover, sign of the "Three Horse Shoes." At these meetings the ques- tion of building a meeting-house continued to be earnestly dis- cussed. Several times it was put to vote whether they should proceed to build, but each time negatived. The settlers were as yet few in number, their means limited, and the way did not appear to be open to begin the building of a meeting-house. Money, however, was raised for the purpose and placed in the hands of a building committee. The names of this committee were : Edward White, John Goffe and Moses Barron.
The settlers, however, were not altogether destitute of reli- gious privileges. At several of the Proprietors' meetings, held from 1738 to 1748, they voted money to pay for preaching, ap- pointed committees to secure the same, and named the places where preaching services should be held. The sums thus raised provided for only a part of the time ; the rest of the year they were accustomed to go to Londonderry, a distance of twelve'
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miles, crossing the Merrimack river at Goffe's Falls, and per- forming the journey, many of them, on foot.
The first Presbytery in New England was organized at Lon- donderry, April 16, 1745. It was called "The Presbytery of Boston." It was composed of Rev. John Moorhead, of the Federal-street Presbyterian church, Boston ; Rev. Robert Aber- crombie, of Pelham, N. H., and Rev. David McGregore, of Londonderry, with the congregations under their charge. The elders who met with them were : James McKean, Alexander Conkey and James Heughs. They voted "To act so far as their present circumstances would permit them, according to the word of God and constitution of the Presbyterian church of Scotland, agreeing with that perfect Rule." At a meeting held in Boston, 1746, this Presbytery licensed its first candidate to preach the Gospel. His name was Daniel Mitchell, a native of the north of Ireland, and a graduate of the University of Edin- borough.
At a meeting of the Presbytery of Boston, held in Boston, November II, 1747, we find the first reference to Souhegan East. The following is the minute upon the records of Pres- bytery :
" Upon application made by Andrew Cochran, in ye name of the Inhabi- tants of Souheggen and Litchfield, for Mr. Mitchell to supply them for a time, the Presbytery appointed him to supply them until the second Sab- bath of March next."
At a meeting held in Pelham, June 14, 1748, Mr. Mitchell re- ported, " that he had obeyed the appointment of Presbytery and their committee."
There were, doubtless, other men who supplied them before this, but Mr. Mitchell's name is the first which appears in any of the records, certainly the first sent them by the Presbytery. In their application we observe their attachment to Presbyterian order, and their desire to secure the institutions of religion among them. Mr. Mitchell was afterward settled over the Pres- byterian church at Pembroke, N. H., and died Dec. 16, 1776.
At the same meeting of Presbytery at which Mr. Mitchell re-
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ported, Pelham, June 14, 1748, another petition for supply was made from "Swaheggen." At the same meeting Rev. David McGregore presented the name of Mr. Alexander Boyd, a young man of a liberal education. He produced certificate of his at- tending the study of Divinity at the University of Glasgow, and having submitted to a thorough examination, and subscribed to the Confession of Faith, he was licensed to preach the Gospel.
At the next meeting of Presbytery, Londonderry, October 4, 1748, " Presbytery thought proper that Mr. Boyd should supply Kingstown the next three Sabbaths and then immediately after four Sabbaths to Litchfield and Swaheggen." It would ap- pear from a subsequent minute that Mr. Boyd, having received a call to Kingstown, did not fulfill his other appointments.
The date of the ecclesiastical organization of the church in Bedford has long been a matter of doubt. It is not given in any of the town records, nor does it appear in our published Town History, except the general statement, p. 140, that it was organized by the Boston Presbytery. The recent recovery of a portion of the old records of this Presbytery enables us to fix the exact date of organization, and I here insert the minute in full, as a most important fact for future preservation.
The Presbytery of Boston met in Boston August Fifteenth, Seventeen Hundred and Forty-Nine. The members present were, Rev. John Moorhead, Boston ; Rev. Jonathan Parsons, New- bury ; Rev. David McGregore, Londonderry ; Rev. Robert Aber- crombie, Pelham. Elders : Richard MacCleur, Ralph Cross, John Craig. Mr. Abercrombie presided as moderator. In the proceedings of this meeting appears the following minute :
" Mr. Patten appeared as Commissioner from Souhegan, pre- . senting a memorial, wherein that people acknowledge their sub- jection to the Presbytery, and petition for supplys."
Thus we learn that nine months before the incorporation of the town, and while the settlers were. yet destitute of a place of worship, they made application and were received under the care of Presbytery, and became a regular Presbyterian church. Their meetings for worship were held in different parts of the
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town and in private houses. The Mr. Patten referred to was probably Samuel Patten, as he, with Moses Barren and Thomas Vicary, were appointed a committee at the Proprietors' meeting to provide preaching that year. The Presbytery held another meeting at Londonderry in October, of the same year. Souhe- gan again petitioned for supplies, and "Mr. Boyd was appointed to supply Litchfield two Sabbaths, Souhegan two, and Suncook one."
The settlers, being desirous of securing more effective meas- ures for supporting the Gospel, and for their better government as a people, now petitioned the Governor of the Province, Ben- ning Wentworth, Esq., for an act of incorporation, giving as a particular reason for the petition that, "having been long des- titute of the Gospel, we are now desirous of taking the proper steps in order to have it settled among us." They also stated that, "your petitioners as to our particular persuasion in Christ- ianity, are generally of the Presbyterian denomination," and they wished the Gospel settled among them "in that way of discipline which they judged to tend most to their edification." Governor Wentworth laid the petition before the council and on the nineteenth of May, 1750, the act of incorporation was passed, the district vested with town privileges, and the place named BEDFORD.
Mr. Boyd having fulfilled his appointment of the preceding October, Presbytery again appointed him on the 5th of June, 1750, in accordance with petitions offered for supplies, "to preach ten Sabbaths at Souhegan, Suncook and Litchfield."
In the meantime the inhabitants of the town of Bedford, act- ing in the spirit and intent of their petition for incorporation, at once called a legal meeting and took measures to secure a settled ministry. The first meeting after incorporation assem- bled June 6, 1750, in Matthew Patten's house, and thence ad- journed to his barn. Here it was voted that the minister be entertained at Samuel Patten's, at the charge of the town. On July 3d they voted £150 old tenor for preaching during the year, and on the 7th of August, 1750, "Voted there be a call given to Rev. Mr. Alexander Boyd to the work of the ministry
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
of this town," with a salary of £300 old tenor, if he would accept. Capt. John Goffe, Dea. John Orr and Mr. Hugh Rid- dle were appointed a committee to prosecute the call to the Presbytery. It is doubtful whether this call was ever formally presented to Mr. Boyd. I find no record of it in the proceed- ings of Presbytery and an article in the town warrant, called for January 2Ist, of the following year, was, "To inquire what is the reason why the committee for providing preaching to the town, are so negligent in that business." It is probable these brethren had good reason for their "neglect," as Mr. Boyd had been "sharply rebuked " by his Presbytery for effecting a clan- destine marriage before leaving Glasgow, and passing himself in this country for an unmarried man. The Presbytery, how- ever, continued his appointments, on his making a full acknowl- edgment, expressing his sorrow and promising to adhere to her as his wife. This acknowledgment was unsatisfactory, and Mr. Boyd was afterward summoned before a committee of Presby- tery to account for his conduct. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that negotiations for his settlement in Bedford were at once terminated.
The question of building a meeting-house now began to be agitated anew, and at a town meeting January 24, 1750, a com- mittee was chosen for the purpose. Considerable difficulty arose as to the location of the meeting-house, the choice lying between the east or west end of what was known as the Bell hill, immediately south of what is now the centre of the town. Not being able to agree they summoned three friends from Lon- donderry to decide the question for them. This committee chose the east of the hill, but their decision was equally unsat- isfactory. The building committee proceeded to prepare the timber for the meeting-house, and finally, having abandoned both ends of Bell hill, at a town meeting held September 26, 1755, it was voted unanimously to locate the meeting-house on land bought for the purpose, being part of No. 13 and 14 in the Tenth Range. Here the meeting-house was afterwards built.
In the meantime the people continued their efforts to secure a settled ministry. At a meeting of Presbytery in Boston, 1751,
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
application was received from " Bedford alias Souhegan," for a supply at discretion. At another meeting in Boston, August 13, 1751, "Received a supplication from Bedford, pleading for a supply." "At a meeting of Presbytery at Londonderry, October 29, 1752, supplications were received from Palmer District, Canterbury, Colrain, N. Rutland, Litchfield, Derryfield, Bedford and Suncook. At this meeting Mr. Alexander MacDowell, a licentiate of Presbytery, was appointed to supply a part of the the time at " Bedford, Litchfield, Derryfield and Suncook." Mr. MacDowell fulfilled his appointments with reference to Derry- field and Bedford, both places giving him a call, the people of Derryfield proposing to unite with Bedford in having him settled over the two places. An article was put in the town warrant to see if they would unite with Derryfield in this call. On the 28th of March, 1753, the town voted not to join with Derry- field, and at the same meeting voted a unanimous call to Mr. McDowell, with £100 old tenor if he accept, and a committee appointed to prosecute the call to Presbytery. In July of the same year another committee was chosen "to prosecute the call for Mr. MacDowell to the 'Rev'd. Presbytery,' and to procure preaching till the next annual meeting." Mr. MacDowell, how- ever, did not accept the call.
Mr. Samuel, MacClintock was licensed to preach the Gospel by the Presbytery of Boston, October 29, 1752. On the. 14th of August, 1753, Mr. MacClintock was directed by Presbytery to supply half the time at Bedford, the other half at Litchfield, Derryfield and Suncook, till next meeting. This appointment was renewed on the following November, and his labors in Bed- ford gave evident satisfaction. At a town meeting October Ist, 1754, it was voted unanimously, “to give Mr. Samuel MacClin- tock a call to the work of the ministry in the town of Bedford." On the following January Presbytery renewed its appointment of Mr. MacClintock to supply Bedford, in connection with Windham, Litchfield, Derryfield and Suncook. The people seem to have been very anxious to secure the services of Mr. MacClintock. They voted him £107, 10s. new tenor for his yearly stipend, took measures to lay a tax upon the unimproved
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·
land in the town to build him a house, and agreed to cut twenty cords of wood annually for five years, and draw it to his house, if he would accept. They also. appointed Samuel Patten a Commissioner to prosecute the call to the Presbytery. At a meeting of Presbytery, August 22d, 1754, held at Newbury, ap- pears this minute :
" The people of Bedford having sent a Petition to ye Presbytery request- ing them to send one or more of their number some convenient time be- tween this and next meeting to moderate in a call to Mr. Samuel MacClin- tock, the Presbytery thereupon appointed Mr. MacGregore to perform that piece of service."
At the same meeting they voted that, "Bedford shall have their proportion of time wholly in Mr. MacClintock." The fol- lowing November this appointment was renewed.
Mr. MacClintock did not accept this call, but negotiations with him continued. At a town meeting May 6th, 1756, it was voted to renew the call made to him previously, at the same annual stipend, with this additional inducement, that he should have nine Sabbaths to his own use during each year, till the town should feel able to pay him for all or a part of those nine Sabbaths, for which they would allow him ten pounds old tenor per Sabbath.
The people of Bedford were not mistaken as to the character of the man whom they thus desired to settle over them. Mr. MacClintock afterwards became one of the honored members of the New Hampshire ministry. He was graduated at Prince- ton, 1751, settled at Greenland, N. H., 1756, served as chaplain in the army during the Revolutionary war, admitted to an ad eundem Master's degree at Harvard, 1761, received the title of D.D. at Yale, 1791, and after a ministry of 48 years at Green- land, died there in 1804.
During the time of these unsuccessful efforts to secure a set- tled ministry, the work on the meeting-house continued slowly. The carpenters who did the work complained that they were losing money on it, and the town voted them thirty pounds old tenor additional. At length the work had so far progressed
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e
that the town meeting, which had been previously held in barns, was called to assemble " at the meeting-house frame," April 21, 1756. The accommodations, however, seem to have been un- satisfactory, as they continued to assemble in barns for some time afterward.
REV. JOHN HOUSTON, the first settled pastor of the Presbyte- rian church in Bedford, was born in Londonderry, N. H., in -, 1723. The family belonged to the old Scotch-Irish stock, the name of Robert Houston appearing in the memorial addressed to Gov. Shute in 1718. Mr. Houston was educated in the Col- lege of New Jersey, which was then located at Newark,* and graduated in 1753. Rev. Aaron Burr (father of the Vice-Presi- dent of the United States), was then President of the College, and gave to Mr. Houston, on his leaving college, the following letter, which is still extant, and written in a clear, bold hand :
"This may certify all concerned, that Mr. John Houston has for some time been a member of New Jersey College, and sound in communion with ve church of Christ in this place, and behaved himself according to the Rules of the Gospel. A. BURR, Ps'd.
Sept. 28, 1753."
On his return to Londonderry Mr. Houston studied Divinity under Rev. David McGregore, and having placed himself under the care of Presbytery, parts of trial were assigned him, with a view to licensure. The subject of his Latin exegesis was : “ An Dei Beneplacitum sit solum electionis fundamen." A homily on I John : 4, 18. After having been examined in systematic and experimental Divinity, and branches of humane literature, and subscribed to the formula, he was, May 14, 1754, licensed to preach the Gospel, being then about thirty-one years of age. The examination was creditable to Mr. Houston, his classical and theological learning being above the average. Presbytery made a minute of the fact that he had received the honors of the College at Newark. Mr. Houston was immediately ap- pointed to supply one Sabbath each at Windham, Bedford, Sun- cook and Nottingham, and afterwards two days at a time at Windham and Bedford.
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