USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Canterbury > History of the town of Canterbury, New Hampshire, 1727-1912, v. 1 > Part 29
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The people of Canterbury have always taken an interest in music. For years the local singing schools in various districts were a prominent feature of the social life of the inhabitants. The Shakers gave special attention to the subject in their school, employing professional instructors to educate not only the chil- dren, but the adults. The musical conventions held at Concord for many years were largely attended by the people of this town. In October, 1878, the Canterbury Choral Union was formed. The preamble of the society stated its object to be "for the purpose of advancing the cause of music and for moral, social and intel- lectual improvement." The promoters were Joseph G. Clough, William M. Cogswell, Charles W. Emery, Mrs. Alpheus D. Smith and Mrs. Jonathan C. Greenough. The membership numbered forty-four. Officers were chosen as follows: president, Albert B. Clough; vice-president, Joseph E. Kimball; secretary, Charla Clough; treasurer, Mrs. Moses A. Foster; musical director, Joseph G. Clough; assistant, Mrs. Alpheus D. Smith; executive com- mittee, Charles W. Emery, Moses A. Foster, William M. Cogswell.
During the winter of 1880-81 Prof. John Jackman of Boscawen was engaged as instructor, and frequent rehearsals were held in different sections of the town. A cantata was undertaken and given at the three churches in Canterbury and at Boscawen. The Choral Union continued to hold meetings until the fall of 1891, the last being a reunion of the members in October of that year at Kezer Seminary. It was then voted to continue the organization, but there is no record of any subsequent meeting.
A village improvement association was started at the Center in June, 1867, having for its object the beautifying of the com- mon in front of the church. This public ground had been used for a number of years as a lumber yard and there was
302
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
an unsightly frog pond in its center. Some thirty-five resi- dents became members of the society. Through their efforts the common was cleared of the debris that encumbered it, the pond was filled and grass seed was sown upon the land. The large elm in front of the church had been set out in 1862, but the maples by the cemetery wall were planted by Alfred H. Brown and Dr. Jeremiah C. Foster. After performing the spe- cific work for which it was organized, this society lapsed.
A second association was started May 2, 1908, with twenty- eight members. Its scope was somewhat broader than the first, as its activities were to embrace the entire town in what- ever would improve its appearance or promote its welfare. This society has already accomplished much by its direct efforts, be- sides stimulating individual ambition to improve appearances about the homes of Canterbury.
The town clock on the Congregational Church at the Center was the gift of two public-spirited citizens, James S. Elkins and Milton B. Neal. It was put in place in 1895. While never form- ally presented, the town assumed its care in 1904.
The telephone was introduced in town by individual enter- prise. It was a local line connecting Canterbury and Boscawen. Sometime prior to 1896, the Canterbury and Boscawen Tele- phone Company was organized, and in August that year bought the plant of George A. Hall of Boscawen. In 1905 the company was incorporated with a capital stock of $1,500. This capital was increased the next year to $2,500 and in 1909 to $5,000. There are now about 115 subscribers. The line has been ex- tended into Loudon and Penacook. The company has reciprocal arrangements with the Citizens' Telephone Company of Laconia thus enabling the people of Canterbury to have direct communi- cation at small cost over a considerable territory. These local telephone lines have been a great contribution to the social life of rural towns, bringing widely scattered families into daily touch with one another. The New England Telephone and Tele- graph Company has one station in Canterbury at the Shakers.
A creamery was established by enterprising citizens at the Center in 1891. Two years later the average receipts were 100 cans of milk a day.1 In 1893 the town voted to exempt the property from taxation for five years.
1 N. H. Statesman, April 18, 1893.
303
EFFORTS FOR A HISTORY OF THE TOWN.
More than thirty years ago, an attempt was made by patriotic citizens to prepare and publish a history of Canterbury. It was the outgrowth of a town gathering in the grove near the Baptist Meeting House, at which the subject was considered. A com- mittee were appointed to take charge of the undertaking and they prepared and issued a circular letter, under date of Novem- ber, 1879, inviting the cooperation of the citizens of the town in furnishing material. The committee consisted of Lucien B. Clough, Galen Foster and David Morrill. In their letter they say:
" We desire information upon the subjects and from the sources named below, also other facts within your knowledge or from reli- able authority relating to persons and places in town. The names, dates and places of birth of your ancestors as far back as possible. When and where they first settled in town. What farms they have owned and occupied. What offices in church, state or town they have held. What part any of them took in the War of the Revolution, War of 1812 or the Rebellion. Com- plete copies of family records in family bibles or elsewhere. Copies of family histories or sketches showing genealogical facts."
What responses came from this appeal there is no means of knowing but, at the annual meeting in 1883, there was an article in the warrant to see if authority would be given "to prepare and publish an early history of the town." There is, of course, no report of the discussion that took place, but it was voted to postpone indefinitely the article. For five years the subject lay dormant. Then in 1888, a similar article appeared in the warrant at the March meeting, only to be passed over by formal vote. In 1890 a more specific request was made in the following words: "To see if the town will raise $400 or some other sum for the preparation of the history of the town, provided some responsible person will secure or guaranty the publication of said history in a creditable manner." This proposition was also defeated. Two years later the subject was renewed, but no formal action was taken. Then for more than a decade the proposition for a town history lapsed. At the annual meeting in 1909, after two years of individual effort and agitation and after several chapters of a history of Canterbury had been prepared, the town voted unanimously to loan its credit for the publication of such a his- tory. These volumes are the result.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE CENTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. EARLY RECORDS LOST. COVENANT. BUILDING A MEETING HOUSE. OWNERS OF PEWS. PASTORATE OF REV. WILLIAM PATRICK. CONDEMNING THE USE
OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS. ANTI-SLAVERY CONTROVERSY. RECOGNITION OF WOMEN. FORMATION OF THE CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY. FIRST SUNDAY SCHOOL. PASTORATE OF REV. HOWARD MOODY. SETTLEMENT OF REV. JAMES DOLDT. HIS SUCCESSORS. DEACONS.
Until after the passage of the toleration act in 1819, the story of this religious body is so much identified with the history of the town that it has been made a part thereof in chronological order. It is, therefore, unnecessary to recapitulate here what has already been told. A church organization as distinguished from the society was probably organized prior to the installation of the Rev. Abiel Foster in 1761, but it is impossible to fix the date owing to the fact that the first record book is lost. This book also included Mr. Foster's pastorate which closed in 1779. Sufficient has been shown from the archives of the town, however, to indicate the trials of church members to maintain preaching and keep alive religious interest. Their numbers were small from the beginning, and for half a century after the settlement of the town, there were but few additions made.
The Rev. William Patrick records that seventeen members belonged to and were received into the church at the time of Mr. Foster's settlement and that the whole number received to communion prior to 1791 was thirty-nine. The Rev. Frederick Parker was called to the pulpit in October, 1790, and he was installed January 5, 1791. During his pastorate of eleven years, fifty-two members were added. At the date of Mr. Patrick's installation in 1803, the church membership was, however, only fifty-one.1 Late in the eighteenth century a Congregational meeting house was built in Hackleborough, and it is quite likely that some of its members withdrew from the church at the Center.
1 Historical Sermon of Rev. William Patrick, October 27, 1833.
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THE CENTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
In addition, it was near this time that the Baptists and the Shakers had each organized religious societies in town. It is not strange, therefore, that the interest awakened by Rev. Mr. Parker did little more than make good the losses to the Center Church from such natural causes as deaths and removals from town.
The first covenant of the Congregational Church of Canterbury of which there is record was that adopted in November, 1790, between the time of the calling of Mr. Parker and his installation. Members of the church met at the house of Abiel Foster and chose him moderator of the meeting. It was then voted "to adopt the Congregational constitution as a plan of church dis- cipline for this church." It was also voted to strike out the words, "and with such a view thereof as the confession of faith in these churches has exhibited from the covenant signed by this church." The following is a copy of the covenant:
"We the subscribers, inhabitants of the town of Canterbury, apprehending ourselves called of God into the Church state of the gospel, do first of all acknowledge ourselves unworthy to be so highly favored of the Lord and admire that free and rich grace of his that triumphs over so great unworthiness and thus with an humble reliance on the aid of his grace to them promised who in an humble sense of their inability to do any good thing, do wait upon him for all. We do now thankfully lay hold of his covenant and would choose the things that please him.
"We declare our serious belief of the Christian religion as con- tained in the Scriptures, heartily resolving to conform our lives to the rules of that holy religion so long as we live in the world. We give up ourselves to the Lord Jehovah who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and avouch him this day to be our God, our Father and Saviour our Leader and receive him as our portion forever. We give up ourselves to the blessed Jesus who is the Lord Jehovah and adhere to him as the head of his people in the covenant of grace and rely on him as our Prophet, our Priest and our King to bring us to eternal blessedness.
"We acknowledge our everlasting and indispensable obligation to glorify God in all the duties of a sober and a godly and a right- eous life, and very particularly in the duties of a Church state and body of people associated for obedience to him in all the ordinances of the gospel, and we depend upon his gracious assistance for the faithful discharge of the duties incumbent upon us. We desire and intend and with reliance upon his promised and powerful grace we engage to walk together as a Church of our Lord Jesus Christ in the faith and order of the gospel so far as we shall have the same revealed unto us, conscientiously attending
21
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HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
the public worship of God, the sacraments of the new testament, the discipline of his Kingdom and all his holy institutions, in communion with one another watchfully avoiding sinful stum- bling blocks and contentions as becometh a people whom the Lord hath bound up in the same bundle of life. At the same time we do also present our infant offspring with us unto the Lord, pur- posing by his help to do our part in all the methods of a religious education that they may be the Lord's.
"And all this we do flying to the blood of the everlasting Covenant for the pardon of our many errors and praying that the chief Shepherd would prepare and strengthen us to every good work to do his will, working in us that which is well pleasing to him, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."1
Dated Canterbury, November 3d, 1790.
On which day the above covenant was signed by Abiel Foster, Asa Foster, Thomas Clough, Samuel Ames, William Moor, David Foster, Jonathan Foster, Laban Morrill, William Hazeltine, David Morrill.
The separation of the town and church by the toleration act, together with the dilapidated condition of the building that for so many years had served the double purpose of sanctuary and town hall, led the inhabitants of Canterbury, interested in the Congregational form of worship, to consider plans for the erection of a meeting house. The people were called together for this purpose January 6, 1824. David McCrillis was chosen chairman and Ezekiel Morrill, clerk. It was voted to build near the old structure and a committee was appointed to solicit subscriptions for shares in the undertaking. The shares were to be twenty-five dollars each, to be paid in installments. The subscribers were to have as many votes as they held shares. After the meeting house was completed, the pews were to be sold and the proceeds used to pay the share holders. The following is a list of the subscribers with the amounts pledged by each :
Samuel Boyce $25.00
Samuel C. Hazelton $25.00
Richard Greenough 100.00
Abiel Foster 50.00
Samuel A. Morrill
212.50
Edmund Stevens. 25.00
Joseph Gerrish. 162.50
Joseph Clough, Jr 50.00
Jeremiah F. Clough 25.00
John Clough . 125.00
Royal Jackman .
25.00
Thomas Clough 25.00
Joseph Lyford
25.00
Ezekiel Morrill 50.00
Stephen Moore
50.00
Frederick Chase 25.00
Joseph Lyford, Jr.
25.00
David Foster . 25.00
Leavitt Clough, Jr. 150.00
Jeremiah Pickard, Jr. 25.00
1 In 1835 there was a slight change made in the covenant. Four years later it was voted to adopt the "New Chester" Covenant.
Brick School House
. Old Canterbury Bridge
. Thomas Clough House 1777-Ell built in 1740
Congregational Church 1825
307
THE CENTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Josiah H. Pollard $50.00
Reuben Morrill . $100.00
David Morrill .
25.00
Caleb M. Woodman 87.50
James Greenough 75.00
Jesse Stevens 75.00
Thomas Ames 25.00
Samuel French 25.00
Laban Morrill 50.00
Asa Foster . . 25.00
Nathan and J. T. G. Emery. 25.00 '
Joseph Brow 25.00
Enoch Gibson 25.00
J. E. Barrett 25.00
David McCrillis 125.00
Jeremiah Pickard. 25.00
David Emery. 25.00
M. N. Brown 87.50
Ebenezer French 25.00
Nathan Emery 25.00
John Greenough 125.00
William Foster .
25.00
Morrill Shepherd
75.00
John Foster
25.00
$2,500.00
Joseph Clough gave the timber for the frame of the meeting house and the subscribers were to cut the same. The latter were allowed fifty cents a day apiece, "boarding themselves." The building committee were John Clough, Ezekiel Morrill and Leavitt Clough and an advisory board was added to their number consisting of David McCrillis, Samuel A. Morrill, Thomas Ames, Richard Greenough and Joseph Gerrish. The Boscawen meeting house was selected as a model with some slight modification as to the steeple. At the time of the raising of the frame, a dinner was provided for those participating at a cost of twelve and a half cents per man. The meeting house was completed within a year and was dedicated February 2, 1825. Prior to the dedica- tion, the pews were sold at auction. The amount realized was more than sufficient to pay off the share holders, leaving a sub- stantial sum in the treasury of the society. The names of the purchasers of the pews with the prices paid are here given.
No. 1 Joseph Lyford, Jr .. . . $59.00 No. 22 Frederick Chase $42.00
No. 2 Ebenezer Batchelder. 69.00
No. 3 Leavitt Clough 100.00
No. 4 Jesse Stevens 79.00
No. 25 Joseph Clough, Jr 54.00
No. 5 David McCrillis 112.00
No. 26 Ezekiel Morrill 54.00
No. 6 Reuben Morrill 103.00
No. 7 Hugh Tallant. 69.00
No. 8 Joseph Ham, Jr. 57.00
No. 9 Abiel Foster 64.00
No. 10 No. 11
No. 12 Samuel A. Morrill 56.00
No. 13 Steven Moore. 73.00
No. 14 Joseph Gerrish 80.00 No. 15 Samuel A. Morrill 115.00
No. 16 Samuel A. Morrill 110.00
No. 17 James Greenough. 74.00 No. 18 John Clough. 100.00
No. 19 Jacob Gerrish. 55.00
No. 20 Samuel A. Morrill . 80.00
No. 21 Samuel A. Morrill ... 41.00
No. 32 James & Eben Barrett 53.00 No. 33 William Foster. 76.00 No. 34 Reserved .
No. 35 Joseph Brown 53.00
No. 36 John Foster . 53.00
No. 37 Jacob Blanchard 54.00
No. 38 Asa Foster 50.00
No. 39 Thomas Ames 41.00
No. 40 Amos Cogswell. 39.00
$2,420.00
No. 27 Enoch Gibson 52.00
No. 28 Morrill Shepherd 53.00
No. 29 Jeremiah F. Clough .. 54.00 No. 30 Amos Pickard. 46.00
No. 31 Samuel A. Morrill . .. 51.00
Jonathan Glines 25.00
Jonathan Ayers 50.00
No. 23 Stephen Hall 45.00
No. 24 Royal Jackman 54.00
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HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
PEWS IN GALLERY.
No. 1 John Whidden $29.00
No. 13 Caleb M. Woodman. . $19.00
No. 2 Samuel Boyce. 22.00 No. 14 Joseph Clough, 3d ... 35.50
No. 3 Amos Pickard. 23.00 No. 15 Reuben Moore . .
. . 17.50
No. 4 L.cavitt Clough 25.00 No. 16 Samuel A. Morrill ... 18.00
No. 5 Levi Bennett 20.00 No. 17 Rev. William Patrick 19.00
No. 6 Thomas Clough 19.00 No. 18 John Hobart . 23.00
No. 7 Edmund Stevens
20.50 No. 19 Samuel Morrill. 23.00
No. 8 Samuel A. Morrill . 28.00 No. 20 Joseph G. Clough 15.50
No. 9 Jonathan Randal. . . 26.50
No. 21 David Foster . 15.00
No. 10 Jeremiah Pickard, Jr. 20.00
No. 22 Enoch Emery 15.00
No. 11 Obadiah Glines . 37.00
No. 12 Jonathan Glines. 26.00
$496.50
The pastorate of Mr. Patrick was the longest in the history of this church. He was installed October 26, 1803, and he was dis- missed at his own request November 22, 1843, serving the people for a little more than forty years. Mr. Patrick was born in West- ern, now Warren, Mass., July 4, 1777, and graduated at Williams College in 1799. Studying theology with the Rev. Charles Backus of Somers, Conn., he was licensed to preach in June, 1801. His only settlement was at Canterbury. He continued to preach for some years after his dismissal, but accepted no call to a pulpit. His first wife was Mary Gerrish, daughter of Joseph Gerrish of Boscawen. He married a second time Mary Mills of Dunbarton. Removing to Boscawen late in life, he died there October 25, 1862.
No better selection for a pastor could have been made by the church at Canterbury at the time of his coming than that of the Rev. William Patrick. It was an era of change from the old to the new methods of supporting preaching. Opposition to a town church maintained by public taxation was pronounced. Dissent to the Congregational form of worship was growing. Other religious doctrines were becoming popular. A tactful man, therefore, was needed to pilot the society through the breakers ahead of it. The equipment of Mr. Patrick for the task before him was all that could be desired. He had a genial and kindly nature. Well grounded in his orthodoxy, he did not emphasize his doctrine outside of his pulpit. In the social amenities of life he was a good companion. He loved his fellow- men and in every way he was earnest in friendly and neigh- borly courtesies. Thus the church grew under his ministra- tion and in the forty years of his leadership 353 members were added.
309
THE CENTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
Mr. Patrick is thus described by one who remembers him: "He was a tall, thin, wiry man, dignified in his bearing but easy of approach, having a most kindly manner. Fond of argument, he was inflexible in his opinions if convinced that he was right. In the pulpit he was calm and convincing, never impassioned. His sermons were modeled after the methods taught in the theological schools of his time. After the many heads into which his subject was divided had been elaborated, he closed with 'remarks.' These consisted of a direct personal appeal to his hearers. He had a peculiar way of emphasizing a statement by giving a vigorous shake of the head, closing his lips tightly and glancing over his audience as though the truth of his remark could not be questioned."
During his pastorate, Mr. Patrick conducted services at Hackleborough, probably every fourth Sunday, and after the building of the Union Church at Hill's Corner, once a month in that section of the town. His pastoral visits covered the whole of Canterbury, and early in his ministry he made his journeys on horseback, as did his parishioners from remote parts when attend- ing church.
The records show that the church took cognizance of the con- duct of members towards one another in the daily walks of life. In 1810 it was "voted that we disapprove of a brother's taking unlawful interest for money loaned and that we disapprove of a brother going to law before the regular steps are taken as pointed out in Matthew XVIII."
Committees were often chosen to labor with church members who neglected public worship, or absented themselves from the communion table, or neglected church ordinances. Sometimes committees were appointed "to examine and see what may be done to promote the religious education of baptised children," or "to see if parents did their duty and if children revered the instructions of their parents."
In 1829 Asa Foster presented resolutions condemning the use of intoxicating liquors, which were as follows:
"Resolved that we will use all our influence to prevent the unnecessary use of ardent spirits.
"Resolved that we will not make use of any ardent spirits ourselves nor permit distilled liquors to be used in our families except it be for medicine."
310
HISTORY OF CANTERBURY.
The first resolution was adopted without dissent, but the following was substituted for the second resolution:
"Resolved that we consider it inexpedient, improper and censurable for professors of religion to make use of ardent spirits internally, to give them to others for that purpose unless directed by a practicing physician. "1
As early as 1837, Asa Foster and others undertook to commit the church on the slavery question. In November that year Mr. Foster introduced the following resolutions:
"That we believe slavery a condition of society incompatible with the benevolent designs of our Creator in making man, inconsistent with his plan of mercy in redeeming him, and fraught with incalculable evils temporal and eternal both to the slave holder and the hapless victim of his oppression.
"Resolved that we believe slave holding in all cases and under all circumstances to be a sin against God and a flagrant violation of the rights of man, in as much as it deprives him of his inalienable ownership, denies him the right of property and reduces the image of God, the living temple of the Holy Ghost, into a mere article of merchandise.
"Resolved that fidelity to the cause of our Redeemer and duty to our brethren in bonds require us to withdraw Christian fellowship from those churches which tolerate slave holding in their members and to exclude all slave holders from our communion."
The subject was postponed for three weeks, when, after discussion, the first resolution was adopted. The second reso- lution was then considered, the yeas and nays taken, and it was defeated. Those who voted in the affirmative were Asa Foster, Dea. John A. Chamberlain, David Morrill, Robert S. Morrill and David Foster. Those voting in the negative were Dea. John Clough, Joseph Gerrish, Morrill Shepherd, Nathan Emery, Thomas Ames, Milton Giles and Enoch Gerrish.
The third resolution was also rejected by the same vote. Then the following resolution presented by David Morrill was adopted:
"Resolved that we believe slave holding to be a sin against God and a flagrant violation of the rights of man in as much
1 The substitution of non-alcoholic wine in commemoration of the Lord's Supper was brought before the church, and committees were appointed to consider the subject in 1836 and again in 1844.
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THE CENTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
as it deprives him of his inalienable ownership, denies him the right of property and reduces the image of God into a mere article of merchandise."
Not satisfied with the action of the church, Mr. Foster re- peatedly brought forward anti-slavery resolutions during the next two years, only to have them postponed and finally amended. In general terms the members were willing to condemn slavery, but they were not ready at that time to engage in a crusade against the evil or to refuse fellowship with the churches that tolerated slave holders as members.
The Congregational Association which met at Concord in 1840, having refused to allow women who were members of the church to vote in the convention and having erased their names from the rolls, Adams Foster at a meeting of the Canterbury church May 20, 1840, offered resolutions condemning the proceedings. Consideration of these resolutions was postponed until July 2, when after discussion they were rejected by a large majority.
Opposition to war was another subject brought by Asa Foster to the attention of the members, and an attempt was made by him to commit the Canterbury Church to the policy of non- resistance. His efforts failed, only four members supporting him when a vote was taken. Several withdrew from the church in the early forties probably on account of the refusal of a majority of the members to take more pronounced action on the slavery question.
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