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 44
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444
SULLIVAN COUNTY.
Presbyterian church in Lebanon. It was organized as: Presbyterian church, with 14 members. The infant chu met statedly on the Sabbath, in a house erected about f years before for a town-house and Meeting-house ; and 11 less some minister from abroad was casually present, co ducted the exercises of public worship, by singing, pray and the reading of printed sermons. Public worship conducted in this manner, for the first ten years after 1 church was organized. In 1780, a revival of religion co ( menced, which, in proportion to the number of inhabitan was the most extensive ever enjoyed in town. Both Pr byterians and Baptists shared richly in the blessing. I means employed were the ordinary exercises of public w ship on the Sabbath, prayer-meetings in different parts the town, on week days, and private, personal conversati with the unconverted. Ministers from abroad preached ( casionally ; but it may be truly said that the lay membe of the church were the principal instruments, in the ha of God, of producing the reformation. In 1783, the chur " voted unanimously to adopt the Presbyterian mode of dit cipline as practiced in the church of Scotland, in the chi points, not straining the lesser matters beyond the principl and practice of the Grafton Presbytery ; allowing to eve individual a right to appeal to any presbytery in this cou: try till the church be incorporated with some one ; allowin also, to every offender the privilege of choosing whether be tried by the sessions, who may call part or all the bret. ren as helps, or be tried by the whole body, when he may n be censured without vote both of the session and of tl brotherhood."
Near the close of 1787, Mr. Jacob Haven was obtained preach as a candidate for the pastoral office. His ordinatic took place on the 18th of June following. The sermon ( the occasion was preached by the Rev. David Kellogg, ( Framingham, Ms. In 1794, the house used for religion purposes having become old and dilapidated, a new house ( worship was erected by a committee, appointed by the tow The committee endeavored to raise funds sufficient to bui. the house by the sale of slips or pews beforehand. But i this they failed ; and the consequence was, the building ne' er was completed. No bell was procured; and, in winte the house, on account of its unfinished state, was so uncon fortably cold as not to be used as a place of public worshi In 1828 it was taken down, and a commodious town-hour made of its materials.
Opposition at the beginning was made to the settlemer
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CROYDON.
the Rev. Mr. Haven. It continued to increase till 1804, Then a vote was passed by the town to desist from making ( collecting taxes for the support of Presbyterian preaching. his measure, it was confidently asserted by the enemies of esbyterianism, would effectually unsettle Mr. Haven, if not lige him to leave town. Matters remained in this posture fr more than a year. At length, however, the principal trents in procuring the vote, having become fully aware that le measure was both ill-timed and illegal, endeavored to «fect a compromise. Propositions were offered and rejected, mtil at last, Nov. 5, 1805, the town voted to accept the Toposals offered by Mr. Haven. By this arrangement, the (ntract, made with Mr. Haven at the time of his settlement & minister of the town, was annulled. He then proposed his church and people, that if they would continue to pay Im as much as had heretofore fallen to their share, he would sill continue with them as their pastor. This proposal was sadly accepted ; and Mr. Haven continued to discharge his prochial duties, to the no small disappointment of his ene- jies.
Early in 1810 it was apparent that the "still, small ice" was at work in. the hearts of sinners. The places of prship were crowded, while a stillness pervaded the assem- lies. Professing Christians, also, began to awake to duty, ad humble themselves before the Lord. The plain and lingent truths of the gospel were freely dispensed from the cred desk, the members of the church engaged heartily in e work, and God blessed the means, by the outpouring of is Spirit. It is estimated that about 120 were the subjects the work. Of these, 73 connected themselves with the congregational church. In 1826, the old Meeting-house ving become unfit for use, a few individuals, with a spirit ike honorable to themselves and beneficial to the public, ected the present commodious house of worship. Its
ngth is sixty eight feet, and its width sixty feet; and it ontains one hundred and seven slips or pews. It is crown- l with a belfry, for which a fine toned bell of one thousand bunds has been purchased by subscription. The original roprietors of the house have been partly remunerated for he expense of building, by the sale of slips. The house, gether with its appurtenances, has been conveyed by deed the society connected with the church. In 1834, the ev. Jacob Haven having publicly signified a wish to retire om the station of acting pastor, the church, January 6, ave the Rev. Eli W. Taylor a call to become their junior astor. The installation took place on the 10th of June
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SULLIVAN COUNTY.
following. It was agreed on the part of the church and soci- ety, to give him a salary of four hundred dollars per annum. In the spring of 1835 a protracted meeting was held by the church, under the direction of its pastors and the Rev. Joseph Merrill, late of Acworth. The Lord smiled upon their labors, and a work of grace followed. As the fruits of the revival the Congregational church received an access- ion of 55 members. Some joined the Methodist church at Grantham, and others the Baptist church at Newport. A mutual council was called at the request of Mr. Taylor, and. he was dismissed Dec. 27, 1837, from the pastoral care of the church and people in this place. Within a few months Mr. Aurelius S. Swift, a native of Fairlee, Vt., accepted a call from the church and society, and was ordained, May 16, 1838. It was agreed that he should receive the same amount of salary as his immediate predecessor. With the close of the year 1841, the pastoral labors of Mr. Swift in this place terminated. After his removal the desk was supplied by the Rev. Joel Davis, for several years.
On the 17th of March, 1845, the church sustained an irre- parable loss in the death of their aged and beloved pastor, the Rev. Mr. Haven. Although, by reason of the infirmities of age, he had, for some years, been laid aside from the active duties of pastor, still, his counsel, his example, and above all, his prayers were of priceless value to the church. The Rev. Jacob Haven was born in Framingham, Ms., Apr. 25, 1763. He graduated at Harvard college, in 1785 ; stud- ied divinity with the Rev. Mr. Kellogg, minister of his native town, and was ordained and settled over the Presby- terian church and people of Croydon, as already related .- Mr. Haven was ever distinguished as a faithful preacher, and a sound divine. His sermons were tersely written, and were alike distinguished for their logic and for the air of piety which breathed through them. Although unaccompa- nied by the fascinating oratory of some of our modern preachers, their delivery seldom failed of leaving a good
impression. In 1838 he delivered a "half century dis- course" to a large and attentive audience. He gradually sunk beneath the weight of years, and, like a shock of corn fully ripe, was gathered home, at the age of 82 years. Aug. 3, 1850, the church was again called to put on the habili- ments of mourning, by the death of Dea. Sherman Cooper, at the advanced age of 89 years. For nearly fifty seven years he had been a member of this church, and, for a long period, an active and efficient officer in the same.
Rev. Dennis Powers, was a native of this town May 24,
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GOSHEN.
1808; graduated from Amherst college, Ms., in 1835, and from the theological seminary at Andover, Ms. in 1838. He was ordained and settled over the Congregational church and society of East Randolph, Ms., Dec. 5, 1838. At his own request he was dismissed from this church and people, April 15, 1841. On the 29th of September 1842, he was installed as pastor of the church and society of South Ab- ington, Ms. In 1850 he received his dismission. He is now an agent of the American Colonization Society. Rev. Messrs. Urias Powers, Samuel Read Hall, Josiah W. Pow- ers, Austin Putnam, also became Congregational ministers. Rev. Baron Stow, D.D., of Baldwin Place Baptist church, Boston, was born here June 16, 1801 ; Rev. James W. Put- nam became a Universalist minister. S. R. Hall, above mentioned, has been an eminent teacher of the young and many have become pious under his influence.
The church, at the settlement of Mr. Haven, consisted of 30 members ; it now numbers about 45. Since its organiza- tion, it has received 270 additions. The church records contain a list of 430 baptisms. Of these, 103 were baptized fidem parentis ; and 327 were baptized per fidem ejus.
GOSHEN.
Rev. H. RICHARDSON.
The first settlement was made here, about the year 1769, by Capt. Benjamin Rand, William Lang and Daniel Grin- dle, whose sufferings and hardships were very great. The crops of the first settlers were greatly injured, and sometimes entirely destroyed by early frosts. In such cases, they pro- cured grain from Walpole and other places. At a certain time of scarcity, Capt. Rand went to that place after grain, and, being detained by a violent snow storm, his family were obliged to live without provision for six days, during which time Mrs. Rand sustained one of their children, five years old, by the milk from her breast, having a short time before buried her infant child. In the spring of 1813, the spotted fever swept off many of the inhabitants.
Dea. Josiah Stevens, a member of the church in Newport, and a licensed preacher, came to reside in Goshen in June 1798. He labored here until October 1800, when he removed to the Isle of Shoals, where he labored as a missionary about three years, and was then called away by death to his reward. He is supposed to be the first Congregational minister who
448
SULLIVAN COUNTY.
ever preached in this place. This church was organized Feb. 23, 1802, by Rev. Elihu Thayer, pastor of the church in Kingston ; Rev. Abijah Wines, pastor of the church in Newport ; and Joseph Hull, delegate from the church in Lempster. It consisted of seven members. Some years after this the number of its male members was reduced to a single individual. The number of persons connected with it since its formation to the present time, has been 151- 52 males and 99 females. There have been 237 baptisms- 184 children and 53 adults .. This church has never had a settled pastor. The names of 22 different ministers appear in the church records as having officiated in the admission of members, and in the administration of baptism. Some of these were pastors of neighboring churches ; others were missionaries sent here at different times by the New Hamp- shire, or some other Missionary Society. Rev. Stephen Williams, Moses Ordway and Lucius Field, labored here as stated supplies. But of the time and duration of their labors there is no record to be found.
Rev. Abel Manning labored here as stated supply at three different times, beginning about 1825. He was here about nine years in all. Rev. Stephen Rogers came in 1835, and remained nearly three years. Rev. Aaron Wait came about 1840 and remained about six years. Rev. Cary Russell came in 1846 and labored one year. Rev. Henry Richardson has been a stated supply since March 1850.
Revivals of religion occurred during the labors of Mr. Rog- ers and Mr. Wait, which resulted in the addition of consid- erable numbers to the church. For a number of years past there has been no general revival, but there have been a few hopeful conversions occurring at different times. In 1836 the church and society erected a Meeting-house. For about twenty years previous they had been partially accommo- dated in what is now called the old Meeting-house, built by the town and standing about one mile north of the present place of worship of this church. Within a few years two other houses of worship have been erected-one by the Baptists in the westerly part of the town, and another by the Christian denomination in the northerly part. Not- withstanding the increase of church edifices, there has been no increase in attendance upon public worship. In by-gone years, a larger congregation assembled at the old Meeting- house than now comprises the three congregations who meet in the town for public worship.
449
LANGDON.
GRANTHAM.
Granted in 1767, it was not very rapidly settled. Moun- tains divide its inhabitants so that they cannot conveniently meet centrally. Some of the people on the west side of the mountain unite with Meriden parish, and on the east side there is a Methodist church embracing 108 members. In 1820, there were manufactured in this town 225 hogsheads of cider, which, with the thousands of gallons of stronger liquors doubtless consumed, must have given quite a com- fortable supply-a hogshead of cider for every four and a half persons, not excluding in the estimate the little ones. If Grantham was a fair representative of other towns in the State, about 50,000 hogsheads were made. But it may have been a very uncommon year.
LANGDON."
Rev. C. TAYLOR.
This church was organized in 1792, five years after the town was incorporated, in a room fitted up in a grist mill owned by Obadiah Kingsbury, a small distance northwest of the middle of the town. The Rev. Messrs. Mead of Alstead, and Fessenden of Walpole, it is believed, assisted in its for- mation. Among the early ministers who preached here, are recollected the names of Lazel, Hartwell, Spaulding, and Taft. From 1795 to Oct. 25, 1803, Mr. Taft probably did most of the preaching. At this last date, tradition says, he turned politician, and the town records show that he was chosen to represent the town in General Court. April 20, 1803, the town voted to "raise $100, for preaching, and that one half be laid out for the Congregational order, and the other half for the Universalist order." In 1803, Oct. 25, " voted to hire Mr. Kneeland to preach in this town two Sundays in a month for one year, and give him five dol- lars a day, and to attend funerals when convenient, and to attend Thanksgiving and Fast gratis."
Aug. 27, in the year 1804, at a regular town meeting, "voted to settle Mr. Kneeland in the ministry provided he will settle on reasonable terms." His answer to the call is as follows, in part : "Abner Kneeland to the brethren and church and town of Langdon sendeth greeting: Since it hath pleased God, as I humbly trust, to put it into your hearts to make
* Sketch by Rev. J. Wood.
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SULLIVAN COUNTY.
proposals unto me for the settlement with you in the gospel ministry, I feel myself in duty bound to give you the follow- ing answer. When I first entered upon the work of the min- istry, it appeared to me to be of the most importance of any business that I ever engaged in, and caused, at that time, many serious reflections and anticipations ; but the weight and importance of the business as it then appeared to me is by no means to be compared to the burden that has laid on my mind, ever since I have contemplated upon taking the charge of one particular flock to be their pastor and teacher. O may God direct me!
" Dear Brethren and Christian friends, I now proceed to perform that task that I should by no means feel able to perform if I had not, previous to this, given myself away to God without any reserve to be his faithful servant. It is no less a task than to give myself away to you, not to be your lord, not to be your master, but to be your minister and hum- ble servant-which I now declare in the presence of Almighty God and this respectful audience-that I will accept of your proposals to settle with you in the gospel ministry, and may God make me profitable unto you and yours through our Lord Jesus Christ. I am your ministering servant and brother in Christ. ABNER KNEELAND."
Previous to Mr. Kneeland's coming to Langdon, he had been a Baptist minister, and preached in several places in the State of Vermont. When he came to Langdon he said he had changed his sentiments, and assumed the title of a " practical preacher." Some members refused to unite in the call, and remonstrated with the council against his set- tlement. But the evangelical portion of the church was in the minority, and the voice of the legal voters of the town contested the council. He was settled Oct. 30, 1805. The town voted in 1806 to raise $300, and those who refused to pay to Rev. A. Kneeland might employ such a preacher as they preferred. The town voted in 1807 to raise $280 for preaching, and each denomination to have their equal share. In 1810, Mr. Kneeland being chosen representative to Gen- eral Court, the town "voted not to raise money to hire preaching this year." "Voted to raise $40 to support the Convention (Universalist) to be held in September next, and that it be raised in the same way that Mr. Kneeland's tax is raised." At a town meeting in 1811, " voted to dismiss Mr. Kneeland from the public ministry in this town the last week in September, agreeably to his request and that of the First Universalist Society in Charlestown, Ms., and that the se- lectmen answer Mr. Kneeland's request by letter. In 1819,
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LANGDON.
the town voted to raise $150 for preaching. This is the last sum the town ever voted to raise for this purpose, the stat- ute requiring money to be raised by general tax, being this year repealed by the Legislature.
In 1820, Rev. Ezekiel Rich appeared here as a missionary. As one effect of his labors, a council was called to organize, or, (more properly,) re-organize the church. Nine members who refused to cooperate with the church and town in the support of Abner Kneeland, were here united, and nine were at the same time received by profession. The original church records were kept by those who adhered to Mr. Knee- land. The scribe of that organization moved to the West, and took with him both the records and the communion fur- niture, from which nothing has since been heard. And with the records, the visible organization disappeared. There is no record of preaching or the administration of the Lord's Supper between February, 1820, and the fall of 1834. Yet the church enjoyed preaching on the Sabbath occasionally --- eight members were added to the church and there were 34 infant baptisms.
In the autumn of 1834 Mr. Nelson Barbour, a student of Andover theological seminary, came and spent his vacation here. On his arrival he could with difficulty find a place of entertainment, much less the gift of his board during the term of six weeks. Opposition to truth had been cul- tivated by Abner Kneeland, and by Universalist minis- ters of almost every grade, who came to this town as their accredited rendezvous. And the fruit of their labors had at- tained an abundant and sturdy growth. But Mr. Barbour was not to be turned away without an attempt to fulfill his mission. His efforts the Lord blest to the quickening of his children, and the conversion of several of the impenitent ; 13 were added to the church-5 by letter, and 8 by profes- sion. And but for those rules of the theological seminary, which Samuel J. Mills under similar circumstances trans- gressed, he might have remained a few weeks and gathered in the abundant harvest which seemed already ripe. But he left, and meetings ceased, and hearts that were apparently melting into penitence at the feet of Jesus, gradually set- tled down under the hardening power of sin. In 1835, Rev. Stephen Rogers preached for them. While enjoying his labors this little church accepted proposals to unite with Christian brethren, in Papermill village, (Alstead,) and Drewsville, (Walpole,) in a church to be called the Union Congregational church. This church was formed on temperance principles, and eight of the members therefore
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SULLIVAN COUNTY.
refused to join it, and their subsequent lives fully proved that they had only "a name to live." Sixteen members of the church in Langdon united in the Union church, 28 from Papermill village and Drewsville, making in all 44. Until 1838, the church met alternately at each of the three places above named, when they could obtain preaching. During 1837, Mr. Justus L. Jones, a licensed student of the Theo- logical Institute at East Windsor, supplied them. During the winter of 1838 the Rev. John Longly spent his time in Langdon, and preached for his board. In the mean time, such was the uncertain and unpropitious state of things rel- ative to the Union Church, that the members in Langdon requested the privilege of doing by themselves what they could for one year. This request was granted. The num- ber of members in Langdon at this time was 14, seven males and seven females. There were only two of the male mem- bers who were not past the meridian of life and the season of efficient action.
In February, 1839, Mr. John Wood was solicited by this feeble band to come among them. He felt that he could not. His course of study at East Windsor theological sem- inary would not close until the next August. He intended being a foreign missionary. He felt that no money could induce him to dwell where Abner Kneeland had labored, and still wielded a controlling influence. Yet the "mind of the Spirit" was at length so apparent to him that he consented to come for one year, with permission to finish his studies at the seminary. The arrangement became known. The Uni- versalists made arrangements to have preaching half the time, one week after. The Orthodox must now suspend their meetings half the time or gather at a private house. A room, once occupied as a store, was procured, in a house afterwards purchased for a parsonage. To this place a little company of 15 to 25 resorted when the Meeting-house was occupied. The greatest efforts were made to cast contempt upon this meeting. But a spirit equally strong was in the few hearts that united in the enterprise. In the meeting which they held the evening previous to making proposals to Mr. Wood, they uttered the fullness of their hearts. One brother said he would board him and find him a horse. An- other said he was not worth $800, but "rather than have my children grow up under the influence of the wickedness that prevails here, I would give half of it for the preaching of the gospel among us." But little idea can be gained of the trials that awaited Mr. Wood. For, years before he was born, Abner Kneeland had planted the standard of atheism
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LANGDON.
there, and taught the people that gospel ministers were a set of crafty, money-loving idlers-and that they might as well take their texts from an old almanac as from the Bible if such had been the custom. This impression was greatly confirmed by the multitude of Universalist ministers who in turn succeeded him and each other there, and differed from him more in name than in sentiment. But Mr. Wood en- tered the field. A Sabbath School was soon organized. Per- sonal invitation by the pastor and teachers upon each Sab- bath, for securing the attendance, was pursued for more than two years. The morals of the people of the town were the legitimate product of Universalism and Atheism. The Sab- bath was desecrated by hunting, fishing and riding, and pro- faneness was common talk-rum-drinking general-the only store keeper in the town stated in a public meeting that for twelve years he had sold but a little short of $ 1000 worth of ardent spirits each year, and though some that he sold was carried out of town, yet he did not doubt but that enough had been brought into town, to more than counter- balance what had been carried out, and this in a town of less than 700 inhabitants. The store was open on the Sab- bath, and the minister, as he stood in the pulpit, in the old Meeting-house, could see carried away from there, jugs, scythes, codfish, and other articles of merchandise. This view, together with the whittling of the boys and young men as they entered the galleries of the old church, and seated themselves with their hats on, with Abner Kneeland's paper as an instrument of amusement and disturbance-their often distorted faces and loud whisperings of approbation or disap- probation of the truths he uttered, led him to feel that he had not exactly found the valley of the prophet Ezekiel's vis- ion, but the land of sternest missionary necessities. A neigh- boring minister exchanged with him one Sabbath, and was greatly annoyed by the improper conduct of the young peo- ple. When they met on Monday morning, he inquired " How is it possible that you can stay in Langdon? I would not stay there for $ 1000 a year." The following Sabbath Mr. Wood preached from Acts 17: 5. Just as he was speaking this text a young man came and rapped very hard with his fist upon the front door, opened it, made a low bow, and sauntered to a seat, evidently expecting to witness a general smile. But the text just repeated gave an opposite turn to his effort, and the repetition of it served to produce shame rather than amusement in himself. The sermon on this oc- casion, together with an expressed regret that the minister who had officiated the previous Sabbath had been annoyed by
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