USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Warner > Historical discourse delivered at the centennial celebration of the Congregational Church in Warner, N.H., June 12, 1872 > Part 2
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As to the value of land, in 1784, several lots, varying in size, from forty to eighty acres, were sold at public vendue for non-payment of taxes, for which prices were paid, varying from six pence to one shilling per acre, with taxes and costs. At a similar sale in 1797, prices paid per acre for different lots were five cents, seventeen cents, thirty one, forty onc and sixty cents, and a dollar and fifty-four cents. Of twenty lots . sold in the same way in January and February, 1812, the average price per acre was about twenty cents.
In 1782, the furnishing of the twenty tords of wood which were a part of Mr. Kelly's salary, was struck off to the low- est bidder, ten cords to Esq. Joseph Sawyer, at four shilling's and six pence, that is, 75 cents per cord; five to Francis Ferrin, at four shillings and five pence; and five to the same at five shillings, or 833 cents. In 1798, a Pound was built on Deacon Nehemiah Heath's land, which was to be thirty fect square and seven feet high, of green white pine logs with the bark taken off, with a white oak door and a lock. The building of this Pound and providing all the materials, was struck off to Tappan Evans for $10.50. At the end of
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the last century a girl's wages were two shillings (33} cents) a week, and the commonest quality of calico was four shil- lings a yard. In the year 1778, wheat was rated in Con- cord at seven shillings per bushel, Indian corn at four shil- lings, potatoes at one shilling, cheese at six pence per pound, and stall-fed beef at four pence.
From 'these various facts we can sufficiently estimate the value of money then as compared with the present time. Probably it is a moderate estimate, to say that one dollar then would buy more of the necessities and comforts of life than five dollars now. The scarcity of money is illustrated by the experience of Benjamin Badger, who afterwards be- came a resident of Warner. He first came here from Ames- bury, Mass., about 1790, and was willing to work for twenty- five cents a day, but there was so little money in town that no one would hire him even at that. With good courage, and some bread and cheese for food, he started on foot for Ames- bury, having only two coppers in his pocket, of which he spent one for ferriage over a river, and reached his destina- tion with the other.
There were almost no books in most of the houses, except the Spelling-Book and Bible, and perhaps Watts' Hymns. The more intelligent settlers added to these a quaintly illus- trated copy of Pilgrim's Progress, "The Bank of Faith," and a few other books.
They enjoyed, however, the educating influence which comes to every American citizen through his participation in public affairs. That they considered it the duty of every citi- zen thus to participate, appears from an odd entry in the town records, under date of June 14, 1774, which reads as follows : " This day Stephen Edmunds appeared at town meeting, and acknowledged it to be the first time that ever he appeared at a town meeting in this town."
Representatives to the General Assembly of New Hampshire were at that time required to possess real estate to the value
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of two hundred pounds lawful money. The first election, apparently, for representative, was held November 19, 1776. Capt. Francis Davis was then chosen; in 1777, Mr. Daniel Morrill ; and in 1778, Capt. Daniel Floyd. The General Assembly met in those days at Exeter.
In the war of the revolution, the inhabitants of Warner manifested a patriotism not inferior to other towns. In this connection, the records of the Committee of Safety, pub- lished December, 1775, furnish some interesting facts as to the population. By the census of 1775, Warner had, of white males, 78 under 16, 45 between the ages of 16 and 50 not in the army, and 6 above 50; 126 females; and 1 negro. Total, 262. The town reported 21 fire-arms fit for service, and 26 instances in which fire-arms were wanting. In 1775, previously to the organization of an army by Con- gress, seven men from Warner took up arms in the cause of their country; in 1776, eight enlisted, and others in subse- quent years. Thirty men from this town belonged to a vol- unteer regiment during the war of 1813; and about one hundred served in the national army during the late war of the rebellion, of whom, not far from twenty-five gave up their lives for the unity and freedom of our country.
These brief notices of the early history of the town, the habits of the people, and the events which varied their lives, prepare us better to understand their religious history, which forms the chief subject of this discourse.
The first meeting-house was probably built in 1766. The carliest mention of it in the proprietors' records is under date of November 10, 1766, when they voted to raise six- teen shillings on each right for other purposes, and "for building the meeting-house." It stood near the upper edge of the old burying-ground, on the highest land within the enclosure. It was a poorly constructed log house. From what is known of carly log meeting-houses in other towns, we may presume that it had no windows, but
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only large holes in the upper part, which admitted light and air. Yet here probably all the population of the town gath- ered many times for public worship, and among them, we may be sure, some praying souls, truly desiring to be fed with the word of life. This house was accidentally burned in or before the year 1769.
June 28th, 1769, the proprietors voted to build another meeting-house in the town; and March 20th, 1770, voted "to raise sixty dollars to build the meeting-house." This second house was erected in 1770, on the site of the old one. It was a frame building, about thirty by twenty-four feet in size, one story high, without a steeple; boarded and covered with long shingles. Very likely it was built, as the carly bridges were in some towns, by a general turn-out of the inhabitants, laboring under the direction of the best work- men. The seats at first were rough board benches. But little finishing was done till the pew-ground was sold, Sep- tember 24, 1772, when the avails of the sale were applied for that purpose. At the time just mentioned, it was voted "that there should be six pews at ye fore side of ye meeting house, and four at the back side of the house, and two long pews, one at each end of said house." At the same time and place the pews were sold at public vendue-Mr. Daniel Floyd being vendue-master-as follows : Pew No. 1 was struck off to Francis Davis, at nineteen shillings ($3.163) ; No. 2 to Abner Chase, at twenty shillings ; No. 3 to Deacon Nehemiah Heath, at seventeen shillings; the long pew at the east end of the house, No. 4, to Zebulon Davis, at four- teen shillings; No. 5 to Joseph Currier, at eighteen shillings; No. 6 to Seth Goodwin, at twenty-three shillings; No. 8 to Isaac Waldron, Jr., at twenty-one shillings and six pence ; the long pew at the west end of the house, No. 9, to Thomas Annis, at fourteen shillings; No. 10 to Daniel Flanders, at fifteen shillings; No. 11 to Richard Goodwin, at twenty-one shillings and six pence; No. 12 to Deacon Parmenas Watson,
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at twenty-two shillings. These persons purchased the pew- ground, on which, according to the custom of the times, each man built his own pew. A part of the house was provided with benches for those who did not build pews. At this time, and for many years afterwards, all the people went to meeting. An old lady, now 80 years old, remembers how, a few years later, one of their neighbors used to yoke his oxen to a sled, put boards on, cover with hay, and fasten chains about, then set chairs in, put in quilts, and having made all comfortable, take a load. Half the effort made now would bring all the people 'regularly to the public wor- ship of God.
The population of the town increased rapidly, and the second meeting-house soon became inadequate for either its civil or religious purposes. In 1786, the question of build- ing a new house was discussed in town meeting, and deferred .. A controversy arose as to the location of the new house,. which lasted three years and caused much unhappy feeling. Some, generally the families of the first settlers, wished it to stand on the site of the old one, south of the river; others at the geographical centre of the town; and yet others north of the river, on the plain in the Lower Village, above Ensign Joseph Currier's. The town tried various expedients to settle the question. August 30th, 1787, they chose a com- mittee of three from Hopkinton, Salisbury and Henniker to- locate the house, and agreed to abide by their decision. In 1788, they petitioned the General Court to appoint a com- mittee to locate. 'This committee selected the location of the old house, but their decision was not accepted. At last, April. 25th, 1789, it was voted to build between Ensign Joseph. Currier's and Mr. Isaac Chase's, on the north side of the. road, under the ledge, at the south-west end of what is now the Lower Village. When the frame was raised, according to a custom of the times, which allowed the first man who climbed to the ridge-pole to name the building, Ensign
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Aquila Davis, son of Francis, climbed to the top with a jug of some kind of spirit attached to a cord, swung the jug, broke it, and appropriately named the house "The Struggle Under the Ledge."
The evil results of this division lasted for some time, as is shown by the vote which was at first passed not to meet in the new house, the refusal to fully complete it, and even the effort on the part of some to get a vote to move it over to the south side of the river. We can at least give them credit for perseverance, which is a great virtue when right- ly directed. However, August 30th, 1790, it was voted "That Mr. Kelly should preach in the new meeting-house for the future, and the inhabitants meet there for public wor- ship." In March, of the next year, a vote was passed to "take down the old meeting-house and appropriate the stuff towards fencing the burying-ground.
The size of the new house was about fifty by sixty feet. It was like a great barn, open up to the ridge-pole, and, for a long time, not even clap-boarded. Swallows built their nests under the eaves, and used to fly about during the services. The house was never plastered, except a space back of the pulpit. Galleries ran around on three sides. In front was a porch, with doors opening east, south and west. The pul- pit was of the plainest style. As in the former house, pew- ground was sold, and each person built his own pew. The pews were square, with seats which turned up. When the congregation rose, the scats were all turned up; when they sat down, the whole were let down with a tremendous clat- ter. On the part unoccupied by pews were benches, with one rail for the back; (as luxurious, perhaps, as those of our present town-house !) At first the gallery pew-ground was not sold; in 1799, it was voted te sell it, and lay out the pro- ceeds in the repair of the house. In 1808, two hundred dollars were laid out in the improvment of the house, but it always remained in a very unfinished condition, and was finally taken down in the year 1855 or 1856.
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As everywhere in old times, the house was not warmed, and the people suffered fearfully from cold. The women all carried foot-stoves. Joseph Currier, Deacon Heath, Tappan Evans, and others who lived near, opened their houses for the people to go in and warm themselves, and their houses were full.
The discomfort of the old house, the difficulty of inducing the town to spend anything for its improvement, and the fact that other denominations had the use of it part of the time, had long been convincing many of the people that they ought to own a meeting-house independently of the town. As the result, the fourth meeting-house-the one in which we are assembled to-day- was erected in 1819, by twenty-nine individuals of the Congregational Society. It cost $2300. The corner-stone was laid June 9, 1819, and it was dedicated October 20 of the same year; the pastor preaching a sermon from Psalm XXVI, 8: "Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth." It first stood a little west of the Lower Village; was removed to its present location in 1845 ; mod- ernized, and the galleries removed, in 1856; and enlarged and improved in 1868. In 1858, the vestry was finished off underneath, and in 1870, the ladies' room. In 1866, a bell was for the first time hung in the steeple. In 1867, the cab- inet organ now in use was purchased. For these various improvements, the Church and congregation are largely in- debted to the generosity of some of their own members, and also to friends elsewhere, who have not lost interest in their early home.
We turn back now to trace the origin and history of the Church itself. The earliest ministers who are known to have preached in Warner are Timothy Walker and Nehe- miah Ordway, Jr. The proprietors' records contain mention of sums paid them for their services in preaching in 1769, and to Mr. Ordway in 1771. In 1771, Mr. Morrill of Ep-
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ping preached several Sabbaths; and probably a little later, Mr. Farrington. Before the settlement of Mr. Kelly, the proprietors paid considerable sums for the maintenance of preaching in the town, a fact which speaks well (as all which we know of them does,) of their care for the moral and religious improvement of the people. It is also a significant fact, which speaks for itself, that here, as in many other New England towns, provision was made in the same connection to lay out lots for the first ordained minister, for parsonage land, and for the use of schools. Religion and education were connected in their minds, as they always should be.
Of the ministers above named, we have some information. Timothy Walker was a son of Rev. Timothy Walker, the first minister of Concord. He graduated at Harvard Col- lege in 1756, and was licensed to preach in 1759. He preached more or less at Canterbury, Rindge, and probably other places, but was never settled. He afterwards went into civil life, was a member of the Council, and Chief Jus- tice of the Court of Common Pleas.
Nehemiah Ordway, Jr. was the son of Nehemiah Ordway of Amesbury, a leading physician, one of the proprietors, and for many years their clerk. The son graduated at Har- vard in 1764, and was settled in 1778 at Middleton, N. H., where he remained only a few years.
Of Mr. Morrill nothing is certainly known. Perhaps he was Mr. Robie Morrill, a native of Salisbury, Mass., who was pastor of the Church in Boscawen from 1761 to 1766.
Mr. Farrington probably preached one year at Westmore- land, N. H., about 1770, but nothing more can be stated of him.
The first entry upon the town records of Warner, or New Amesbury, dated December 27, 1770, is an agreement signed by forty-five settlers to pay their rateable proportion for the settlement and support of a gospel minister, on condition that the proprietors should pay the sums they had agreed
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upon toward this purpose, viz: $90.00 for the year next en- suing, $60.00 a year for the next four years, and $30.00 for the year after that ; and on condition, also, that Isaac Wal- dron, Isaac Chase and Joseph Sawyer, a committee appoint- ed by the inhabitants of the town, "will use their best en- deavors that an able and learned Minister of the Gospel, ap- proved by the Pastors of the neighboring Churches, may be settled and ordained in said New Amesbury." It was also provided that the above agreement should be of no force unless subscribed by nine-tenths of the present inhabitants of the town; from which it may be inferred that there were then not much, if any, over forty-five families.
February 14, 1771, the first town meeting recorded was held. Mr. Joseph Sawyer was moderator. It was then voted -"that the Committee should send for Mr. William Kelly to preach here three Sabbaths," and that Mr. Joseph Sawyer should board the minister. Mr. Kelly appears to have preached here constantly during 1771. September 26, 1771, it is voted that Mr. Kelly appoint a Fast in Warner, and " that Isaac Waldron, Sr., should go to the neighboring ministers to see if they would attend said Fast." Those neighboring ministers must have been at Hopkinton, where a church had been organized fourteen years before; at Bos- cawen, where there had been a church for thirty years; at Henniker, where was an infant church only two years old; and perhaps at Salisbury, though the church there was not formed till 1773. The more distant churches of Concord and Pembroke may also have been invited.
November 14, 1771, the town gave Mr. Kelly a call to settle with them in the ministry. The pecuniary conditions of the call were to give him forty pounds lawful money for the first year, and to rise one pound ten shillings yearly for thirteen years and four months, till it amounts to sixty pounds a year, or about two hundred dollars. Also, to give him, yearly, twenty cords of wood, which should be cut and
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hauled to his door. As a settlement, he had the lots of land which we have seen were assigned to the first minister by the conditions of the grant of the town. These amounted to one hundred and sixty acres; which, his son, the late Squire Abner B. Kelly, has informed me, could not have been sold at that time for half as many dollars. He also had the income of the parsonage lot during his ministry. The town voted, at the time of the call, to give Mr. Kelly (I suppose as part of his settlement,) one hundred dollars in labor, at two shillings and six pence (413 cents) per day ; and to cut down the trees and clear up three acres of land a year for him for three years following, so as to make nine acres in all. The late Squire Kelly informed me that more than half his father's salary was paid in produce or labor, and a con- siderable part of the remainder was given by him in orders on the town collector to cancel the taxes of those who were unable to pay. Frequent votes were passed by the town, ex- empting certain persons from paying their minister-rates for one or more years. After a few years the town became very re- miss in paying Mr. Kelly's salary, and performing their other agreements to him, and much ill feeling grew up upon the subject. Many persons, from conviction, or for the sake of exemption from taxation, joined other denominations. At the desire of many persons, Mr. Kelly finally, June 9, 1793, relinquished his contract with the town, on condition of the payment of a certain sum (£160) for arrearages. The town, to raise this money, committed the illegal act of selling part of the parsonage right of land, which, by the conditions of the grant of the town, was to be reserved forever toward the support of the ministry. Part of the inhabitants recorded their protest against this sale. The rest of the parsonage right was sold, however, at subsequent times. Mr. Kelly allowed the town from 1793 to try the voluntary principle, but the amount he received in a year did not exceed $60, and that chiefly from those who were willing to be taxed.
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He at length, in 1800, brought a suit against the town, and collected part of the arrearages. It is needless to say that the enemies of religion raised a clamor against this, and used it to the detriment of the religious interests of the town. This is enough respecting this painful portion of our religious history. Let us look back at it with nothing now of the evil spirit of prejudice or bitterness, but simply with the desire to learn from it what we may. In regard to it, it is enough to say that while there was undoubtedly great need of a more just and liberal spirit in the town, the trouble grew principally out of the false system. No man should be taxed for religious purposes except by his own free con- sent, and in accordance with his own convictions of duty to. God. But to hold the opposite error was no peculiarity of the fathers of New England. It was an error of the times, and was abandoned here sooner than in almost any other part of the christian world.
Let us return now to the more pleasant task of tracing the origin and growth of the Church. Mr. Kelly accepted the call of the town, and the fifth day of February, 1772, was appointed for his ordination, and the formation of a Church. The following churches were invited to send their pastors and delegates for this purpose, viz .: those of Concord, Pem- broke, Henniker, Salem, Hampstead and Plaistow. Says the record : "On Wednesday, the fifth of February, 1772, the pastors of the churches sent to, with their delegates, met at the house of Isaac Waldron, Jr., where they formed into a Council-Rev. Timothy Walker of Concord moderator. Then proceeded to gather a Church, which entered into the following Covenant with God and' one another :-
" We, the subscribers, as we think, called by the providence of God to imbody ourselves into a distinct christian society,. for our mutual edification, do now, in the presence of God, and with a humble sense of our unworthiness of so great a favor, take Him for our God ; and by His help, engage our --
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selves wholly to Him, to love His name and to be His ser- vants; and being convinced of the insufficiency of the light of nature to direct in the true way to serve God, and that of His goodness He has been pleased to grant us a revelation of His will in the Sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Tes- tament, we now declare our firm belief that these sacred writings contain the great articles of our faith and rules of our practice; and we engage that we will carefully study them and adhere to them in all things.
" Believing the fall of our first parents, and the wretched state of weakness, sin and guilt into which we are fallen, and adoring the grace of God in the provision which He has made by His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, for our recovery, we resolve, by the grace of God, always to approach unto the Father in His name, as the way by which all good things descend unto us, waiting upon Him for His holy spirit to direct and assist us, comfort and support us in this state of trial.
" Believing a future state of rewards and punishments to be dealt out to men in the other world, we resolve so to walk by faith, and according to the direction of God's Word, as that through Jesus Christ we may inherit that eternal life which is brought to light by the Gospel.
" We likewise give up our offspring with ourselves, ador- ing the grace of God that He will be a God in covenant with us and with our seed. And in all these things we do solemnly engage to walk in all God's ordinances, and to wait upon Him in the sure ways of His appointment for a blessing.
" We also engage ourselves to one another for mutual love and edification. We promise to submit ourselves to such as God shall set over us from time to time in the pastoral rela- tion, to preside in our'religious assemblies, to instruct us out of the Holy Scriptures, to be our mouth to God, in prayer, to reprove our faults, and to be helpers of our faith and joy. We likewise promise to watch over each other; if a brother
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fall through weakness, we engage to be tender toward him, considering ourselves also as being liable to be tempted, and be cheerfully ready to forgive him on the first suitable tokens of repentance.
" But if a brother is obstinately impenitent, we engage to reject him, and not suffer him to join with us in the holy communion, but keep the church pure, and note that per- son that he may be ashamed.
"And we also promise to admit to our communion such as shall desire to join themselves with us (not belonging to other pastors' charges) if in a judgment of charity they may be thought qualified; therefore not to impose any other terms of christian communion than of our Saviour and His apostles, a visible christian profession accompanied with a blameless and well-ordered life; and also that we will hold communion with all other regular churches of our Lord Jesus Christ, maintaining charity and hearty good will to all that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, praying always for the peace of Jerusalem, since they prosper that love her.
"Finally, we promise with all humility and meekness, waiting on the Great Head of vital influences for guidance and assistance, to make it our care to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things by well ordered lives and con- versation, and that wherein we shall fall short, we will re- new ourselves by repentance, and betake ourselves to God for pardoning mercy through the blood of the Redeemer.
"And that we may keep this covenant inviolable forever, we heartily implore the help of Christ, that His grace may be sufficient for us, and that we may be led in the path of righteousness ; that when the Great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls shall appear, He may receive us into His heavenly kingdom."
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