USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Dunstable > History of the first church in Dunstable-Nashua, N.H. : and of later churches there > Part 6
USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Nashua > History of the first church in Dunstable-Nashua, N.H. : and of later churches there > Part 6
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It was not until 1833 that the society, as a distinct body, was reorganized. The Old South Church, whose walls had echoed to the warning notes of Calvinism, then became the shelter of the Universalists. The first pastor, Rev. William M. Fernald, proclaimed from the pulpit of Kidder and Sperry the liberal doctrines of John Murray and Hosea Ballou. For two years the society worshipped in the Old South, under the pastoral care of Rev. A. P. Cleverly, until the new church was dedicated in October
56
Universalist Pastors and Their Work.
of 1839, when Rev. L. C. Browne became pastor. Mr. Browne had been settled six years, when his health failed him, and he was dismissed. Rev. Dr. Wm. H. Ryder, now of Chicago, was his successor. In two years, Mr. Browne was re-installed; remained until 1853. It was in this year that he published his reply to Matthew Hale Smith, a former pastor of the First Congregational Church, who had written a book assailing the doctrines of the Universalists.
Mr. Browne's successor was Rev. Dr. Charles H. Fay, now of Washington, D. C. For two years Mr. Fay guided his people with great wisdom and ability. His public spirit won for him the esteem of his fellow citizens, and both church and community parted with Mr. Fay with genuine regret.
Rev. O. D. Miller, the next pastor, remained four years as minister, but continued to reside in the city after his resignation.
In 1860, the eighth pastor, Rev. J. O. Skinner, began his ministry of two years' continuance.
Thomas L. Gorman, the present acting pastor of the Unitarian society, succeeded Mr. Skinner, and preached here two years.
The Rev. Dr. G. T. Flanders, late of Chicago, now of Lowell, was pastor for four years, and was followed by the highly esteemed Rev. S. H. McCollister. The church and the community lost a most excellent man and Buchtel College gained an efficient President, when Mr. McCollister left the church in 1872. The present pastor, Rev. H. A. Philbrook, has been with the society since the beginning of the year 1885.
The pride and glory of the church is its flourishing Sunday-school, established in 1836 by C. P. Danforth, Esq., who continued to act as superintendent some ten or twelve
57
First Baptist Society of Dunstable.
years. His successors were Geo. E. Burke, E. P. Hill and Hon. Wm. T. Parker - who served in that capacity some eight or ten years - Hon. F. S. Rogers, J. M. Fletcher, C. W. Murch, Jonathan Parkhurst, Francis Hill, W. H. Chase, Edward Parker, and C. M. Langley. This Sunday- school claims the honor of inaugurating the Sunday-school " concert " in Nashua.
The Rev. Mr. Whitney, of the Universalist church of Beverly, a Nashua boy, was once a member of this school. Another member of the school is preparing for the ministry of the Universalist church, at Buchtel Col- lege, under the guidance of his former pastor, Rev. S. H. McCollister.
In 1818 the Baptists formed a society. They had heretofore worshipped with the Old South Society; but they sought for the maintenance of a work more strictly calvinistic in doctrine than they found amongst so much New-Light leaven. They felt the need of a more rigorous discipline and a greater purity in the internal relations of the church.
The method adopted to carry out their convictions was the formation of a church which should pay conscien- tious attention to the ritual suggested by the literal lan- guage of scripture, especially in the rite of baptism. A separate religious community was accordingly formed, known as the First Baptist Society of Dunstable.
In early colonial days corporal punishment was in- flicted on any person who should hold religious meetings otherwise than as the laws allowed, or who should speak against pedo-baptist principles. These laws were prose- cuted with no little severity; in a word, the public senti- ment of the ruling Theocracy was opposed to all intruding sects.
In spite of opposition and prosecution, Baptist prin-
58
First Baptist Society in Nashua.
ciples gradually spread over the province of New Hamp- shire. The town of Newton was the first to foster a Baptist church; this was in 1755. From 1770 Baptist church ex- tension rapidly gained ground, and it is somewhat sur- prising that no church of that denomination was formed in Dunstable at an earlier date.
Itinerant Baptist preachers occasionally spoke in the old church in the south part of the town. One day, while a travelling minister was holding service in the church, a white dove entered a window and alighting upon his shoulder, turned around, and faced the audience. In a few moments the bird flew away. The preacher and his hearers were greatly impressed by the beautiful emblem of the descent of the Holy Spirit; and the preacher, moved by the suggestiveness of the scene, exclaimed with prophetic utterance, " The Lord hath this day kindled a fire in this place that will never be extinguished."
Although the society was formed in 1818, the church was not organized until 1822. Of the original twenty- three who signed the constitution of the society in 1818 but one is now living. John Butterfield yet lives to rejoice in the rich prosperity of the church of his early love and prayers, and in his connection with a denomination that is second to but one in point of numbers in the United States.
The beginnings of the church were feeble. For some time, it included but six men and nine women. The old school-house which stood between Concord and Man- chester streets, on the south side of Rural Street,* was the
* Rural Street was afterwards named Mt. Pleasant Street -it being in a line running eastward from that part of Mt. Pleasant Street which extends from Abbott Street to Manchester Street. The old school-house lot was sold to Gen. George Stark; and the school-house was moved to a lot directly opposite on the north side of Rural (now Mt. Pleasant) Street, where it serves as a double dwelling-house.
59
First Meeting-House Built by the Baptists.
cradle of the infant church. Mr. Butterfield was one of the six men who worshipped there; but he has now the honor of being one of 1,671 members of this church who have sat with him at communion since 1822.
The Old South Meeting-House soon became their house of worship, the Congregationalist Society having removed to the Olive St. Church. Rev. Bartlett Pease occupied the pulpit from May, 1828, until July, 1829. On the 25th of February, 1830, their first pastor, Rev. Caleb Shute, was ordained, but was dismissed Dec. 18 of the same year. For three years they were without a settled pastor, but were supplied by nine different preach- ers, holding their meetings, now in the school-house, and now in the Old South, as convenience dictated. A success- ful call to Rev. Dura D. Pratt secured to them the services of a minister who devoted himself to their interests with unsparing fidelity and eminent ability until his death. He was ordained Jan. 23, 1833, and the new meeting-house was dedicated the same day. His greatly lamented decease occurred Nov. 13, 1855, after a pastorate of twenty-two years. This was Mr. Pratt's only pastoral charge. His friends sententiously say, "We ordained him; we buried him."
The first meeting-house built by the Baptist society was on the site of the one they now occupy. It was de- stroyed by fire in 1848. The present commodious brick edifice was dedicated as a New Year's gift to the head of the church, Jan. 1, 1850.
Mr. Pratt left to his successor, Rev. W. H. Eaton, a vigorous and active church of over 500 members, and a Sabbath-school of 350 pupils. Mr. Eaton was installed Jan. 26, 1856, and for fourteen years he performed his duties with marked ability; nor was his interest confined to his own church. Firm and unyielding in his personal
60
A Free-Will Baptist Society.
convictions, he never withheld sympathy or co-operation from any plan for the public good which seemed to him to be for the general welfare. Mr. Eaton's executive ability and financial wisdom was sought for by the Baptist Educational Institution at New London; and he resigned his charge to assist the struggling academy. Only six months elapsed before the society was again under his pastoral care .* His present residence is in Keene.
Rev. H. H. Rhees was installed July 15, 1870; and was dismissed to the Baptist Church at Southbridge, Mass., Dec. 31, 1872.
On the first of May of the present year (1885) Rev. G. W. Nicholson, was installed. He has the care of 517 souls, the largest Protestant parish in the city.
A second Baptist church was formed in 1836 by the Rev. N. W. Smith. A meeting-house was erected for it on Chestnut Street, which is now occupied by the Chestnut Street Methodist Society. The new church consisted of 20 or 30 members who peaceably separated from the old, for more convenient worship. Rev. Mr. Pratt preached the dedicatory sermon from the very appropriate words, " I am not worthy of the host of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast showed thy servant, for with my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I become two bands." The financial embarrassments of 1837 to 1838 so affected the new enterprise, that the society returned to the old church, and abandoned their late organization.
The year 1830 brought with it some irritation to these staunch defenders of John Calvin's theology and high Baptist principles. Free salvation and open communion were proclaimed by Elder Silas Curtis. This earnest Free-Will Baptist preacher remained until 1839. The " Free-Willers " had brief pastorates. Four pastors -
* In 1867 he received the degree of D.D. from Brown University.
LD FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, MAIN STREET, CHIEF ENTRANCE ON FRANKLIN STREET.
61
First Unitarian Society in Dunstable.
Curtis, Preble, Phelon, and Stearns - were distributed over a space of five years. The little society of 40 worshipped in the building at the west corner of Orange and Canal streets, now (1885) occupied by Spalding & Stearns, as a storehouse for grain.
Another form of Baptist heresy appeared in 1840. The Christians - Unitarian in doctrine, but Baptists in ritual - formed a society under the charge of Rev. Mr. Robinson. There was never life enough to secure an or- ganization, and the enterprise died a natural death.
In the early part of this century, one of the most im- portant controversies that ever engaged the interest of thinking men shook the religious world in New England from centre to circumference. It was a contest for the intellectual freedom of the church. The successive modi- fications of opinion, which had been going on during the latter part of the last century, finally developed into Uni- tarianism, or Liberal Christianity. The abolition of all engagements which may fetter the free teaching of the clergy was the leading idea of the movement.
So close was the proximity of Dunstable to Massa- chusetts - and especially to Boston, the principal field of combat - that it would have been strange if the religious atmosphere of Dunstable were not affected by the smoke of the battle. A small number of the most intelligent and thoughtful citizens deeply sympathized with the new doc- trines. On the IIth of September, 1826, a church was duly formed under the name of the First Unitarian Con- gregational Society in Dunstable.
The Nashua Manufacturing Company had built a church on Olive Street, and the first services of the new society were held in this building. They occupied the Olive St. Church until their new church was finished, Jan. 27, 1827. Suggestive of the brighter day dawning on
62
Able Unitarian Ministers in Nashua.
the religious world, the corner stone of "Greenwood Church " was laid, " upon a pleasant spring morning," at sunrise. The dedication of the church was on the day of the ordination of its first pastor, Rev. Nathaniel Gage. Mr. Gage was an earnest preacher, and his old friends affirm that the vigorous and healthy tone of his sermons was the natural expression of a healthy nature that could do valiant service with the scythe and plow. He remained with the society seven years, and was dismissed, at his own request, in 1834.
Mr. Emmons, whose name indicated anything but a liberal theology, was ordained and installed the following year. Delicate health compelled him to resign in 1837. He was followed by the most eminent of the clergymen who have been connected with this society, the Rev. Dr. Samuel Osgood, then a young man just out of his divinity studies. The youthful pastor was ordained and installed May 16, 1839. He made the pulpit a living force in the community. He was a " broad churchman " from the outset. Holding to no exclusive service, he worked for society at large. His ideas and methods of church life were heartily entered into by his people, and his pastorate was rich in fruitful results. The beautiful custom of recognizing Christmas, as a Christian festival, in the decoration of the church with evergreens, originated in Nashua with Mr. Osgood. He was sought by the Uni- tarian Society in Providence, R. I., which received him from this church in 1841. The church of the Messiah in New York called him from Providence in 1849. After a ministry of about twenty years in New York his theological opinions, which had gradually been changing, led him to embrace the faith and practice of the Episcopal Church; and for nearly three years he has been an Episcopal rector in Brooklyn, N. Y. Dr. Osgood has always been active
63
Able Unitarian Ministers in Nashua.
in literary and educational interests, and he has published works of considerable excellence. "Studies in Christian Biography," "The Hearth-Stone," "God with Men," " Student Life," and " Milestones on Our Life's Journey " are among the books he has written. He has also made admirable translations from the German. The pages of the North American Review, the Christian Examiner, and Bibliotheca Sacra have often been enriched and adorned by his fertile and elegant pen.
For two years the church was without a pastor. Then the Rev. A. C. L. Arnold was settled about ten months. Next, the church welcomed the Rev. Samuel G. Bulfinch - an Israelite indeed in whom there was no guile, - who ministered to it most acceptably for seven years, beginning Sept. 17, 1845. The memory of his gentle ways and spir- itual teachings is still precious to many whose eyes he opened to discern things unseen and eternal.
As an author he took no mean rank. His " Evidences of Christianity," is one of the most satisfactory books of its class; and the novel entitled " Honor," although not widely read, is a beautiful setting of many choice gems of sentiment and expression. He was always a welcome con- tributor to religious periodicals. Mr. Bulfinch died in 1872.
Rev. Martin W. Willis was settled here in January, 1854, after an interval of two years. His useful pastorate of seven years closed in the autumn of 1861.
The next pastor was Rev. Samuel B. Stewart. He remained for nearly two years, and resigned his ministry on the first of January, 1865.
A year from the next March, Minot G. Gage, a son of the first pastor of the church, was ordained and settled over the society. He was dismissed on Dec. 18, 1869, to take charge of the Unitarian church in Gloucester.
The Rev. Clarence Fowler succeeded him in December,
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Early Unitarian Sabbath-School.
1870. A brief ministry of a year and a half completed his work in Nashua.
The Rev. Thomas L. Gorman, formerly pastor of the Universalist Church in Nashua, has been the acting pastor since Jan. 1, 1873.
The Sabbath-school has been one of the leading and most pleasant features of this society from its formation. Its library contains over 800 volumes. The late lamented Dea. John A. Baldwin was its superintendent for thirty- seven years. He was succeeded by Mr. James L. Pierce, who was superintendent for twelve years. On the first of June, last, he resigned the office to the present super- intendent, Dr. E. F. McQuesten.
There are scores of men and women, scattered over the Union, who will ever recall with tender and grateful memories the hours spent in this Sabbath-school, receiving religious instruction and hallowing impressions from self- sacrificing teachers, many of whom have passed the solemn veil and penetrated the Great Secret.
Following the history of our churches in chronological order, we come next to that thriving branch which is a part of the largest denomination in the country. The rise and progress of Methodism in America has been nothing less than marvelous. Previous to the visit of John Wesley to America in 1735, there was not a Methodist on the American continent. By this time the other leading evangelical denominations had established a firm footing in the New World. But notwithstanding their advantage of a cen- tury's start and a century's growth Methodism has out- stripped them all, and multiplied its numbers so rapidly that they are like the sands on the seashore. To-day they are not only the leading denomination, but they compose nearly one-half the entire number of the Protestant com- municants in the United States.
Rise of Methodism in Dunstable-Nashua. 65
Methodism did not strike its roots in Dunstable until thirty-five years after the first Methodist society was formed in New Hampshire at Chesterfield. A handful of Methodists had come into Dunstable about 1831, and were employed in a woolen mill at Indian Head. The faithful few determined to found a Methodist society, and began to hold weekly meetings. The other denominations looked a little askance on the ardent religionists, whom they were inclined to regard as crazy fanatics, if we may credit a chronicler of the times. The Old South Church again threw open its doors to "heresy," and Rev. Samuel Norris of New Salem preached the first Methodist sermon from its pulpit. In evening of that day, a preaching serv- ice was appointed in the school-house on the Nashua corporation. A certain person whom they were not look- ing for soon made his appearance; for Satan came also. One of the eyewitnesses of the scene says that two beings in human form crawled through a window, blew out the lights, and in derision cried out "Glory to God." But the brethren meekly re-lighted the lamps, and Brother Norris proceeded with his discourse to the end. The brethren classed themselves together that night and pledged each other " to fight for Immanuel."
The following year they applied for admission to the New Hampshire Conference and were included in what was called the Amoskeag Circuit, and from 1832 Dunstable became a " Station." The Rev's James G. Smith and Wm. G. Lock were appointed to the new station. The little church of forty members held its meetings in the Indian Head schoolhouse. Through the liberality of one of the brethren, B. L. Jones, who gave them a lot of land on Lowell Street, they were enabled to build a church. The preju- dice which was first excited against the Methodists must have disappeared; for they gratefully recognized the
66
Wesleyan Methodists.
generosity of friends in the other societies who aided their enterprise. The church was dedicated Nov. 12, 1833, Rev. J. G. Dow preaching the sermon. The church mem- bers numbered at that time over a hundred.
The next year, 1834, was one of trial. Four different preachers were sent them during the year, and each left because of ill health. About thirty members with- drew, and the rest grew disheartened. But on the ap- pointment of Rev. Wm. D. Cass, in 1835, new life was infused into them. The membership was raised from 70 to 123. Liberality and punctuality characterized the financial affairs of the society. Peace and prosperity marked the history of the next ten years under the spiritual guidance of Rev's Messrs. Hatch, Jared Perkins, Kelley, Mowry and L. D. Barrows. During Mr. Hatch's charge of affairs the house was enlarged and the parsonage built.
After the separation of Nashville from Nashua, in 1844, a new church was organized out of the Lowell Street society under the name of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Nashua. The original society was thereby greatly depleted. Their troubles came not singly. A division of opinion as to slavery led a part of the church to declare themselves Wesleyans, and to secede under the leadership of B. L. Jones .* A Wesleyan Methodist Society was formed, and worshipped in the house opposite the freight depot, formerly occupied by the Free-Will Bap- tists, and aggravatingly near the Lowell St. Church. Another ill result was the loss of the Lowell St. meeting- house through the legal complications of the secession. The wisdom and patience of Rev. James Pike, their pastor, and of the leading brethren of the church, brought the society into clear waters, and the house was regained.
* Prof. Churchill's father was conspicuous in this movement.
CURTICE & WOODS
OLD WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH.
67
Methodist Episcopal Societies.
The Wesleyan enterprise was not a prosperous under- taking, and two years of independency proved the folly of its continuing longer. The seceders returned to their first allegiance and were welcomed back to their old Episco- pal home.
In 1847, while Henry Drew was pastor, the Temperance Reformation was the great social agitation of the day. Mr. Drew and his society, with characteristic fervor, threw themselves into the new movement, and pastor and people were foremost in their zeal and efficiency among the friends of the Reform.
With varying fortunes the church went on under the pastoral leadership of the Rev. Messrs. Rogers, Mason, Furber, Scott, Leavitt, Hill, Harding, Howard, and Clark; until 1867, during the ministry of Rev. E. A. Smith, a new enterprise was established by due form of law known as the Trustees of the Lowell Street Methodist Episcopal Church. A public notice was printed, producing not a little astonishment among the citizens, and causing many significant shakes of wise financial heads. A stock com- pany was formed, and in good time the beautiful and costly edifice of the Methodist Society on Main Street was finished and dedicated.
The first pastor of the society in the new church was the Rev. Geo. Bowler. He was untiring and energetic in his zeal for the welfare of the church; and his death on March 25, 1869, was a calamity to the society and to the city. His successors have been the Rev. Angelo Canol and the present pastor, the Rev. V. A. Cooper, who is in the third year of his ministry. H. A. Matteson, A. C. Manson, S. P. Heath (deceased), and Geo. F. Eaton, have been residents of Nashua who have entered the Methodist ministry while connected with this church.
The Chestnut St. Methodist Society, peacefully sepa-
68
Episcopal Churches in Nashua.
rating itself from the Lowell St. Church in 1844, purchased the building formerly occupied by the Second Baptist Church. Rev. Dr. Dempster was its stated supply for some months after the formation of the church. Many of the ablest men in the New Hampshire Conference have occu- pied the pulpit according to the Methodist polity of settling preachers. The names of Mclaughlin, Lewis Howard, Jared Perkins (who died during his pastorate in this church), C. S. Dearborn, Henry Hartwell, Sullivan Holman, L. J. Hall, W. H. Jones, R. S. Stubbs, E. R. Wilkins, D. C. Babcock, T. Carter, are all held in affectionate remembrance by this society. Under their faithful ministrations Chest- nut St. Church has done a noble work for the Divine Master in this city, and its prosperity is continuing under the present pastor, Rev. H. L. Kelsey. Henry B. Clapp has entered the Methodist ministry from this church. Two of the Methodist clergy of Nashua, Jared Perkins and James Pike, have been honored in the political world by their election to the national councils in Washington; and have rendered conscientious and faithful service. In the Great Rebellion, the military spirit and skill of a fighting Metho- dist parson, Rev. Col. James Pike, placed the eagle straps on his shoulders.
It was not until 1845 that a sufficient number of ad- herents to Episcopacy were found in Nashua to warrant a request to the bishop of New Hampshire for permission to hold service here. As a result, the Rev. Milton Ward was sent to them, and divine services were held in the court room under the Town Hall. After a few months, regular ministrations were suspended, but occasional services were conducted by different clergymen from out of town. Regu- lar services afterwards were resumed in 1857, under the rectorship of Rev. E. P. Wright, from the diocese of New Jersey. Mr. Wright remained hardly a year.
OLD EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
69
Episcopal Rectors in Nashua.
Rev. N. W. Munroe next officiated until Rev. Wm. Stevens Perry took the regular charge of the parish. Much to the regret of the church and of a large circle of citizens whom Mr. Perry had attached to himself by his liberal culture and social activity, he resigned his charge in 1861, after a ministry of about two years.
The Rev. D. F. Banks became his successor. At the end of two years he resigned. During his rectorship a pleasant and commodious church was erected at the junction of Temple and Pearl streets. It was consecrated July 15, 1862, by Rt. Rev. Bishop Chase, of the diocese of New Hampshire. The rectors who have officiated in this church since Mr. Banks' resignation are Leonidas B. Baldwin (one year), Geo. Denham (six months), Charles L. Balch (eleven months), and C. I. Chapin (one year and five months). The unfortunate location of the church and a want of entire harmony among its members were deemed sufficient grounds for suspending church services after Mr. Chapin's resignation, which occurred in October, 1868.
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