USA > New Hampshire > Coos County > History of Coos County, New Hampshire > Part 72
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" The Creed. or Articles of Faith, adopted by the church of Colebrook and vicinity.
"You believe the Scriptures of the old and new testament to be divinely inspired, that they constitute the only nnerring guide of faith and practice of men, and you now publicly declare that you cordially em- brace the precious doctrines they contain. You believe that there is one only the living and true God, that he
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exists in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, that these three persons are equal and divine and that united they constitute the glorious Godhead. You believe also that in God are united all moral and rational perfections, that he created and governs the world, and that all creatures owe to Him alone, supreme love, homage and adoration, that God made man at first upright in his moral image, but that he apostatized and that the whole human fallen family are under sentence of condemnation, justly exposed to eternal punishment.
"You believe that in this ruined condition, the only consistent hope of man is built on the atonement of Christ, which you deem sufficient to justify the pardon of sin, and you receive Him as the only Mediator, the glorious, prevalent Advocate for all his people and the ever living head of the church.
"Yon believe in the doctrine of partienlar election as taught in the scriptures that the salvation of the soul is the gift of Sovereign mercy, that the heart of man is by nature destitute of holiness and mist be renewed by divine Spirit, that man is justified by faith in Christ and that the only satisfying evidence of sav- ing faith is a holy life.
" You believe in the doctrine of the final perseverance of the saints, the resurrection of the body, the final judgment, the everlasting life of the righteous and the eternal punishment of the wicked.
" Baptism and the Lords supper you believe to be ordinances of the Gospel! that believers and their off- spring are proper subjects for baptism and that none but such as profess to be saints and live in a manner consistent with such a profession should be received at the Lords supper and be considered as suitable men- bers of the church.
" You believe the Sabbath to be appointed of God, that the first day of the week is now to be observed as the true Christian Sabbath and to be kept holy to the Lord.
"Thus you believe."
Covenant .- " You do now in the presence of God, angels and before this assembly dedicate yourself to his service to be His forever, deeply impressed with a sense of your entire dependence, guilt and insufficiency. You rely for acceptance solely on the mercy of God through the merits of a crucified Redeemer.
" As a member of this church, you engage to strive to promote her welfare and promise by the aid of the Spirit to walk with the members in all the ordinances and duties of the Gospel.
"You engage to attend upon the duties of the closet, of the family and of the Sanctuary as God hath appointed in his word, to submit yourself to the laws of Christ in the discipline of His church to perform the offices of love and duty to each member and to walk in christian fellowship with all the true followers of Christ as in divine providence you may be called and so to conduct towards those who are without, that they shall have no just occasion to speak evil of you or of the holy religion you profess.
"Thus you covenant."
"Agreeably to a previous vote of the church we now receive you into covenant engaging to treat you as a disciple of our common Lord, and while we bid you welcome to our communion we trust that you will unite your heart with ours in habitual and fervent prayer for the gracious influences of the Spirit to enlighten, to guide, to support, and comfort us on the journey of life and in the great holy christian warfare. May we all experience that fellowship of kindred minds which is 'like to that above.'"
This creed, with some minor changes, remains the creed of the Congre- gational church of Colebrook to-day, and for eighty-five years under this covenant. the tree, at that time planted, has lived and flourished.
When the " Monadnock Congregational church " was first organized by Mr. Willard it had but ten members: Emily Beach, Thankful Wallace, Nathaniel Beach, Edna Porter, William Wallace, Elizabeth Ladd. Abel Hobart, Susanna DeForest, James Ladd, Betsey Hobart. It is evident that the people who were interested in church affairs were few and poor at that time, for while there was a desire for church organization and its helpful influence, there seems to have been lack of means to support it. This ap- pears from the fact that the only preaching in the town for the next eight years was that of the missionaries who from time to time visited the place. But few additions were made to the church during this time, and it speaks well for the spirit of the people that there were any. In 1806 Sally Thomp- son, Phebe DeForest, and in 1807 Jeremiah Eames, became members, and in 1809 Jonathan Bancroft and Bethiah Bancroft also became members.
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In 1810 Rev. Dyer Burge became minister to this people and remained till 1815. During his ministry twenty-eight members were added to the church. Among these were Mary Beach, Harvey Johnson, Timothy Lock- wood, Timothy Farrar. Anna Eames, Sarah Ashley, Hannah Goodwin, Mrs. Lockwood, Caroline Cone, Stephen Lane, Joseph Bancroft, Nathaniel Bancroft, Nathaniel Beach, 2d, Triphena Lines, Mrs. Lane, Hannah De- Forest, Mehitable Holkins, Melinda Wallace, Patty Burnside, Lydia Os- burne. Eunitia Beach, Lydia Aldrich, Mary Kibber, and Anna Curtis. Mr. Burge seems to have been a vigorous and keen, as well as a merciful, man, for we find that February 7, 1811, he commenced labor with Timothy Lockwood for intemperance and other improprieties, but his sense of merey is shown by the fact that on June 5, 1811, Timothy Lockwood was "restored upon confession." On the 15th day of May, 1815, Mr. Burge having requested his dismissal, the church voted to dismiss him, having first passed resolutions that the "moral and ministerial character of Rev. Dyer Burge be good and recommended."
From 1815 to 1819 the church seems to have been without a pastor, at which time Rev. Nathan Waldo came among them, and preached till some time in 1822, during which time he admitted nine members to the church. During the next year Rev. Andrew Rankin preached, staying till July, 1823. He was succeeded by Rev. John L. Hale, who remained till some time in the year 1824. Under the ministry of these two men, forty-three members were added to the previous number. It had now become a body that might well make its influence felt, since there were ninety-five souls within its communion.
In January. 1525, Rev. Orlando G. Thatcher became the minister of the church, and continued to be with them till February, 1829. The number of members regularly and steadily increased under his ministration, thirty- one persons being received into the fellowship of the church during that period.
Up to this time there had been no church, or, as called at that time, meeting-house, in the northern part of the county. The meetings had been held in the log school-houses, sometimes in Colebrook, sometimes in Colum- bia, and the meetings of the church members were held at the dwelling- house of some one of their number. They had begun to discuss the question of building a meeting-house, and by this time Colebrook village had grown to such an extent that that place was chosen for its location. The site selected was where the church now stands. Smith & Pratt had given the land to the society, but in the time intervening between taking a deed and building the house they had become insolvent, and their property had passed into the hands of the Tremont Bank of Boston.
" At a regular meeting of the Directors of the Tremont Bank at the Banking House in Boston on Monday the 23d of May 1836, Voted-That the President be and hereby is authorized and requested to exeente and de-
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liver a quitclaim deed of a piece of land about one half an acre lying in Colebrook, to Edmund Chamberlain and Frederick G. Messer as a committee and trustees of the Congregational church and Society in said Cole- brook for the use and benefit of said Church and society forever."
In accordance with said vote, Sam. T. Armstrong, president of the Tremont bank, on the 23d of May, 1836, executed a deed of the present church lot to Messrs. Chamberlain and Messer.
Previous to this time, about 1829, a subscription was started for build- ing the church, and enough subscribed to get up the frame and board in the building. The funds gave out, and for sometime it stood there in its unfinished state, awaiting further funds. In 1830 Jonas Mills, who lived at that time on the farm now occupied by Martin B. Noyes, came forward, and was prominent in giving it a second start. The pews were sold, and in this way sufficient means were obtained to bring it to a completion. It was low-built, with low square tower, and was not furnished with a bell; the people being called to church service by ringing the academy bell after the academy was built. The church was finished and dedicated in the winter of 1830-31. and, for the first time, the "Congregational church of Cole- brook " had a local habitation, and was on a firm foundation.
After the labors of Rev. O G. Thatcher were finished. Rev. Moses Bradford preached thirteen months, when his son, Ebenezer G. Bradford, accepted a call to the pastorate of the church. He was ordained and in- stalled February 29, 1832, and remained till February 14, 1836.
At this point it may be interesting briefly to notice the manner in which the authority of the church was exercised over its members. The tend- ency of the present age seems to be for the sexton to ring the bell, the minister to enter the pulpit and preach to such as choose to come aud hear him, without particular regard to the going or coming of any of the mem- bers; but, in 1820, we find brethren Capt. Abel Hobart and Col. Jeremiah Eames a committee to attend to any matter of difficulty and discipline in the church, and, from time to time, various members of the church were called upon to answer for their irregularities. Later, we find Harvey Barnes, Noyes S. Dennison and Peter R. Field such a committee, and on the 3d day of May, 1833, we find they report that they "had visited John- son Jordan who confessed that he had labored at haying on the Sabbath, professed sorrow for it, and said that he was willing to make a public con- fession." They further reported that they had visited Mr. Emery Bissell, charged with unchristian behavior on the way to Portland. This he de- nied. They heard also that he was guilty of working in the field on the Sabbath. This he confessed was true. One other case they had exam- ined, and the particulars they brought before the church, viz .: That of Isaac Wallace. accused of intemperate drinking. Brother Wallace made such a statement respecting the charge brought against him, and brought forward such evidence that the church concluded to pass it over. Brother
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HISTORY OF COOS COUNTY.
Johnson Jordan made a public confession of his sin in violating the Sab- bath, by hay-making on that day, and was forgiven by the church. On the 1st day of July. 1833, at a meeting of the church members, Brother Harvey Hobart was appointed to go to Mr. Emery Bissell and take the first and second steps with him in regard to his conduct on the way to Portland and laboring on the Sabbath. They also passed the resolve :-
" That it is a violation of the fourth commandment to team toand from market on the sabbath in any case: and that it is also a violation to journey on the sabbath in any case excepting in cases of sickness or to relieve want or distress and that either of these violations is a disciplinary offence."
At the next meeting Mr. Emery Bissell confessed that at the instiga- tion of his father he had labored in the field at haying on the Sabbath, and that on the way to Portland he had behaved in too light and trivial manner to become a Christian, but not on the Sabbath; and at a future meeting Mr. Bissell made a further confession which the church voted "satisfactory," and he was restored. Certain other parties were from time to time brought up before the church for breaches of discipline, of which some were " admonished," some were "forgiven and restored," and a few were " excommunicated."
Such was the care and oversight of the church over its members in the earlier days of its struggle for existence; but a little later they seem to have been willing to throw off a trifle of their responsibility, for, in Sep- tember, 1839, we find they voted that " all members of the church having been removed from Colebrook and vicinity for more than one year, shall no longer be considered under the watch and care of the church," and about a dozen members were deprived of their membership under this vote. A few years later, however, they seem to have repented of their action, and by their vote expressed the reason for the same, for it was unanimously voted at a regular church meeting, February 22, 1842, that "on consideration the church rescind the vote passed September, 1837, excluding all members who have been absent from Colebrook and vicinity more than one year, the church being convinced that said vote was incon- sistent with scripture directions."
After the dismissal of Mr. Bradford, February 14, 1836, the church was without a pastor till October, 1837. The number of members had increased to 141, and had become a body whose influence might well be felt.
In May, 1836, several members from South Columbia presented a re- quest for dismissal in order that they might organize a society of their own in Columbia. It speaks of their devotion, that for years they had lived so far away and yet maintained their walk with the church in Cole- brook, where many of them must walk a distance from seven to ten miles each way in order to worship with the church upon the Sabbath. It would seem that the request presented was a reasonable one, but, for some rea- son, it was denied
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In October, 1837, Rev. William E. Holmes began to preach in Colebrook, and remained till the spring of 1840. He received thirty-seven to the church during that time. Soon after he left, Rev. Charles W. Richardson began work among the people, and stayed till the fall of 1846, during which time twenty-three were added to the church.
When the meeting-house was completed the pews were bought by vari- ous parties, many of them not members of the Congregational church. In fact quite a number of pews were owned by those who were really or nominally Universalists. In January, 1845, the Universalists proposed to hold a two days' meeting at Colebrook and requested the Congregational- ists to give them the use of the meeting-house for that purpose. A meet- ing of the members was called and the following vote was passed :-
" On the Friday preceding the first Sabbath in January, 1845, at a regular church meeting held on the occasion of a preparatory meeting; it was unanimously voted that the request of the Universalists to occupy our house for a two days' meeting, next week, cannot consistently be assented to by us; inasmuch as we hon- estly believe that Universalist preaching has a pernicious influence on society, especially on the rising gener- ation."
In accordance with this vote the meeting-house was kept closed and locked. On the day when the Universalist meeting was proposed to be held some of those who believed in that doctrine called upon Mr. Joseph Gleason, who at that time had charge of the church, for the key to the meeting-house. He refused to give it up, and immediately relinquished its- custody to Deacon Edmund C. Wilder, saying, "he was a man of peace, and would have nothing further to do with the matter." A demand was made on Mr. Wilder by various persons, but the deacon was steadfast, and refused to give them admittance to the sacred building. The other party was equally determined, and, led by Seth Tirrell, of Stewartstown, they broke open the church and held their service. At night the Congregationalists again fastened the meeting-house strongly, but the next day it was again broken open, and again the members of the Universalist persuasion held service unmolested. There was much excitement and loud talk of prosecution, but it soon subsided, and the matter was quietly dropped. In the last ten years nearly every denomination has been represented in the pulpit of the remodelled church, so much has liberality towards other denominations increased in the Congregational church of Colebrook.
In 1838 and 1839 quite a colony of people went from Colebrook and vicinity to Beloit, Wis., and, among them, nearly thirty members of this church. They were dismissed, and organized themselves as the " First Congregational church of Beloit," and, ever since, the cion cut from this society has thrived and flourished till it has grown greater than its parent.
In May, 1846, letters of dismission were given to twenty-five members living in Stewarstown and in Canaan. Vt., who organized the Congrega- tional church at West Stewartstown. Following are the names of those thus dismissed: Nathaniel Beach, Mary Beach, William Fletcher, Thomas
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Johnson. William Ellis, Daniel Norris, Jeremiah Pickard, Jeremiah Eames, Mrs. Sargeant, Abigail Sargeant, Polly Blodgett, Mrs. Nathan Frizzle, Mrs. Beach, Elizabeth Fletcher, Betsey Abbott, Sarah Johnson, Mrs. Ellis, Emily E. Norris, Mrs. Pickard, Abigail Pickard, Mary Pickard, Sarah Harvey, Hezekiah Stoddard, Moses Pickard, Mary Barrus.
On the 3d day of October, 1847, Rev. Joseph B. Hill came from Mason, N. H., to Colebrook, and commenced his labors with this people and re- mained till October 15, 1856, a period of nine years. Under his adminis- tration sixteen were added to the church. From October, 1856, the church was without a minister, until, as is naively stated in the record :-
" The first of August, 1857, though landable efforts were made by the church to find a Minister, but with- out success, at which time Elder Joseph Little commenced and continued to preach in our house of worship (being a Methodist) till, we trust, through the kind hand of the Head of the Church, he sent us the Rev. Horace Pratt in accordance with our request and invitation who preached his first sermon in this place very much to the acceptance of the congregation, Oct. 18, 1857."
Under the preaching of Mr. Pratt everything seemed to prosper. In January, 1858, they commenced to repair the church, and, for four months, held service in the academy. In May, 1858, they commenced service again in the meeting-house, and Deacon Edwin Lamson, of Boston, pre- sented them with a silver-plated communion service consisting of one tankard, two cups, and two plates, which they say "they cheerfully ac- cepted, and voted unanimous thanks to Deacon Lamson, and their pastor should convey the same." It seems that a liberal streak had been struck by the people of the community about this time, for, on July 9, 1858, we find that the church gave an "unanimous vote of thanks to Mrs. Clarissa Bissell for the gift of a communion table (which cost $7.50) to the church." The question naturally arises whether the vote would have been unani- mous if the table had cost only five dollars.
While Mr. Pratt was at Colebrook eight additions were made to the church. He was dismissed February 7, 1859. It seems that the society by their records above quoted was ready to recognize the kind hand of the Head of the Church where the work of that hand was in accordance with their ideas, for they did so recognize it when Rev. Mr. Pratt was engaged to preach to them; but, when, later, in the fall of 1858, Mr. Pratt saw fit to offer himself in marriage to a certain young woman who lived in Colebrook, they failed to see the "directing hand." for they "objected, and took exceptions" to his course, and very kindly permitted him to re- sign, although they admitted that he had preached very much to the accept- ance of all.
"O wad some power the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us!"
For nearly a year the society was without a pastor, though several min- isters were present two or three Sabbaths at a time, but on January 1, 1860, Rev. Henry M. Bridge, from Warwick, Mass., commenced to preach.
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August 6, 1860, he was installed and settled among them. During the spring and summer of 1861 his health failed rapidly, and on December 20 of that year he died. He was universally loved and esteemed, and his death cast a gloom over the church and community.
Rev. Caleb F. Page came next, commencing in August. 1862, and re- mained four years. The church had grown steadily, till at this time it had the names of 230 members on its rolls. It was the strongest Congre- gational church in the northern part of the state, and its future seemed bright with promise, but, while, from time to time, additions were made to its membership, from this date it declined, owing to various causes, till it became almost a question, in some minds at least, whether it would not become extinct.
In August, 1866, Rev. Hugh McLeod became the minister of this people, and for four years lived and worked among them in such a way as to com- mend himself as a devout man of God. About this time a move was made to improve the house of worship. Alterations and repairs were made at an expense of $6,000. The old square tower and the high gallery were de- molished, the church was raised, a vestry finished below, and, in all re- spects, it was made a modern church. A bell was placed in the belfry, and, for the first time, people were called to their place of worship by their own bell. The house was rededicated June 17, 1873. While the house was being repaired there was a diversity of opinion as to what ought to be done about keeping up the services, much valuable time was allowed to run to waste, the members of the church became somewhat scattered, and the organization suffered in consequence.
October 12, 1873, Rev. L. W. Harris began preaching, and remained four and one-half years, in which time he received twenty-six into the church. He was an earnest, liberal-minded Christian, and was much respected by the community. Rev. N. S. Moore served the church one year, from November 3, 1878; and from December 7, 1879, till January 2, 1881, bore the same relation to this church and people. From March 27, 1881, to February 22, 1885, Rev. N. W. Grover was the acting pastor of the church, and April 1, 1886, Rev. G. A. Curtis became the pastor, and is still serving.
Thus in a period of seventy-seven years the church has had eight- een men in its ministry, a fact which would seem to indicate that the people believe in ilineracy, whether such be the faith of the ministry or not.
In all conscience this church ought to be a power for righteousness. Situated in a large and thriving community, having a very attractive house of worship-and needing only to bring to bear the power of a genuine faith by which the life is squared, all reason seems to demand that it thrive and bless humanity.
There are a good many people who have been identified with this church,
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who deserve more than a passing notice, but lack of sufficiently accurate data limits the notice to very few.
Among the early deacons was Harvey Barnes. He lived on the high hill on the farm later owned by Charles A. Buffington, and now by Michael Shallow. He was a man eminently religious, like the house he lived in high above his neighbors. He held offices of trust in the town and church, and, wherever he was placed, filled the position well. He was quite a me- chanie, and had a way of utilizing natural crooks for everything which he used when it was possible. His gate tops and milking stools, and many of his tools were of these crooks. He built a windmill in a shed, and when- ever the wind blew through the shed it set a wheel in motion, by means of which he sawed his wood. Going upon this farm when it was but little cleared, by hard labor he succeeded in making a modest competence besides a comfortable living, and died "full of years," loved and respected by all who knew him.
Joseph B. Hill was born in Mason, N. H., November 25, 1796. His father, Rev. Ebenezer Hill, was pastor of the Congregational church at Mason from 1790 till 1854, a term of sixty-four years. Joseph B. worked on a farm and attended the common schools in his youth. He attended the academies at Tyngsboro, Mass., and New Ipswich, N. H., and entered Harvard college, October, 1817. He graduated in 1823, and taught in various places for a few years, when he went to Tennessee, and, with his brother, engaged in the newspaper and publishing business. They com- menced the publication of an almanac whose title said that it was calculated by J. B. Hill; but he says, "I made every exertion in my power to obtain the books requisite for that purpose, but failed. A part of the calculation I ' cabbaged ' by hook or by crook, and, as there were no visible eclipses, I succeeded so well in making out and remodelling the whole that I question whether one solitary reader has been able to find a flaw in it."
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