USA > New Hampshire > The New Hampshire churches : comprising histories of the Congregational and Presbyterian churches in the state, with notices of other denominations: also containing many interesting incidents connected with the first settlement of towns > Part 14
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ROCKINGHAM COUNTY.
Rev. Preston Pond was engaged to supply for one year .- Subsequently Rev. Edwin Holt supplied the pulpit on the Sabbath for six months. Besides this there was but occa- sional preaching until 1851, when Rev. Charles E. Lord sup- plied one year.
Feb. 15, 1852, Rev. Winthrop Fifield commenced laboring here, and has continued to do so to the present time. Under his ministry four have united with the church. The society have purchased nine acres of excellent land, and erected upon it a substantial and convenient set of buildings for a parson- age, at an expense in all of about $ 2500 ; and in this, and some other respects, the state of things in this parish is at present more hopeful and encouraging than for several years before.
STRATHAM.
Rev. JOHN M. STEELE.
This town was chartered in the year 1716. The first legal town meeting was held on the 10th of April of the same year. At this meeting, the first vote, after the election of town officers, was to appoint five individuals "to be a com- mittey to take care to Build a meeting house for the public worshipe of God in said town. And they are in full Power to hiear workemen to carry on the worke and to finish it .- And for what money they want or Disburse about the worke the Seleockemen are in full power to Raise it for the Same." Several other votes were passed in relation to this matter at the first town meeting, and other meetings were held during the year for the same purpose, showing the importance which the citizens generally attached to the public worship of God.
At a meeting held Oct. 4, 1716, it was voted, "That eve- ry man In the town Shall Bare his öne charge toards the Raising of the said meeting house." There were nine indi- viduals who "entred thare decents" against this vote. Jan. 2, 1717, they appointed a committee to "treet with a min- ister and give him a call to Preach in the town three or four Saboathes By way of contrebutione." March 25, 1717, they voted, "that mr. Rust shall preach in the town If he be willing for it a quarter or halfe a year ;" and then appointed "a committey to treate with mr. Rust and give him a call to Set up the Public worship of God for a time In order to a full Setelment in the town." At a subsequent meeting in
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the month of April they appointed a committee "to agree with a minister for Said town during his life if the cometeay and he can agree." It appears from a report made by this committee that they "socceeded and agreed with mr. Henry Rust to settl amongst" them "so longe as he continued in the office on the terms as followeth." These terms were £ 60 the first year, £70 the second, and £80 the third, which was to be a stated salary. They also agreed to give him £ 100 "toards building of Him a house," to be paid in four years ; they engaged also, "to clear and fence parte of the towns Parsonage land with convenient speede." This agreement was satisfied the "24rth day of April, Anoy. Domi : 1717." Mr. Rust was ordained in the year 1718 with the understanding that as long as he preached in Stratham he was to receive in addition to his salary "Six Pounds in money yearly to bye his fire wood withall.
The Meeting-house was built the same year, 1718. It was after the fashion of the oldest Meeting-houses now standing in the State, of which we believe there are but two or three; the pews being "built with winscot worke and all of a kind."" [The preservation of one of these old houses would be a worthy object for some voluntary associa- tion formed for the purpose.] Each man was obliged to build his own pew ; keep it in repair ; to maintain all the glass against it ; and he must build too on the spot assigned him. There was, however, one exception to this, for the town of Stratham solemnly voted, "that Mr. Andrew Wiggin shall have Leberty to set in what seat he pleaseth in the meeting house." These were times in which it was deemed expedi- ent to deal somewhat rigorously in order to keep down the carnal aspirations of the natural man. In pursuance of this worthy object the town voted, doubtless with becoming solemnity, "that when the cometey have seatid the meeting house every person that is Seatid shall Set in those Seats or pay five shillings Pir day for every day they set out of there Seates in a disorderly manner to advaince themselves higher in the meeting house." These were trying times! But there was a tenderness in men's hearts even then. For in 1734 the town voted "that the Reverent mr. Henry Rust Shall be considered for his sickness in his fameley and the Deth of his wife by way of contrebution." Mr. Rust contin- ued to be the pastor of this people until his death, which occurred 1749, making a ministry of thirty one years. With what success his ministry was attended, we cannot tell, there being no record to show, and there is no man whose memory runneth to that distant day.
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There was a division among the people about the year 1742, which seems to have arisen from a difference of opinion respecting the "great awakening," or, as Edwards called it, "The Revival of Religion in New England in 1740." This was in Whitefield's day ; he was at Northampton, Ms., in 1740. It is probable that Mr. Rust did not sympathize with the religious excitement of that time, in which a con- siderable portion of his people agreed with him. But there were many others who were warm friends of the revival and who were, therefore, displeased with the course pursued by Mr. Rust. Some of these disaffected persons requested the selectmen to call a town meeting, because, as they said, "there is such uneasiness in many of the people in this town under the Reverend mr. Rust's ministry that they are oblig- ed to go to other towns on Sabbath days to hear the word of God preached to them more agreeable to the wonderfull outpowering of God's Spirit of late." The object of this meeting was to appoint a committee to agree with some one to preach to them half of each Sabbath, who was "a frend to, and a subject of the wonderfull outpowering of God's Spirit at this day." These proceedings, of course, did not meet the approbation of Mr. Rust or his friends, and they protested against them. But those who were dissatisfied with Mr. Rust persevered in their purpose to have another minister, and sometime in 1743 they employed "Mr. Dud- ley Leavitt," who preached to them some months; they afterwards, in March 1745, voted "mr. Dudley Leavitt a minister to preach the gospel in Stratham." What became of this minister does not appear, and the only allusion to him after the vote to settle him, is in connection with "that .case in law that was brought against mr. Dudley Leavitt."
The second pastor of this people was the Rev. Joseph Ad- ams who was employed in the year 1745, though he preach- ed to the people as early as 1742. The ordination of Mr. Adams seems to have been delayed by a petition which was presented to the general court by the friends of Mr. Rust, praying the assembly to interfere and prevent the settlement of another minister in town. The petition was not granted, and in March 20, 1747, Mr. Adams was ordained. Mr. Adams engaged to "take on him the pastoral care and charge of a church, and cast himself on the Lord and depend on him for what he shall incline the people to give him for his support." The first covenant of this church was adopted in the second year of Mr. Adams' ministry, 1746, and was subscribed by forty five individuals. The call and reply of Mr. Adams are worthy of imitation. The simplicity and
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directness with which the business is transacted is certainly preferable to the more wordy fashion of the present time. We should be glad to copy them here, but our limits forbid.
Mr. Rust died March 20, 1749, aged 63 years. This was four years after Mr. Adams was called. There were, there- fore, two meetings held by the same church, for several years. Mr. Adams and his friends held their meetings in a private house. A few years after the death of Mr. Rust, the two parties in the church made mutual concessions, drew up a "paper of union" which they signed, and referred the whole to a council of neighboring ministers and churches. This was in Jan. 1756. June 24 of the same year Mr. Adams was installed over the whole town. There were but twenty male members of the church at this time if all signed the "paper of union." Mr. Adams records two hundred thirty four baptisms up to the year 1761, after which he made no record of any description. In 1765 there were eighty eight church members. The second Meeting-house was built on the same spot with the first in the year 1768. It was larger than the first, being "sixty three feet long and forty five wide, with a steeple." During Mr. Adams' ministry a difficulty occurred respecting the singing in church. The singers wished to break up the old habit of "lining," as it was call- ed-the deacon reading one line at a time for the choir to sing. It was settled by a compromise. The town voted that the deacon should "line" half the time. They had the bass-viol in those days, and the deacon said, they had "got a fiddle into the church as big as a hogs-trough."
Mr. Adams' last sermons were preached Oct. 26, 1783. He died Feb. 24, 1785. His regular ministry was thirty eight years ; it continued through the most trying period of this country's history. His salary was regularly paid until his death, though it is impossible to define its amount, owing to the depreciation of money.
The third pastor of this church was Rev. James Miltimore who was ordained Feb. 1, 1786. Mr. Miltimore records seventy six admissions to the church. In 1800 the number of church members was sixty two. Mr. Miltimore was dis- missed Oct. 16, 1807, making a ministry of nearly twenty two years. He seems to have left in opposition to the wish- es and judgment of the people. The reason assigned by himself was a visible declension of religious interest among the people, and the gradual falling off of his congregation. The influence of his dismission upon the church is thought to have been bad. After Mr. Miltimore's dismission, there follows an interim of seventeen years, during which time, or
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a part of it, this seems to have been missionary ground. We find in this connection the names of the following min- isters who occasionally preached here : Rev S. W. Wheelock, Curtis Coe, Mr. Metcalf, Mr. Homer, N. Creasey, and J. Miltimore, former pastor. During this period a new Cove- nant of Faith was adopted, in connection with which we find the name of Rev. Wm. Greenough. The records show but nine admittances to the church, and eleven baptisms.
The fourth pastor of this people was Rev. Jacob Cum- mings, who was ordained April 28, 1824. Mr. Cummings found the church in a very low condition. By patient and persevering labor he raised it to a good degree of prosperity. During a ministry of nearly eleven years he admitted forty two individuals to the church, and baptized forty seven. Mr. Cummings was dismissed at his own request, Dec. 23, 1834. "A variety of circumstances" led to this result ; but chiefly the impression on Mr. Cummings' own mind, "that his usefulness in this place had been rather lessening than increasing for a considerable time past." The following tes- timony to the good conduct of the church and society was given, on the dismission of Mr. Cummings, by Dr. French of North Hampton, a venerable and beloved father, who is still with us, to encourage us by his presence and assist us with his counsel: "The church and society, considering their very small numbers, have, in the opinion of the council, made pecuniary efforts which have been surpassed by few, if any, of the societies around them. And while it is consid- ered highly important that the standard of Christian self- denial, sacrifice and exertion, should be greatly raised in every society, it is apprehended that this church, in propor- to their numbers and means, have not fallen behind, and in some respects have exceeded many others in their endeavors to sustain the gospel at home and to send it abroad. Nor can the council fail to commend this church and society gen- erally for the confidence they have reposed in their minister and the respect they have manifested toward him, as well as their regard for the ministry, and the institutions of religion in general." This testimony would be equally just at the present time.
During Mr. Cummings' ministry a proposition was made to make room in the orchestra for the double bass-viol. One of the older members of the society remarked that they had been to him, "to cut a place in the Meeting-house to let in Dagon, but he wouldn't have anything to do with it." The church was now left destitute two years.
The fifth pastor was Rev. Wm. Newman, who was ordain-
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ed Nov. 2, 1836. The church prospered under Mr. Newman. There was an interesting revival in 1842. He admitted to the church by profession, between thirty and forty individu- als. In the latter part of the ministry the society paid a tax of three-fourths of one per cent. of their invoice. Mr. Newman was dismissed May 20, 1849, making a ministry of about twelve and a half years. The cause of his removal is said to have been, a conviction on his part that some indi- viduals were disaffected. He died soon after. The effect of the change upon the church was supposed not to be good. The third Meeting-house was dedicated Nov. 8, 1837, on the original site, and is now in use. Here follows another sea- son of destitution of nearly five years, during which the church employed a "stated supply," Rev. Mr. Whittemore, only one year and a half. There is no church record during this period. There were no conversions. The congregation became scattered during this period, and early in the year 1853, the church and society experienced a great loss in the death of Dr. Josiah Bartlett, who was instantly killed in the "Norwalk disaster."
The sixth and present pastor of this church, Rev. J. M. Steele, was installed Nov. 30, 1853. During the last year the congregation has greatly increased, showing the advan- tage of having a settled pastor. Nine persons have been received into the church, five by letter, and four by profess- ion. The society's tax has been one per cent. of their invoice. The salary has been paid in quarterly installments, with great promptness, thus far, a few days before it was due. This society has a good parsonage, and a fund of about $1200. About one-fourth of the population of the town belong to this parish. The church is in a very prosperous condition, compared with forty years ago. There has also been vast improvement in general society. A former pastor remarked a few weeks since, that the parish, and the whole town, had improved 100 per cent. in every respect, in the last twenty years. There was a "revival" last spring con- nected with the Baptists in a series of meetings held by Mr. Peacock. We, however, consider the measures resorted to by this individual of very doubtful utility. The present Congregational society was incorporated in 1814.
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ROCKINGHAM COUNTY.
WINDHAM.
PRES. CHURCH .- Rev. LOREN THAYER.
The inhabitants of this town are for the most part descen- dants of the true Scotch Irish colony which settled in Lon- donderry in the year 1719. Windham is situated within the original limits of that colony, and was set off into a distinct parish or town in the year 1742. Previous to this time, the people attended meeting in the East and West parishes of Londonderry. As soon as the new parish was erected, the 3d article of the Town Warrant was, "To see what method you will take, in order to have the gospel preached to us." It was voted " to raise £80 for the maintenance of the gos- pel the present year." "Voted, that Nathaniel Hemphill, attend the Presbytery at Boston to hier a supply to preach the gospel to us."
In July, 1742, the town voted a call to Mr. William John- son to settle with them upon a salary of £150, and £ 150 settling money. He was not installed, however, till 1747 and then with the salary of £200, and £ 300 settlement, and the use of the parsonage. He ordained three ruling elders. In 1753, Mr. Johnson was dismissed from his pastoral charge for the want of support. The next year, a Meeting-house having been erected, the parish, by their commissioner Elder David Gregg, applied to the Synod of Philadelphia for a minister, and obtained Rev. John Kinkead, who was installed October, 1760, with a nominal salary of £ 1300 old tenor, £ 6 being worth one dollar. The same amount was given as a settlement, and £1000 to transport him. He ordained nine ruling elders. Though Mr. Kinkead possessed respec- table talents and acquirements as a preacher, yet, not main- taining a Christian and ministerial character, he soon lost the confidence and respect of his people, and was dismissed in 1765.
Soon after his dismission the parish presented a call to Mr. Simon Williams, who was ordained in December, 1766, by the Boston Presbytery. His salary was £ 70 annually- in value, lawful money, two hundred and thirty three dollars and thirty three cents-and a settlement of £60, or two hundred dollars, with the use of the parsonage. His minis- try continued twenty seven years, till Nov. 10, 1793, when he died, aged sixty four years. Mr. Williams and his wife were natives of Ireland ; they went to the West Indies and were married there. He remained there some time as a teacher, then removed to Philadelphia and was hopefully
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WINDHAM.
converted under the preaching of Rev. Gilbert Tennent. After teaching in Maryland and New Jersey a few years, he came to this place, and remained till his death. He was highly respected and esteemed by neighboring ministers and churches. He was eminent as a classical scholar, and opened a private academy soon after his ordination, which was con- tinued during the most of his ministry. Under his tuition many young men were fitted for college. His academy was commenced before Dartmouth college was founded, and some ten or twelve years before Exeter, and Atkinson, and New Ipswich academies existed. It sometimes contained forty or fifty scholars, and was resorted to by many students from Boston, and other large places. This school was of great service to this place, and to neighboring towns, before other schools had commenced. It was an important tributary of Dartmouth college. In the fourth class which was graduated there, in 1774, consisting of eight members, one half, proba- bly, were fitted in this school. They were from Londonder- ry ; and Joseph McKean, and Samuel Taggart, are remem- bered as his pupils, by some of the oldest inhabitants of the place. The former was the first President of Bowdoin col- lege ; the latter was the distinguished citizen and divine of Coleraine, Ms. He is remembered as the scholar of double consciousness, and it is related of him, that while fitting for college, he was attending at prayers, but was reported as playing with a fly during all the service. On being called to account by Mr. Williams, he could not remember his playing with the fly, but could repeat verbatim almost the whole prayer, which was quite lengthy, and unusually interesting. A similar instance is reported of him in after life. While he was deeply engaged in offering prayer, with his eyes open, he watched a carriage coming up to the Meeting-house, and turned completely around in the desk with his eyes fixed upon the carriage ; but afterwards he did not remember that he had moved at all, or that he had seen any object. He faithfully served his country, and was long useful in the ministry. This academy did an important work in the church, at a very early period, and hence deserves to be commemorated .. Although Mr. Williams was subject to a partial derangement of mind during the latter part of his life, he still continued the discharge of his pastoral duties until his death. He died beloved by the people of his charge, who readily cast the mantle of charity over his eccentricities and frailties. He added seven only to the eldership, for the space of twenty seven years. His wife survived him twelve years, and it is written upon their tombstone, "They were
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ROCKINGHAM COUNTY.
ushered to life the same hour in Feb. 19th, 1729. Trim, in the county of Meath, in Ireland, had the honor of their birth. This place is made sacred by their dust."
In 1798 a new Meeting-house was built near the center of the town, in which there was preaching by stated supplies, for twelve years, when Mr. Samuel Harris was ordained their pastor, by the Londonderry Presbytery, Oct. 9th, 1805. He continued his labors for twenty years, when his voice failed, and he was dismissed by mutual consent. He afterwards recovered his voice and preached in various places, but he resided in town till his death, Sept. 6th, 1846, in the seventy fourth year of his age. His ministry was successful in build- ing up the church, and in bringing it to a higher standard of piety and Christian discipline. It was blessed with a power- ful revival of religion in 1822, which was the first general revival occurring in town. Of this work it is remarked, that the whole community seemed moved; every family was stirred, and it seemed as if the people would go to meeting continually ; and the objector expressed his fears that the crops would not be attended to. A large number were gathered into the church, which from that time became deci- dedly evangelical, and reformed from its former Armenian tendencies. Mr. Harris' salary was four hundred dollars. The twelve years previous to his settlement was occupied by stated supplies, which was owing, no doubt, to a violent con- tention respecting the location of the new Meeting-house, which resulted in severing from the congregation a number of families in the south east part of the town.
In April, 1828, Rev. Calvin Cutler, late of Lebanon, was installed pastor of the Presbyterian church and society, and continued his ministry till his death, which took place in Feb. 19th, 1844, in the fifty third year of his age. His sal- ary was four hundred and fifty dollars. In the year 1831, a revival of religion took place in connexion with a protracted meeting, which was very powerful. Mr. Cutler writes of it thus : "Some special divine favor appeared among this peo- ple the last of July, but the work was silent in its progress, till the protracted meeting in October. Some weeks before the meeting, several persons had hoped in the mercy of God, and more were under religious impressions, and the people were looking forward to the coming meeting with strong expectations. This season was attended by powerful divine influences, and it is probable that fifty persons indulged a Christian hope within the space of one week." It was esti- mated that one hundred individuals were the subjects of the revival. During this ministry, there arose a severe conten-
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tion between the town and the Presbyterian society respect- ing the use of the Meeting-house and the ministerial fund. The Society claimed the entire use of the house and the fund, as they had always enjoyed it. The town finally voted to exclude the society from the entire use of the house, and to allow the Methodist and Unitarian societies the partial use of it. The town also obtained a decision of the Court, that the fund, belonging to the town, should be used, as each tax payer might assign his proportion of it to the different socie- ties. For ten years, nearly half the income of the fund was applied for Methodist and Unitarian preaching ; but of late, the fund is returning to its original channel. The fund amounts to about $2000, which was given to the parish in land, by Mr. James Wilson, an original proprietor of Lon- donderry, before the town was incorporated, and given for the support of the gospel merely. The Presbyterians, upon this vote of the town, immediately retired from the old Meeting-house, and built a new one, not far distant, which they still occupy. It was buftt in 1835. The old house is used for a town house, and has been occupied for preaching some three months in the year, till within three or four years. Mr. Cutler ordained ten ruling elders. He was a good man, and God has cared for his children.
In Nov. 5th, 1845, Mr. Loren Thayer was ordained his successor, with a salary of five hundred dollars, and still con- tinues the pastor. Every minister of the town, so far as is known, has owned a small farm, and used the income of it, besides his salary. These ministers have been accustomed to die among their people, and to be buried with them. The average number of the congregation is something more than 250, and the last census gives 818, as the number of inhab- itants in town ; and the last Bible Society survey reports 185 families. There are very few of these families that do not occasionally attend meeting. The number of the church has been as high as 200; but now it is only 134. The state of morals, however, may be considered higher than it was formerly, and, as to intemperance and other evil habits, the public sentiment perhaps was never so correct, as at present. The cause of education in our common schools never before received so much attention. Contributions to benevolent objects are increasing. For the last few years, they have averaged about three hundred dollars annually.
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