USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Hampton Falls > History of Hampton Falls, N.H., Volume II > Part 6
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After Mr. Abbot's dismission Rev. James Thurston of New- market supplied for a season. Rev. W. F. Rowland of Exeter preached in 1829. One season Rev. Messrs. Thurston, Tenney, Plumb, Griswold and Harris supplied at times. Messrs. Rand and Trere, Baptists, occupied the pulpit for some time. Rev. Moses Dow was ordained at Beverly, Mass., in 1801, and settled at York, Maine. He came here in 1830 and preached three years. He was a man of deep toned piety; his earnest and serious exhibition of the great doctrine of the cross did much to revive and promote the cause of godliness during his brief stay in the town. He removed to Plaistow where he died. Moses B. Dow, at one time commissioner of Rockingham County, was his grandson.
From the time of Mr. Abbot's dismissal until 1835, ten were baptized and twenty-five were admitted to the church. After Mr. Dow went away Mr. Wood, a Unitarian, supplied the pulpit which caused much dissatisfaction among those who called themselves the orthodox portion of the church. In June, 1833, Rev. Henry Jewett was invited to preach and remain through the season. His preaching was of the most radical orthodox kind, which gave offence to the Unitarians who were in the majority and had possession of the meeting house, and a separa- tion resulted, the orthodox portion going with Mr. Jewett to the . Exeter road schoolhouse, where he preached to them for a time. Mr. Jewett and his followers claimed that the majority favored the half way covenant and made this a pretext for going away. By the secession of the Baptists and orthodox the Unitarians were left in possession of the meeting house, which, with the records and all other things belonging, came to them by lineal descent. After this Unitarian ministers were employed to preach.
During the entire time the parish church was in existence invitations were often received to attend with delegates to assist
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in ordinations, councils, etc. Delegates were usually sent unless the distance was considered too great. The attendance as dele- gates on these occasions appears to have been thought a pleasant duty.
The half way covenant was in use and allowed during the entire time the parish church existed in this town. The half way covenant appears to have been allowed by most of the New England churches during the eighteenth century, but was grad- ually repudiated by most of them.
The following is an account of the adoption of the half way covenant in Portsmouth: At a church meeting legally convened it was voted that persons having a competent knowledge and making a serious profession of the Christian religion, and being of a conversation void of scandal, upon the owning of the coven- ant, and subjecting themselves to the government of Christ to this church shall be admitted to baptism and have the like privilege for their children. It would seem that to be well in- formed of Christian truth and to seriously profess to obey its requirements, to be of a walk and conversation free from all reproach, to confess the creed, and to be entirely subject to the head of the church, would be sufficient to admit one to the questionable salvation by the form of baptism, but such was the severity of the Geneva School that all this was only half way. A man might be of an upright walk beyond question, a glory of example of goodness to all the world, and yet, being without formal test of election, redemption, and faith, all his goodness was unavailing and even might make against him.
Nevertheless this half way covenant was for a time quite popular in New England and was in use in the new parish in Portsmouth until it was discontinued by Dr. Putnam. As might be supposed among strict followers of the Geneva School it could only work mischief and deadness to the spiritual life, for it is a tacit admission of the failure of that system through its extreme rigidity, and whatever religious truth one holds he must hold to wholly, and not partially, to make it effective. It might be likened in some degree to the old Biblical distinction of the proselytes of the gate in contrast with the proselytes of righteous- ness, the former being in the eyes of strict Jews only half way converts not required to observe the whole law, but only to abstain from certain heathen customs, and practices.
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When the half way covenant was in use and people wished to avail themselves of it to have their children baptized they sub- scribed to the following: "You promise to walk in all the com- mandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless so far as God shall afford you light and direction."
Rev. Jonathan Edwards, an eminent divine, pastor of the church in Northampton, Mass., published an essay entitled, "An humble inquiry into the rules of the word of God, concerning the qualifications requisite to a complete standing and full com- munion in the visible Christian church." This had much influence in causing the half way covenant to be annulled.
Rev. Edward Robie of Greenland, in the sermon preached on the sixtieth anniversary of his settlement, says the strictness requisite to admission to the church after this had nearly as bad an influence on the future of the churches as the laxity prevalent under the half way covenant. There were many more admissions to the church under the half way covenant than there had been since its discontinuance.
We have collected the following statistics: Baptisms by Mr. Cotton, 467, 72 of whom were from the Shoals. Owned the covenant or renewed the covenant, 34. Baptized by Mr. Whipple, 1,136. Owned or renewed the covenant, 179. Ad- mitted to full communion by Mr. Cotton, 97; by Mr. Whipple, 236. Dismissed by Mr. Whipple, 91. Marriages by Mr. Cotton, 99; by Mr. Whipple, 389. Baptized by Mr. Bayley, from October 30, 1757, to August 8, 1762, 122; 22 were baptized between the last date and December, 1763. This was after Mr. Bayley's death. Deaths and burials, from 1712-1755, 605. Baptisms in 1764, 26; 1765, 24; 1766, 22; 1767, 22; 1768, 23; 1769, 26; 1770, 14; 1771, 11; 1772, 6; 1773, 11; 1776, 3. Total, 184. Rev. Mr. Abbot collected 67 names who were baptized during Dr. Langdon's ministry. 1797, 3; 1798, 2. Baptized by Mr. Abbot during his whole ministry, 148; 1827, 1; 1828, 1; 1829, 2; 1830, 2; 1831, 2; 1834, 1; 1835, 1; 1840, 2. Total, 12. Mr. Wingate solemnized 45 marriages of persons in Hampton Falls, and 274 others living in other places, between December 27, 1763, and March 2, 1776. Mr. Abbot married 124 couples during his ministry, 1798-1827. Rev. Moses Dow solemnized 15 marriages before 1833. Admitted to the church in 1830, 5; in 1831, 1; 1832, 9; 1839, 10. Total, 25.
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Previous to 1835, as near as it can be ascertained, 734 persons had been admitted to church connection and 2,163 persons had been baptized since the parish church was organized in 1712.
Peace and harmony had blessed the church and people a larger portion of the time. The unhappy dissensions which prevailed during Rev. Mr. Wingate's ministry and Mr. Abbot's do essentially detract from the character of the people who, under the instruction and labors of an exemplary succession of ministers, have manifested a constant and unwavering attachment to the institutions of the gospel for more than a century.
From the first organization of the Congregational church there were continual additions to it, except for the few years of strife which arose from changing the location of the meeting house. There was a great complaint that the churches throughout the state suffered greatly from the deleterious effect upon the morals of the people and the habits of life caused by the War of the Revolution. This cause probably had its effect upon the church in Hampton Falls.
The people of this town have generally sustained the character of a peace loving, order-seeking, meeting-going community under the continued labors of a succession of an able and industrious ministry. Habits of industry and enterprise have prevailed which contributed to the general prosperity of the inhabitants. Their present attachment to some form of religious worship shows that the fruit of the labors and example of the fathers has not been wholly lost upon the chidren. This was true of the town when this was written, in 1840. These conditions have changed since that time. Church attendance is not as general as it was in the early part of the nineteenth century.
We can have little conception of the discomfort and hardship of the church attendants before any means were adopted for warm- ing the meeting houses. To go into an ice cold meeting house and sit for hours with no means of warmth after a long cold ride in winter is more than the people of the present time would be willing to do. The only fire in the meeting houses was carried in by women in foot-stoves in which there was a pan of live coals. Objection was made to the use of these stoves on account of fire. These stoves were used to warm the feet, and little children got down upon their knees to warm their hands and get the little heat possible from them. Soap and other stones were heated and
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wrapped in cloths, and bottles of warm water were used to warm the feet. Sometimes the family dog would lay upon his master's feet and impart heat from his body. By law all dogs were for- bidden to enter the meeting house under a penalty of a fine which made this method of obtaining warmth unlawful.
Toward the end of the service, when the hearers were anxiously awaiting to hear the "finally" considerable noise and disorder would be heard, stamping of feet, threshing of arms, turning up great coat collars, etc., to prevent freezing; while the minister with heavy cloak or overcoat on, his ears covered, and with mittens upon his hands, exhorted them to be patient, as he would soon close, and then calmly proceed to seventh and eighthly.
Many suffered from insufficient clothing. In this respect the women were not as well protected as the men. Only their heads. and hands were made comfortable by pumpkin hoods and woolen mittens. It was the rule that infants should be baptized the next Sabbath after birth, regardless of the weather. This ex- posure often resulted in death. In the early days consumption was the most common and fatal disease, claiming more victims than all others. One great cause of this disease was sitting for hours in cold, damp and unventilated meeting houses. Rev. Mr. Bayley was a victim of this disease. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was often observed when the bread was frozen hard and would rattle in the plate when passed. It was the cus- tom to omit the Lord's Supper during the winter months because of the cold.
In some places there was a rough building near the meeting house, called a noonday or Sabbath day house, in which there was a large fireplace with a good fire made from burning logs. Here those who came from a distance could warm themselves and re- plenish their foot stoves before going into the meeting house, and warm up before riding home. At noon the dinner of bread and cheese, doughnuts, pork and beans, etc., were warmed up. Flip and other stimulating drinks were often prepared. In the ab- sence of the noon house some hospitable farmer would allow the use of his house. In some cases the taverns were used for the same purpose. Notwithstanding the lengthy service in the meeting house Bible reading and other religious services were carried on during the noon hour. Although only religious sub- jects were supposed to be talked of on Sunday, yet many a good
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trade was got under way which required little effort to consummate later in the week. The women smoked their pipes, did not gossip, but heard the news. As a rule a much louder tone of voice was used in speaking on religious topics than in the discussions of secular matters. Sabbath schools were called in the noon houses at 6.30 a. m., and religious service continued throughout the entire day, in some cases.
The noon house seems to have been much in use in Connecticut, but not much in evidence in Massachusetts or New Hampshire. We have seen no evidence that a noon house or any substitute therefor was ever in use in Hampton. Noon houses came to an end when stoves or other heating methods came into use.
Like all other things in the line of progress and improvement, there was a strong opposition to placing stoves in the meeting houses. It was claimed that the stoves were productive of head- ache, fainting fits, etc., and that the heat would cause the women's high back combs to become warped. Ludicrous mistakes are reported of fainting and sickness, caused by the heat from the stoves, but the women quickly recovered when it was found that there was no fire in stoves.
There was no means of heating the meeting houses in Hampton Falls until after 1830. The Christian meeting house, now the town library building, was the first meeting house ever warmed by artificial heat. This house was built in 1835. All the meeting houses in the town were built about this time and all provided with some means of heating.
Before there was a church organized in this town our people attended meeting at the old town. One of the deacons lived upon and had charge of the people living south of the Tayler River. Christopher Hussey, Nathaniel Weare and Samuel Shaw had held the office. Deacon Shaw resigned to become deacon in the new church and Nathaniel Weare was appointed to be his associate. On February 20, 1720, Nathaniel Batchelder and Benjamin Sanborn were appointed deacons to assist Deacon Weare. Deacon Shaw was at that time deceased. From that time to the present, a period of more than one hundred and eighty years, Nathaniel Batchelder and his descendants have held the office of deacon continuously in the Congregational church, six generations, in one family. In 1738 Jonathan Fifield and Josiah Batchelder were chosen deacons; later Abner Sanborn and
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Joseph Worth held the office. David Batchelder and James Prescott were deacons. In 1808 Caleb Tilton was chosen deacon; he declined and Jeremiah Blake was elected. Others may have filled the office but we do not find any recorded later, the record not being as full in the later years.
In 1832, when it had been found that owing to the differences which made it impossible for the people of the towns to agree in church matters owing to difference of opinion, it was voted to sell the parsonage property belonging to the town. The buildings and field were sold to Wells Healey who repaired and put the build- ings into good order. The house was occupied a greater part of the time by the Unitarian ministers, Rev. Messrs. Farley, Shaw, Caldwell, and A. M. Bridge who was living in the house at the time it was destroyed by fire in 1858. The pasture was sold to Moses Batchelder.
The parsonage property sold for $2,914.45. The proceeds were divided among the different religious societies, Congregational, Universalist and two Baptist. It was divided according to the value of the polls and estates of the different societies. Those not members of either of the societies could designate to which their portion should be applied. Forty-seven designated the Congregational church, which received $1,151.91. Later, when the church was divided, $450 of this amount was paid to the Line church. Thirty-four favored the Christian Baptist people who received $770.22. Eleven preferred the Calvin Baptist, $351.77. Twenty-seven, who favored the Universalist, received $637.45.
Soon after the Unitarian meeting house was built there was a demand that the old meeting house should be remodelled into a town house or be demolished. At the annual meeting in 1840, a committee was appointed to determine the ownership of the old meeting house. In 1842, at the annual meeting, an article was in the warrant to see if the town would vote to convert the old meeting house into a smaller one to be called the town house, or to sell the meeting house and devote the proceeds to building a town house on the common near by. Both articles were voted in the negative. It was voted at this meeting to sell the town's right in the old meeting house, and appoint a disinterested com- mittee of two persons to appraise the pews and settle with the pew holders, which was done, and the house was soon torn down and the material sold at auction. Eighty-eight dollars and
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fifty cents was realized from the sale. It has been a matter of great regret to many persons that the house had not been pre- served and kept as a memorial of the past.
At the annual meeting in 1845, it was voted to sell Wells W. Healey the old meeting house lot for $50. This was the last and closing event of the town church organized more than one hundred and thirty years before.
The first Congregational church of Hampton Falls was organ- ized April 30, 1827, with twenty-seven members, and is the proper name of what has been known as the Unitarian Society, which, by the withdrawal of the Baptists and others, became by inheritance the custodians of the records, communion service, and all personal property of the town church. The three communion cups presented the church by Rev. Theophilus Cotten in 1726 are still in its possession and keeping, and should be preserved.
After the separation of the orthodox members from the town church they held meetings in a number of places, but mostly in the old meeting house in Seabrook, where Rev. Jonathan Ward preached for them for a time. In 1834 efforts were made to unite Hampton Falls, Kensington and Seabrook into one evangelical Congregational church. A number of meetings were held for the purpose, the result of which was the formation of the First Evangelical Congregational Church of Hampton Falls and Seabrook. The word evangelical was probably used to distin- guish this church from the Congregational Church organized in 1827, and also to show that they had not departed from the faith of their fathers, and continued steadfast. A little later a new meeting house was built near the line between the two towns, and Rev. David Sunderland preached part of the time in the old meet- ing house and a part in the new house.
The first Sabbath in February, 1837, Rev. Sereno Abbott preached. He was a native of Andover, Mass. He graduated from Amherst College in 1833 and from the Andover Theological Seminary in 1836. After he had preached several months, he received a call to settle over the society as its pastor. The call was dated June 27, 1837, and was issued by Jacob Noyes, clerk of the society.
Mr. Abbott accepted the call July 1, and was ordained on the 12th, when twenty-two persons dismissed from Hampton Falls, and Mrs. Mehitable Eaton, a member of the Seabrook church
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under Mr. Hull's ministry, were organized into a church called the First Evangelical Congregational Church of Seabrook and Hampton Falls. The Rev. Jonathan French, Mr. Abbott's father-in-law, and for more than fifty years pastor of the North Hampton church, was moderator. The sermon was preached by Rev. Samuel M. Worcester of Salem, Mass. Stephen Green was elected deacon.
Mr. Abbott was a man of historic taste. He informed himself in matters of local interest. He copied from the church and town records. But for his labors in this direction much we know of the past history of the town must always have remained un- known, and what was supposed to have been lost past recovery, when our church record was burned, has been recovered, and we by its aid are enabled to produce a full and accurate account of what has happened since the early settlement of the town, in church matters. Mr. Abbott possessed a sound, sensible and well-educated mind. His delivery was not sprightly, but his discourses were sensible and practical. He succeeded by his ef- forts in placing his society on a much better financial basis. His church records kept by him are a model of excellence and a valu- able addition to the local history of the vicinity. He continued to preach until 1854, a period of about seventeen years. During the last years of his pastorate unhappy differences arose between him and some leading members of his church. An injunction was had from the court to prevent his occupying the pulpit. He held services after that in his own house which he had built a few rods west of the meeting house, where he died March 28, 1855. He was a man of deep-toned piety.
The trouble which occurred between Mr. Abbott and members of his church was most unfortunate to both pastor and people, no doubt shortening the life of the former, and it was of lasting injury to the church which never fully recovered from its effects.
Mr. Abbott had a number of children. One daughter is Mrs. Francis E. Clark (wife of Rev. Francis E. Clark), of Christian En- deavor fame. On the death of her husband, Mrs. Abbott re- moved to Andover where she spent the remainder of her life.
In November, 1855, Rev. Henry Lounsbury was invited to preach and was ordained February 13, 1855. Rev. Dr. Dumick preached. He had participated in Mr. Abbott's ordination nine- teen years before. Mr. Lounsbury, September 16, 1857, re-
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signed his pastorate. After Mr. Lounsbury's dismissal, preach- ing was by supplies until in the early sixties when it was voted to close the church.
In 1866 the church was opened again. Rev. A. B. Peabody preached for a year or more, when the church was repaired and modernized. Rev. George H. Pautt preached for a time. He was succeeded by Rev. Frank Haley who remained for a year or two. Rev. Joseph Boardman supplied for a couple of years or so. The meeting house was moved back in 1902, making a much more attractive situation than before. A line of horse sheds were erected which made a great improvement in the surroundings. After Mr. Boardman left, Rev. Joseph Kimball acted as pastor for ten years and the church enjoyed a peaceful and prosperous season, and it was with the regret not only of the church but of the whole community that Mr. Kimball closed his labors. Since Mr. Kimball left the attendance has decreased, and there is not a large congregation worshiping there at the present time. The society purchased the house formerly occupied by the late Dr. Sewell Brown for a parsonage, which is still used by the society for that purpose. Since Mr. Kimball left Rev. Mr. Savage has preached up to the present, 1917.
Those who separated themselves from the town churches about the beginning of the nineteenth century called themselves Bap- tists, but they differed in many respects from those known by that name at the present time. The parish churches and minis- ters were spoken of as the Standing Order, a term which was in very general use at that time and for many years after. Those who left the parish church in Hampton Falls and formed the new society called themselves Christian Baptists, and later were known as Christians.
This denomination originated about 1800 in three places, dis- tant from, and entirely unknown to each other; in North Carolina in 1793, in Vermont in 1800, in Kentucky at about the same time. The movement started in the three places named entirely unknown to each other, and advocating nearly identical doctrine. The cause of these movements was dissatisfaction with the methods and practices of the Presbyterian and other churches from which they had come. The new movement was intended to be more liberal and progressive in its teachings than
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the old churches from which it had come. So radical was this difference that it was denounced by the old churches as not evangelical. The three movements originating in as many dif- ferent places at about the same time, and advocating nearly similar principles, were in 1804 consolidated into one denomina- tion to be known as Christians.
The creed of this new sect was the Bible which was to be their only authentic rule of faith and practice. They extended their fellowship to all Christians irrespective of creed or party. They also believed and practiced baptism by immersion. Their min- isters were called Elders. They did not believe in an educated minister, believing that those who were called to preach would receive divine inspiration which would direct them what to say and that there was little need of study. This, with great personal enthusiasm, was expected to accomplish all that was necessary and take the place of education and training, which the churches of the Standing Order had found essential to success. They did not believe in written sermons, but demanded extempore speak- ing as being much more direct and effective. The most popular preacher with the many was a rapid talker, with a loud voice, and who gesticulated in a violent manner, and brought his fists with great force upon the desk. This was the criterion of a smart preacher. A minister who lacked these qualities was distasteful. The more tempestuous his manner the better. This method was found to work satisfactorily in times of revival and excitement, but the good effects did not continue in times of quiet and when away from their associates. As one expressed it, those who were so zealous in times of awakening were often all out in haying time.
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