USA > New Hampshire > Belknap County > Sanbornton > History of Sanbornton, New Hampshire, Vol. I - Annals > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
agement for a shown the next year, May 27, 1772, in their passing : meeting-house. vote to raise $1.00 on each right " to help the inhabitants to build a meeting-honse for the public worship of God in s'd town."
Meanwhile the settlers had resolutely started, and as was natural, in the direction of a house for worship first ; one of the principal votes at their second annual town meeting, 1771, being -
"To appoint and clear a place for a meeting-house this year; to set s'd house on ye center range line, near ye main rode [thus early
Resolule vole
of the seltlers, deserting the inaccessible spot designated by the first survey's] ;
preceding. to build it by y" sale of ye pews, and according to ye plan drawn of'ye same; to put up ye frame and cover it within two year from May next, and chuse a Committee to vandue of [off] ye pews and stuff for building s'd house."
The same year no tardy respouse was given to the liberal offer of the proprietors ; for in just ten days after their vote, Aug. Their prompt response to the 8 (1771), a special meeting of the town was called by the proprietors' selectmen, at the house of Daniel Sanborn, for the sole proffered aid. purpose of considering proposals for settling a minister, - when, after mature deliberation, and in view of the proprietors' offer (see above), it was voted -
"To give Mr. Joseph Woodman a call to settle in ye gospel ministry in this Call of Mr. town." llis perquisites were to be as follows : First, "two hun- Woodman. dred dollars as a yearly sallery, - $180 in money and $20 in labor at money price, -the first two years, and after that $120 in money and $80 in labor yearly "; the selectmen to agree with Mr. Woodman each year " how ye labor above voted shall be paid." Second, "Twenty cord of good fire-wood, cut Into cord-wood length, to be hauled, yearly, to Mr. Woodman's door." Third, Mr. Woodman was to " receive, if Stipulated per- he settle in ye gospel ministry here, the vallue of 100 dollars in qaisites and labor and stuff, for to build him a house, to be paid, so much as
privileges. will set him up a house-frame, next spring, and the remainder in boards, shingle, and clapboards, in ye fall of the year following." At a sub- 5
HISTORY OF SANBORNTON.
sequent meeting, Oct. 7, It was voted that " Mr. Woodman, It he settles In the gospel ministry in this town, shall have liberty to preach old sermons when his health will not adult of his making new ones "; also, that he " shall have liberty to be absent three Sabbaths In a year, yearly, to visit his friends." " Wednesday, the 18th of November next," was appointed "for Ordinati y" day of Mr. Woodman's ordination, should he accept the call," puned. and It was voted to "send to y' Churches of Canterbury, Con- cord, Pembroke, Epplug, the first In Rowley, ye second, third, and fourth In Newbury, to assist in ye ordination."
Since the " Church Centennial," Nov. 13, 1871, a venerable thirty- six-page pamphlet, well preserved in flexible leather cov-
Au okl patu- ers, has been exhumed from the attic of one of our citizens ; phlet discov- ured. being, first, "A Sermon Preached at the Ordination of the Reverend Mr. Joseph Woodman to the Pastoral Care of the Church and Congregation in Sanbornton, in New Hampshire, Nov. 13, 1771. By Moses Hale, M. A., Pastor of the Second Church in Newbury. Salem, printed by Samuel and Ebenezer HIall, near the Exchange, MDCCLXXII." We give an extended abstract
Ordluatlon of this sermon, as useful in itself, and as affording us a Hermon by Mr. Hule. sample of ordination sermons and services more than a century ago. The sermon, after its imposing title-page, as above, occupies twenty-four pages. The text was 1 Corinthians i. 21 : -
" For after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, It pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. [Opening sentence. ] There are two points, which, of all others, undoubtedly, are most interesting and of greatest importance to mankind. The true spir- itual knowledge of the Supreme Good, And the right knowledge and appre- henslon of the way or means, by which we may come to the full
The supreme enjoyment of the Supreme Good, which must fix the soul in real good, and the meaus of eu- and compleat felicity. Now, this portion of holy Scripture will joying it. give ns light into both these Weighty conceruments. [Heads and plan of sermon, as follow. ] I. It seems evidently implied and supposed (in the text) that God is the Supreme Good for the Souls of men. Man's happiness cannot be in himself. . . . It cannot lie in the enjoyment of temporal good things "; for "they are all perishable, and our bodies are per- ishing with them. . . . That which can give happiness to the soul must be suited to its spiritual nature. . . . And this can be none but God, the glorious Author of our being and fountain of all blessedness. 1I. The great benefit proposed and aimed at in the text, in favor of mankind, is Sulcation. . . . . benefit infinitely needed by us; . . . as transgressors : - as corrupt. [Con- Irmation of experience. ] Ill. Here is plainly asserted the insufficiency of human wisdom (in its present state) to discover the true object of our hap- piness; and the way to the enjoyment of Him; that is, for our salvation. [' The world by wisdom knew not God,' historically proved : claims of the philosophers examined. ] IV. The means appointed and made use of by the infinitely wise, holy and merciful God, for the salvation of fallen, depraved, sinful men, -The foolishness of preaching. - Words used ironically by the:
67
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
apostle. [A summary of the doctrines to be preached. ] The truth as it is in Jeans. V. Who will enjoy the inestimable blessings of this great sal- vation? They that believe. [A description of gospel or saving faith.] VI. This whole affair of our salvation, by Jesus Christ, takes its rise and flows from the free, sovereign pleasure of God. - It pleased God."
After these divisions, a few things " are hinted only," for " huprovement"; and then follow "several particular addresses, agrecable to custom on such occasions : Ist, to his " reverend aud dear Brethren "; 2d, " To you, dear Sir, who will presently be Invested with the office of a minister of the gospel of Christ "; 30, "To the Church and people in this place," addressed
Advice since
faithfully tol- as " Dear Brethren and Friends," under which appears this
lowed. worthy advice, ever since well followed by the Christian people of Saubornton, of all denominations : premising, "God laith given yon a good soil, und smiled on your new beginnings, and given you a con- fortable prospect, with regard to your temporal interest; but His granting you the ministry of the gospel is a greater blessing : this respects your cter- nal interest." It is then added, "Manifest your high esteem of the pr cious gospel, and your tender regard for the eternal happiness of your precious sonls by your constant, careful and prayerful attendance on the preaching of it. . . . P'reserve nuity, peace and love amongst yourselves. Do all you can, in a proper way, to encourage the heart and strengthen the hands of your min- ister; particularly, pray carnestly for him, and take special care to protit under his ministry, and the rather, because it will be your own benefit and comfort." A "Charge," given by the Rev. Mr. Walker, of Concord, in Charge by Mr. New Hampshire, follows the sermon, upon the " Right Way of Walker. Preaching and Living for a Minister." Finally, "the Right Hand of Fellowship" was given by the Rev. Mr. Stearns of Epping, in which this language substantiutes the fact, never for years before made cer- Right lanul of tain, and only presumed upon at the " Centennial," that the church
fellowship by
Mr. Stearus. was organised on the day of Mr. Woodman's ordination. " The transuctions of the present day are abundant matter of joy and praise. . . . We have seen a church planted to-duy, in gospel order and with a gospel pastor, here in Sunborntou, but very lately a waste and howling wil- derness." And again, " Brethren of this new gathered church,
Date of the
church's organ. we have seen yon forming yourselves in to gospel order this duy, ization proved. as a Church of Christ. . . . We pray the Lord, remember you, the love of your esponsals, the kindness of your youth, who are going after lim, in the wilderness, a land that lately was not sown."
The above sermon and addresses are peculiarly rich in Scripture quotations, well applied, and printed uniformly in italics. The type throughout is remarkably clear, with the long s's (f) invariably used, except at the euds of words.
The tly-leal' of the book bears this written inscription : " Abigel Hobbs. Hir Sarmon Book ; given Ilir by Anna Samborn, febru- ary the 18th, 1773. This keep in remembrance of bir William Samborn." And again, at the foot of the same page, " Abigel Hobbs ; Ilir book ; given Hir by William Samboru, of North Hamp- ton." The interesting sequel of the above is that the young Wil-
HISTORY OF SANBORNTON.
liam and Abigail alluded to did keep each other " in remembrance"
laurantle (as his sister had desired) ; were soon afterwards married ;
moved in future years lo Sauboruton, and here lived and acquel. died, both ns the parents and grandparents of two worthy deacons and many other excellent members of the church, whose earliest history appears in the book itself! (See Genealogies, Vol. 11.)
The sole objects of special meetings, Dec. 13 and 30, 1773, was to take further measures for building and " compleating " the meeting- house. This enterprise seems to have flagged for more than two years, Mr. Woodman quietly preaching where ordained, at Daniel Sanborn's ; hence the following emphatic votes : -
"To build the m. h. on an entire new plan, viz., GO feet in length by 434 feet In wedth, and to build 36 pews below, as by s'd plan"; to New plan for building u choose a committee "to vandue off ye pews and stuff, and to Weetlug-house. balld said house as far as s'd pews will go, with y" money that y" proprietors of the town have and shull vote for s'd house." Also, that "the meeting-house shall be raised, boarded, shiugled, and y. lower flowers laid and the lower part of ye house glassed by the 1st of November, 1774; that the house shall be flulshed, so far as the pew moucy shall go towards it, by Nov. 1, 1775"; und finally, "that all the stuff for the frame shall be brought to the meeting-house green by the last of April next, und the boards, shingles, and other covering by the last of September next."
It is quite doubtful whether much assistance was afforded by the proprietors on this new plan (see page 60): The former meeting- house committee appear to have proposed these dimensions to the proprietors. who rejected them in their meeting of Nov. 17. By the first of the above votes the town confirmed the recommendation of their committee, in opposition to the proprietors !
Meanwhile, " dark and perilons times " were approaching, so that our fathers " found it simply impossible to accomplish all
Work inter- rupted by the they had marked out in the time specified." Tradition war. says they were working upon the meeting-house when the news of Bunker Hill first reached them, and that among these workmen were some who left for the scene of conflict ! The annalist of 1811 says, " Mr. Woodman preached the first sermon iu the meeting-house, May 21, 1775"; but it must have been in a rough, unfinished state, for in 1777 $50 " of ye money in ye selectmen's hands" is voted "to be laid out on ye meeting-house this year," and it was never used for town purposes till the first of Jaun- Various voles respecting the house.
ary following ; while in March, 1780, " 18,000 clapboard nails and 200 squares of glass for ye meeting-house" was the order ; two years later, voted " to get thirteen thousand of clap- board nails and one hundred feet of glass; also 2,000 shingle tens and 1,000 double tens "; and June 23, 1783, the constable having
-
.
69
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
warned a meeting " relative to settling some disputes that have arisen concerning some of je pews in the meeting-house," it was " voted to leve au ally of two feet and four inches wide between ye fore seat and y" pews, and that there shall be a seat for children in s'd ally adjoining to s'd fore seat" ! Finally, Sept. 4 (same year), " voted to fiuish y. Gallery in y" meeting-house " ; chose Capt. Aaron Sanborn, Lieut. William Chase, and Eus. Elijah True " to vendue of [off ] y" pews in said gallery, and stuff for said pews, and y work to finish yt same"; also " voted to build seven pews at each end of said gallery and six pews on ye fore side, to be equally divided as to length, and to be 5 feet wide within boards": with John Johnson, Benjamin Sanborn, and Ens. Nath'l Grant " to examine the work when done." Not till 1785 and 1786 was the definite action taken which resulted iu the " finishing of yo pulpit by ye money raised for yo pews," with Ensigns Elijah True and Nath'l Grant and Lieut. William
Completed in
1789. Chase committee for the same; and not till March 31, 1789, did the town vote to lath and plaster the meeting- house, with the selectmen as committee.
Returning to the sixth annual meeting, 1775, from which to trace the town's care of the parsonage laud and of their first minister : Then voted that " the selectinen sell 100 acres of the Parsonage Land, at ye North end of the great Lott, to some able man that will settle on it soon "; and in 1777 they were authorized to use the money thus received " for purchasing 100 acres or less as another parsonage." At the seventh March meeting (1776) the Parsonage land and care of selectmen were ordered "to give notice of three times,
lirat minister. two days at a time, for y' people in this town to come and work out Mr. Woodman's eighty dollar rate," and further, " to consider the same, state the price of labor in paying it," etc. ; being the object of the meeting Jan. 1, 1778, it was then voted .. to pay said rate for ye year past, as usual, in falling aud cutting up, by the first of April next," which probably refers to the clearing of his land, - perhaps also to the procuring of his fire-wood. But finally, at the March meeting that year, it was " voted to pay Mr. Woodman's 80 dollar rate in labor, at three shillings per day, and find ourselves, so long as he remains our minister." Mr. Woodman signed his accept- ance to that vote on the town records. The town did not see fit to exempt " y" Rev. Joseph Woodman's apper farm" or " great lot" from taxation, their vote being that it " shall be rated." But in 1781, when the country was reduced ahnost to poverty by the depreciation of the paper currency, and many other causes, his zeal for the com- mon cause indneed him to make proposals to the town virtually to give in, for that year and during the war, one half of his money salary, as appears from the following transaction : -
70
HISTORY OF SANBORNTON.
." March 25, 1781, Dean Nailulet Tlhon and James Cute were chosen a Com. 10 walt on yv Rev. Joseph Woodioan, and Invite lihu to ye meeting house, to make his proposals for settlement as to his sallery, which are as followeth, belug thus accepted by the Town : Ist, what is due to me for ye fourth aml ifth years of my ministry which was before Mialater'a
salary ubd the currenty de-
se depreclation of ye money, I shall expect to be mile good. ed, what I have recelved sluce y' depreciation of yo money, l ask no consideration for ye depreciation of it, but am willing to give h to ye town. Sd, with respect to ye last year, I am willing to give In Go dollars, which is yy one half, If y' town will make good ye other half, and continue to do so during ye war; or to pay my equal proportion, whichever ye town may choose. And to prevent tinure ditlienlly, It shall be left with ye Select Inten, yearly, to agree with ine what sum shall be sntlicient to make good ye co dollars, at ye thue when it shall be pald."
In 1786 it was agreed with Mr. Woodman, according to town vote, that his wood rate should be " added to y" $120 rate," and that the selectmen should " vendue of[r] ye wood to y' lowest bidder, two cord at a bid." Four new pews were ordered for the meeting-house in 1787, two at the west end of the men's seats, lower floor, and two at east end of the women's seats ; each about six feet square. April 5, 1790, " Voted, James Sauborn to keep key of the meeting-house, and to sweep s'd house at one dollar per year."
An act of intolerance must be noted for " April 25, 1791," a special town meeting being called at that date, ou petition, "to see if town will let the Baptist Society have liberty to set a meeting-house on the range near ye main road, between ye Rev. Joseph Wood- -Act of iulol- man's upper farm and Mr. Edward Kelley's land. . . . Past erauce. in je negative." This was the beginning of a controversy that lasted more than ten years ; in reference to which some remarks headed " Religious Societies," among the mannscripts of the earlier annalist, may here be introduced : -
" By the conditions of the original grant, it has been found that Sanbornton as a town was under obligation to build a meeting-house in ten I.ong culdro. verey begun. years, and support a minister of the gospel after twelve years from the time of making said grant. It does not appear that the grantees intended to couline or limit this requirement to any one particu- lar sect or denomination of Christians, but that they were actuated by a laadable zeal to introduce into the new settlement the benellts of religious instruction. It is not improbable, however, that the grantors had in view the establishment of the seet which was composed, at that time, of the most numerous as well as the most influential portion of the community. In fact, there could not have been any other intention among them. as tiere was scarcely any diversity of sentiment on subjects of religion among Views ein- certy hekt by the l'aritan Fathers who first settled in New England. The first
graators and seltlers, likewise, who counmenced in this town were of one lirel sutiler's. mind and one heart " [ tims far only the manuscript], -
71
ECCLESIASTICAL IHISTORY.
Were very decided in their religious views (as the writer might have proceeded to say) ; and this, with the spirit of the times, may account for their seeming intolerance in dealing with other denominations. as in the preceding and future transactions. That they believed they were right appears from the following : " March 10, 1795, voted to sell the Personage, if it can be done legally, and chose Nathan Taylor, Esq., Jonathan Chase, and Josiah Emery, Esq., as an investigating Committee," who, at the next meeting, April 7, recommended " fur- ther inquiry "; whereupon William Harper, Esq., " was chosen agent to lay a copy of the records before our attorney and take Legal decision his advice in writing respecting the personage." Agent respecting the
parsonage land. reported, May 26, that according to Mr. Bradbury's opinion, "The income of the Personage belongs to Mr. Woodman."*
Further proceedings were postponed; and accordingly, April 4, 1796, reconsidered the vote of the previous year " to sell the l'er- sonage," and chose a committee " to see thut no wood is cut upon it," consisting of Joseph Huse, Nathan Taylor, Esq., Mr. Ward, Lieut. Jere. Calef, and Mr. Jonathan Chase. Yet the town liberally voted, at the same time, " to clear the Baptist Society Baptist Society from any tax for repairing the town meeting-house." cleared from though raising money " to underpin and shingle said luceting-house
tax.
house, and to paint the Rough [roof ] also," Willian Durgin, Capt. Benjamin Colby, and Capt. Tilton being a committee for these repairs. At same meeting, voted to give Mr. Woodman " liberty of entting 20 cord of wood, yearly, ou the Personage," - denying the like privilege to all others !
At the annual meeting of 1797, when the article for raising money to support the ministry " by an equality throughout the Town " finally came up and was passed, the following dissent was made known at same date, March 15 : -
* CAPT. JESSE SANBORN'S TESTIMONY. - The following were the expressions, substantially, of one of the most intelligent citizens of Sanboruton upon this subject ( Capt. Jesse Sanborn): "It was undoubtedly the design of the proprietors of San- bornton that the 'parsonage land,' so-called, should go for the support of a Congre- gational minister ; and hence a large majority of the citizens, for many years, were sincere in their convictions that the avails of said land should not be applied for the benefit of the clergymen of any other denomination ; not that they were necessarily uncharitable towards others, but they simply wished to have the original purpose of the proprietors carried out. This they regarded as a sacred duty, and they would have felt it to be farthest from the designs of the proprietors - an entire perversion of the same - that money arising from the sale of the parsonage lauds should ever go out of town for the support of other denominations."
72
HISTORY OF SANBORNTON.
" We, the undersigned, do hereby make known our Disseut to the Vote
Dlesent to the respecting raising money by an equality thro' the Town, for
" equality " the support of the mlulstry, und request that It may be entered
vole. on the Records of the Meeting." (Signed) "George C. Ward, Julin Colby, Jun., James Roberson, Jun., Nathanlel Burley, Jun., Taylor Clark, George Whiteher, Ebenezer Colby, Moses Dalton, Benjamin Smith."
"June 20, 1797, Town voted to clapboard and paint the inecting- house this year, and underpin the back side," Capt. Colby, Capt. Tilton, and Lient. Grant, committee for this work, being authorized " to leave on a part of the clapboards if they think best" ; from which it is evident that the house bad been clapboarded once before. The article in warrant " to see if the town will build a steeple and porch the present season " passed in the negative, and those appendages were never built. " May 7, 1799, Voted to sell the singing pews ou the lower floore, in the Town meeting-house, and build a singing pew Meeting-hoo10 in the Gallery, using the front seats in the Gallery for that further im- purpose " (as in most houses of the next half-century), proved. with Jeremiah Tilton, Lieut. Grant, and Bradstreet Moody committee for the business.
" March 18, 1802. Voted to tax the Baptist Soc. in a minister rate, on the same footing as Rev. Mr. Woodman's society," against which William Weeks, Simeon Ilaines, and Nathaniel Burley, Jun., entered their dissent (same vote passed in 1803, without protest). Town still refused to have the parsonage land divided between the Baptists and Rev. Mr. Woodman's society, and took measures to prevent cutting wood and other damages on the same. Yet voted, in Baptist Soclety 1803, " that Coffin Sanborn and others may be incor-
may be incor- porated as a ' Baptist Society' in this town, and that our porated. Representative forward s'd vote to the General Court," still choosing an agent, John A. Harper, " to take care of the Parsonage, aud prosecute persons committing trespass thereon."
Nov. 7, 1803, town held a special meeting to "see if a sum of
Supplying Mr. money should be raised to hire a man to supply the Rev. Woodman's Mr. Woodman's place in the Desk for a certain time " plucu. (with the express provision that no person who has been exempted from paying a tax in Mr. Woodman's society should be called upon) ; voted " to raise $100" for that purpose, with Dea. Samuel Lane, Israel Adams, and Col. Wm. Taylor to appropriate said money, - Jona. Cass and Noah Smith entering their dissent in open meeting. March, 1805, voted that the town collectors collect the minister tax in the Baptist Society, " if they shall pass a vote to accept them as collectors."
At a special meeting called for the purpose, Dee. 2, 1805, chose
73
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Dr. Samuel Gerrish, Dca. Samuel Lane, and Bradstreet Moody a committee to wait on Rev. Mr. Woodman to receive proposals for a settlement of the contract between him and the town. Committee proceeded in their business, and returned with the following from Mr. Woodman : -
" Friends and Brethren : An all-wise, holy and sovereign God, in whose hands our times are, was pleased more than two years since to I'Iral commu. mication from visit me with the epidemic sickness which that season pre- Mr. Woudquan. vailed among us. This was succeeded by billious and rheumatic complaints from which I am not fully recovered, but still remain in an infirin and debilltated state, so that I am not able, nt present, to attend to all the duties of the ministerial office at all seasons. Under this token of God's righteous displeasure, we have great cause to humble ourselves before God for our ingratitude, unfruitfulness and manifold sins and provoca- tlons, and to seek his pardonlng mercy and his sanetifying, henting, quickening and comforting grace through Jesus Christ. And especially does this, together with the sore bereavement with which God was pleased just before to visit myself and family, afford me, In particular, abundant canse for derp humilia- tion and repentance, and humble Inquiry wherefore God thus contendeth with me. And while they give ine a claim to your candor, your sympathy and com- passlon, I earnestly request the prayers of all who have an interest at the throne of grace that God would sanctify those heavy and long-continued afflic- tions, support me under them and grant an happy issue of them In His own time. Under present circumstances you have thought It expedient to call a Town Meeting to consult whit measures are suitable to be taken, and particularly to treat with me for an accommodation in respect to my contract with the Town. This, my friends, is a subject delicate In its nature, und in its collse- quenees may be highly important to the peace and happiness of the Town, aml to the interests of religion among us. It will, therefore, be highly Important in attending to this subject that on both sides we labor to dlvest ourselves of all selfishness, bitterness, prejudice and prepossession, and to put on a spirit of love, meekness, and mutual condescension and forbearance : to judge and act with eandor, moderation and discretion : to let reason and equity, and not selfishness, passion or selfwill guide us: to look, not every man at his own things; but every man, also, at the things of others. For my own part, I have thought much on the subject. It has lain with weight npon my mind ; and sensible of my own imperfection and liableness to be blinded and misled by self-interest and personal considerations, I have emleavored to obtain all the light and information in my power, from those who are impartial and disin- terested ; and have the satisfaction to find my own opinion fully approved by their judgment. In order that you may have a just and correct view of the subject upon which you are about to aet, I will take the liberty to Ilin views of make some observations on the nature of the contract subsist-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.