USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Mason > History of the town of Mason, N. H. from the first grant in 1749, to the year 1858 > Part 29
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At that time, there were no theological seminaries in the land. The usual course was, for the candidate for the minis- try, to resort to some well known divine, who had a reputa- tion for learning and ability to teach, and with him to pursue such a course of study, as the parties should think proper. After the course of instruction was sufficiently advanced, the pastor would introduce his pupil to his own pulpit and people, before he went abroad ; and thus give him the benefit of a certain degree of experience, under the most favorable circumstances. This form of instruction, if it did not furnish to the student so good an opportunity for extensive and accu- rate scholarship, as the present mode, yet possessed advan- tages for carefully observing the operations of divine truth on a christian parish, and thereby preparing himself for the dis- charge of his professional duties, with fewer embarrassments than are usually in the way of a cloister student, who has passed through a full curriculum of collegiate and theological education.
The reasons inducing him to apply to Dr. Payson for instruction, are not now known, but he seems to have been favored by a divine providence, in the selection of his teacher. Dr. Payson was a man of sterling worth, and he secured the regard of his pupil, and retained it till his death.
If, as stated in his letter to Mr. R -- , he spent two years as a school-teacher in Westford, he must have commenced his residence with Mr. Payson in August, 1788. That it was so, his letters show ; for in one bearing date at Rindge, August, 1788, (the day of the month not inserted,) he writes, "I have now been here eleven days." His novitiate was very short, for his license to preach, bears date October 28th,
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1788. He commenced preaching as a candidate, immediately
after. Many of his sermons remaining, bear date in that
year. Indeed, it is probable, that his first effort in conduct- ing the public worship in the pulpit, was prior to that date, for in a letter dated, as usual with him at that time, by the day of the week, omitting that of the month, under date of Saturday evening, October, 1788, he writes, "Mr. Payson has just been into my study, and says I must preach for him to-morrow, for he is not prepared." The letter continued on subsequent days, till Saturday, two weeks from the first date, makes no mention of the examination or license.
The following copy of this venerable document is worthy of insertion, for its quaintness, and also, as a sample of the mode in which such important matters were disposed of, by the fathers of the New England churches :
At an Association in Afhburnham, Oct. 28, 1788, Eben' Hill, et. B. appeared and Submitted himself to examination as a Candidate for ye Gaffel ministry :--- Upon enquiry into his moral Character, ministerial furniture, and views in undertaking ye work, voted unanimously fatified with Him in ad Character, and He is heartily recommended to preach wherever God in his Providence Shall give him opportunity : and we with He may prove a rich Blef- sing to the Chh and Pple of God, and that He may be an able and Faithful minister of the new testament. By Order of yo association. John/ Cufhing, forile.
There cannot be much doubt, that while teaching school during the two years in Westford, he was under the direction of Dr. Payson, pursuing his theological studies, and that the date above stated, is that of the commencement of his resi-
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dence in the family of his instructor, rather than that of the commencement of his professional studies.
Among other places, he exercised his ministry in the town of Marlborough, so much to the acceptance of the church and people, that they gave him a call to settle in that place, as their minister. This call was voted in concurrence with the church, at a town meeting, held November 13th, 1789. The provision for his support, offered by the town, was as follows :
"Voted, To give Mr. Hill one hundred and sixty pounds, settlement ; sixty pounds to be paid in specie, one half of which, is to be paid in three months after his ordination, the other half, to be paid in nine months. The one hundred pounds to be paid in beef cattle, Equal to beef at twenty shillings per hundred, or other neet stock Equivilent; sd. beef to be paid the fifteenth day of October, after his ordi- nation.
"Voted, To give Mr. Hill sixty pounds salary for the first year, and to add Twenty shillings a year, until it arrive to the sum of sixty-eight pounds, and also,
"Voted, To give Mr. Hill thirty cords of wood, delivered at his house, the salary and wood to be paid annually, so long as Mr. Hill shall perform the work of a gospel minister, in this place.
"Voted, That when the majority of the Church and Town shall agree to invite a council, to settle any difficulty, if any should arise between pastor and church and Town, that Mr. Hill be obligated to join with the church and town, in a mutual council."
At a subsequent meeting, December 24th, 1789, the offer was modified by the following vote :
"Voted, To alter the payment of Mr. Ebenezer Hill's salary as it now stands, in the proposals which the town has made to him, and to pay the said salary, annually, so long as he shall remain our gospel minister." This was, undoubtedly, intended to apply to, and modify that provision of the 4
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former offer, which limited the payment of the salary, by the phrase " so long as Mr. Hill shall perform the work of a gos- pel minister in this place." This made the payment contin- gent on services actually performed. The contract by which a preacher was settled, as the pastor of a church and minis- ter of a town, was then regarded as indissoluble, without fault on the part of the minister, as the marriage contract was then esteemed to be. Hence it followed, that if the minister should become disabled from disease or old age, to perform " the work of a gospel minister," he was still enti- tled to claim and receive his stipend, and the people were not permitted, after having enjoyed the best services of his youth and vigorous manhood, to turn him adrift in his old age, laboring under poverty and infirmity, to spend his last days in penury and misery. The clergy were particularly cautious, not to permit any stipulations looking to an abridgement of this right, to be incorporated into the contract; on the other hand, the people were somewhat inclined to entertain the notion, that the principle of no work, no pay, should apply to these, as well as to other contracts. These ideas, doubt- less, had something to do with the framing of this proposed contract, and of the modification, adopted at the second meeting. These were old world notions. As the French say, " All this, we have changed." Now the contract between ministers and people, has little more permanency than a hiring from year to year, and, from the frequency with which divorces are sought, and the case with which they are obtained, in some parts of our country, the marriage contract is fast verging to the same miserable state. It is sufficient to say, that this call was not accepted; for what particular reasons, does not appear. He had, at the same time, under consideration, a similar call from the church and people in Mason, which was first in point of time, and was by him finally accepted ; but he ever entertained for the people of Marlbo- rough, an affectionate regard.
His first introduction to Mason, the scene of his future
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labors, in which his life was to be spent, was undoubtedly, through the Rev. Samuel Dix, of Townsend, with whom he formed an acquaintance while residing at Westford, or at Rindge, which ended, only with the life of that worthy gen- tleman. Addressed "To Mr. Ebenezer Hill, at Rindge," is a letter, of which the following is a copy :
"MR. HILL :- I am desired in behalf of the town of Mason, to request you to preach with them four Sabbaths; to begin, the first or second in April next. They wish to know soon, whether you comply or not; if you please to send the infor- mation to me, I will convey it to them, by divine permission ; I mean, in case you can't bring it yourself, to your friend and servant, SAM'L DIX."
TOWNSEND, May 20th, 1789.
There is, undoubtedly, a mistake in the date of this letter. It should be March, instead of May. This invitation was complied with. It appears by the minutes of the Holles Association, that at their meeting at Townsend, July 1st, 1789, there were present as "company, the Rev. Mr. Bullard, of Pepperell, and Mr. Hill, a candidate preaching at Mason."
In coming to this, his future home, he came to no place of case, no well cultivated garden spot, where the young preacher was to find a polished people, a full salary, and to enjoy the opportunity for becoming a scholar, a theologian ; but he came to an uncultivated field, which demanded, from its occupant, the most laborious toil, in order for success. The people were poor, unpolished in manners, but sincerely desirous of the establishment of the institutions of religion among them, and ready to receive their minister, with open hand and heart. The "Gaius, mine host" who first received and entertained this youthful apostle, upon his entry into this his future diocese, was the worthy and excellent Jason Dunster, a lineal descendant of Henry Dunster, the first president of Harvard college. He then resided in the south- east part of the town. Mr. Dunster, then an aged man, remained his firm and unwavering friend, to the close of
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his life. The mode of travelling in those days, was on horse- back, the wayfarer taking with him his scanty wardrobe, and a few books, and manuscript sermons in his saddle-bags. There were then, no wheeled carriages in the town, except the ox-carts, and no vehicle for winter conveyance, except the ox- sleds and pungs, a coarsely-made box, placed upon runners, and drawn by one or more horses. The roads were rough, and by no means free from stumps and stones; so that the means of passing from place to place, were only those just described, or the more primitive method, the use of the sturdy limbs furnished by nature to all well made up men and women.
His services as a minister, seem to have been from the first, very acceptable to the people of his future charge, and he continued to preach in the place, with a few interruptions of time, spent in other places, until his final settlement and ordination. Soon after coming into town, he became domes- ticated in the pleasant family of Mr. John Winship, in which he resided most of the time, till he was married, and could sit down by his own domestic hearth. For this worthy fam- ily, he always entertained an affectionate regard. It seems, that after fulfilling his first engagement at Mason, of "four sabbaths," probably extended to a few more weeks, he preached at Ashby, at which place he was employed in August, 1789 ; as appears, by the letter of the meeting house commit- tee of Mason, dated August 29th, 1789, addressed to him at Asbby ; which has been inserted in the History of Mason, page 111.
The people of Mason, without any long trial of their can- didate, determined to invite him to become their minister. A church meeting for this purpose, was held October 13th, 1789. Just seventeen years before that time, October 13th, 1772, the meeting was held for the gathering and formation of the church, into an ecclesiastical body. The church, at this meeting, at which the Rev. Mr. Dix presided, voted, unanimously, to invite Mr. Hill to become their pastor. In
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this action of the church, the town concurred by their votes, at a meeting held on the 16th of October. Copies of the votes of the town and of the church were communicated to him.
Thus, was presented to him, the most important question he would be called upon to decide in his long life; one, upon which his happiness as a man, and his usefulness as a public teacher and minister of the word of God, was mainly to depend. The prospect was far from cheering. There were many discouragements. The town was small, and the inhabitants few in number. They were poor, and there was little promise that they would ever be otherwise. Their sole employment was agriculture, except the few handicrafts always found in agricultural communities, and the character of the hard, stubborn, rocky soil was such, as to afford prom- ise of rather scanty harvests, and no anticipations of rapid improvement. But, on the other hand, the people were industrious, temperate, frugal, warm-hearted, ready to do according to their best ability for his comfort and support.
The church formed October 13, 1772, then consisting of twenty-one members, twelve men and nine women, had hardly kept its numbers good. Unhappy difficulties arose, soon after the settlement of their first minister, the Rev. Jonathan Searle. He was dismissed August 14th, 1781. After his dismission, they had procured a temporary supply, from time to time, and had invited several preachers to settle with them but all the invitations had been declined. Only one member had been added to the communion, for more than thirteen years, and he, Jonathan Chandler, by letter, from the church in Grafton.
But there were circumstances of encouragement. The neighboring ministers, particularly Dix of Townsend, and Farrar of New Ipswich, were anxious to welcome him as a fellow-laborer, and to have the waste place which this church had, for so many years exhibited, built up. In 1785, a reli- gious revival, of a remarkable character, took place in New Ipswich, in which the neighboring towns, and particularly the
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town of Mason, largely shared. Many of the young persons in that town, on becoming subjects of the revival, had united with the church in New Ipswich. All these were now ready, in prospect of the re-establishment of gospel ordinances, to remove their church-membership to Mason church; and many inhabitants of the town, members of churches in the places in which they had formerly lived, were ready to remove their membership to this church. These, uniting with the remain- ing members of the church, constituted at the time of his ordination, a body of thirty-six in number, ready to receive him as their pastor and teacher.
After due consideration, in July or August, 1790, he gave his answer to this call in the affirmative, accepting the invita- tion. In pursuance of these proceedings, an ecclesiastical council was called, which met on the second day of November, 1790, and, having made the necessary examinations and arrangements therefor, on the next day, they procceded to ordain him, as pastor of the church. For the details of the votes of the church and of the town, his answer to their call and the proceedings of the council, reference may be had to the History of the town of Mason, pages 111 to 119.
His inducements to accept this invitation, rather than that of Marlborough, appear in a letter to a friend, under date of May 5th, 1790. He writes, "I have tried to think it was my duty to settle at Marlborough, but it appears quite plain to me, that Providence has pointed out Mason as the place. I think I never saw such an union, and such engagedness, as is apparent in this place. What their motives are, I am not able to say, but trust, with regard to the greater part, they are gospel motives, and upon the whole, I dare not deny them."
The provision for his support amounted to $250 a year, a very moderate stipend upon which to sustain a family and keep up the hospitality which was then expected of the clergy, and generally maintained by them. It was, however, considering the habits of living of the times, quite as ade-
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quate for that purpose, as the cempensation now paid gener- ally by country parishes to their clergymen. It was a matter belonging to the town, in its municipal capacity, to see that this sum was paid, which was done by levying and collecting a tax upon the poll and estates of all the inhabitants and land-holders in the town, except such as by the laws of the land were excused from the payment, by reason of their membership of other religious societies.
According to the provisions of the charter, by which the title to the lands in the town was granted, see History of Mason, page 28, he would, in addition to the sum of seventy five pounds annual salary, be entitled to the use of the lands granted " for the use of the ministry"; but at the meeting held October 16, 1789, immediately after passing a vote to concur "with the church in giving Mr. Ebenezer Hill a call into the work of the Gospel Ministry," the town "Voted, To Reserve the Ministry Rite of land in this Town for the use of sd. Town." This assumption, on the part of the town, of the right to appropriate this land to any other use than that lim- ited in the original grant, was clearly without authority. The land was never the property of the town, and the town could grant no lawful title to it. It was not given to the town, but was reserved out of the grant, by the proprietors of the whole township, "for the use of the ministry." No action of the town could lawfully divert it from that use, or apply it to any other purpose ; much less could the town sell it, and give any valid title to a purchaser. No doubt, the fathers thought they had a right to do as they pleased with it. The land was subsequently sold by the town, and the proceeds paid into the town treasury, and applied to the ordinary town charges ; and thus a provision intended by the grantors of the town for the support of the ministry, was, in violation of law, at this early period, diverted from its original object, and, so far as that purpose was concerned, entirely lost.
Of course, he was the servant, or in other words, the min- ister of the town ; all of the people had a right to attend on
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the public worship as conducted by him, and for that purpose, ample provision was made, for the accommodation in the meeting house, without charge, of all who, for want of means, or other reasons, were not provided with pews, or seats in pews. There was no other society or meeting in town than his, for many years, except a small society of Baptists, composed of residents in this, and some of the neighboring towns, who had religious services a part of the time in town. He was expected to visit all in sickness and affliction, and attend to the burial of the dead. These ser- vices he considered it a part of his duty to do, and he per- formed them faithfully, at all seasons, postponing thereto all considerations of private business, convenience, or inclination. In the sick room and in the house of mourning, he was always received as a welcome visitor. His addresses and ministra- tions on funeral occasions, were remarkable for appropriate- ness, solemnity and tenderness. Many of his discourses on such occasions were, at the request of the friends of the departed, published, of which a list will be found at the close of this memoir. From the time of his ordination until he ceased to take any active share in parochial affairs, he kept an accurate record of all marriages by him celebrated, and also of the death of all persons occurring in the town, gener- ally with some indication of the disease and of the age of the decedent. Both these records are inserted in the History of Mason.
But it is time to resume the narrative of his life and labors. Having found and united himself with a church and people, he forthwith proceeded to supply the next great want of a New England clergyman, a domestic household. This he formed, by uniting in marriage with Mary Boynton, of West- ford. They were married by the Rev. Samuel Dix, of Towns- end, February 2, 1791. As early as March of this year, he commenced a negotiation with John Bishop & Son, of Med- ford, for the purchase of the farm formerly owned by Capt. William Chambers, and then owned by these gentlemen.
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This negotiation resulted in a purchase of the place, and he thus secured for himself a home, in which he spent all the remainder of his days. To this first purchase. he afterwards added, at different times, a meadow lot, a wood lot and a pasture, making in all a productive and valuable farm. This was a fortunate proceeding on his part, as this farm rendered him, in a good degree. independent. The house was small. It was one of the oldest buildings in the town. It stood in
E
the garden. a little distance north and west of the present edifice. The first house on the farm, was built in the north- west corner of the old orchard, where the remains of the cellar, now mark the place. It was occupied many years as a tavern, by Samuel Abbott. It was the. nearest dwelling to ' the old meeting house, and on occasion of town meetings, in the cold winter weather, the fathers would adjourn to Mr. Abbott's tavern, to warm up. The road then passed east of the site of the present buildings; a view of which is here presented. The wall on the west side of the old orchard, was the boundary of the road, which came into the road now travelled near the school house. The road leading to New Ipswich, left the road opposite Abbott's tavern, and making
5
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a curve, came into the road as now travelled, on the site of the town house.
About the year 1799, he commenced the erection of a comfortable and commodious dwelling, to which he removed in the year 1800.
This mansion was built in the most substantial manner, in a fashion common at that day, though now seldom copied. The rooms are large and square, and in the internal arrange- ments, as well as outward appearance, it presents a marked contrast to the dwellings in the now prevailing fashionable, sharp, zigzag, multi-angular, modern style, in which the object of the architect seems to be, to multiply corners rather than comforts. In the frame, more timber was used, than would now be employed in the construction of five houses of the same size. The form of the roof, though perhaps, not the most convenient, is one that gives the greatest strength and power of resistance to tempests. This quality of the roof was severely tested, in the most violent tempest which has visited the coast of New England within the last hundred years, known and remembered as the September gale of 1815. This gale, driving from the south-east, and meeting with nothing on its way from the ocean, to break its force, burst with its full power upon this dwelling. The two tall chimneys upon the southern side, were, by the force of the gale, at the same instant broken off, at the point where they issued from the roof, and fell with a thundering crash upon the roof, where shattered in peices, they lay till the storm abated, when it was found that the roof had escaped unin- jured, needing but a few shingles to be replaced, to make it perfectly sound; the weight of the falling mass having been received and sustained by the corner rafters of the roof. Such a mass of brick and mortar, thus falling upon a roof of the common form, would have broken it through, and exposed the whole roof, to be torn into fragments and carried away by the tempest; leading, probably, to a total destruction of the edifice.
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The wood seen in this view, on the east, in rcar of the build- ings, is a portion of the native forest, composed in great part of white oaks, hickories. chestnuts and pines; among which, one of the monarchs of the original forest is conspicuous. This wood, he protected and cherished with great eare, and it has now become one of the most valuable timber lots in the vicinity.
By means of the farm, with the aid of his salary, he brought up and educated, in a respectable and ereditable manner, a numerous family, and had always a seat at his board and fireside, and a spare couch for his brethren of the elergy, who were always made welcome, whether coming from near or distant parts, to his hospitality, and sent on their way, on their departure, rejoicing. Many a poor student on crossing his threshold, has felt that he was in a haven of rest and comfort. For such, he felt great sympathy, remembering that he was once himself, a poor student.
It is proper here to state, that in some years he was in a great measure deprived of the benefit of his salary, by the facility with which he was induced to give orders, anticipating the payment of it in favor of persons, who applied to him for pecuniary aid, and who frequently made very inadequate returns to him for the aid so received.
During the first twelve years of his ministry, there was nothing of a marked character exhibited, in the religious condition of his parish; there were no revivals, and no indi- cations of any rapid changes among his people. The seed was carefully sown, but seemed to germinate slowly. The regular services of the Sabbath, were two long written sermons. There were but few meetings of any kind, during the week, except the lecture preparatory to the regular bi- monthly celebration of the Lord's supper. These discourses were delivered in a meeting house, in which no fire was ever found, however severe the winter weather might be. The first use of stoves for warming the meeting house, was in the winter of 1820-'21.
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