USA > New Hampshire > Rockingham County > Chester > History of old Chester [N. H.] from 1719 to 1869 > Part 26
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
326
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
Mr. FLAGG became old and unable to perform the duties of his office. January, 1793, it was voted to hire the Rev. Mr. BRADSTREET to supply the pulpit, and he was ordained Oct. 13, 1793. Mr. Bradstreet was apparently a young man of great promise, and the parish and church were as strong as any in the neighborhood, and the connection promised to be lasting and prosperous. But Mr. Brad- street's salary depreciated in value, and he, perhaps, might have been unduly avaricious, and was naturally rather lazy, and gradually grew remiss in his pastoral duties and shorter in his sermons, until he went through his exercises in less than half an hour, having no singing, - when it took abont twenty minutes to ring and toll him there. When some one complained to him of the shortness of his sermons, he replied that he preached the worth of his money, and if they wished longer sermons they must pay more money.
Of course an alienation grew up between him and the church and parishioners, though it is quite possible that the blame was not all on one side. In 1814, about twenty of the parish removed their taxes to the Presbyterian parish, and many of them attended meeting there. In a commu- nication sent him in 1814, or early in 1815, approved by two-thirds of the male members of the church, they say :
" They saw you initiated into the ministerial offices of the parish, and charged with the pastoral functions of the church in this place ; they saw you young, exemplary and assiduous to perform the duties of your charge. With this flattering example they had anticipated that numbers would have been added to their then large and flourishing church and congregation, and that you, Rev'd Sir, would have gone out and in before them ; would have solaced and supported the faint-hearted by your conversation and advice ; would have tempered and brought down the passions of the stub- born and high-minded ; and, in fine, that you would have proved an example for them in private and in public, in person and in family."
The letter goes on to state that their anticipations had been disappointed. The church had dwindled during Mr. Bradstreet's ministry from thirty male members to eleven.
327
ECCLESIASTICAL - CONGREGATIONAL.
Mr. Bradstreet declined joining in a mutual council, and an ex parte one was called, April 26, 1815. The council did not succeed in healing matters, and were recalled, with two additional churches, Oct. 11. They persuaded the parties to call a mutual council, which convened and sat eight days. The church had previously excommunicated Mr. Bradstreet, which the council condemned ; and they recommended that the church rescind their vote of excom- munication, and that both parties consent to a separation. Both parties wished to maintain their ground, and the dis- affected members carried the matter before the Association with which Mr. Bradstreet was connected. After a severe contest there. the disaffected majority, and Mr. Bradstreet and the adhering minority, backed down somewhat. Mr. . Bradstreet asked a dismission, which was granted and con- firmed by a council, Oct. 7, 1817. Thus ended a very unpleasant and unchristian controversy. .
Rev. LEONARD JEWET, of Hollis, preached nearly a year and his health failed. In Dec., 1819, a call was extended to the Rev. JOEL R. ARNOLD, and he was ordained March 8, 1820. So much trouble had been experienced with Mr. Bradstreet, the parish made the condition in the contract that either party might end it by giving six months' notice.
Mr. Arnold was a man of strong convictions and he expressed them strongly. Among other things, he saw the terrible evils of intemperance, and had his ideas quickened by a man dying in the road with a jug of rum by his side, sold by a member of his church, and preached against it, before the technical temperance movement came up, which gave offence to some. He was dismissed March 31, 1830.
Feb. 28, 1828, the church resolved,
" That it is the decided opinion of this church that it is inexpedient for professed Christians on any ordinary occa- sion to call for and drink spirituous liquors or wine at any store or tavern in this town."
In August, 1830, a call was extended to the Rev. JONA- THAN CLEMENT, which was accepted, and he was ordained Oct. 13. He graduated at Middlebury College in 1818.
328
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
He was a teacher in the Phillips Academy at Andover ten years, and while there was one of the first signers of the pledge of the first temperance society formed on the prin- ciple of total abstinence from ardent spirits. He did not bring the subject into the pulpit until the opponents dared him to do it, saying that he had not done it, and dare not ; when he delivered, I think, three discourses, on three suc- cessive Sundays, which had a favorable effect not only on . temperance, but on religion generally. June 13, 1832, the church " Voted to require from all those who shall here- after be received to their communion, a pledge to entire abstinence from the use of ardent spirits." There is a pledge of the same date having the names of thirty-three males and fifty-nine females appended to it. The period of Mr. Clement's ministry was the period of protracted meetings and of revivals. He was dismissed Sept. 10, 1845.
The Rev. LAUREN ARMSBY began to preach Jan., 1846 ; was settled May 27. He graduated at Amherst in 1842. He was dismissed in 1856, and went West. He was a chap- lain in the army, and returned to New Hampshire, and is now, 1868, at Candia.
Rev. H. O. HOWLAND was ordained Aug. 12, 1857. He was dismissed May 21, 1862, and removed to Pennsylvania.
Rev. J. LOGAN TOMLINSON was ordained Oct. 1, 1863.
STATISTICS OF THE CONGREGATIONAL PARISH AND CHURCH.
The earliest tax-list on the records is in 1801, when nearly everybody was taxed to either of the parishes, and there are two hundred and forty-three names, and a poll- tax is forty-seven cents. Capt. John Emerson paid the highest, five dollars and seventy-four cents ; Benjamin Hills the next, five dollars and twenty-six cents.
In 1810 two hundred and eight persons were taxed, and a poll-tax was sixty-seven cents. The largest, Jolm Bell, ten dollars and sixty cents ; Stephen Chase the next, eight dollars and forty-one cents.
In 1820 there were one hundred and eighty-seven persons
329
ECCLESIASTICAL - CONGREGATIONAL.
taxed, and a poll-tax was one dollar and eight cents. Jolin Bell paid twenty dollars and seventy-nine cents ; Daniel French, sixteen dollars and ninety-four cents.
In 1830 one hundred and ninety persons were taxed, and a poll-tax was eighty-four cents. Fifty-one of these paid an additional tax.
In 1840 one hundred and ten persons were taxed, and a .poll-tax was ninety-eight cents.
In 1850 eighty-five persons were taxed, and a poll-tax was one dollar and twenty-five cents.
In 1860 forty-seven persons are taxed to the amount of three hundred and seventy-three . dollars and forty-two cents. The current expenses were six hundred and thirty- two dollars and fifty-four cents. The rest by subscription or unprovided for.
What was called the " great revival " was in 1741, and in 1742 thirty-eight united with the church. Whole num- ber under Mr. Flagg, two hundred and forty-three to full communion, and two hundred and eighty-seven who owned the covenant. (N. H. Churches.) In December, 1819, the church drew up and signed a covenant, and there are the names of thirty males and fifty females appended to it.
Rev. Joel R. Arnold, born at Westminster, Vt., 1794, was not a graduate. Admissions to the church during his ministry, one hundred and ten.
Rev. Jonathan Clement, born at Danville, Vt., June 21, 1797, graduated at Middlebury, and studied at Andover Theological Seminary. Additions, two hundred and seven. He has been at Woodstock ; is now at Norwich, Vt.
Rev. Lauren Armsby, born at Northbridge, Jan. 16, 1817, graduated at Amherst in 1842 ; studied at Union Theologi- cal Seminary one year, and at Andover two years. Addi- tions, sixty-one by profession, thirty by letter.
Rev. Harrison O. Howland, born at West Brookfield, Mass., June 25, 1813, graduated at Amherst in 1841, at Union Theological Seminary in 1844. Additions, twenty- six by profession, thirteen by letter.
The charter of the two parishes has been given, page
330
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
92, and I had prepared a complete list of parish officers, but my work proves so voluminous that I reluctantly omit it.
THE PRESBYTERIAN PARISH AND CHURCH.
The prominent points of the history of the Presbyterian parish have been given in connection with the history of the town and Congregational parish, and little remains to be done more than to give a brief notice of some of the ministers, and touch upon some few points not before men- tioned.
The Rev. JOHN WILSON was ordained over the Presbyte- rian parish, and a church formed, in 1734, but by what ecclesiastical authority is not known, or of how many members the church was composed, as there are no records extant. Mr. Wilson continued his ministrations until his death, Feb. 1, 1779, and all that is known about his family is given in the genealogical part of this work. He was probably a very good, well-disposed man, and in all the controversies which arose about preaching at the Long Meadows, and dividing the parish, there is no evidence that any fault was found with him. I have heard my father say that his preaching was mostly expository ; that he took some portion of scripture (in course, I think), and ex- plained and enforced it. He had either his discourses or skeletons of them, written, and often looked them over after entering the desk, but made no use of notes in preaching.
From the death of Mr. Wilson to the hiring the Rev. David Annan, in 1795, we have no record whatever, except raising money, and choosing committees to supply the desk, but have to rely exclusively upon tradition, and that is very meager, mostly what I have heard my father tell.
The first of the stated supplies, I think, was a Rev. MR. CLARK, who, it is said, had been settled at White River, N. Y., and he supplied several years. He was probably some- what bigoted in his ideas, and eccentric in his manners, but a very sincere, good man, and faithful to his own con-
331
ECCLESIASTICAL - PRESBYTERIAN.
victions. There are many anecdotes related of him, some of which I will relate. He was called upon to solemnize a marriage between James Calder and Molly Linn, and on the occasion they had tea, which he refused, saying he would have a bowl of barley broth. It might have been a patriotic motive which influenced him. He believed the old Scotch version of the Psalms to be the only proper matter to sing in religious worship, and held in great ab- horrence what he termed " Watts' great bundle of psalms and imitations."
The singing was congregational, and he wished all 'to join. He said on one occasion, " Sing ! sing ! all o' ye, and shame the devil ; for we read of the devil having a prayer, but never of his having a psalm!" On one occasion he took for his text the death of Joshua, and said that when they buried him, they buried a great deal of religion with him. Some country sleighs passing at the time, he added, " Yes ; and they are now carrying all the religion out of the land by sleigh-loads."
The women of the present day cannot rightly claim the invention of all the foolish fashions. Their grandmothers and great-grandmothers had even the " waterfall," though in a little different form. They let the foretop grow long, and combed it forward, and put a cushion called a " roll," on the head, and turned the hair back over it. Good Father Clark held this in utter abomination, it being a device of the great adversary.
Sunday schools did not then exist, but the religious food for children was the Assembly's Catechism, which was the lesson for Sunday evening at home, and Saturday forenoon at school. It might be thought rather dry, if not strong food, for infant minds, though I do not at all regret that I was fed with it.
Well, Parson Clark used to pay his parochial visits, and assemble the young people of the household, and chatechise them. On one occasion he made a visit to the family of Robert Wilson, Esq., who had some half-dozen daughters, and a brother-in-law by the name of Mitchell having about
332
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
as many more living in the same house. Now these girls were probably not much better nor much worse than the girls of the present day. They wished to be in the fashion, even if, in the opinion, of the minister, at the expense of serving the devil. Well, Father Clark had them seated around the room, and they, understanding that he was coming, had the rolls out of sight, and their hair combed smoothly down. Mr. Clark commenced by commending their modesty ; he had not in a long time seen such a mod- est company of lasses ; they had none of those wicked rolls on their heads. Just at this instant Jonathan Wilson opened the door, and threw a lot of the rolls into Mr. Clark's lap, greatly to his horror, and to the chagrin of the modest lasses. What became of Mr. Clark is not known.
The next minister that is known was the Rev. TILLOTSON HowE. Where he came from, or went to, is not known. ANTHONY SOMERBY STICKNEY was quite active among the Presbyterians, and was collector of taxes, and one of the committee to hire preaching several years, though once there was a protest entered against it, because he was not a member of any church. Mr. Howe was hired, and boarded at Mr. Stickney's, and after a while married Mr. Stickney's daughter.
There was a man' by the name of HUTCHINSON who preached awhile, and another by the name of PICKLE, of whom nothing more is known.
There was a Rev. JAMES DAVIS, a revival preacher, who preached a few months, and cansed a considerable religious excitement, and, it is was said, several conversions.
The Rev. DAVID ANNAN came from Scotland, and had preached awhile at Peterborough. He came to Chester and preached awhile, and March 14, 1796, a written con- tract was entered into, engaging him for four years. He proved intemperate, and said and did many foolish, if not wicked things. He said he tried the experiment of pray- ing over one bed of onions and fiddling over another, to see which would do best. The people became dissatisfied, and the Presbytery was about to discipline him, and the
333
ECCLESIASTICAL -PRESBYTERIAN.
contract was dissolved October 7, 1799. It is said that he returned to Scotland, but some of his sons remained in this country.
The Rev. DAVID MCGREGORE, afterwards of Bedford, sup- plied the desk for some time.
At a parish meeting, held May 30, 1803, a call was given to the Rev. ZACCHEUS COLBY to settle. (He had been settled in Pembroke, and for his family connections, see the gene- alogy part of this work).
In order to understand the history of the circumstances attending this call, it will be necessary to refer to the Presbyterian polity. The government of the church lay in a board of ruling elders, called the Session, who ad- mitted and disciplined the members, subject to an appeal to the Presbytery. Members were required to bring for- ward all their children for baptism. These children stood in rather an anomalous position - partly, but not wholly, in the church. It was their duty, however, as soon as they came to years of discretion, to come into full communion with the church. In this way many became united with the church without any pretence of experimental religion, and seldom, if ever, came to the communion, or even to meeting. Then it was the custom for these baptized chil- dren, though never having joined in full communion, to bring their children forward for baptism. In some cases (perhaps with those in full communion, as well as those under the half-way covenant, as it was called), the child offered for baptism was born rather prematurely, reckoning from marriage ; in which case the parents, standing in the broad aisle, received a severe admonition, and made a very humble and penitent confession. I think that the same practice prevailed in the Congregational churches in respect to baptism, for I see that parents who never belonged to the church had their children baptized.
A committee was chosen to wait on Mr. Colby and receive his answer, who reported with a communication from Mr. Colby which is here given in full :
1
334
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
MR. COLBY'S COMMUNICATION.
CHESTER, June 11, 1803. 1
To the Committee of the Presbyterian Society,-to be commu- nicated :-
If different Ideas have been taken from my conversation on the Subject of Infant Baptism, it was doubtless owing to my neglect- ing to give my Ideas in positive terms relative to one part of the subject, which I thought proper to do at that stage of the business before us. Now it appears duty, and I feel happy to give you my sentiments in full and plain. I believe the children of believing Parents or Parent have right to Baptism, whether theirs by birth, or adoption. It ever has, and still does appear to me an error to admit Parents under the vows of the covenant to the Privilege of Baptism for their Children, when at the same time they take themselves off from the communion of Saints at the Lord's Table. Though this has been a custom with many, I do not find any thing in the Bible or in your Constitution to justify it in my view.
If I should be active in the admission of any in this way, while I verily believe it is wrong, to me it would be sin. God would hide his face from me and I should be troubled; nor could you put confidence in a man who would sin against his own under- standing. Yet, as I believe this is among those things concerning which every one must be fully persuaded in their own mind, I feel no disposedness to be offended with those Persons, Churches and Ministers who differ from me in Opinion. If, upon exchanges with neighboring Ministers, any of the People that I may have the charge of shall conscientiously think it their duty to offer their Children in Baptism, while they do not see it their duty to approach the Lord's Table, and the minister thinks it his duty to indulge them, I shall not attempt to hurt their minds or lord it over their consciences, but I must be excused from this practice. New additions upon this ground after my settlement in any place must not expect Baptism for their Children by my own hand, until they be willingly moved by the love of Christ to come to his Table and whatsoever hecommands. All this is plain in my view.
2ªly, You wish to know on what ground I consider, and in what light I view those Parents who have had Baptism for their Children, but have not come to the communion with Christ and his People at his Table, and what usage they may expect from me if I should become their Minister. Respecting this I observe, 1st, If I receive a church to my Pastoral care, I receive all her real proper members, for there must be no schism in the church. These Persons have been received by the church as real proper members
335
ECCLESIASTICAL - PRESBYTERIAN.
of their Christian Body, and that upon their personal request, so are under their watch and care. It would not be right for me to separate them from the Body to which they are joined by Holy Covenant. It would not be regular or Friendly for the Church to cut them off suddenly while they find no more error in them than they knew of at the time when they received them. Therefore their membership must be acknowledged. These Parents by profes- sion are on Gospel ground. They have professed the same Faith in the Father, in the Son, in the Holy Ghost and in the Scriptures that every Christian does. They must not be driven from it, but they must live in it, and let their lives and conversation corres- pond with it. These Parents have made a solemn and everlasting Covenant before Angels and men, with the Father, Son and Spirit, one God, to be his forever; promised to obey Christ as their King, from which they cannot go back with safety. They must not be driven back by any, but be encouraged by all to observe all Christ's sayings, and to do his Will in all things, that they perish not, nor be found wanting when weighed in the Bal- ance. Those deficiencies which were about them when they came into the Covenant, and have still been with them, must now be made up by stronger and more pure exercises of faith in, and love to Christ, whereby they will feel constrained willingly to follow the Lamb wherever he calls them, and be willing to suffer almost anything rather than take themselves off, or be cut off from the communion of Saints at Christ's Table. With these things in view, I think it will be my duty to Baptize the Children of these Parents until some other fault shall be found in them beside their .omitting the Lord's Table, unless it shall appear plain to the Ses- sion, that their omission is from wicked inattention to the Scrip- tures, to their own Holy profession and Covenant, and from want of real love to Christ ; but not from pions Fear, i.e., an overbearing sense of the sacredness of the ordinance, and of their own vile- ness, which may be the case with some old Christians for a time. As these wish to have Baptism again for their Children before their approach to the Table, they must feel their Bonds to walk as circumspectly and live as religiously as though they had come to the Table for years. They must be sober and chaste in conversa- tion, temperate, jnst, kind, peaceable, attentive to the Scriptures, to all Religious Instruction which falls in their way, and prayer- ful in their Families and Closet. Then they may expect the same kind, gentle, loving and faithful usage from the Minister and Elders as old communicants receive, with whom they are equal subjects of discipline. Wishing you divine direction and a Bles- sing on all your pious attempts to promote the cause of Christ among you and build up his church, I subscribe, your affectionate Friend, ZACHEUS COLBEY.
336
HISTORY OF CHESTER.
I may perhaps as well here as elsewhere describe some of the customs of the Presbyterian church differing from others, or from present customs.
I think they held but two sacramental occasions at the Long Meadows (for I must rely mainly on my own recol- lections) yearly. These were great occasions. They held a fast on Thursday previous, which was kept with great strictness. I recollect that my grandmother would eat nothing before the going down of the sun. They would have two long sermons. In some places they would have sermons Friday and Saturday, though I think not usually at the Long Meadows, within my recollection ; although they might have had in earlier times. When Sunday came there was a general rush. In the first place there were the Presbyterians from the lower part of the town, who did not usually attend meeting here on account of the dis- tance,-James Wason, William Bell, Col. White, the Shir- leys, Forsaith, Tolford, etc., came up; then many from Londonderry and other places who were communicants ; then a great many young people from this and the neigh- boring towns, moved by much the same impulse which carries multitudes to a Methodist camp-meeting at the present day. They had a plan for preventing any goat from mingling with the sheep, which was practiced some time within my recollection. Each church had a quantity of small pieces of metal stamped with the initials of the church, called tokens, which were distributed by the elders to the communicants. These were a kind of tickets of admission. The first part of the service was called " fene- ing the Lord's table."
I most vividly remember " Father Morrison " (who used to come over when they were destitute of an ordained minis- ter) with his broad Scoteli brogue, with his spectacles, when not reading, up on his forehead. He would proceed to enumerate the qualifications and disqualifications of wor- thily partaking of the ordinance, and invite those qualified and debar those not qualified. They had a long, narrow table, extending from near the pulpit to near the front
337
ECCLESIASTICAL - PRESBYTERIAN.
door, covered with neat and white linen table-cloths, on which were placed the flagons of wine, and flat, thin cakes of unleavened bread on pewter platters covered also with neat white cloths for the purpose. The elements were both consecrated with one service. The communicants were invited to come forward and fill the table (seats on either side being provided) which was done first by the elderly communicants, the choir meanwhile singing a stanza or two.
A favorite hymn for the occasion was the 13th of B. III, of Watts :
" How sweet and awful is the place With Christ within the doors,"
and as the services proceeded, vacating and filling the scats,
" Why was I made to hear thy voice, And enter while there's room ? "
and -
"Pity the nations, O our God, Constrain the earth to come."
While the elements were being passed along the table by the elders, Father Morrison continued talking, making a most earnest and affectionate exhortation. The table was vacated and filled, the choir meanwhile singing, and it generally took three tables to serve the communicants, dur- ing which the same services were repeated. Mr. Morrison would make an exhortation to faithfulness to the commu- nicants, and a very affectionate appeal to the unrepentant. The whole was a very solemn and impressive service, and would last until nearly sunset. The whole was closed by a meeting and thanksgiving sermon on Monday.
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.