USA > New Hampshire > Carroll County > Wolfeborough > History of Wolfeborough (New Hampshire) > Part 23
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While your heart is engaged in the work of the ministry, and you desire to do good in the world, you will continue to make such further improvements in useful knowledge as you are able. You will improve much time in your study, in searching the scriptures, in devotion, and in praying for your people. You will likewise improve every opportunity to converse with them upon religion and the great concerns of the world to come. And like your great Lord and master, you will go about con- tinually doing good, both to the bodies and to the souls of men. And you will never fail to implore the influences of the holy spirit to direct you in your studies, to aid you in your preaching and every other duty. Thus will you be enabled to understand the scriptures and find your duty both agreeable and delightful. And under the divine aid you will "shew yourself approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." You will come forth as a burning and shining light, being heartily engaged in the cause of re- ligion; your light will shine before men, that they seeing your warm attachment to your Lord, and desire for the good of men, will glorify your Saviour and Redeemer.
The charge that you are about to take upon you, I doubt not, at this time, notwithstanding the aid you expect to receive from above, presses exceeding heavy upon your mind. It is the greatest, in its nature and importance, ever laid upon man; it is so great indeed, that I am sensible that you must receive it with a trembling heart. Your thoughts naturally fly at once through all the broad field of duty you have to pass; and from thence to the great retribution day, when you and all the people of your charge shall appear before the bar of God., And O, what a heart-melting consideration is this! ! How affecting the thought that you and your people shall there stand acquited or condemned, ac- cording as you preach and they hear the word dispensed by you here on earth. Let not such thoughts intirely sink, but teach you care and caution, and stimulate you to an ardent zeal finally to be approved by your decisive judge. And "be thou faithful unto the death," saith the great Amen, the faithful and true witness, "and I will give thee a crown of life."
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My attention is now of course turned to the church and congregation in this town:
My beloved brethren;
We most heartily congratulate you upon the prospect of having a gospel minister settled with you. You will I doubt not, receive as a peculiar smile of providence; a blessing to which no earthly comforts can be compared. Behold, then the man, whom you have chosen to be your guide. Behold him now, in the most solemn manner, devoting him- self to you and your service. We rejoice that you have made choice of a man so well calculated to serve you as a minister of Christ. We trust that he will be faithful to his blessed Lord and master, and to you. Receive him then, as a precious gift of our glorious Redeemer; a gift, which he bequeathed to you when he left this world to go to the father. Attend to his counsels also, as the messages of God to you for good: And should he at any time deliver such sentiments as you do not under- stand, examine them with care; and never reject them without the most mature deliberation. The more you attend to the word of truth, the better able you will be to judge for yourselves, and the greater degree of candor you will be able to exercise towards your minister. And when he preaches the truths of the gospel, you will receive them, "not as the word of man, but as they are indeed the word of God.
You have discovered your regard to the gospel, at least in some good measure, by your present exertions. We trust that you consider it as an invaluable treasure. But you are to remember, that you even now, as far as relates to your minister, have this treasure in an earthern vessel; a vessel liable to be broken; and which requires care and attention in the usage. You will then never treat him with violence, nor expect greater services from him than he is able to perform. And while he is faithful to his charge, you will esteem him as an ambassador of Christ. You will pray that the spirit of God may attend, assist, strengthen, and support him. And you will likewise pray, that all his labours may be crowned with success, may have a salutary impression upon your hearts, and direct you in the way of life and happiness.
And may he who walketh amidst the golden candlesticks, who hold- eth the stars in his own right hand, give him wisdom to dispense, and you grace to improve the word of truth. May you live together in peace and harmony here on earth, and finally be prepared to dwell together forever in heaven.
In taking leave of this sacred desk, my last addresses are in a few words, to this respectable assembly.
My beloved friends;
You have all heard the duty of a minister of Christ. And if you have not been deficient in duty to yourselves, you have by this time in many respects learned your own. You are sensible that the great end of his commission is to bring men to be reconciled to God. This then is a duty
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to which you are particularly to attend. And in conformity to it, you will treat the ministers of Christ as his ambassadors, the sacred gospel as the word of reconciliation, and make this the invariable rule of your faith and obedience. Let me enjoin it upon you therefore, that you carefully hear and heartily obey the gospel of Christ; that you speedily. enter into a covenant of peace, and become reconciled to God. And I doubt not, my brethren in the ministry here present, will join with me in this interesting request: "As though God did beseech you," then "by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." AMEN.
THE CHARGE.
He that is the Church's head builder, maker and ruler, to whom all judgment is committed, and from whom all power is derived, has promised that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." So that while the world stands, Christ will have a church in it, in which his truths and ordinances shall be owned and kept up in spite of all the opposition of the powers of darkness.
To give us an assurance of this he has appointed a succession of the gospel ministry to act for and under him, in his ecclesiastical king- dom, through all ages of men, to whom he has promised his gracious presence, even to the end of the world: As in the commission which he first gave to the apostles, and the promise made by him to them, who were the chief ministers of state in his kingdom, to whom we find he said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." This like the Old Testament promise of a gospel ministry is made to a succession-like that in Isaiah, 59, 21. "This is my convenant with them saith the Lord, my spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seeds' seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever." For if, this "lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" must be understood otherwise, how could he "be with them al- way, even unto the end of the world," who died soon after. It must be understood of a succession, "lo, I am with you al- way, even unto the end of the world," that is saith one, "with you and your successors, with you and all the ministers of the gospel in the several ages of the church, with all to whom this commission extends, and with all that being duly called and sent, thus baptize and thus teach." "When the end of the world is come, and the kingdom delivered up to God, even the Father; there will be no further need of ministers, and their ministration; but 'til then they shall continue, and the great in-
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tentions of the institution shall be answered, which is to transmit the gospel from age to age, to the end of the world among the nations of the earth," who would soon degenerate without a monitor and standing ministry, and be wrapt up in error and darkness. For, the Bible is not enough without this institution; therefore the same Christ that instituted apostles to write scripture, instituted pastors and teachers to open and apply it; who by his appointment are to be set apart to that honorable and important work, by solemn ordination, with fasting and prayer, and the laying on of hands.
The rite of imposing hands we find in the New Testament was used in setting apart of gospel ministers-nothing a soleman designation of them to the office, and an earnest desire that God would qualify them for it, and own them in it. Thus Barnabas and Saul were separated to the work. Thus Timothy was ordained by the laying of the hands of the presbytery, in the presence of many witnesses. Thus ministers now are to be ordained.
The church and people of God in this town of Wolfborough having been led, we hope, by his gracious Sovereign Providence, to make choice of Mr. Ebenezer Allen to be set over them in the Lord, to minister to them in holy things, as the church have now renewed their choice and call in the presence and view of the great assembly, and he having also manifested his acceptance of this their call, We therefore being ordained ministers in the several churches to which we belong, and having the concurrence of our reverend brethren, with the delegates of the churches in this venerable council convened on this weighty affair of Christ's kingdom, Do now solemnly put our hands on him, uniting in our prayers to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for all needed blessings. That he would enrich this his servant with treasures of wis- dom and knowledge.
Dear Brother,
We charge you, before the all-seeing and heart-searching God, and in the name and by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, "whose eyes are as a flame of fire," beholding all things, that you take heed to your- self, to your doctrines, to your ministration in holy things, and to your conversation and whole conduct of life. That you study to approve your- self, as much as in you lies, to God, and to the conscience of your be- holders.
Take heed to thyself in the first place, look well to the state of thine own soul. Beware now of hypocrisy and formality. Consider that in this solemn scene in which, you have the charge of souls committed to you, you have to do with one that seeth not as man seeth-a God that looketh on the heart. See therefore that you do indeed devote yourself in sincerity to his service in the gospel of his Son.
Take heed also to thy doctrine. See that it be good,-the doctrine of Christ-a doctrine accordingly to godliness. "Speak thou the things
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which become sound doctrine." Approve thyself to God-"a workman that needeth not to be ashamed;" and in order hereto, give thyself to reading, meditation and prayer. Make the word of God the great subject of your studies-the alone subject of your preaching, and feed the people now committed to your care, with the knowledge and understand- ing of this. You are not called to range the schools-to follow th> mazes of metaphysics; the plan of your work is complete in the sacred volume; every principle of faith, every rule of life you are to teach, every argu- ment and motive to enforce the christian faith and practice. Keep close thereto; and let every human composure have but a second place in your regard. Lay the stress of your preaching where the gospel lays the stress of religion, and insist rather on the great and evident duties of christianity, than on circumstantials. Be sparing in matters of doubt- ful disputation, wherein good and wise men have found difficulties, which but remotely affect the christian's faith and hope.
We charge you further to take heed to your holy ministrations-ad- minister the sacraments of Christ's institution, viz .- Baptism with water, to the proper subjects of it, and the Lord's supper, to visible believers of blameless lives-look well to the whole flock committed to your charge: Feed the "sheep," and also feed the "lambs." Keep up gospel discipline in the church, with impartiality, not preferring one above another in judging the causes brought before you.
Bear a just and faithful testimony against sin, and every scandal with whomsoever it shall be found, not fearing the faces of men, nor having their persons in admiration because of advantage.
Moreover we charge you in the fear of God, and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you take special heed to your conversation, and whole conduct in life-"Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." Teach by example, as well as doctrine.
Live out the blessed gospel you preach before the eyes of the people, in the amiable and engaging beauties of practical holiness as ever you would hope to be successful in your labours, for people will ever take it for truth that actions speak louder than words. "Therefore seeing you have received this ministry, faint not, renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commend yourself to every man's conscience in the light of God."
(Bless the people in the name of the Lord, and the same ministry you have received of the Lord Jesus "commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also.")
If you thus faithfully fulfil your trust, no man will despise you, a consciousness of your integrity will support you under all the cares and difficulties you may be called to encounter for the sake of the cause in which you are engaged: All but the abandoned of mankind will re-
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spect you; the good, the virtuous will be your friends, your vindicators; and, what is infinitely more, that being, who has said, "those that honor me, I will honor," will be your shield and your exceeding great reward .- AMEN.
THE RIGHT HAND OF FELLOWSHIP.
The ceremony of giving the Right-Hand is as ancient as the christian church; and its authority is derived from the apostles of our Lord .- It is an action, expressive of that cordial friendship, and social inter- course which exhibits a beautiful portrait of the genius of that religion, which ought ever to be supreme in the hearts of gospel ministers, which they should exercise towards each other, and inculcate upon mankind. The public teachers of religion being expected to labour in one common cause, as under shepherds of the great over-seer of souls; and under the orders of their divine commander, the great Captain of their salvation, are bound to yield the sword of the spirit in a most violent conflict with a guileful and potent adversary. The combined force of earth, and the powers of the gloomy regions being directly opposed to the success of the gospel; they who are set for the defence of the truth, should ever be prompt to aid each other, and see that their hearts are knit together in christian love.
The venerable council here convened, under the influence of this persuasion, have appointed me, to give the pledge of friendship, and earnest of their brotherly support unto him, who hath this day been regularly ordained a minister of Jesus Christ, by prayer and the laying on of hands. Therefore, Rev. and dear sir, we do present you with this our right hand, and with it, covenant to hold fellowship with you in all social religious acts, as duty shall require.
And now my brother, if thy heart be right with our hearts, animated with ardent love to precious souls, stimulated with holy zeal in the cause of our divine Master, come up with us into the chariot of the gospel, and following the banners of our heavenly leader-be a faithful minister- prove instrumental of adding to the success, and you shall finally par- ticipate in the triumph of him, who goeth forth conquering and to conquer.
Brethren of this church, accept our congratulations on this aus- picious day. We have beheld you witnessing a good confession, and, in conformity to the example of the holy prophet, you have set up your Ebenezer, and said, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us .- We greet you as a sister church. May you go on and prosper. Give evidence by your christian conversation, and exemplary conduct, that you are not ashamed of the gospel; and may you at last reap the glorious reward, contained in that promise of the great Head of the church "Unto him that over- cometh, will I grant to sit with me, in my throne; even, as I also over- came, and am set down with my father in his throne.",
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The entertainment on the occasion of Mr. Allen's ordination was provided at the Cabbott-Wentworth Farm. The committee's bill for stores and services here follows :-
"Town of Wolfborough Dr.
To the committee appointed to provide entertainment for the council attending at the ordination of Rev. Mr. Allen
For 3 1-2 gallons rum 66 wine
f1-2-9 I-10-0
4 7 I-4 lbs. loaf sugar 13-8
42 brown sugar
I- 5-0
66 2 I-2 doz. lemons 5-0
amt. of Captain John Martin's acct. for victuals and horse keeping 3-18-6
" time and expense of Capt. Libbey in go- ing after stores I-5-6
£10- 0-5
" time of committee attending to said business
3 days of Captain Libbey @ 3 shillings fo-9
3 " " Richard Rust @3 0-9
66 7 " Stephen Horne @ 3 I-I 6 " Henry Rust @ 3 66
0-18
£2-17
10-05
£12-17-5
The first day of the following March a tax of twenty-one pounds two shillings and eleven pence was assessed to cover the above bill of expenses and the cost of laying the gallery floors. The or- der for collecting the same was not signed by the Quaker select- man, Moses Varney, and the names of some Quakers and Baptists were not on the list of tax-payers, which included about ninety persons.
CHAPTER XXI.
FIRST MINISTER'S LOT-THE PARSONAGE-MINISTERIAL TAX- VARNEY'S PETITION-EXEMPTS-THE LAWSUIT-THE GLOVE-ALLEN'S ANCESTRY AND POSTERITY-HIS WORK AND CHARACTER-SUDDEN DEATH -- COMPARISON OF THE Two FIRST CLERGYMEN-SKETCH OF ELDER TOWNSEND.
IT has already been noticed that one lot in the Masonian Pro- prietors' division of Wolfeborough was intended for the first minister who should be settled in the town. At the drawing in 1766 this was designated to be lot eighteen, which was situated in the northwesterly part of the town, near Beech Pond, and con- tained three hundred and fifty acres. Its surface was very broken, and its location inconvenient for the residence of the town minister. Arrangements were made with Mr. Cabbott, then pro- prietor of the Wentworth Farm, to exchange this tract of land for one more suitable. The lot selected adjoined the ten acre lot as- signed for public uses, and on the east end bordered on Lake Wentworth. It was on the road leading from the southern to the northern part of the town, and was a most desirable location for a parsonage.
Without controversy Mr. Allen was entitled to the lot. Al- though Mr. Townsend was first ordained, and was a minister of the town, he was not, however, the town minister, being ordained by a voluntary religious association, whereas Mr. Allen was or- dained by the town corporation itself. There is no evidence that Mr. Townsend or his adherents ever claimed any right to the minister's lot.
Although Mr. Allen was settled in 1792, he did not commence housekeeping until after his marriage, which occurred four years later. In the meantime a portion of his lot was cleared and build-
295
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ings erected. These were located about twenty rods from the shore of the lake. There the two-story part of the house re- mained for several years after his decease, when it was removed to Wolfeborough Center, and is now a part of the dwelling of J. Frank Chamberlin. The remainder of the parsonage building be- came the residence of his son, David Tappan Allen, who married Rosamond Key, and had two daughters, namely Betsy Ann and Sophia. He died when a comparatively young man.
At the annual town-meeting of 1793 the town voted "not to exempt persons of the Baptist persuasion from paying their pro- portion of Mr. Allen's salary for the previous year." The follow- ing May it was voted that Mr. Allen should have the use of a portion of the meeting-house lot for ten years, and that the labor tax to be expended on his buildings should be at the rate of three shillings per day. It, however, declined to aid him in clearing land. At a town-meeting held Nov. 7, 1796, it was voted not to re- lease any person from paying a minister's tax who had paid one since Mr. Allen's settlement.
It seems that the town had been neglectful in furnishing Mr. Allen with his annual supply of wood, he not receiving any for three years. In 1796 Mr. Allen required a compliance with the terms of settlement in this particular. The town offered him several additional free Sabbaths, but these he refused, and at a town-meeting held Dec. 29, it was voted that the inhabitants of the town of Wolfeborough haul to Ebenezer Allen's house seventy-five cords of wood by the first day of March next for the deficiency, that the selectmen make out the proportion for the several persons taxable, according to poll and estate, and that each person assessed furnish his allotted proportion. The select- mnen assessed sixty-two persons for one hundred cords of wood, that including the amount for which the town was in arrears and the allowance for the current year. The quantity apportioned to individuals varied from 1-2 a cord foot to one cord and ninety- seven feet, Benning Brackett having the smallest allotment and
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HISTORY OF WOLFEBOROUGH.
Jonathan Hersey the largest. After this time the minister's wood was furnished by the person who would provide it at the lowest price, and that was at first less than ten dollars a year. It is said that the one hundred cords of wood were delivered to Mr. Allen in three days.
The warrants for the annual taxes at this time were of the fol- lowing amounts : minister's tax, £46-II-I; school tax, £28-1-4; town tax, £18-13-7. It will be seen that the school and town tax combined exceeded the minister's tax by only three shillings and ten pence. Undoubtedly most of the persons who objected to paying the enforced minister's tax did so from conscientious motives, yet it is not improbable that some wished only to escape the burden of taxation. At the annual town- meeting in 1798 it was voted "that no person be cleared from paying a tax for Mr. Allen that has paid heretofore." At a town- meeting held in August of the same year it was voted not to in- crease Mr. Allen's salary to sixty pounds.
In 1799 the following petition was presented to the select- men, previous to issuing the warrant for the annual meeting :-
"Wolfborough, March 8, 1799.
Gentlemen Selectmen of the Town of Wolfborough :
We, your petitioners, humbly pray you to insert a clause in your warrant, desiring the town to pass a vote to separate the business of the town and the business of the parish, and that the parish choose its own officers to do the business of the parish by itself, for the business has been done in such a way that the Quakers and Baptist Society have ever been paying a part of making and collecting Ebenezer Allen's tax, which they think to be very unjust. Therefore, we, your humble petitioners, pray that the vote may be passed to separate the business, and in so doing, you will do justice to them, and likewise to their humble pe-
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titioners, and for which we, your humble petitioners, will ever pray.
Joseph Varney Andrew Wiggin 3rd."
The selectmen say in their warrant, "the petition of Joseph Varney and others." There is no doubt that other names were attached to the petition, as the paper is partially destroyed, evi- dently by accident. These petitioners were obviously not at this time paying a minister's tax, but simply desired to have no con- nection with the matter whatever. The petition was not granted.
The following persons had already been exempted from paying anything toward the support of Mr. Allen, viz., Henry Allard, Walter Avery, Daniel Bassett and father, Thomas Chase, Josiah Chase, Jonathan Edmonds, Elijah Estes, John Furbur, Isaac Jones, John Snell, Thomas Nute, Isaac Townsend, Israel Piper, William Rust, William Rogers, Stephen Thurston, Moses Var- ney, Joseph Varney, Jesse Whitten, Andrew Wiggin, 3rd, Rich- ard Marden, Samuel Estes, Samuel Nowell.
At the annual town-meeting of 1802 Thomas Cotton and others petitioned to be released from paying a minister's tax, but the town refused to grant their request. The following October the selectmen, who were Mark Wiggin, Dudley Hardy, and Jonathan Blake, assessed Cotton with a ministerial tax of one dollar and ninety-two cents, and committed it with other taxes to Samuel Tibbetts, the town collector, for collection. On the twelfth day of January, 1803, Tibbetts took by distraint a cow belonging to Cotton, which he sold at public auction, and thereby secured the payment of the tax. Cotton sued the selectmen for trespass.
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