History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737 : being statistics compiled on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, May 15, 1900, Part 28

Author: Bedford (N.H. : Town)
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Concord, N. H. : The Rumford Printing Co.
Number of Pages: 1202

USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Bedford > History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737 : being statistics compiled on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, May 15, 1900 > Part 28

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1 At a meeting of Presbytery, at Londonderry, October 29, 1752, applications were received from Palmer District, Canterbury, Colerain, Rutland, Litchfield, Derryfield, Bedford, and Suncook. At this meeting Mr. Alexander McDowell, the licentiate of Presbytery, was appointed to supply a part of the time at Bedford, Litchfield, Derry - field, and Suncook.

Mr. McDowell fulfilled his appointments with reference to Derryfield and Bed- ford, both places giving him a call, the people of Derryfield proposing to unite with Bedford in having him preside 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 Derryfield, and at the same meeting voted a unanimous call to Mr. McDowell, with 100 pounds, 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. McDowell to the Reverend Presbytery,' and to procure preaching until the next annual meeting. Mr. McDowell, however, did not accept the call."

2 The people seem to have been very anxious to secure the services of Mr. Mc- Clintock. They offered him 107 pounds, 10 shillings, new tenor, for his yearly sti- pend, took measures to lay a tax on the unimproved land in the town to build him a house, and agreed to cut 20 cords of wood annually for five years, and draw it to his house, if he would accept. They also appointed Samuel Patten the commissioner to prosecute the call to the Presbytery.

At a meeting of Presbytery, August 22, 1754, held at Newbury, appears this minute: " The people of Bedford having sent a petition to ye Presbytery, requesting them to send one or more of their number some convenient time between this and next meet- ing to moderate in a call to Mr. Samuel MacClintock. The Presbytery, thereupon, appointed Mr. MacGregore to perform that business of service."

At the same meeting they voted " that Bedford shall have their proportion of time wholly in Mr. MacClintock." The following November this appointment was re- newed. Mr. Mcclintock did not accept this call, but negotiations with him con- tinued.

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MINISTRY.

In the next effort to settle a minister they were successful.

August 5, 1756, we find the following in the town records :

" Voted, Unanimously, to give Mr. John Houston a call to the work of the ministry in this town."

Mr. Houston was born in Londonderry, 1723, and it was stated to the writer of this notice, by an aged lady of the name of Houston, still living in this town, that his oldest brother was the third male child born in Londonderry. He was educated at Princeton, N. J.,1 at which college he took his degree, 1753. He studied divinity in his native town, with Rev. David McGregore, of Londonderry. Mr. Houston was well reputed for classical and theological learning, and settled among the people with encouraging prospects of continued usefulness and happiness.2 By virtue of being the first settled min- ister of the place, he was entitled to certain lands reserved for that purpose in the settlement of the township, some of which still re- mains in possession of his descendants. The following is the pro- vision made by the town for the support of Mr. Houston :

Aug. 7th, 1756. "Voted, To give Mr. John Houston, equal to 40 pounds Sterling, in old Tenor, as the law shall find the rate of Dol- lars, or Sterling Money, for his yearly stipend, if he is our ordained minister. And that what number of Sabbath-days, annually, we shall think ourselves not able to pay them, he shall 'have to his own use and disposal, deducted out of the aforesaid sum in proportion, (viz .: ) Apportioning the whole of the aforesaid sum equally among the whole number of Sabbath-days in a year, and those Sabbath- days which shall be so set off to him by the town annually, the town shall be freed from paying to him for them, and shall only pay according to the aforesaid proportion for what number of Sabbath- days we shall keep of his time. And that what number of Sabbath-

At a town meeting, May 6, 1756, it was " voted to renew the call made to him previ- ously at the same annual stipend, with this additional inducement, that he should have nine Sabbaths to his own use during each year until the town should feel able to pay him for all, or a part of those nine Sabbaths for which they would allow him 10 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. Mcclintock afterwards became one of the honored members of the New Hampshire ministry. He was graduated at Prince- ton, 1751, settled at Greenland, 1756; served as chaplain in the army during the Rev- olutionary War; was admitted to ad eundeum masters degree at Harvard 1761; received the title of D. D. at Yale 1791, and after a ministry of forty-eight years at Greenland died there in 1804. (Hist. Disc. Rev. I. C. Tyson).

1 Then located at Newark, N. J .; removed to Princeton, N. J., 1756. Rev. Aaron Burr (father of the vice-president 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 and bold hand:

"This may certify all concerned, that Mr. John Houston has for sometime been a member of New Jersey College, and sound in communion with ye church of Christ in this place, and behaved himself according to the Rules of the Gospel.

A. BURR, Ps'd."

"Sept. 28, 1753."

2 The subject of his Latin exegesis was: An Dei Beneplacitum sit solum electionis fundamen, a homily on 1 John, 4, 18. He was licensed May 14, 1754, being then thirty-one years of age.

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HISTORY OF BEDFORD.

days the town shall vote, annually, to have of his time, them they shall have at the same rate of proportion, or the whole of his time when the town shall see meet."

According to these conditions, we find the town every year passed a vote, that he should have so many Sabbaths, sometimes ten or fifteen, more or less, as the inhabitants might decide, for his use and disposal, until, at a period of great dissatisfaction, as we shall see, they voted him the whole of the year. On the 28th of September, 1757, Rev. John Houston was ordained to the work of the ministry in this town. The ministers who took part in the services of the ordination were the following, according to Matthew Patten's jour- nal, in which we find the following record : "Rev'd Mr. True, of Hampstead, offered the prayer. Rev'd Mr. Parsons,1 of Newbury, preached from 1 Tim. 1, 11-'According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust;' Rev'd D. McGre- gore, of Londonderry, gave the charge; Rev'd Mr. True gave the right hand of fellowship; and Rev'd Mr. White, of Gloucester, con- cluded by prayer." 2 From this journal we learn that Mr. Houston's text, the first Sabbath after ordination was, " Fear not little flock ; it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom ;" very appropriate, as it must have been, a small church and congregation in the midst of a wilderness. The first board of elders, which was probably chosen about this time, consisted of James Little, James Gilmoor, Benjamin Smith, William Moor, and James Moor.3

Among a small parcel of manuscript sermons, found among Mr. Hous- ton's papers, was an outline of a discourse delivered on the occasion of the ordination of elders, probably this very board. He must have been a young man at the time, as it would be impossible for any but young eyes to decipher the characters, which are very small, on a very scanty piece of paper. As nothing from Mr. Houston's pen has been preserved in print, it may be interesting to the curious to look at this specimen of his composition, especially as it shows his senti- ments as to the duties of ruling elders. The text is from Titus, 1, 5:

1 Of Mr. Parsons the following anecdote is related. He was at times very passion- ate, but when the first impulse was over no man could be more penitent. On one occasion a bill was presented him for payment which at first struck him as exorbi- tant, and he angrily refused. No sooner, however, had the claimant returned to his place of business than Mr. Parsons entered, and the following dialogue ensued:

" Have you seen Mr. Parsons this morning? "

" Yes, certainly, I saw you at your house and presented your bill."

"It wasn't Mr. Parsons, it was the devil. I'll settle the bill! "

2 Forty pounds were voted to defray charges of ordination.

3 There were elders before this, as there was an Elder John Orr, who died 1753; Deacon Hugh Riddle (1762).

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MINISTRY.

" For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee."

The sermon is thus divided :

1st. Show the divine right of ruling elders ;

2d. Qualifications of ruling elders ;

3d. Duties incumbent on them ;

4th. Application.

Passing over the first two, he devoted himself to the third, viz., Duties of elders :

These are too many to be enumerated. But the main and princi- pal part of their duty and office is to rule and govern the church. To this end, you are to join together in conjunction with the Pastor, and then you make us a Judicatory of the Lord Jesus Christ ; so that whatsoever you bind or loose on earth, shall be bound or loosed in heaven.

Your office, also, according to our Constitution, gives you right to sit and vote in the superior judicatories of the church, from the low- est to the highest. It is also the business and duty of your order, to watch over the moral behavior of your fellow-christians. And as it is part of the duty of all Christians, to exhort daily, and to love as Brethren, so it is something peculiar to your order, to visit the father- less and widow, and be ready to give counsel and advice in all diffi- cult matters, to prevent angry debates and heal divisions. You are to reprove, rebuke and exhort, to stand and shut the door of the church against scandalous professors, and open the door to those who are qualified.

APPLICATION. First,-Hence we see the excellency and glory of the gospel dispensation, wherein life and immortality are brought to light.

Second,-Hence we see the necessity of proper judicatories in church matters, to settle controversies, otherwise there would be confusion. Though some object to giving away their rights, yet we know no rights that conflict with the order of God's house. (Call the names of the elders elect.) You have, in a free, open meeting, been elected to the office of ruling elders, and after taking time to consider, you have seen it your duty to accept. You are now to be set apart for that office. You are to engage in an office to which there is little of a temporal nature to induce you ; an office, honora- ble, but apt to be the mark of banter, ridicule, and profane drollery. You profess to adhere to the essential doctrines of the Old and New Testament, the only rule of faith and practice as particularly set forth in the confession of faith ; and further, you profess, as far as you know your own heart, you now undertake this office, not with a view to honor or a name in the world, nor with a design to lord it over God's heritage, or any similar design whatsoever, but with a

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HISTORY OF BEDFORD.

single purpose, to strengthen the hands of your brethren, and con- tribute your mite, to advance the interests of Christ's kingdom in the world. And to this end, you do engage to apply yourselves to a faithful discharge of the duties of your office, as briefly hinted at ; let me exhort you to think often of your solemn engagements, and to apply yourselves to the duties of your temporal calling as Chris- tians; so to the duties of your peculiar office and let these be backed by a prayerful and exemplary study to be just and up- right, to be inoffensive and modest, savory and holy in your conver- sation. Think that the least wrong step, or incautious conduct, will be noticed in you. Some will be spiteful and wicked enough to make a handle of it. Walk wisely towards them that are without. Know how you ought to behave yourselves in His house, the church of the living God,-the pillar and ground of the truth.

Brethren of the Congregation,-You see these men, whom your choice has raised to the office of Elders. You have heard a summary of their duties and obligations. Suffer the word of exhortation. Be exhorted to receive them in love, yield them that respect and sub- mission, to which by their office they are entitled. Be subject to them in discipline. Permit them to rule over you as their duties require.

Such is the outline, given with verbal accuracy, of what was prob- ably an interesting sermon, on an extraordinary occasion. But the paper that contains the whole would scarcely cover the palm of the hand, owing in part probably to the scarcity of paper at that day. It is probable the sermon occupied much time in the delivery, as they were accustomed to long sermons. An old lady from Scotland said that "in her country, the sermons were two hours and a half long, but had now come to be only one hour and a half, and she feared what the world was coming to."

We have no records of the church to which to refer during this early period of its existence. It enjoyed the stated ministrations of the gospel, and seems to have grown in strength and prosperity. The pastor devoted himself from year to year to the laborious duties of his solemn calling. Among his old papers was found one giving a long catalogue of names, with this heading, all in his own hand- writing: "A List of persons supposed to be qualified for being Cat- echised in Bedford, Jan'y 10th, 1758." On this list are several hun- dred names, classed apparently by families, among which we find the names still familiar to us of Moor, Walker, Patten, Orr, Wallace, Barr, Riddel, Aiken, and other names not now among us as Boies, Little, Taggart, Gile, McDowell, Scobey, etc. Catechistical instruc- tion was then, no doubt, faithfully attended to, with the exception of few, if any families.

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MINISTRY.

In 1758, we find on the town records a petition of which the fol- lowing is the commencement :

We, the subscribers, inhabitants of the town of Merrimack, being of the Presbyterian persuasion. And whereas we cannot enjoy the privilege of the public worship of God in our own town, according to our own persuasion, nor any where else at present, so convenient as at Bedford, under the ministry of Rev. John Houston, therefore, &c. Acting on this petition, the town "Voted,-That the inhab- itants of Merrimac who pay rates to the support of the gospel in Bedford, have so many Sabbath-days of our Rev'd Pastor's time, for public worship to be held at John Burns' as they pay in proportion with us, toward his annual salary for the present year, if our Rev'd Pastor be willing.

Nothing appears but that Mr. Houston was happy and successful in his parochial relations, until about 1768,1 when there appears to

1 But in 1762 the following petitions were made as appears from the original man- Uscript still preserved in town:

To the Rev. Mr John Houston and the Session of Bedford October 20, 1762,

We, the subscribers, Pray that we and our famelys may be Dismist from the Church in said Bedford to the Care of the Presbytery of Londonderry or to any Congrega- tional Church where God in his Providence may assign us our lott

To the Rev. Mr John Houston of Bedford and his session,

The reason why we the subscribers Pray that we and our famelys may be Dismist from the Church in said Bedford is as follows (viz) we find that we cannot Enjoy Ed- ification under said Mr Houstons administrations for that our Desires are to Enjoy Church privileges according the Standards of the Church of Scotland

To the Rev. Mr John Houston and the session of Bedford

. We the subscribers Pray that we may be Dismist from the church of said Bedford with Messrs James Walker Samuel Patten Matthew Patten and Richard MacAllester according to their prayers and for their reason and Desire given in writing by them to the Moderator of said session referance thereto being had

To the Rev. Moderator and Session of Bedford who are to meet at the meeting house in sd Bedford on Monday the 23d day of August 1762

To which session I am cited to answer two articles of charge wherein my brother Samuell Patten and I are charged joyntly but not brot forward by any person or persons nor by any court

Art 1st you Samuell Patten and Matthew Patten Esqr are charged with being guil- ty of breaking off for years past from the Regular use and improvement of common and special ordinances

This charge is so General and uncertain that I cannot answer For the bringer or bringers of the charge does not say what it is that I have broke off from nor when nor where it was that I was guilty the charge says from common and special ordi- nances the name ordinances being applyed to many things Therefore the things intended by ordinances (the Word being in the Plural) ought particularly to be dis- cribed For all the posterity of Adam are known by mankind yet proper names and additions are assigned to individuals properly to know one from another which case is well understood by the bringer or bringers of this charge by calling my brother and me by our proper names and additions.

Art 2d you Samuell Patten and Matthew Patten Esqr are charged with being guilty not only of an irregular withdraw yourselves but of useing unlawfull means and methods to incense others against the authority of this chh with endeavors to break them off from the communion of the same

This charge is as uncertain as the former For the means and methods ought to have been ascertained particularly what they are and when and where and with whom they were used the charge says to incense against the authority of this chh these three letters is no name word nor syllable For according to Stuarts Collection the Libel must condescend to time and place when and where the facts and offenses libel were comited which is also agreeable to the civil law I think it evidently ap - pears that the foregoing charges is contrary to both

If any person or persons are offended with me they have never as yet taken that method prescribed in the 18th chapter of sd Matthew in order to reclaim me and therefore any offence that I am guilty of is not prepared to come before the church you cited my brother and I to appear at the Presbytery to be held at Bedford on Tuesday the 15th day of last june to give in our reasons of absenting which was doing

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HISTORY OF BEDFORD.

have been some grievances and symptoms of dissatisfaction. On the one hand the ministers and elders complained of it as a griev- ance, that " a number of persons, members of the church, on pre- tence of occasional communion at Londonderry, broke off from the use and improvement of common and special ordinances at home ; " and on the other hand, certain members of the church and congre- gation complained, among other things, that the minister maintained that "what he and the deacons did, was above being inquired into ; and for prosecuting to the Presbytery, some of those who have en- deavored to enquire into the reason of some conduct of the dea- cons." 1

what you had no power to do and had we given in our reasons in writing as was in- sisted on we must thereby have become our own answers Pray consider if the treat- ment our Saviour met with when arraigned before the high priest was not like this when they had not wherewithal to accuse him the high priest asked him concerning his disciples and doctrines thereby thinking to get from his own mouth wherewith to accuse him you now call my brother and me before you in a judicial manner re- quireing us to have all things ready in order for a trial of the foregoing articles of charge and have voted that we be cited to answer to them articles I pray you to consider how resolutely you seem determined to hold us to trial and you to be wit- nesses and judges notwithstanding that it is not according to the Discipline of the church of Scotland nor the prinsaples of justice and equity among men The reason why your conduct herein is not according to the prinsaples of justice and equity must be evident to every rational mind For whom the judge will witness against he will Allso judge against and of consequence needs no evidence but his own and if all other of mankind should witness the contrary the judge will condemn according to his own evidence for by a charge being Libelled against the person he is thereby defamed but when not brot by any person nor persons nor court the person cannot be held by any court to answer under the present constitution But supposing a court could hold a person to answer under the foregoing circumstances and on trial should be acquitted he has no person prsons nor courts to get redress for the defamation and of consequence the person must be a sufferer by the courts procedure which he cannot have redress in time you say (in your representation as you call it) the conta- gion is like to spread I suppose you mean a disatisfaction and uneasyness in persons minds in Bedford with your conduct by which reason a separation from you is like to spread I think by your expression if I have hit the sense of it supposes that per- sons does observe something in your conduct that is wrong that is like to cause a separation you likewise say in sd representation that if we meaning my brother and me are justly offended to obtain a regular dismission here is a fine salve prepared by you for cureing the sore offences in the church in Bedford for you have not one word of reclaiming the offender or of causing him satisfaction for his offence to the offended But the offended must be dismist out of the church how much does such words and actions differ from the Parables of the lost sheep I pray you to consider if your views and principally at the glory of God and the intrest of religion and peace and unity of the church in Bedford I think if they were the laws of God and the prinsaples of justice and equity among men would be your Rule or whether you are not intending to lull those persons who are like to be infected with the contagion as you call it to sleep with the buze of your illegal procedure with my brother and me I think if you were willling that the causes of uneasenees might come to the light you would take proper steps with us to bring them forth I am willing to shew the causes of my un- easenees as soon as the laws of God and the prinsaples of justice and equity among man are taken with me but when I shall find that I cannot tell I dont expect to find it untill you are disposed to bring offenders to make satisfaction for their offences or be farther dealt with as their crimes may justly deserve and not for dismissing the justly offended out off the church and continue the offenders in

For the Revd William Davidson & Elders

Sirs

Some time ago we Recd a few lines from you in answer to our supplication or Rep- resentation given unto your Sefsion June ye 3ª 1768 Jn reading your letter we were Sorry to find it was no answer to any of the particulars contained in our Representa- tion but had a Referance to some privite discourse between Mr Davidson and Elder Little no way applicable to the affair between us as the Matters of Complaint were not so much between us and our Wandering sheep as against the causes & Means of their Wandering (viz) their being jndulged in away that had a Tendencey to break them off from Christian Duty in many Respects Here so we Mentioned no names in our paper by way of Complaint but only Represented to you the bed effect & conse- quences of their being Indulged contrary to Scripture & the Eccelesst Rules of our

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But no open rupture appears to have occurred between the minister and people until the exciting period of the Revolution.

constitution. We mean not hinder any of our members in Occasional Communion where according to Gods word they can be Edified and Strengthed in Christian Love and Duty but where the contrary Effects are manifest we must again as we did be- fore Desire a suspenfsion of it untill they are brot again to Duty & live and love as brethren How can persons by Occafsional Communion be Edified abroad when they are not in Unity & Charity with their bretheren at home. The Scriptures we quoted fully point out those Evils & Enjoyn our Duty in these Respects. The ACT of As- sembly we had a Reference to says Jn the Zeal of God for preserveing order Unity and peace in the Kirk for Maintaining that Respect which is due to the Ordinances & ministers of jesus for preventing schism noyfam Errors and all unlawful practice which may follow on the peoples withdrawing themselves from their own Congrega- tion-Ordains every Member in every Congregation to keep their own Paroch-Kirk to communicate therein the word & Sacraments & if any person or persons shall hereafter Wilfully absent themselves from their own Congregations Exceept in Urgent Cases made known to & approved by the Presbytery the Ministers of these Congregations whereto they Resort shall both in Publick by preaching & in privite adminition shew their Dislike of their withdrawing from their own minister that in so doing they may Witnefs to all that hear them their Due care to strengthen the hands of their fellow Labourers in ye work of the Lord & their Detestation of any thing that may tend to Seperation or any of the above mentioned evils , , , so far an Extract - - Now besides the Evils Mentioned it is evident the Occasion of the above Act was from a Conviction that such Schisms or seperations Generaly Create prejudice Hatered and Malice. A Confsiousnefs of haveing done wrong Alienates the Mind more than of haveing Received it when persons are Confcious of haveing done an Injury to God and his people by a Disorderly schism or seperation it causes them to hate those they seperate from as well as the cause of God & truth maintained by them & if they must tend the preaching of the word where they have a prejudice and hatered against the same or Else be without by Reason of a Real Distance they are in a poor case Either they must live without the use of Gods Instituted ordi- nancs or go where their wishes desires & prayers are not. And if they cannot Sin- cerly Desire and pray for a blefsing on the Ministery of the word they Cannot Expect to be Benefitted thereby be it never so well Calculated to answer the Great Ends of the Gofpel. the better it is Calculated to the Divine Testimoney & the more it En- forces the truths of the Gospel the more it goes against the mindes of those who dont wish well to the prosperity of the Ministration of the same. Besides prejudice made by such Seperations Generaly cause persons to think all the Minister says is particularly against them. When he has no other thought but to contend the Quar- rel of Gods broken Covenant against his people yet such think he does it out of par- ticular design & Resentment against them & thereby their hatered and malice is Increased & their Edification so far frusterated How far these Evils prevail among us J am not willing now to Exaggerate. But surely if J understand anything of the Nature and Duty of a proper Watchman J cannot be onsensible of them in a very great Degree. We know of no better Remedy than to Endeavour to have the causes Removed which brot them on. We know our greatest Difficulties proceed from these causes & their bad Effects. If we had the least Reason to think their Schism or sep- eration was occafsioned by any Real offence given them here we would have other thoughts of it then now we have-Sometime ago when there were pretences that way we were at the pains of getting our Presbytery to come three times here on purpofse to Enquire into the same but when they came they could finde none. and therefore the second time they were here two of our members were obliged to submitt to a Censure for unlawful seperation The last time they came was in consequence of an Jrregular paper Directed to the Elders and Subscribed by a number who seemed to pretend by way of Jnsinuation there was some offence but when the Presbytery Met & they brot before them they would neither say nor do any thing by way of Complaint but said they would answer or defend if they were complained against - - The

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History of Bedford, New Hampshire, from 1737 : being statistics compiled on the occasion of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, May 15, 1900, Part 28

Author: Bedford (N.H. : Town) Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Concord, N. H. : The Rumford Printing Co. Number of Pages: 1202

Author: Bedford (N.H. : Town)
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Concord, N. H. : The Rumford Printing Co.
Number of Pages: 1202