USA > New Hampshire > Merrimack County > Henniker > History of the town of Henniker, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, from the date of the Canada grant by the province of Massachusetts, in 1735, to 1880 with a genealogical register of the families of Henniker > Part 9
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109
MR. RICE'S PROPOSITION.
followed for years, and which finally resulted in separating the church from the town, might have been mostly, if not entirely, avoided.
At a meeting of the town, held April 28, 1774, Amos Goold, Joseph Kimball, Esq., and Jonathan Temple were chosen a committee "to go and talk with the Rev. Mr. Rice, and Desire him either to preach himself, or to supply the place with some other Gospel preacher, or to ask a dismis- sion from the work of the ministry."
This committee was outside of the church. They con- versed with Mr. Rice, and, as a result, he offered to give up one half of his salary, and the town accepted the offer. The vote was very soon reconsidered, " and a committee chosen to Discourse with Mr. Rice."
His answer was as follows:
Henniker September 26, 1774.
Whereas, the great head of the Church has seen fit to exercise me with bodily infirmities and that for a long time, by reason whereof the Church and people committed to my care have been deprived of my labour among them, which should be looked upon as a frown of Providence upon us, which I pray God be seriously took notice of and duly imposed us, and that he would sanctify it to us for our Spiritual good, the following things I offer you : that upon your causing the whole sum that was engaged to me by the town for the present year, and which is almost expired, viz : 35, os .- op. Lawful money, to be raised, and tax every man his equal proportion of that sum, and then leave every man at liberty to pay me all or any part of what is his part of the above mentioned sum, and whatever is not paid to me, to be paid to the Selectmen of the town to hire preach- ing with ; also, that there be proper and reasonable pains taken that there be preaching amongst us as soon as may be, and that the town is not without preaching, unless there be some partic- ular difficulty in getting a preacher, until the whole sum that is to be paid to the Selectmen shall be spent in the manner afore- said, except the town shall think proper to be without preach- ing, two, three, or four months at the most difficult season for attending the Publick Worship ; Also, that you get an Ortho- dox preacher, one of a good character, and that the neighbor- ing ministers will be willing to change with ; upon your faith- fully fulfilling these proposals I consent to drop my Salary for the
IIO
HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
year that is almost expired : if this offer of mine is not such a one as that you are willing to accept of I will leave it to an Eccle- siastical Council that you and I can agree upon, to say whether what I have offered is reasonable, and if it is not, to say what is reasonable in this matter : from your Pastor, and well wisher for time and eternity,
Jacob Rice.
N. B. Its probable that there be many thoughts arising in your breasts upon hearing of this my offer one account and another but that I would inform you of, that I ever meant to Deal as fairly with you at the close of the year with your hav- ing but one town meeting and sending one Committee to me as more.
May 15, 1774. Received of the Selectmen of Henniker Thir- ty Six Shillings for preaching in said Henniker, and ten shill- ings and sixpence for writing done for sd town in full for both. I say received by me, James Scales.
Mr. Scales was a justice of the peace, and the town paid him three shillings in 1772 "for swearing in the town offi- cers."
Rev. Timothy Brown, of Dunbarton, preached four Sab- baths during the winter of 1773 and 1774. This is his re- ceipt :
Dunbarton, March 18th, 1774. This day received of Amos Goold of Henniker, the sum of Two pounds and eight shillings upon account of the Reverend Timothy Brown's preaching four Sundays for said town of Henniker the winter past, and I have power to act for said Brown : the receipt shall clear the town for the above sum. I say received by me,
Jeremiah Page.
In October, 1775, Mr. Rice discharged the town from pay- ing him any salary during the year past that he had not been able to preach.
At a meeting, held November 3, 1777,
Voted that they were uneasy to have matters remain as they had been between them and their Pastor.
Voted, that they thought that the relation between them and their Pastor ought to be Dissolved.
Voted, that the reason of it was because their Pastor was un- able of attending to his labors by a reason of being in a poor state of health, and for no other reason.
III
MR. RICE DISMISSED.
A committee was chosen to wait upon Mr. Rice, pre- sent him with a copy of this vote, and request his answer. His answer was as follows :
That if the town would give him sixty six pounds, thirteen shillings and four pence per year for the time he did preach with them, allowing what he had of Settlement and Salary to make up that sum, and that said town make said sixty six pounds, thirteen shillings and four pence, as good as money was in 1774, he would ask a dismission, they freeing him from Taxes while he remains in a poor state of health.
The town voted to accept his offer, and chose a committee of five to settle with him; but his church being dissatisfied with the vote, immediately called another town-meeting, at which the vote was reconsidered.
February 10, 1776, Mr. Rice presented the town with the following letter :
To my beloved Flock. Although thro the divine goodness of God to me, I am considerably better as to my health than I was a year ago, yet I am in a weak and low state of health and unable at present to preach, though I hope I shall be able by and by : you being without the Gospel preached among you, that you may not remain destitute while I am taken off from my work among you, as well as that peace and harmony may submit amongst us, I would have you take off my salary to hire one, two, three, five or six Months preaching as you shall think proper the ensuing year : hoping that you will remember me with kindness in my adversity : so wishing you all manner of prosperity, especially in your Souls affairs, I subscribe myself your friend and servant in the Lord,
Jacob Rice.
March 17, 1778, Mr. Rice addressed another letter to the town, offering to take a dismissal upon the conditions he had already offered them. This the town refused to grant; and at the same meeting
Voted that Mr. Rice ought to ask a dismission.
Here seems to have been the difficulty between Mr. Rice and his church, who mostly stood by him, and the town :
II2
HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
Mr. Rice was willing to take a dismission, and the town were willing he should, but they wished him to ask for it. This Mr. Rice refused to do until his salary in arrears was guar- anteed to him. July 2, 1778, the town
Voted that they were willing to give Mr. Rice a dismissal when he should ask for it.
The church now took the matter in hand, and offered to call a council with the town, to adjust the difficulties be- tween the town and Mr. Rice; and at a meeting, held August 30, 1779, the town voted to concur with the church in call- ing a council for this purpose. The vote was afterwards re- scinded.
July 12, 1780, the town again voted to concur with the church in calling a council, "to consist of the Pastor of the Church in Epping, the Pastor of the Church in Hampstead, of the church in Plaistow, the Church in Kingston in N. H., and of the Church of the Second Parish of Mendon, of the first Church in Shrewsbury, of the Church in Hopkinton in Mass. Bay." These, with their delegates, were to be the council. An effort had been made to have the council con- sist of the pastors and delegates from the churches of Con- cord, Hollis, Warner, Hopkinton, and Hillsborough, but it failed.
At a meeting held in 1781, the town
Voted, that those dissatisfied with Mr. Rice have Liberty to hire preaching for themselves.
Jan. 4, 1782, the town chose a committee to wait upon Mr. Rice in regard to his dismissal. They reported, in half an hour,-
That Mr. Rice would take five hundred Pounds and go or stay.
The town then voted "to give Mr. Rice a dismissal."
The council met February 20, 1782, at the house of Capt. E. How, when Mr. Rice was dismissed. At a meeting held
II3
OTHER MINISTERS EMPLOYED.
five days previously, after a bitter discussion, and voting "that the Council could give Mr. Rice such Caracter as they saw fit," the town finally gave Mr. Rice a recommendation as follows :
Voted to recommend Rev. Mr. Rice, our present Pastor, to be a Christian of Unblemished character and Consecration, in a Judgment of Charity.
And Mr. Rice was finally dismissed, with his salary guar- anteed, that was yet in arrears, and with such a recommend- ation of character as he wished for, after having been often denied both by the town.
But few additions were made to the church during the thirteen years that Mr. Rice was its pastor. The old set- tlers who were instrumental in settling Mr. Rice were ever his firm friends. The spirit of the Revolution began to permeate the minds of the people, and they began to seek for that larger liberty which should not oblige one to be as- sessed to support a preacher in whose doctrines of faith he did not have full belief. Mr. Rice may have erred, as he was mortal like the rest of mankind, but he ever manifest- ed a spirit to meet the town more than half way in all the difficulties between them. As was a matter of consequence, those who had been punctual to attend services upon the Sabbath, were, many of them, indifferent, and remained at home, while the younger portion of the population, in many families, rarely entered the house of public worship upon the Sabbath. Different preachers were hired from time to time, for one, two, or more Sabbaths each: these failed to interest the people. Several months at a time, during the Revolutionary War, passed away without any preaching. For the larger part of the time during the war the town did not raise, upon the average, more than twenty pounds per year to hire preachers and pay their board. Long intervals often passing between the labors of different preachers, the people had but little opportunity to establish a habit of at-
II4
HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
tending public worship, and so many grew up in the habit of spending the Sabbath in their own chosen way. The orig- inal proprietors of the town no doubt intended that there should be preaching upon Sabbaths in endless succession, and that every one should observe the day with holy rever- ence. But the ways of Providence were to them mysterious, and disappointed their purposes and frustrated their plans. It is not for us to criticise too freely those early settlers, who felt that as Mr. Rice was the first minister to break unto them the bread of life, and had shared their toils and their hardships with them, and had gone in and out be- fore them with a blameless life, he was entitled to their sympathy and their support. He who knoweth all things and ruleth all things, doeth all things for the best. Let us cover their faults with the broad mantle of charity, and so improve our privileges and direct our influence that they will be referred to by coming generations with pleasure.
Aug. 1, 1782, the town
Voted to apply to the Grafton Presbytery for a Preacher, if without cost to the town.
In May, 1784, the church adopted that chapter of the Cambridge platform entitled " Admission of members on their creed or confession of faith." This was designated as "The Half-way Covenant."
The pulpit was supplied partly by Mr. Rice and partly by Mr. Whipple. In 1787 the church adopted five articles or rules for discipline. They were left with Mr. Rice, but were never recorded, and are therefore lost.
In 1785, the town united with the church in calling a council to adjust the difficulties between the church and the town, but no record tells whether the same met or not ; the probabilities are that it did not.
Rev. Aaron Hutchinson preached here fourteen Sabbaths during the winter and spring of 1786. An effort was made in 1790 to settle Rev. Ebenezer Allen, of Kingston, this
II5
EFFORTS TO SETTLE MR. HALL.
state, but without avail. The same year the town united with the church in giving the Rev. Josiah Carpenter a call to settle in the ministry, but could not agree upon any offer for support. The town finally voted, in 1791,-
That no person shall be hired to preach more than four days without two thirds of the voters present shall agree to hire him.
At a meeting of the town, held Nov. 14, 1791, at which Mr. Rice was the moderator, it was voted to hire Rev. Mr. Williams as a preacher. He preached but few Sundays. March 4, 1793, the town voted to hire Rev. Jabez P. Fisher on probation, and May 20, same year, they voted "to give him a call to settle in the ministry." A committee of nine were chosen to confer with him. They offered him one hundred pounds salary and settlement. Mr. Fisher objected to the sum offered, and did not accept the call. The call was renewed in August, and again in May, 1794.
At the latter date the town voted to discharge all from paying the minister's rate that were not in favor of settling Mr. Fisher ; and, also,-
Voted that all who were against his settlement were required to make it known in fourteen days or be considered as in his favor.
But Mr. Fisher did not accept the call. In April, 1796, Rev. Nathaniel Hall was invited to preach six Sabbaths. At the end of the time the town voted to give him a call upon condition " that when two thirds of the people paying taxes to Support said Preacher shall be Dissatisfied with him by their giving him notice three months beforehand, he shall take a Dismissal, and the said Mr. Hall shall have the same Liberty By giving the town like notice."
Mr. Hall returned a negative answer to the call, deeming the support offered of too small an amount. The call was
II6
HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
renewed again in the fall of the same year, but Mr. Hall did not see fit to accept it. The pulpit was supplied by different ones, amongst whom were Messrs. Dow and Tilton, until, at a meeting held Aug. 12, 1801, the town voted to settle Rev. Moses Sawyer in the work of the ministry. Those who voted in favor of settling him were
John Warren,
Nathaniel Cogswell,
Joshua Whitney, Samuel M. Smith, William Myrick, Jonathan Wood,
Ephraim Goss, Ens. William Morrison,
Eli How,
Joel Withington,
Moses Smith,
Samuel Morrison, Sr.,
Thomas Willson, Lt. Amos Gould, John Kimball,
Josiah Ward, James Morrison,
Aaron How,
James Joslyn, Joseph Wood,
Levi Bowman,
Alexander Campbell,
Jacob Peters,
David Morrill,
John Proctor,
Daniel Rice,
Joseph Patterson,
Moses Smith, Jr.,
Nathaniel Clough,
Charles Whitcomb,
Francis Withington,
Eli Wood,
Zaccheus Whitcomb,
Charles Whitcomb, Jr., Abel Dufur,
Eleazer Whitney,
Elias Withington,
Francis M. Withington, Elisha Rice,
Bannister Goodenow,
John Willson,
Lt. S. Wadsworth,
Benjamin Gould,
Thomas Howlett,
David Colby,
Bezaleel Smith,
Ezekiel Smith,
David Clough, Esq.
Whole number for Mr. Sawyer, 54.
Those opposed were as follows, viz .:
Thomas Brown,
David Connor,
Samuel Howe, Charles Rice,
Bela Butler,
Israel Adams, Sr.,
William How,
James Wallace,
John Gould,
Deac. E. Harthorn,
Capt. Jesse Campbell,
Samuel Willson,
Maj. David Campbell, Jonas Alexander,
Phinehas Campbell,
Silas Harthorn, Jonathan Eastman,
Joseph Hoyt,
Timothy Abbott, William Wallace, Esq., Joshua Darling,
Paul Harthorn,
Isaac Patterson,
Sargent Heath,
Joshua Heath,
John Whitcomb,
Jonathan Sawyer,
Thaddeus Gibson,
Eliphalet Dufur,
Noah Rice,
Alexander Patterson,
Capt. Jonas Bowman,
Daniel Colby.
Whole number, 33.
At this meeting not over one third of the voters then in town participated. The meeting chose a committee to con- fer with Mr. Sawyer in regard to his settlement, and voted
Lt. Francis Bowman,
William Gould,
Aaron H. Wadsworth,
Samuel Smith,
John Connor,
Solomon Childs,
II7
REV. MOSES SAWYER.
to excuse all those who were opposed to settling him from paying anything towards his support, by giving the town clerk notice of their opposition within six days from the date of that meeting. Mr. Sawyer's salary was fixed at one hundred and ten pounds annually.
December 9, 1801, a meeting of the town was held, which was largely attended, when the vote to give Mr. Sawyer a call to settle was reconsidered, and a motion was made not to appoint a day for his ordination. Upon this question the yeas and nays were demanded, and each man's name taken down as he answered. The result of the vote was 90 nays, 66 yeas. A copy of this vote was presented to Mr. Sawyer by Joshua Darling, Lt. Samuel Wadsworth, and Ephraim Goss.
Nays as follows :
Jonathan Sawyer,
Bela Butler,
Daniel Emory,
Noah Rice,
Nathaniel Folsom,
Maj. Robert Wallace,
Capt. Aaron Adams,
Samuel Page,
Abel Gordon,
Samuel Cressey,
John Tucker,
Gershom Heath,
Deac. Eben" Harthorn, David Connor,
Charles Rice,
Capt. Jonas Bowman,
David Mansfield,
Ezra Tucker, Jr., Thomas Pingree, Jr., James Wallace,
Nathaniel Page,
Obediah Rogers,
John Goodenow,
Timothy Sprague,
Lt. John Smith,
Shuthelah Rice,
John Campbell,
Thomas Stuart,
Amos Farrington,
Ezra Upham,
William Wallace, Esq.,
Elisha Barns, James Connor,
Daniel Hardy, Sargent Heath, Joseph Plummer,
Thomas Clough, Zadok Duston,
Daniel Chesmore,
David Gordon,
Samuel Connor,
Samuel Willson.
John Whitman,
Moses Duston,
Benjamin Hoyt, Samuel Howe, David Adams,
John Gould, Robert Rogers,
Thaddeus Gibson, Moses Adams,
David Bowman,
Daniel Colby,
Oliver Noyes,
Nathaniel Harthorn,
Josiah Edwards,
Joshua Heath, Eliphalet Dufur,
Penn Howe,
Jacob Rice, Jr.,
Isaac Whittier,
Israel Adams, Sr.,
George Little, Levi Kemp,
Capt. Jesse Campbell, Joseph Hoyt,
Jasper Temple,
Timothy Abbott,
Josiah Morse, William How,
Alexander Patterson, Phinehas Campbell, Samuel Kimball, Jr., Thomas Brown, James Hemphill,
Thomas Putney,
Richard Dole,
Samuel Kimball,
Eldad Harriman,
Darius Whitcomb,
Silas Harthorn,
Gilman Colby,
Jonas Alexander, Jr.,
Gideon Adams,
Elias Haswell,
Isaac Patterson,
Nahum Newton,
Joseph Marsh,
Joshua Darling.
Paul Harthorn,
II8
HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
Yeas as follows :
Lt. Francis Bowman,
Ephraim Goss,
William Myrick, Samuel Eastman,
Micah Howe, David Morrill, Lt. John Proctor,
Elias Withington,
John Withington,
Aaron Howe,
Moses Smith,
Francis Bowman, Jr.,
David Colby,
Joseph Wood,
Oliver Whitcomb, Nathaniel Clough,
Bannister Goodenow, Francis M. Withington, Solomon Childs,
Ezekiel Smith,
Jonathan Wood,
Samuel Smith,
John Kimball,
Samuel M. Smith,
Joel Withington,
Alfred Barrows,
James Joslyn,
Lt. Amos Gould,
Josiah Ward,
Charles Whitcomb, Jr.,
Elisha Rice,
George Hoyt, Jr.,
John Willson,
Samuel Hardy,
Joseph Ward, John Warren,
Jonathan Eastman,
Joseph Patterson,
Ens. William Morrison,
Zaccheus Whitcomb,
Jacob Peters,
William Gould,
John Connor,
David Clough, Esq.,
Bezaleel Smith,
Aaron H. Wadsworth, Levi Bowman,
Dr. Thomas Brooks, Charles Whitcomb, John Stuart,
Joshua Whitney,
Joseph Eager,
Moses Smith, Jr.,
Francis Withington, Thomas Willson,
Jonathan Eastman, Jr., Benj. Gould,
Nathaniel Cogswell, Abel Dufur,
Eleazer Whitney,
Nathaniel Livingston,
Stephen Hardy,
Samuel Morrison, Sr.
Eli Wood,
Benjamin Smith, Daniel Rice,
CHAPTER IX.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY-Continued.
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE-SETTLEMENT OF MR. SAWYER-NAME OF THE NEW SOCIETY-BUILDING OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL MEETING-HOUSE- NEW SOCIETY INCORPORATED-DISMISSAL OF MR. SAW- YER AND SETTLEMENT OF REV. JACOB SCALES-BURN- ING OF THE MEETING-HOUSE-ERECTION OF A NEW ONE -PRESENTATION OF COMMUNION SERVICE-MR. SCALES DISMISSED-OTHER MINISTERS EMPLOYED-STATIS- TICS - METHODISTS- STATISTICS-BAPTISTS-STATIS- TICS - QUAKERS - UNIVERSALISTS - FREE-WILL BAP- TISTS.
HE excitement was now at its height ; and Mr. Saw- yer's friends, feeling that the time had come to sep- arate themselves from the town, met immediately after the adjournment of the meeting, held December 9, 1801, and formed themselves into a society, to be called "The Calvin- istic Congregational Society in Henniker." A large num- ber of the prominent men of the town, together with the larger part of the oldest settlers in town, as well as a portion of the church, were opposed to settling Mr. Sawyer : for what reason, it does not appear, but probably it was partly through the influence of the bickerings between the church and the town for so many years previously, and partly in consequence of a difference in faith and belief. It is a very pleasant thought of Mr. Rice, that, in all of these attempts to settle a minister, he took no active part, leaving the peo-
120
HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
ple free to act as they thought best ; and in all the petty feuds that arose, and which at times assumed a most un- pleasant aspect, he kept himself aloof.
The society thus formed united with the church in renew- ing the call to Mr. Sawyer, which he accepted. He was ordained their pastor and teacher, May 26, 1802. The exer- cises were held in the barn now owned by Mr. E. B. Whit- man, and the discourse was delivered from the east scaffold. Previous to that day only fifty-five persons are known to have been members of the church in this town. It is not easy to learn how many were living and connected with the church at the end of the thirty-three years from Mr. Rice's settlement. Mr. Rice was the clerk of the church during all of these years, and some votes that would seem to be important ones, he, for some reason, failed to record.
The additions, as near as can be ascertained, averaged only one a year. At least, such is the assertion of Rev. Jacob Scales, in a communication in 1835. In 1795 the "Half-way Covenant" was abandoned, and none admitted to membership save upon their profession of faith. In speak- ing of Mr. Rice, in the same communication, Mr. Scales says,-
Though a minister of the school of Whitby, he was never very zealously affected in any cause. His mind was not given to severe study, nor his body to vigorous exercise. Many of his Church, and people, were satisfied with his preaching smooth things, and the kindness of his disposition secured him the affections of many.
Though none of his children, or grand children, were ever connected with the church, and none of his posterity are now known to reside within the limits of this state, still the remem- brance of him, and his household, is intimately connected with the early history of the town, and the moral character of all the descendants of the first settlers.
The following is the action of the council called to settle Mr. Sawyer, held May 25, 1802:
At an ecclesiastical Council convened agreeable to letters mis- sive, for the purpose of ordaining Mr. Moses Sawyer to the
I2I
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.
work of the gospel ministry in this place, churches present on this occasion by their Pastors and deligates,-The chh. in Bos- cawen, Alstead, Francestown, Hancock, Dunbarton, Hopkin- ton, Newport, Salisbury, & Thetford by their deligate.
I. Chose Rev. Samuel Wood Moderator of the Council.
2. Rev. Walter Harris, Scribe.
After looking to the Throne of Grace for light & direction, proceed to hear the statements of the several committees. Then attended to the inquiry : whether the way be open for the ordination of Mr. Moses Sawyer to the work of the gospel ministry over the Calvinistic Chh & Society in this place.
Notwithstanding the various objections which have been of- fered, Voted in the affirmative. Then proceeded to the exam- ination of the Candidate. After which, Voted the Council are satisfied with regard to the qualifications of Mr. Moses Sawyer for the work hereunto he has been called. Then proceeded to the assignment of the public exercises, which are as follows-
Rev. Mr. Wines make the introductory prayer.
Rev. Mr. Worcester preach the sermon.
Rev. Mr. Bradford make the consecrating prayer.
Rev. Mr. Wood give the charge.
Rev. Mr. Smith give the right hand of fellowship.
Rev. Mr. Harris make the concluding prayer.
Samuel Wood, Moderator. Walter Harris, Scribe.
The town chose thirteen of its ablest men to confer with the council called to ordain Mr. Sawyer, and represent to it the feeling of the town in regard to the matter. This com- mittee did as instructed, but without avail. At a meeting held in August, the town voted, ninety-four to no one against, to give the Rev. Pliny Dickerson a call to settle in the min- istry. A committee was chosen to extend the call, and to offer him £105 yearly salary. Mr. Dickerson did not ac- cept, and nothing ever came from it.
December 8, 1802, the town
Voted, that the Calvinistic Society, so called, should have the liberty of going into the Meeting house on the Sabbath, when the town did not wish for said Meeting House.
April 19, 1803, the town, by fifty-seven to fifty-six,-
Voted that the Calvinistic Society should not have their pro- 9
122
HISTORY OF HENNIKER.
portion of the Interest Money appropriated for the Support of the Gospel separate from the rest of the town.
The church and society this year made application to the legislature for an act of incorporation; and at a meeting held November 10, 1803, the town chose Judge Robert Wal- lace, Jonas Bowman, and William Wallace a committee to oppose it before the proper committee of the house. They did so, but their efforts proved futile; and the church and society were incorporated, under a simple act of incorpora- tion, as the "Calvinistic Congregational Society of Henni- ker." John Langdon was governor.
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