USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Canaan > The history of Canaan, New Hampshire > Part 17
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left to conjecture. But it is plain enough that somebody was getting jealous, and couldn't agree.
On the 17th of December the town voted to settle Mr. Wil- marth, agreeably to the conditions reported by the committee and which had been assented to by all parties. Previous to this date, several persons who disliked Deacon Worth's hum-drum music, astonished that worthy man by taking the wind out of his mouth without asking his consent. It was an insult he would not forgive. They might as well stop his praying and exhorting as his singing. So he rallied his forces, and called upon the church to rise up and vote a rebuke of this audacious outrage.
He got himself appointed the avenger of the church and issued the stately document which follows:
The church in Canaan hereby inform the town that in consequence of their assuming the authority of governing the singing in a way that they knew was disagreeable to the Church without any conde- scension or regard to them in the matter and of the Selectmen's mak- ing a tax or rate for the support of preaching without giving the Church notice of it that they might take off their proportion according to the proposal made by the Church which the town voted to comply with, therefore they have withdrawn their call of Elder Wilmarth till the town shall satisfy them on the above particulars.
JOHN WORTH, By order of the Church.
Dec. 1st. 1798.
N. B. That although we agreed to bear a trial for one year we do not feel willing always to bear it.
Then followed a letter from Mr. Wilmarth declining to set- tle. It was addressed to Messrs. John Worth, John Currier and Richard Whittier, Committee, Canaan :
CANAAN, Dec. 3rd, 1798.
Gentlemen: As the worthy and respectable inhabitants of this town have been pleased to honor me with a call to settle among them as a minister of the gospel, and you were the committee thro' whom it was communicated to me, I esteem it my duty to make a reply via you to them.
I feel myself under a present necessity of answering you in the nega- tive - and my reasons here follow:
1st. When the town voted the request it was with a promise that nine- tenths of the town were in favor of it, and were I to give my answer in the affirmative, it is possible, and even probable, that there would not be such a proportion in favor of my settlement, and consequently I
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might fall into the disagreeable predicament of being rejected after having consented.
2nd. The church in this town have seen fit to discontinue their call and vote me a letter of dismission and recommendation to any other church of the same faith and order - their reasons for withdrawing their call will be communicated to you via their committee.
These, gentlemen, are some of my reasons for not, at present, accept- ing your request. It is possible, however, that they may be removed.
Whether I ever settle among you or not, I assure you of my best wishes for your welfare, as a people, and should I leave you, it will be with painful anxiety for your future happiness. I am, gentlemen, yours and the public's devoted humble servant.
EZRA WILMARTH.
After this date, although the town yielded the points in dis- pute and renewed its call to the preacher, a coolness grew up between them which increased from day to day, until the year expired. On the 17th of April, 1799, it was voted not to permit "Mr. Wilmarth to make up the time he lost in preaching but there shall be deducted twenty shillings for every day he has lost."
Ezekiel Wells was appointed a committee "to ascertain what Mr. Wilmarth has received and what there is due him."
It took the committee until the 10th of May to make up a bill of particulars, when it reported that "according to the receipts exhibited by the collector.
Mr. Wilmarth has received. £24:5:1
That he was absent five days, went away one day before his time was out, and three days preached only a half day 7:10:0
Deducted from. 52:0:0
Leaves due Mr. Wilmarth 21:4:11
And Mr. Ezra Wilmarth stepped out of Canaan without being settled which seems to have afforded mutual pleasure to all parties, particularly to the gifted ones, John, Richard and Miriam. On leaving Canaan he was settled over the church in Rumney in April, 1799, and was dismissed in May, 1811.
Notwithstanding their promptness in dismissing him it was two years and upwards before they paid him the balance due and part of this he took in due bills and personal promises.
Dea. John Worth, who lived across the Pond on the Landon place, was a poet, also, but the productions of his genius, like his
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dust, have long since mingled and become a part of the common things of this life. All that has survived of his wonderful poetic talents are the following lines, addressed to "Pride":
Pride, don't come on! Thou hast undone,
Many a son.
Pride, don't come arter! Thou hast undone Many a darter!
Soon after Mr. Wilmarth's departure Rev. Aaron Cleveland, great-grandfather of Grover Cleveland, a clergyman from Nor- wich, Conn., visited friends in Canaan, and was invited to preach. He preached in the unfinished meeting house, and being a Congregationalist, like many of the settlers from Connecticut,, they offered him inducements to remain here. A town meeting was called on the 12th of August, 1799, and "$100 was voted to be raised and to be appropriated for the purpose of hiring Mr. Aaron Cleveland if he can be obtained." Dea. Joshua Pillsbury, Micah Porter and Richard Otis were chosen a com- mittee to confer with him, and report their success to the town. Everyone was confident that Mr. Cleveland would stay for the "$100." They expected no refusal, for why had he wandered so far from home, if he was not in search of employment. They took another vote, as if to confirm their resolution. "Voted that we will hire preaching." And another: "Voted that we hire Mr. Cleveland until March meeting, if he can be obtained." But against the two last votes, there were vigorous protests from the following gentlemen, "as the law directs," Jehu Jones, Reynold Gates, Joshua Wells, Josiah Clark and Daniel Colby, the first three from Colchester and the last from Newmarket and Haverhill. Mr. Cleveland seems to have been willing to remain in Canaan, but he pointed out to the committee that $100 was small compensation for the continued services of a minister of the gospel. They proposed to give him as a further inducement the half of the minister's right which had been deeded to the town by Elder Baldwin.
He remained here until September 1st, without accepting their invitation. Then pressing duties calling him to Connecticut, he sent the committee the following letter :
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1
Messrs. Otis, Pillsbury and Porter, Committee:
Gentlemen-In answer to your request that I should stay a week longer than was proposed, let me observe:
That should the town wish to convene again to make me some further proposals, a meeting may be warned on Monday next and Mr. Otis will attend, who proposes a journey to Connecticut immediately after. By him, therefore, the proposals of this town can be forwarded to me, which I shall lay before our Association and be directed by them re- specting my future steps. Mr. Otis can also be present at the Asso- ciation and represent the essential matters respecting the town, and respecting myself.
And you may rest assured that the cause of Zion lies so near their hearts that they will point out the line of my duty in the case. Re- specting the proposal of the town as it now stands, this I should lay before the Association. Should the town proceed no further, and should be determined in the case as sd Association should advise.
It appears as a matter of importance to me that I should commence 'my journey on the first week in September, as I have mentioned from the first day I came to this town, and Mr. Otis going to Connecticut will supply the difficulty of my longer stay at this time.
I am gentlemen, yours, and Canaan's well wisher, AARON CLEVELAND.
The church sent Deacon Otis to urge their request, but the town did not offer him any further compensation. The Asso- ciation advised him to remain in Connecticut, and nothing fur- ther was heard from him except the bill for his services in the pulpit amounting to $50. And at the next annual meeting in 1800 the town voted "to raise money enough to discharge the committee from the demands Mr. Cleveland has made against them for preaching."
No money was voted for preaching in 1800, excepting that which was to pay Mr. Cleveland; they were without a pastor. In 1801 Elder Samuel Ambrose, Elder Crowell, Elder Jones and Rev. Mr. Webster occupied the pulpit. In 1801 they voted $60 for preaching from June to the next annual meeting and from this time on to May, 1808, the town refused to pay for preach- ing. Many persons were annoyed at the persistency of Deacon Clark and Deacon Worth and their followers, in demanding too much recognition for themselves. And when in 1802 the warrant contained an article about preaching, Samuel Joslen, before it was put to vote, entered his dissent. He said it was
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time enough to get money, when it was found out who was going to get it, and he did not intend to be involved in any more blind taxes.
Thus far it appears that the good people of Canaan had assem- bled together in the meeting-house, all denominations, with a church organization, consisting mostly of Baptists, and a society consisting of many others, not members of the church. No denomination had separated itself, or organized itself into a separate association. The denominational feeling had become so strong that on February 16, 1802, the Baptists constituted themselves into "The Baptist Church of Christ in Canaan." On this date "Brother Richard Clark was chosen moderator and brother John Worth, Deacon and Clerk."
On June 17th following, Josiah Clark was chosen Deacon. From the records it does not appear that the work of the church or the labors of the brethren were of sufficient importance to merit being written. There was stupor and indifference and petty rivalries among the members, that prevented them from seeing any good however little it might be in each other.
At the date above written desire was expressed on the part of some of the brethren to have the church separate itself from all other denominations, and constitute itself simply the Baptist church in Canaan.
In the effort to revive the church the brethren engaged in it appointed a committee to emasculate the list of members, so that none but the worthy might have a place therein, and this they did so thoroughly that if we take their record as truth, they left but few disciples of John Calvin in town, and these were Josiah Clark, Nathaniel Gilman, Richard Clark, Daniel Kimball, Job Tyler, Esther Clark, Sarah Gilman, Pernal Clark, Lydia Pearson and Abigail Cole who was excommunicated in 1836.
We know from other sources that the Baptists, in numbers, exceeded all the other sects in town, between sixty and seventy names being found on a former record. We should have liked it better had they retained all the original names, so that we might know who and how many among the brave settlers were written down "as those who love the Lord."
Up to August 19, 1804, the record is blank, but at this date they voted to join the Woodstock Association. The number of
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members at this date is stated as thirty-eight, but only these additional names are found: Moses Kelley, Nancy Kelley, Samuel Welch, Moses Hadley, and Molly Hadley. After this statement there is more blank in the record, but it is evident that it was blanker in the church. It was a little before this time that the Congregational Church had been established. And the Baptist denomination among themselves had lost control of the organization. There seemed to be no controlling intelligence, and few or no educated persons to manage affairs. They talked of doctrine, and purifying the church; it was all talk and no action. They talked when they had nothing to say, and when the lis- teners were all bored instead of edified. As in the former years when the same men pursued the same course, they soon fell into by and forbidden paths, and got lost in the great desert of the world. To extricate themselves from this unprogressive condi- tion, the brethren prayed to be enlightened. It was made plain then as it has often been since that no religious sect in the town of Canaan was strong enough in men and money to give proper support to a respectable preacher.
The preaching by the resident orators was little attended to and the candidates for the favor of the church and people gave no satisfaction. They just appeared above the religious horizon and vanished like a summer cloud. The singing, then as now, was a fruitful theme of irritation. Benjamin Trussell, a musi- cian of more than ordinary ability, a good singer, and performer upon the violoncello, had moved into town and was invited to contribute his part in the devotional exercises of the people. Like a true musician, Mr. Trussell believed that singing is only another form of praising God, and that the more sweet sounds he brought to his aid, the greater was God's pleasure. He took his violoncello into the seats, and tuned it before the congrega- tion. Deacon Worth, who was counted as one of the guardians of all the proprieties in the church, and a leader of the singers, was more shocked than he had been on the occasion of the call of Mr. Wilmarth. That was simply a vocal interruption, but this was an invasion of the house of God, with the strains that the devil used to tempt young people to dance. A few other impulsive enthusiasts joined the deacon in denouncing the "devil music," and threatened to call a meeting of the church and
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expel the offender. They talked a good deal of nonsense, and some of the old singers, with Deacon Worth at their head threat- ened to leave the choir, and not sing any more, only that this was just what the other party wanted, and they would not afford them that gratification. The gentle spirit of Christian forbear- ance had nearly fled from the church, when good old Samuel Meacham, an early and devout Methodist, raised his hands in the midst of the half angry company and quietly remarked : "Brethren, let us pray," and then, "We pray thee, good God, turn the thoughts of these wrangling singers from themselves unto Thee ! Fill their hearts with harmony and love, and if there be a single chord of music in Brother Trussell's bass-viol, that will tend to increase our devotions to Thee, let us have it in all its fullness, and, O Lord, forbid that we should ever cast away any good or pleasant thing that falls across our lives, and now give us thy blessing, and send us courage to clear out the angry thoughts that have invaded our hearts, and when we meet again, may it be in love and affection. Amen." And Caleb Seabury and Moses Dole responded "So mote it be." And the singing after the mutual jealousies had become self-exhausted settled itself.
Mr. Trussell's viol became a favorite, with everyone except the inharmonious Deacon, and he never ceased to talk about it. In 1807 there was no preacher, and no prospect of one unless the people would unite upon some person and stand by him. So they agreed to lay aside their dogmas and personalities and form a "Union Society," while like all union societies in re- ligion proved to be no union at all. Daniel Blaisdell was ap- pointed to write an agreement, such as all would sign. A part of the agreement is copied here, not particularly for any in- trinsic merit it contains, but as showing the involved and long- winded theology these people cherished, and how thoroughly they were convinced of original sin, and depravity, and the diffi- culty of making its meaning plain.
We, the subscribers, taking into consideration not only the salutary effects that morality and religion rightly grounded upon evangelical principles, hath upon society in general, but especially upon the rising generation, and being fully convinced that to have the gospel statedly preached amongst us by a regular methodical preacher, who is not
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only a man of good moral character, but is reputed to have his com- munion from on high, will not only have a tendency to lay in the hearts of men in general the strongest obligation to due subjection; but we profess to view it as an institution of Heaven, whereby to con- vince sinners of Adam's fallen family of their deplorable condition, and bring them to embrace offered grace through a glorious Mediator, as the only means to escape the displeasure of an angry God. And having for a long time viewed with anxiety the deplorable situation of the town of Canaan in this respect, and fearing lest we should not be able to answer at the bar of injured Justice, for our neglect to our chil- dren and society, do agree and covenant with each other, &c."
No subscrption was to be binding until two-thirds of the com- mon inventory of the town assented to the union.
Rev. Mr. Young of Salisbury, had preached several Sabbaths and many of the people were pleased with him, and were desir- ous that he should come and settle with them. They sent Rich- ard Whittier and Richard Otis down to invite him to come up and "preach two Sundays more," when they hoped to be able to determine whether he was a suitable man. Mr. Young came as desired and spent a week getting acquainted with the peo- ple, and was received with much effusion. The "Union" em- braced the Congregationalists and Methodists who were well enough pleased with Mr. Young, but to make it agreeable every way, it was agreed that Mr. Young should exchange at the re- quest of the Congregationalists, once in eight weeks with "some minister of that order," residing within a radius of thirty-five miles. But it is doubtful if he ever had an opportunity to ex- change with any one. He did preach here a few weeks after this invitation, but there is no means of telling either of his suc- cess, or the time of his exit. We do not know that he was "set- tled."
In 1808 the town voted to raise $150 to hire preaching, and that each religious denomination lay out their money agree- ably to their conviction. The selectmen were directed to post a notice for six weeks, at Captain Arvin's, Lieutenant Moore's and Moses Dole's Inn, calling upon all the people to come for- ward, and state to what denomination they wished to pay their minister's tax, otherwise they would be taxed as Baptists. The record shows that while this vote was being discussed, Reynold Gates, Richard Clark, Jr., Josiah Barber and Stephen Worth
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"'has come forward and entered their decent against paying a tax to hire preaching."
Stephen Worth had disputed with some of the brethren the correctness of all Baptists beliefs. And was for his rashness stigmatized "an infidel." The others were Baptists by birth, education and conviction, and their "decent" probably arose from sympathy with the long winded Clark.
This arrangement continued satisfactorily for a few years. In 1811 the town voted $100, "and each denomination to lay out the money their own way," a committee of three, Josiah Clark, Baptist; Joshua Pillsbury, Congregationalist, and Caleb Sea- bury, Methodist, were appointed to lay out the money. Again in 1812 the town voted to raise $150 to hire preaching during the year, and Caleb Seabury, Methodist; Daniel Blaisdell, Bap- tist, and Amos Gould, Congregationalist, were a committee to "hire preachers of each denomination." And they added a cruel amendment to this vote "that no part of the $150 should be paid to Lt. Richard Clark." Lieutenant Clark was opposed upon principle to paying money to preachers. He was a talking man and the Lord had given him gifts sufficient unto the needs of the people. He had asked the town to give him the whole or part of the money, claiming that on all occasions when there was no stated preaching, he had conducted religious services freely and often at much inconvenience. Many people were not pleased with Mr. Clark's use of his gifts and took this occasion to ex- press their opinion.
In 1813 they voted to raise $100 for preaching, and once only after this, in 1819, did the town vote money for preaching and that vote was vigorously protested. The "Union So- ciety" went to pieces in 1812, and there was a relapse into the old order of things, each denomination raising their own money in their own way by assessment, and hiring their own preachers. In 1813 a successful effort was made to unite the church and people, and a committee was sent to Grafton, with an invitation to Elder Joseph Wheat, to come and settle here, which he accepted.
Elder Wheat was a Baptist and preached to that church and society for twenty-three years. From the time of his installa- tion in March, 1814, until during the year 1827, he lived as the
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pastor and teacher of the people, going out and in before them as an example of an honored and revered man. Inquiries among his descendants have failed to discover his birthplace. It is supposed that he originated in Newmarket. In the war of the Revolution he served seven years, and was discharged when twenty-three years of age. His subsequent career down to his arrival in Canaan is unknown to us. In 1813 he was preaching in various places hoping to get a home, and on two or three occa- sions occupied this pulpit. For many years previous to this date there had been no "stated" preaching. The people who professed to be Christians, were divided into cliques, and' there were several persons who aspired to do the preaching. They could talk long and loud, and because of this "gift" they successfully opposed the raising of money to pay "hireling" preachers from abroad.
The people endured these gifted talkers with long suffering patience, and there seemed to be no remedy except in quiet sub- mission or in active opposition. The same persons who had disturbed and driven Elder Baldwin out of town, had exercised their gifts upon Elder Uriah Smith, upon Elder Ezra Wilmarth, upon Rev. Aaron Cleveland and other candidates for the pulpit down to 1813, when a united effort was made to break up the gifted monopoly and introduce an era of things that should be respectable, orderly and systematic. Elder Joseph Wheat was then preaching occasionally in Grafton, 53 years old, ripe and manly, with large experiences of human grief and suffering; would he come to Canaan, take charge of the souls in this church, and gather up and soften the flinty hearts that were laughing at the dissensions among the saints? They sent their com- mittee, he came, and preached a sermon two hours long. He told them he was a Baptist, but he was a Christian. They liked him, organized a society, and gave him an invitation to join his fortunes with theirs. The following is the preamble to their agreement which was written by Hon. Daniel Blaisdell :
To all to whom these presents shall come, know ye, that we, the sub- scribers, believing that the preaching of the gospel was intended by the all wise Governor of the Universe as a mean whereby to com- municate his special grace to a ruined world, and believing also that a regularly preached gospel tends to promote good order, and strengthen
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the bonds of society, Do agree to form ourselves into a society by the name of the First Baptist society in Canaan, for the purpose of hiring Elder Joseph Wheat to preach amongst us; And to that end we do agree that if he can be obtained to remove to Canaan and preach to us so many Sabbaths as forty five in a year, and attend to such lecters and funerals and elsewhere as is common for a settled minister to do. That we and each of us, will pay our proportion according to our in- ventory, taken by the selectmen for the time being, of the sum of one hundred and twenty dollars, to be assessed and collected by a collector, and to be appropriated and paid over for the support of our said minister and his family yeraly, the whole to be paid in cash, if paid to the collector, but if any choose to carry to his house corn, wheat, rye, flour or wool, he is to receive one half the sum due to him, and give his receipt for the same. ... provided nevertheless, that the agreement and every part thereof shall be null and void, unless such and so many persons shall join said society, so as that the assessments made as aforesaid shall not exceed the sum of thirty cents on the poll.
This agreement contains the signatures of ninety-three men, subscribing in sums from fifty cents to two dollars and fifty cents. These men have long since passed off the stage of life.
"Thomas H. Pettingill agrees to pay Elder Joseph Wheat $1.00 a year so long as he shall preach in Canaan." "Daniel Blaisdell one half of inventory added if necessary." John Currier, Nathaniel C. Pierce, Harry Leeds, Job Tyler, Josiah Clark, Abraham Pushee, Timothy Tilton, Joshua Currier, Amasa Jones, Adam Pollard, Oliver Smith and Nathan Willis, one dollar each. John M. Barber, Samuel Willis and Daniel Pat- tee will give two dollars each. Cyrus B. Hamilton will pay $2.50. Then there are Daniel Colby and John Worth, and Levi Bailey and Wales Dole and Amos Gould and William Campbell, at fifty cents each; then come Moses Shepherd, Nathaniel Wil- son, Ephraim Wilson, Abner H. Cilley, six Richardson brothers, and many more all eager to join the society so as to settle the long vexed question of who was to do the preaching to this patiently waiting people.
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