USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Dunstable > History of the first church in Dunstable-Nashua, N.H. : and of later churches there > Part 1
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Nashua > History of the first church in Dunstable-Nashua, N.H. : and of later churches there > Part 1
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Historic Sketch of CHURCHES IN DUNSTABLE-NASHUA, N.H. - From A.D. 1685 to 1885 By PROF JOHN WESLEY CHURCHILL With Notes etc. By CHARLES C. MORGAN
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00055 5711
HISTORY OF The First Church in Dunstable- Nashua, N. T.
AND OF
LATER CHURCHES THERE
AS SKETCHED BY PROF. JOHN WESLEY CHURCHILL IN AN ADDRESS TO THE NASHUA HISTORICAL SOCIETY DECEMBER 16, 1885
WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND EDITORIAL NOTES AND A BIOGRAPHIC SKETCH OF PROF. CHURCHILL BY CHARLES CARROLL MORGAN
The Hurt Till press SAMUEL USHER 176 HIGH STREET, BOSTON, MASS,
Copyright, 1918 BY CHARLES CARROLL MORGAN
1356294
INTRODUCTION.
The following address by Prof. John Wesley Churchill is now printed, for the first time, in enduring form. It was published originally in the columns of the Nashua Daily Telegraph and of the Nashua Daily Gazette im- mediately after its delivery. Copies of these newspapers containing the address can be found at present only in private hands, are very few, and have been kept with ex- treme care lest they become lost or destroyed. Unfor- tunately they are disfigured with many typographical errors and other mistakes such as are hardly avoidable in hasty journalistic work.
In the hope to correct such faults, the editor of this book wrote to the widow of Prof. Churchill, asking if his manuscript of the address could be had, to aid in the work. The following gracious letter came in reply.
Andover, Mass., April 16, 1917. Mr. Charles C. Morgan: -
My dear Sir, - Circumstances have delayed an answer to your kind and courteous letter of March 19.
I regret to tell you that the manuscript you desire is not to be found among my files of papers. I have a dis- tinct remembrance that the address was written under adverse circumstances as to time and place, on account of Mr. Churchill's seminary duties in Andover and the re- search work in Nashua. Almost all of the writing was accomplished while journeying between the two places, and the manuscript was necessarily marred by erasures and interlining. I recall too that the press reports were not satisfactory, and that Mr. Churchill intended to re-
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Carmenº 3.50 5-11-66 No. 70-844 RO. 2238
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Introduction.
duce and condense very much the printed matter, as well as to correct errors.
As I had not seen a printed copy of the address, I turned over your letter, with stamps you enclosed, to my brother-in-law, Mr. Elbert L. Churchill, Arlington, Mass., Cooperative Bank. He thought we might possibly have a condensed printed copy. He will communicate with you in regard to the matter.
But I wish to thank you personally for your kind and appreciative memorial words. I am grateful that my husband's friends in his old home hold his memory in honored remembrance.
Most sincerely yours,
MARY DONALD CHURCHILL.
(Mrs. John Wesley Churchill.)
After the lapse of time enough for careful search, the following agreeable letter came from Prof. Churchill's brother.
Arlington, Mass., May 14, 1917.
Mr. Charles C. Morgan, Nashua, N. H.
Dear Sir, - Your letter dated March 19, 1917, ad- dressed to Mrs. J. Wesley Churchill, Andover, Mass., was duly received and has been handed to me for reply.
I regret to say that the documents referred to are not in my possession, and Mrs. Churchill informs me that they are probably destroyed.
I remember very distinctly and pleasantly the occa- sion referred to, and that I was very proud of my brother for the part taken by him.
The newspaper reports of his address doubtless will be the only record obtainable, and I am sorry that they
.
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Introduction.
are found to be inaccurate. If at some future time these papers should be found and I have knowledge of the same, I shall be pleased to forward them to the church authori- ties, to be disposed of as they shall see fit.
Yours respectfully,
ELBERT L. CHURCHILL.
In Mrs. Churchill's letter, she speaks of her husband's research work in Nashua. Undoubtedly representatives of the various churches, mentioned, were glad to supply him with copies from their church records and with other useful information. Yet it is plain he was unsparing in his personal efforts; since a unity of purpose and conscien- tiousness of endeavor is manifest throughout.
As the greater part of his address was written in the cars, while he was journeying to and fro many times be- tween Andover and Nashua, he was forced to such hasty composition as made later revision and improvement de- sirable. The need of revision probably was more apparent to him than to others. Undoubtedly his quick eye noticed that a few of the words he had used were not such as he preferred; that sentences he meant to divide were left unbroken; that transpositions he had intended were over- looked; and that the newspaper punctuation frequently failed to bring out his meaning as he desired. But his admirable elocution probably did much to hide these im- perfections, and it is quite likely his listeners scarcely noticed them.
At this late day, an attempt at a thorough revision, when so little can be found to aid in the work, would be presumptuous. Yet, on re-reading the address, it is thought well to make such amendments in form as there is good reason to believe he desired, but without any material changes in substance.
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Introduction.
Although Mrs. Churchill says he " intended to reduce and condense very much the printed matter," no altera- tions of this nature have been attempted.
The most striking characteristics of Prof. Churchill's address are the broad tolerance and loving spirit that per- vade it from beginning to end. His keenly sympathetic nature, always alive to the feelings of others, is everywhere apparent.
It is believed that the brief biographical sketch at the end of the book will be welcome to many readers.
It may be well to supplement what is said by Prof. Churchill, on page 27 of his address, with the following statement: -
The first armed resistance by any of the American colonists to the tyranny of Great Britain was in disap- proval of a royal decree forbidding their importation of arms or military stores. During the progress of former events leading up to the Revolutionary War, the Colonial Assembly of New Hampshire, early in 1774, appointed a committee of correspondence for promoting concert of action with the other colonies in protective measures. Soon afterwards the Assembly brought about the election of two delegates to the First Continental Congress, which met in Philadelphia on September 5th of that year. One of these delegates was John Sullivan, a capable lawyer whose office was in Durham, N. H., and who was a major in the N. H. militia. Sullivan acquitted himself satisfac- torily, as a member of this congress, in companionship with such famous provincials as George Washington, John Adams, Edward Rutledge and others. In Decem- ber of the same year, tidings were received of the royal decree just mentioned and of the expected arrival of ves-
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Introduction.
sels bringing troops to secure the retention in British possession of Fort William and Mary commanding the entrance to Portsmouth harbor. Immediately a small militia force was rallied, under the lead of Maj. Sullivan - with John Langdon, second in command, -and, on the night of December 14th, they surprised and captured the fort. Its little garrison of six was made prisoners, in spite of a determined resistance.
The next day, fifteen of the lighter cannon of the fort and all its small arms were removed, and were soon dis- tributed privately in the neighboring towns. Nearly 200 kegs of powder that fell into the hands of the captors were secretly carried to Durham, where they were hidden for a time beneath the pulpit of its meeting-house. After- wards they were stealthily conveyed to Charlestown, Mass., - reaching there just in time to replenish the scanty powder-supply of the American troops engaged in the Battle of Bunker Hill, and thus enabling them to more effectually check their British assailants .*
It will be noticed that the capture of Fort William and Mary occurred more than four months before the Battle of Lexington and Concord. This early event did much to fire the hearts of the New Hampshire colonists, and to prepare their hardy frontiersmen (trained as minute- men in Indian warfare) to snatch their arms when tidings of the struggle at Lexington reached them and to speed as fast as their horses could carry them to the neighborhood of Boston. It should be remembered that among these volunteers was Col. (afterwards Gen.) John Stark, the
* For an entertaining sketch of Sullivan - who, in June, 1775, was appointed by Congress a brigadier general, and commanded at Winter Hill during the siege of Boston - see " Colonial Life in New Hampshire," by James H. Fassett.
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Introduction.
famous leader of New Hampshire rangers during the seven years of previous hostilities against the French and Indians. With him were many who shared in his experiences. To- gether they formed the left wing of the colonial troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill, and were the last to retire before the enemy. Indeed it is said that the New Hampshire frontiersmen, under the command of Col. Stark, Col. Reed and Col. Poor, made up a majority of the American sol- diers in this first pitched battle of the Revolution.
Besides what is said hereafter of Mr. Kidder on page 26, it may be well to note the legal aspect of his case. As his "settlement " was of the kind explained in the para- graph beginning at the foot of page II (namely, a settle- ment for life - taking him "for better or worse," and being akin to a marriage dowry) it could be modified there- after only by a new agreement between the parties. This fact was recognized by both; and a committee, mutually chosen, was authorized to make new terms. The committee - as it appears - arranged to have Mr. Kidder remain with the church, at least as its nominal pastor, so long as he was able in some measure to satisfactorily perform his ministerial duties. Probably the committee continued to serve as a permanent arbiter in the case. Just how early Rev. Mr. Sperry began to act as assistant pastor, we are not informed. But, on the 3d of November, 1813, - as shown on page 8 of the old Record Book of the Church, - Mr. Sperry was settled as the regular pastor, and so continued until his dismission in 1819, about a year after Mr. Kidder's death.
CHARLES CARROLL MORGAN.
November, 1917.
CONTENTS.
Indebtedness to our pious ancesters, I; Prof. C. distrusts his ability to prepare a suitable tribute, I; Significance and instructive- ness of commemoration days, 2; Wisdom for the Unexplored before us, 2; Penetrating the deep shadows of the past, 2; Our gathering, for praises and thanksgiving, 2; Era of the Puritans, ended on the grant of our charter, 3; Old Dunstable, founded on the eternal prin- ciples of the Bible, 3; Freedom of Church and State, its basis of civil society, 3; No attempt at disseverance of Church and State, 4; Oppo- sition to rubric of the Established Church, 4; Congregational princi- ples, adopted, 4; A Theocratic System, substituted for a Spiritual Democracy, 5; Only church members, to be included in the body politic, 5; Union of Church and State, our ancestor's fundamental error, 6; Resulting bigotry in State and hypocrisy in Church, 6; Law provided for an " able and orthodox minister," 6; Settlers, re- quired to provide meeting-house and support minister, 7; Location for meeting-house, 7; King Philip's War, 7; John Eliot, the Apostle to the Indians, 7; Jonathan Tyng's heroic defense against King Philip, 7; Vote in 1677 for early settlement and pay of minister, 8; Rude meeting-house completed in 1678, 8; Contrast with elegance and ac- cessories of present First Church, 8; Old Dunstable's primitive ap- pearance and dangers, 8; Character and arrangements of its first meeting-house, 9; Rev. Thomas Weld, the first minister, 10; Pecu- liarities of the church services, 10; Watch against danger from Indians, 10; Conversation and attainments of our progenitors, 10; New meet- ing-house in 1684, II; Church organized and Mr. Weld ordained, Dec. 16, 1685, II; Pastorate for life, - the " settlement " gift of land, II; Character of new meeting-house, - cost, provided for by taxation, 12; Marriage of pastor, calling for extra pay in country produce, 12; Per- secution of Congregational clergy by Royal Governor, 12; Frequent desertion of residents for fear of Indians, 13; Moneyed help from State, 13; Pastor's pay, partly in wood, 13; Honorary titles, forbidden, - austerities in minor matters, 13; Reverence for public worship, - Sabbath breaking, punished, 14; Meeting-house windows, long with- out glass, 14; Order and discipline in and around the sanctuary, 14; Puritan idea of " an able and Orthodox minister," 15; Death of Rev.
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Contents.
Mr. Weld, and personal notes respecting him, 15; Pastorate, long vacant, - State help for worship, 16; Ministerial supply by Rev. Samuel Hunt and Rev. Samuel Parris, 16; Final State aid to public worship, in 1713, 16; Ineffectual attempts to settle a minister, 17; Rev. Nathaniel Prentice, the second regular pastor of Dunstable, 17; Church contract with Prentice; his pay, marriage, etc., 17; Money scarce, - bills of credit issued, - vote for new meeting-house, 17; Financial relief, followed by growing luxury and freedom, 18; Charac- teristics of Rev. Mr. Prentice and his wife, 18; His death, and inter- ment in the Old South burying ground, 19; Growing spirit of disunion in religious affairs, 19; Rev. Josiah Swan, third regular pastor of the First Church, 19; His ministry, begun in new meeting-house, 19; Dis- memberment of old Dunstable, and creation of new townships, 19; Nashua, set off to the New Hampshire Province in 1741, 20; A new meeting-house, farther North, in 1747, 20; Whitefield's preaching in New Hampshire, and its influence, 20; Increase of sectarianism, 21; Dissensions in Rev. Mr. Swan's society, causing his resignation, 22; Legal recognition of Dunstable, N. H., as an incorporated town, 23; Reunion of opposing wings of the First Church, 24; Vote to build a new meeting-house, 2 miles below present City Hall, 24; Twenty pastorless years follow, 24; Five able ministers, called, but decline because of dissensions, 25; Ecclesiastical Council settles disagreements, 26; Town-meeting adopts "New England Confession of Faith," 26; Rev. Joseph Kidder, fourth regular pastor, - in service over 50 years, 26; Dunstable Theocracy ends with Mr. Kidder, the last minister paid by the town, 26; Outbreak of the Revolutionary War, - Mr. Kidder declares counsels of God, 27; Dunstable soldiers hear patriotic farewell sermon, 27; Inspiration from ministers and orators of the Revolution, 28; Records of Hollis Association by Mr. Kidder show his ministerial influence, 29; Mr. Kidder's delightful personality, 30; His modesty, as scribe of the Hollis Association, 30; His lasting memory of the Bible, 30; His scrupulous regard for the " little things " of life, 31; Rev. Ebenezer P. Sperry, his excellent historic records, 31; The meeting-house, at that period, 31; Its similarity to the Old South Church in Boston, 32; Description of its interior, 33; How the occu- pants were accommodated, 33; Sources of warmth, 33; Horse-sheds, 33; Committee to " dignify the meeting-house," 33; Tything-man's duty to keep order, 34; Enjoyment of going to meeting, 34; Sacred music in Nashua, 34; Controversy about Psalm-singing in Boston, 35; Instrumental music in the churches, 35; Noted Nashua singers, 36; Former respect for clergyman by young persons, 36; Decorum a hun-
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Contents.
dred years ago, 36; Puritan reverence for holy places, 37; What con- cerned the public weal, viewed in a religious spirit, 37; Prayer or preaching on all important public occasions, 37; John Trumbull's poetic description of a town meeting, 37; Destruction of the old meet- ing-house in 1812, 38; New meeting-house, its location, and how built and dedicated, 38; Pleasant memory of coming of Union in the midst of variety, 38; Different religious societies branching from our eccle- siastical tree, 38; Ministers of diverse faiths, privileged in Old South pulpit, Nashua, 39; Unitarian and Universalist worship in a room of Nashua Mfg. Co.'s first mill, 39; Olive St. church, built by that Co., and first occupied by the liberal Christians, 39; Purchase of the Olive St. house by the Congregationalists, 39; The old First Church, till 1820, without a regular pastor more than a third of its life, 40; Pas- torate of Rev. Handel G. Nott, beginning in 1826, 40; Its great pros- perity till renunciation of his faith in infant baptism, 40; His resigna- tion tendered after an ecclesiastical council advised his dismissal, 40; A great share of the society wishing him to stay, a majority of the church withdraw, 41; Rev. Jonathan McGee, pastor of First Church; its sanctuary being called the " Old Chocolate," 41; Excellent success of pastor McGee in seven years' service, 41; Rev. Matthew Hale Smith, ninth regular pastor of First Church, 41; His ministry of rare efficiency, ended by ill health in about three years, 42; Rev. Samuel Lamson's pastorate of two years, ended by ill health, 42; Rev. Daniel March, and his eminence as a preacher and writer, 42; Rev. George B. Jewett, his bright prospect and distressing accident, 42; Rev. Charles J. Hill, and his successful pastorate, 43; Rev. Elias C. Hooker and his excellent work, ended by ill health, 43; Rev. Frederick Alvord, - the " Old Chocolate " burned and a better sanctuary provided, 43; No list of First Church members up to 1790; number of later members, 43; Members, in the ministry or preparing for it, 44; Inherent vitality of the Mother Church, 44; Its late fraternal relations with the Olive St. Church, 44; Further explanation of its former severance from the Olive St., 44; Col. Thomas G. Banks, chief marshal of Bi-Centennial Celebration, 45; Rev. Austin Richards' noble pastorate at the Olive St. Church, 45; His retirement and the appreciation of his worth, 46; Rev. Gustavus D. Pike's service as colleague, and his later advance- ment, 46; Rev. Hiram Mead's work for Olive St. Church, and his later honors, 46; Rev. James S. Black, and his success, 46; Worthy sons of Olive St. Church in the ministry, 46; Division of First Church and the Olive St., not caused by its members, 47; The Pearl St. Church, a worthy outgrowth from the Olive St., 47; Its prayer meet-
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Contents.
ings in the Olive St. vestry, 47; Rev. Leonard Swain, its first pastor, 47; His early manhood and rare personal qualities, 48; His wonderful emotional power, shown at graduation from Andover Seminary, 49; General character of Dr. Swain's preaching, 50; His social characteris- tics, 50; His modesty respecting his sermons, 51; His great sermon on " God's Ownership of the Sea," 51; His acquaintance with modern languages, 51; His poetic genius, 51; Excellence of Dr. Swain's prayers, 52; Rev. Ezra E. Adams, D.D., his estimable character and brief pas- torate, 52; Rev. E. W. Greeley's short pastorate, terminated at his request, 52; Rev. B. F. Parsons' pastorate and retirement, 52; Rev. Wm. L. Gaylord's long pastorate of Pearl St. Church, and later career, 52; Rev. Charles Wetherby's long pastorate - continuing in 1885, 53; Membership list of Pearl St. Church in twenty-seven years, 53; Its worthy sons, residing elsewhere, 53; Its existing membership and large Sabbath-school in 1885, 53; God's providence in the three Con- gregational churches, 53; Rise of new sects, Congregational in church government, 54; Introduction of Universalism in New Hampshire, 54; First Universalist society in Nashua, 55; Leading Universalist divines who preached there, 55; Organization of the First Universalist society in Dunstable, 55; Reorganization of this society; its places of worship, 56; Its early pastors - Rev.'s Wm. M. Fernald, A. P. Cleverly, L. C. Browne, Wm. H. Ryder, 56; Rev. Charles H. Fay, and his marked success, 56; Brief pastorates of Rev.'s O. D. Miller, J. O. Skinner, T. L. Gorman, and G. T. Flanders, 56; Rev. S. H. McCol- lister - afterwards President of Buchtel College, 56; Rev. H. A. Phil- brook, pastor in 1885, 56; Flourishing Universalist Sunday-school, established by C. P. Danforth, Esq., 56; This school, the originator of Sunday-school " concerts " in Nashua, 57; Ministers who were once members of this school, 57; Origin of the First Baptist Society of Dunstable, 57; Punishment, under the old Theocracy, of opponents of pedo-baptist principles, 57; Spread of Baptist principles in New Hampshire, 58; Baptist preachers, - A strange incident, emblematic of descent of the Holy Spirit, 58; Organization of the First Baptist Church, - its early place of worship, 58; Its next place of worship, the Old South Meeting-house, 59; Rev. Bartlett Pease, early minister; Rev. Caleb Shute, first pastor, 59; Rev. Dura M. Pratt, next pastor - remaining many years, until his death, 59; Rev. W. H. Eaton, his successor, - afterwards, head of institution at New London, 59; Rev. H. H. Rhees' brief pastorate; Rev. G. W. Nicholson, pastor in 1885, - large Protestant parish, 59; A second Baptist church, outgrowth of the former, 60; Free-Will Baptist church, early established, 60;
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Contents.
Its short life, its four successive pastors, and its house of worship, 61; The denomination, called " Christians," - its short life in Nashua, 61; Origin of First Unitarian Congregational Society in Dunstable, 61; Olive St. church-building, erected by Nashua Mfg. Co .; first occu- pied by Unitarians, 61; Rev. Nathaniel Gage, its first pastor, 62; Rev. Mr. Emmons, its second pastor - early resigning, 62; Rev. Samuel Osgood, his broad views and later eminence, 62; His published writings and translations, 63; Vacancy in Unitarian pastorate, briefly filled by Rev. A. C. L. Arnold, 63; Rev. Samuel G. Bulfinch's pastorate; his high character and literary ability, 63; Rev. Martin W. Willis' seven years' pastorate, 63; Rev. Minot G. Gage's five years' pastorate, 63; Rev. Clarence Fowler's brief pastorate, 63; Rev. Thomas L. Gorman, acting pastor eleven years, 64; Thriving Unitarian Sabbath- school, Dea. John A. Baldwin, many years Supt., 64; James L. Pierce, long time Sabbath-school Superintendent, 64; Methodism, its rise and wonderful growth, 64; Its late coming to Dunstable, 65; Early opposition to it in Nashua, 65; Prejudice overcome, and a Methodist church built, 65; Temporary discouragement, relieved by Rev. Wm. D. Cass, 66; Series of efficient pastors, 66; House of worship enlarged, and parsonage built, 66; Ill results following separation of Nashville from Nashua, 66; A short-lived Wesleyan Methodist Society, 67; Its promotion of temperance reform, 67; Chestnut St. Methodist Society, 67; Its worthy pastors and their success, 68; Two of them, honored in the political world, and one in military life, 68; Episcopacy, its origin in Nashua, 68; Unfortunate location of church, leading to its abandonment, 69; Services resumed in a hall, four years afterwards, 69; Residents of Nashua becoming Episcopal clergymen, 69; First Catholic Irish family settling in Nashua, 69; Other Irish drawn here to build the Wilton Railroad, 70; Father O'Donnell's coming, and the Catholic church built on Temple St., 70; Other foreigners attracted here by the increasing industries, 70; French Catholic population ex- ceeding the Irish, 71; Father O'Donnell gains respect of his Protestant neighbors; indulges his humor, 71; His valuable service as a member of the school board, 72; Father Millette, founder of the French Catho- lic Church, highly esteemed by the English stock, 72; Catholic priest- hood welcomed in proclaiming the saving power of Christ, 72; Prof. Churchill's apology for deficiencies of his Address, 73; Wishes he could have shown more of the men he mentions, by their words and work, 73; Gracious admonitions, in view of the past, 74; Warnings, suggested by career of our forefathers, 74; Their spirits may yet be with us, 75; Fidelity to our trust calls for a renewal of our pledge to Christ, 76.
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ILLUSTRATIONS.
Young John the Baptist, Pointing the Way of Salvation I
John Eliot, Apostle to the Indians* 7
Sketch of First Meeting-House in Dunstable-Nashua 9
Rev. Habijah Weld, Son of Rev. Thomas Weld 13
Old Burying Ground in Dunstable-Nashua 15
Old Olive Street Church 39
" Old Chocolate " Church 43
Old South Burying Ground 55
Old First Baptist Church 60
Old Wesleyan Methodist Church 66
Old Episcopal Church
69
Prof. John Wesley Churchill 79
Present First Congregational Church 88
Bronze Tablet Inscription to Prof. Churchill
91
* See Appendix, page 93.
XV
Raphael - A.D. 1483 to 1520.
Ufizzi Gallery, Florence
YOUNG JOHN THE BAPTIST, POINTING THE WAY OF SALVATION.
ADDRESS TO THE NASHUA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Note. For a needful understanding of the difficulties expe- rienced in the preparation of this address and of the reason why its publication in book form has been so long delayed, it is desirable to read first the foregoing Introduction.
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