USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Northfield > History of Northfield, New Hampshire 1780-1905: In Two Parts with Many Biographical Sketches and. > Part 4
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In June, 1796, he was ordained pastor of the Free Baptist Church and entered upon a useful pastorate of 35 years.
In 1798 he baptized 30 in Canterbury and in 1800 a remarkable religious interest sprang up in New Hampton, chiefly through his labors. Here he organized a church of 64 members and for eight months the work continued until 114 had been baptized and added to the church.
Besides his regular duties at home, he held meetings regularly at the Oak Hill schoolhouse and Mr. Piper's barn. June, 1824, was a revival season and many converts were baptized by him in the river. He was often assisted by the Rev. John Harriman and, still later, by the Rev. Joseph Harper, M. D., and Elders Jere- miah and Joseph Clough, all of whom were ordained the same day in Canterbury.
Elder Young established a church at the Oak Hill schoolhouse and a Sabbath School, which was maintained for many years. Many of the new comers to that region were Methodists and when the brick meeting-house was built, it proved more attractive than the unpretentious schoolroom and many were attracted to it and interest in the little society declined.
Soon after the Adventists and Methodists held services in groves and private houses during the summer months and the Sunday School was very regularly maintained. In 1822, at the age of 70, he was still in the work and baptized a number at Northfield in 1832. After a long life, spent in loving service for the Master, he passed suddenly into the higher life on Jan- uary 6, 1832. Still the good cause did not languish. The Sun-
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day School flourished and meetings were held in suitable weather in Thomas Chase's grove, as the schoolhouse proved inadequate.
Rev. John Chamberlain reorganized this church in 1858 and, under his care, it reached a membership of 40. (See por- trait and sketch.) He was ordained July 4 in the woods by the Rev. J. B. Davis. A wonderful story is told by many partici- pants in that service, numbering some 1,500 people, of a won- derful instance of immediate answer to prayer.
During the afternoon a shower developed in the west, increas- ing to alarming proportions. The crowd grew restless, as there was no shelter, and soon became greatly alarmed, as the storm was accompanied with deafening thunder. It crossed the river and the sound of the big drops rattled in the neighboring tree tops.
Coming to the front of the platform, Mr. Chamberlain knelt with his face to the coming storm and never was a more fervent appeal made to "Him who holds the winds and waters in his hand," than was there uttered.
Suddenly, as the great drops came nearer, a sharp gust of wind turned the edges of the cloud aside and the storm passed to the North without a drop having fallen on the crowd. The effect was instant and a season of thanksgiving followed. Many of those present call it a miracle to this day.
After Mr. Chamberlain's departure to other fields of labor, the Belknap Quarterly Meeting Association supplied preaching for one year, thus making the supply constant for a dozen years.
From 1872 to 1883 Elders Higgins of Canterbury, Prescott and Hadley of Franklin, Rev. John Fogg and others, students. from the New Hampshire Conference Seminary, furnished a con- stant supply.
Mrs. James Thompson and Willie Keniston were active in reorganizing the Sunday School in 1875, and Moses Batchelder served as its superintendent until his death. The old library was enlarged, an organ secured, and, on the completion of Union Church, moved to its present location and is still in a flourish- ing condition.
The Baptist Church is now, as then, the only organization in that part of the town and holds its services regularly and has largely, with the Methodists, conducted the Sunday School.
REV. JOHN CHAMBERLAIN. .
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Dea. Charles H. Ayers (see portrait and sketch) was for many years its most faithful member and generous supporter.
REV. JOHN CHAMBERLAIN. BY REV. FREDERICK L. WILEY. (See portrait.)
"To be well born is better than to be born rich." Then, in the town of Loudon, state of New Hampshire, on the 27th of November, in the year of our Lord 1821, John Chamberlain entered into a goodly heri- tage. His ancestry on both sides reach back through clearly marked lines to the colonial settlers of Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. They bore. an honorable record in the affairs of both church and state.
They were mostly sturdy farmers, but among them were representa- tives of all useful industries and professions. There were college men, doctors, clergymen, lawyers and statesmen. They were very patriotic and were active, both as soldiers and officers in all the historic wars for the establishment and defence of the American nation.
John was the second of seven children born to Dea. John Abbott and Polly Clough Chamberlain. Judge Sylvester Dana, law partner of former president Franklin Pierce, in his memorial of Deacon Cham- berlain, spoke of him as: "An honest man in whom there was no guile; an intelligent man of sound judgment, who readily perceived both truth and error; a fearless man who dared sustain the right, however unpopular." These, with other sterling characteristics, were transmitted to the subject of this sketch and to his children.
The education which John was able to glean from the district school was supplemented by courses at Pembroke Academy and New Hamp- ton Institution. He was an omnivorous reader, had a tenacious mem- ory and was a close observer of current events. The Free Baptist Church, the church of his parents, the church of his early religious associations, was the church of which he became a member at con- version. A long and severe struggle respecting his duty to preach the Lord's gospel eventuated in his ordination on July 4, 1858. The services were held in a beautiful grove near the Oak Hill school- house in Northfield and were witnessed by more than 1,500 people.
The year following his ordination, Mr. Chamberlain traveled, as an evangelist, about 5,000 miles and preached on an average one sermon for each day. Near the close of 1859 he organized a church in Penacook, over which he settled; but when the national war broke out nearly all the male members followed him to the front and the church be- came extinct. His war record was unique and brilliant. He acted. under a special commission from Governor Berry to care for the sick and wounded soldiers of New Hampshire. In this capacity he was not only a great help to disabled soldiers, but saved the state much treas- ure.
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Among the pastorates held by Mr. Chamberlain were those at Pena- cook, Canterbury, Meredith Center, Meredith Oak Hill, Lisbon, Stark; Lower Gilmanton, West Salisbury, Canterbury Center and Northfield. From 1881 to 1890 he was chaplain of Merrimack County Almshouse where, in addition to general good work, he organized a Sunday School and established a library.
Mr. Chamberlain had, to some extent, a poetic gift and composed several hymns which were copied into popular collections. These he sang with marked effect, notably "The Gospel Train." He was also gifted in prayer and used these, with other endowments, to profit in his evangelistic work. His sermons were well arranged, copiously illus- trated and were generally delivered with much pathos.
His strong individuality made him seem to some a bit eccentric in methods and manners. But he was abundant in good works along all ordinary lines of ministerial effort and he did a work for humanity that but few of his brethren were furnished by nature and grace to accomplish. Exact statistics could not be found among his papers, but it is known that he officiated at a large number of weddings and funerals; that he baptized hundreds of converts and that scores of souls, converted under his evangelistic efforts, were gathered to church membership by other pastors.
With the dawn of January 1, 1893, the liberated soul of John Cham- berlain went out from its Northfield home and up to that city "whose builder and maker is God." After an impressive funeral service at the Northfield church, sustained by the Revs. J. Erskine, Lewis Mal. vern, Irving W. Coombs and Frederick L. Wiley, and the Masonic fraternity, the remains were borne to Bedford, N. H., for interment.
On the 9th of May, 1848, Mr. Chamberlain was married to Amanda M. Johnson, who bequeathed him three children. Charles Judson is a prosperous citizen of Ponkapog, Mass; Mary C., now Mrs. Henry A. Aldrich, lives at Cambridge, Mass .; and Nellie B., now Mrs. William W. Darrah, resides at Dedham, Mass. These are all sur- rounded by happy families of their own. This wife and mother was called to her celestial reward July 22, 1867. Her successor, Irena Bachelder, was inducted into the family by marriage September 29, 1868, and presided over the household till its disruption by death. By a recent marriage she is now Mrs. Charles C. Noyes of Concord.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. BY REV. D. C. KNOWLES, D. D.
In the spring of 1804 two Methodist preachers, Caleb Dustin and Lewis Bates, were appointed to the Bridgewater circuit.
As they rode through the town of Northfield, they were im- pressed with the beauty of its hills and felt that "God ought to have a work in this region for them."
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ECCLESIASTICAL.
They told the people they met who they were and that they would gladly hold religious services if they were desired and if any one would open his house and circulate the information.
Deacon Jonathan Clough, a Baptist residing on Bay Hill, responded to their request and invited them to preach in his home. The house is still in existence, having been occupied through the century just closed by the descendants of the family, and being very recently sold by the widow of Wm. H. Clough.
Rev. Lewis Bates, grandfather of ex-Governor Bates of Massa- chusetts, accepted the invitation and preached a sermon from the text, "I was a stranger and ye took me in." The people were deeply interested in the discourse of this faithful itinerant and requested further services, and Joseph Knowles, residing on Bay Hill nearby, offered his home for a second service, which was held two weeks later, Caleb Dustin preaching the sermon. A regular appointment was made for a meeting every two weeks.
At one of these services, shortly after their beginning, the people were deeply moved by the earnest appeals of the preacher and several were converted. A class, consisting of Joseph Knowles and wife, Josiah Ambrose and wife, and four sisters, Susanna, Sarah, Hannah and Eunice Morse, was formed. Others were quickly added, among whom were Alice Glidden, Lottie Ellison, the mother of Benjamin F. Butler, and Mrs. Polly Wad- leigh Fullerton, later Mrs. Capt. Isaac Glines, mother of Mrs. William Clough, and thus was formed the nucleus of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church of Northfield and Tilton.
In 1805 Martin Ruter visited Northfield and baptized nine persons in the pond on Bay Hill, and in the spring of 1806 he was appointed by Bishop Hedding at the conference held in Ca- naan, the first regular pastor of the church, which had been or- ganized with a membership of 31 persons.
A parsonage was built for him on Bay Hill, the foundations of which are still visible. By vote of the town he was permitted to cut wood from the parsonage lot for his own fire, "provided he leaves the fences in good order."
The Methodists were also permitted to occupy occasionally the Union Church, now located on the Grange Fair ground, but some, not relishing their teachings, a discussion arose and the itinerants were content to make use of schoolhouses, private
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HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD.
dwellings and barns for their services, until in due time a brick church was built for their exclusive use, which is now the town hall of Northfield.
The church grew with amazing rapidity from conversions and the influx of new settlers. Among the latter was Chase Wyatt, an ardent Methodist from Sandown, whose descendants are still prominent factors in the church and community. The ministers were not embarrassed for lack of a church in which to preach, as they were equally at home in barns or forests. Their message of salvation was as large as space and they longed to have the whole world hear it. It is said that Lewis Bates once preached in the grove of Chase Wyatt and that his stentorian voice could be heard a mile away on Bay Hill.
In 1814 Joseph Knowles, the first member and class leader, died in great triumph. At that time the membership had in- creased to 158 and their unity, zeal and faith had impressed the whole community. They exercised boundless hospitality toward one another and many homes were headquarters for the itiner- ants and the Methodists of surrounding charges. Quarterly meet- ings were great events in their spiritual experiences and not in- frequently they gathered from far and near to enjoy their "love feasts" and to listen to their chief ministers. This unity and brotherliness impressed the people and the remark was not un- common, "See how these Christians love one another."
In 1828, the new church edifice, now the Northfield town house, was erected and dedicated as a place of worship.
In 1835 a parsonage was purchased and it is still used for that purpose.
In 1841, Josiah Ambrose, one of the earliest and most influ- ential members, died. He was universally respected and loved for his solid worth, gentlemanly bearing and modest manliness. He had been for many years a teacher in the community and had won the love of his pupils.
In 1856 the present house of worship, located in Tilton, was erected. The opposition to the transfer of the church home to another town was not serious and the inhabitants of Northfield soon accepted the change as for the best interests of the whole.
A long list of pastors served the church through the century. At first they changed every year, and, later, every two or three years, but at the present time they are privileged to remain
NORTHFIELD TOWN HALL.
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ECCLESIASTICAL.
during efficiency or until called away by the exigencies of the work.
Of some of the 63 who so faithfully and ably filled the desk in the brick church and later in the adjoining town, it will be my duty to speak in this place.
This church celebrated its 100th anniversary in June, 1905, and from the able historical address of Rev. J. W. Adams I take, in part, the following regarding some of its best known preachers, who resided in Northfield :
REV. MARTIN RUTER.
Northfield was first recognized as one of the stations of the Metho- dist Conference in 1805 and Mr. Ruter was the first supply sent.
The town records say that there was dissent from his doctrine by Gideon Sawyer and Jesse Cross and that soon after he and his fol- lowers abandoned the meeting-house, which they used alternately with other denominations, and held services at the Bay Hill school- house and in William Knowles' barn. Their converts were baptized in Chestnut Pond. He baptized the first nine members whose names
are given elsewhere. Dr. Adams, in his historical address at the Cen- tennial anniversary, says he was born at Charlestown, Mass., April 3, 1785. He joined the New York Conference in 1801. He remained in Northfield for several years. Three children were born here. Sybil, the second daughter, was born July 15, 1810. He taught the Bay Hill school and had the superintendency of the others in 1809. He was presiding elder with his home here and represented the town in the. Legislature of 1811. He became a learned man and was principal of Newmarket Academy and Augusta, Ga., College until 1833. From 1834 to 1837 he was president of Alleghany College. Mr. Adams says "he was a man of a generous nature and of great natural abilities and that he bore the title of D. D." He died in Texas. May 16, 1838, having gone there to preach to the destitute.
REV. LEWIS BATES.
Rev. Lewis Bates came to the New England Conference in 1806. He was born in 1780 and was a preacher while Mr. Ruter was presiding elder. Mr. Bates was a fine pulpit orator and often held services in the open air. His voice, Mr. Adams says, was "like the blast of an arch- angel's trumpet" and could be heard for long distances. He was a. holy man and many converts followed his ministry.
These were the two men of spiritual might whose voices first heralded the new evangel in Northfield.
REV. WILLIAM D. CASS.
Mr. Cass is not enrolled as a regular supply but is entitled to a. place in Northfield history, as his wife was of the Knowles family, and
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HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD.
still more for his great interest and labors in securing the Seminary for our town. He was a powerful man in whatever he undertook. He was a resident of Northfield in 1827 when the erection of the brick church was undertaken and mainly through his energy and push it was carried to completion and dedicated September 1, 1826.
REV. GEORGE STORRS.
Mr. Storrs, who filled the charge in 1829, was a man of great ability and Christian zeal. He had a great following and there were many converts. He was a powerful antislavery speaker and, attempting to deliver a lecture in the brick church, December 14, 1835, was dragged from his knees while in prayer, taken from the church and arrested as an idler and vagrant, going, a disorderly person, from place to place, etc. A hearing was held next day and he was acquitted, only to receive similar treatment at Pittsfield and elsewhere. A printed circular concerning the trial is still preserved. Judge. Atkinson was the jus- tice and Dr. Hoyt one of the chief witnesses. (See Greeley's History of the Great Rebellion.)
REV. SILAS QUIMBY.
Mr. Quimby was preacher for the year 1855, which will be remen- bered as the beginning of the enterprise which took from us the only remaining church.
The feeling against its removal was, however, not of long duration, as recorded elsewhere, and the church, although outside our borders, has for more than a half century entered largely into the spiritual life of the town.
These are but a few of the 62 devoted men who served the de- nomination in Northfield, the pioneers in point of time or the leaders in great emergencies, and who were residents here.
NORTHFIELD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Early in the spring of 1822 there was an organization formed, called "The First Religious Society of Northfield," and $150 was raised for preaching, but there are no records to show what denominations were included or how long the organization ex- isted in Northfield.
In July of the same year the Rev. Abraham Bodwell of San- bornton, the Rev. Dr. Woods of Boscawen and the Rev. Asa McFarland of Concord were invited to consult with those who were desirous of forming a Congregational Church. After much deliberation it seemed advisable and an organization was
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ECCLESIASTICAL.
effected on July 18, 1822. There were 16 original members, namely :
Elias Abbott and wife, Elizabeth;
Obadiah Hall and wife, Hannah;
Obadiah Hall, Jr., and wife, Hannah;
Susanna Hancock;
Jeremiah Hall;
Robert Forrest and wife, Sarah;
Ebenezer Morrison and wife, Anna;
Mrs. Betsey Brown;
Sally Dearborn;
Dr. Enos Hoyt;
Abagail Abbott.
Dr. Wood preached the sermon and administered the sacrament on that occasion.
Elias Abbott was chosen deacon and, a little later, Jeremiah Hall was similarly honored.
Within a year the membership was increased by six and a weekly prayer-meeting established, which has continued regu- larly to the present time. During the 14 years following, 90 were added to its membership.
They worshiped at the meeting-house when other denomina- tions were not using it. Often they met at the Centre school- house; sometimes at Bay Hill and, later, at the academy at Sanbornton Bridge.
The farmers, it was claimed, could more easily go to the vil- lage, which was fast increasing in population, than the village people could go a mile on foot to the old meeting-house; so that when a new house of worship was anticipated its location was easily decided, and public worship was held in the old academy thereafter.
A prominent citizen of Sanbornton Bridge, who did not sym- pathize with the antislavery movement, then coming to the front, offered a site free of cost provided the subject of Ameri- can slavery be forever excluded from its pulpit.
There was not, however, any trouble in securing a site. Three small tracts were purchased, one given and the present site unanimously agreed upon.
Four prominent men, Dr. Hoyt, William Follansby, Robert
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HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD.
Gray and Esq. Samuel Tilton, agreed to furnish one third of the cost and take their pay in pews. Others pledged themselves to purchase and the work was begun in May, 1838, by a force of workmen from Hopkinton.
Pastor and people gathered among the timbers at the laying of the corner stone. Rev. Enoch Corser offered prayer. A choir, consisting of Deacon Hall, Hazen Cross, Dr. Hoyt, Miss Eliza Hall and Miss Sarah Tilton, rendered appropriate music. Five months later the pews were sold, the building paid for and dedicated free of debt. The whole cost, including fur- nishings, bell, etc., was $3,500. The bell, the only one for miles around, was furnished by the Ladies' Circle.
Does my duty as historian stop here? Far from it. This church has been all through the subsequent years as much-nay more-a factor in the spiritual and social life of Northfield than when that handful of 16 original members gathered around the Lord's table for their first communion.
It now took the name of "The Northfield and Sanbornton Bridge Congregational Church."
In 1867 the building was raised and an under story put in. This improvement furnished a vestry and pastor's room, with stairs leading to the pulpit. A kitchen was also added. Mr. Bradbury T. Brown gratuitously furnished the lumber and Jeremiah C. Tilton had charge of the work.
The gallery was rebuilt in 1882 and the organ placed behind the desk, new seats provided and the room frescoed. It was further improved in 1887 and the seating capacity greatly en- larged. The memorial room, fitted up by the late Selwin Pea- body in memory of his devoted wife, was dedicated January 20, 1888.
The church is now provided with modern improvements, in all of which the Northfield members have generously done their share. Of the 13 who have filled the office of deacon, 10 have been residents of Northfield, as were all the charter members of the church and 12 of the 20 Sunday School superintendents.
Of the many bequests, those coming from Northfield friends have been in excess of those from others. Of the seven godly, earnest men, who have told the "old, old story" from this desk, four have dwelt within our borders and will be noticed herewith.
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ECCLESIASTICAL.
Only when the books are opened in the clearer vision of Heaven shall we be able to trace the dim lines and read how God's provi- dence and grace have followed weak, human efforts and suppli- cations.
REV. LIBA CONANT.
Rev. John Turner was the first Congregational minister to preach in the old meeting-house and was followed by the Revs. Jotham and Samuel Sewall.
Rev. Mr. Page of Salisbury fills the record until the coming of Rev. Liba Conant, when the church was organized in 1822. He was or- dained May 29 1823.
He is characterized by one, who long sat under his preaching, as "a small man with soft voice and gentle manners, one of the few of whom the world is not worthy." He was a graduate of Brown Uni- versity and this was his first charge. His salary was meager and his father, liking the arrangement, came to reside with him to assist in his support.
He was especially happy in his marriage service and his house was the scene of numberless weddings. The temperance reform began during his pastorate and was, as elsewhere, the occasion of opposition and bitterness of feeling. The church passed a resolve "that no one be received as a member who trafficks in or manufactures ardent spirits and any member who begins to sell'shall be disciplined." Mr. Conant and his family were greatly endeared to his people.
Only seven came to the Lord's table at his first communion. At the last one there were 106. He retired in 1836, after 14 years of ser- vice.
Hazel Lucas followed with one year's service and then came that strong, blunt, eloquent and thoroughly devoted man,
REV. ENOCH CORSER.
He was a graduate of Middlebury College in 1811. He had preached in Loudon 20 years and delighted especially to teach the fundamental doctrines of his belief.
His sermons were models of method, running always to fifthly and sixthly, and his deductions also ran through divisions and subdivisions to lastly and finally. He had a powerful voice and tremendous muscle, which he sometimes used on the desk and Bible in his passages of intense fervor. Sometimes he marshaled all his powers of invective against the wrong and his attacks were nothing short of storm and siege. It was during his pastorate that the church occupied its new house at Sanbornton Bridge.
October 29, 1840, he informed his congregation that, whereas the members of the society had property worth $42,000, he could not con- tinue to preach longer for $350. He retired and died at Boscawen,
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