USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Weare > The history of Weare, New Hampshire, 1735-1888 > Part 18
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150
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1770.
him, he plainly told her to mind her own business; and when she reproved him a second time he politely informed her that she was often bringing things against him which she could not prove, " for which three folts the Chh doth Admonish thy sin and set the by hoping god will give you a hart of Repentance."
Sister Abigail Hutchins was judged by the church to be in " falt" about Sister Bailey's " wab "; to have lied about the "Cowcumber" vines ; to be "Rong" in saying " she was going to meeting to please folks"; to be impious when Sister Bailey reproved her for saying "im not a going to acnoledg to you for you should not mind such small things," and wicked in twitting Sister Bailey " of doing Rong to Beaty Dustin " by not paying her "a nuff for her Sarvis" and making fun of Sister Bailey's being in " travel." Months after, Sister Hutchins came to meeting, confessed and was forgiven.
Brother Caleb Atwood had a letter of admonition sent to him for " gaging Joseph Qumbe maier " and justifying himself when a committee of the church went to labor with him. The letter thus ends : "for wich we Cant go no further with you until god gives you a hart to repent of the ronge you have Dune to the Corse of his Son Jesus Christ."*
Two sisters were brought before the church by Sister Mehitable Bailey " for puttin Linnen and wooling yarn together which She thought was not lawful to do." The church found she had not commenced her action right and dismissed it. Sister Bailey ac- knowledged her fault and thus made her peace. But she could not be long quiet.
Brother Jacob Jewell, the deacon, was accused by her of false- hood, and after a long hearing he was acquitted. Brother Samuel Bailey, her husband, manifested some uneasiness about this decision, and the case was reopened.
Brother Joseph Webster was also charged with the same thing by our good sister, and his case was heard at the same time as
* LETTER OF ADMONISHIMENT TO BROTHER CALEB ATWOOD.
" To Brother Caleb atwood you are admoished for your Sin in Leveing the Church with out a Just Cause and for your gaging Joseph Qumbe maier and when two of the Brathern was sent unto you to talk with you about those things and you thought you had Don Justest and when they tryed to tel you the Rule you Should heve Dune with Said Qumbe you Said you hated to hear So much bothering about one thing after which they Left you with Your Blood upon your one head after which they went out of your house and you foled them and Desired to Know the Rule you should have Done and you Said you was Sorry that you Did not take the rule but if you had you Should have Done Justest to have gaged Said mair for wich we Cant go no further with you untel god gives you a hart to repent of the ronge you have Dune to the Corse of his Son Jesus Christ this from the Church April 6th 1770."
151
ADMONISHING SINNERS.
1770.]
Brother Jewell's, and both found innocent. These men were the pillars of the church and must be sustained.
Sister Bailey was then tried for accusing them wrongfully, found guilty, admonished for her sin and was told that the church "cant go no further with her." Sister Bailey as the great conservator subsided upon this.
They took up the case of exhorting sinners once more, the disci- pline spiritual.
Joshua Corliss, John Ardway, Nathaniel Corliss, Jan. 31, 1770, were admonished for their sin, because they " are not in subjection to the church " and were told it " could not go no further with them till they find a hart of Repentance to make Satisfaction." The trouble was these pious members still believed sinners should be exhorted, although they had said to the contrary.
Sister Elisabeth Atwood, April 7, 1770, was admonished for leav- ing the church, and was told "you Continer ob Staniely and will not be reclamed for which we think the church of the Son of god is ronged and we cannot go no further with you tel god gives you repentances unto life." She also believed sinners should be ex- horted.
Brother John Mudgett was labored with for saying he was not a member of the church ; he said he did not understand the covenant when he signed it and asked that he might stand aside for the present, and the church said they were willing he should, but he did not come back soon enough to please them, and May 4th, was admonished for his sin of standing by, " for which things sake we think the Cause of Christ is wounded."
Sister Moly Corliss, Jr., still sympathized with the party of the first principle and was admonished at the same time "for her sin and transgression in leaving the Church and troubling Israel." These also, when it was explained later, were in fact punished for their belief that sinners should be exhorted.
And now they began to see the danger to which they were drift- ing. The course they were pursuing would lead them to death. But like a boy going by a grave-yard in the night, they tried to whistle up their courage. At a church meeting the party who up- held the second principle considered " about matters that had been past Consarning Admonishing brothers and sisters and all agreed to what was done to be right whose Names are under whiten John Juel, Jacob Juel, John Juel Jun", Ebenezer Baly, Samuel baly,
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HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1770.
Caleb Atwood and John Simons." Joseph Webster, Joseph George and John Worth did not agree with them. Brother Worth was then having trouble with the majority on other points of doctrine. Elder Hovey also tried to give the majority "hart " by making Jacob Jewell a full-fledged deacon.
There were only thirty-three members in all, and of these over twenty had been churched and admonished. If they kept on it would be as in witchcraft times, every one would be accused and hung. There had got to be a halt somewhere.
Although they had resolved that they were the saints and had done right, they found they could not coerce the party of the first principle to come back. So they thought they would yield a little themselves. They met Dec. 25th, and one of the brethren mani- fested his mind to this effect : "He thought there was such a beam in the eye of the church concerning doctrine that it was not in a capacity to deal with members until the beam was got out," and the beam was this : there " has been much debate about exhorta- tions to unbelievers." "The Chh in jennial thought so two." Pity they had not found it out before. Who the brother was who made this speech the record does not state.
The church was now thoroughly frightened ; they could raise no money, have no preaching, no interest in their conference meetings; they were under a cloud. They resolved to make one more effort. The last day of the year 1770 they met again, "and after prayers, Concluded they could do nothing further till they had confessed their fault to those they had admonished, for they see they had been wrong in Denying ministers to hold forth calls and invitations to men in general."
But this did no good; the party of the first sentiment would not return, although the party of the second had backed completely down and "ate humble pie." This great schism had broken the church in pieces.
But these good people could not endure being long without a church and preaching. Their cravings for spiritual food were not satisfied ; they began, as one brother said, "to have grave doubts that they were of the elect." The course they were pursuing seemed to confirm the doubt, and "hell for them appeared to yawn."
So, early in 1773, they sent to the churches for aid. Elder Shepard and Deacon Clarke came from Stratham, Elder Greenleaf and Moses Welch from Haverhill, and Deacon Jewett from Hop-
153
THE NEW COVENANT.
1773.]
kinton. They labored among the people. The grand inquisitors who did the admonishing promised every thing to the party of the first principle, if they only would go on with them again. They got all to meet, May 27, 1773, at the house of Samuel Bailey. Elder Shepard was chosen moderator and clerk. The visitors formed themselves into a council, to smooth over matters. They went through the form of each side stating their case. Then they consulted and reported "That whereas there has been for a long time a misunderstanding between the brethren of the Baptist Church of Christ in Weare, concerning exhortations to sinners, they had happily and cordially agreed that it is scriptural and safe to exhort all mankind, sinners, upon the Evidence of the gospel, to act towards God, to trust in him and be ready to every good work. We find that each party misunderstood the other about the meaning of the word exhortation.
"The first party understood the second to mean that there should be no exhortations to sinners in any sense, and they say that they never meant so.
" The second party understood the first to mean setting sinners to work for life in some sense, which they say they did not mean."
So they signed an agreement that for the future any of them may exhort sinners upon the gospel evidence to repent and believe, whether they do it or not.
Elder Samuel Hovey, who led the second party, and, although he kept out of sight, put through the admonishments, signed this agreement with sixteen others .* They were all old members but one -Zechariah Johnson, a new settler. There had been some difficulty between Elder Hovey and some of the brethren, but they "waighted" the matter and " freely forgive Each other."
The next day they wrote out a new covenant, which was nearly identical with their first one, and eleven men and seven women signed it .; They completed their organization by choosing Jacob
* NAMES OF THE SIGNERS.
Samuel Hovey.
John Simons.
Jacob Jewell.
Samuel Bailey.
Joseph George.
Caleb Atwood.
John Jewell, Junr.
John Mudgett.
Jonathan Atwood.
Joseph Webster. Zecharialı Johnson. Nathaniel Corliss.
John Worth.
John Jewell. Ebenezer Bailey. Joseph Quimby.
William Hutchins.
+ NAMES OF THOSE WHO SIGNED THE NEW COVENANT.
Joseph George.
John Mudgett.
Zechariah Jolinson. Abigail Hutchins.
Jonathan Atwood.
Mary Corliss. Elizabeth Atwood.
William Hutchins.
Samuel Bayley. Ebenezer Bayley. John Jewell, Junr. Caleb Atwood.
Sarah Mudgett.
Betty Simons.
John Simons.
Dole Atwood. Ruth Little.
Jacob Jewell.
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HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1773.
Jewell clerk and Jonathan Atwood . moderator, both "during pleasure."
All things will go smoothly now, and they did for a time. Elder Hovey preached, and a large number went to the meetings, which were held in the houses of the church members. What a good time they had at the services! These began at nine o'clock and lasted several hours. The sermon was often two hours' long. They carried their dinners and had their noonings, at which they gossiped and inquired after their friends, those in Weare and those in the towns from whence they came. Politics were hinted at, and they talked of the Stamp Act, the Boston Port Bill, the tax on tea. Religion came up, their debates were renewed, but they were very careful not to allude to the subject of exhorting sinners. The men told of their crops, their horses and cattle, their sheep and swine. The women spoke of their cardings, spinnings and weavings; of the butter and cheese they made and of their fowls. The Sunday nooning was a rich treat.
After preaching they had a conference meeting; sang psalms so sweet, and prayed with wonderful earnestness ! Then they exhorted, related their experiences and told what God had done for them. These were heavenly times, and so refreshing! but they did not last long.
Aug. 1st, Elder Hovey preached .* His sermon to them was like a thunder-clap in a clear sky. He began by saying if the belief in the gospel prepares people to overcome the world, how comes it that so many believers do not overcome the world ? He then went on to say the reason was because they believe a counterfeit gospel of the devil's forming, and think it is the true gospel. This is the
* The heads of Samuel Hovey's discourse, as furnished to the church by himself in writing : -
"if the belef of the gospel prepraes people to over Com the world how Coms it that So many multitudes Say they beleve the gospel and do not over Com the world yea not only So but multitudes not only Say but realy think they beleve the gospel and yet are far from overcoming the world why the reason is this they think they beleve the gospel because they beleve acounterfit gospel of the Divels forming this Counterfit gospel is So nicely prepard that they are Deceived and think it is the true gospel which is ritten in the bibel but there is this Diffarence between the Divels Counterfit gospel and true the true gospel proclaims Justis fully Satisfied and god fit to be trusted by the most wretched unquallifed Sinner in the world; but the Counterfit gospel Says But you must be found in the way of Dutey or you must feal So and So or you be Changd So and So or Sumething must alway be found at home to give the Sinner footing to take Comfort in Christ and this Counterfit gospel of the Divels froming Decives multitudes and you may know they are deeieved with it and Do not beleve the true gospel because when they are Examined what is the ground of there hope or what makes them hope to be Saved they will begin immediately to tel what they have Done and how they Desier to wait on god in the way of Duty or Els that they have Experienced Such and Such things &e which plain Enough Shows that they Do not belive } to this Efect I Did Deliver at weare Augt 1th 1773 the true gospel but a fals one § SAMUEL HOVEY"
155
THE TRUE AND FALSE GOSPELS.
1773.]
difference between the true and the counterfeit: The true pro- claims justice fully satisfied and God fit to be trusted; the counter- feit says you must be found in the way of duty, or you must feel so-and-so, or you must be changed so-and-so, or something must always be found at home to give the sinner footing to take comfort in Christ. This counterfeit deceives multitudes. You may know they are deceived, for when they are examined they will begin at once to tell what they have done and how they desire to wait on God, in the way of duty, or else they have experienced such and such things ; all which plainly shows they do not believe a true gospel, but a false one.
They were astounded at first. This sermon overthrew many of their cherished notions, and was a cruel stab at their conference meetings.
They had been accustomed to tell all these things, and they had felt so happy doing it, and they were so sure they were the elect, the saints who were going to possess the earth, that now to be told they had not got the true gospel, but one of the devil's own forming, and that they were bound straight to hell, made them of all men the most miserable.
They held a church meeting Aug. 6th; the churches at Stratham and Epping had recommended Elder Hovey to them, and they voted , to notify them that they can not receive him on account of the doctrine he delivered Aug. 1st. " Then they rejourned the met- ing on the Samon tel the 8 Day of this Enstant tel three of the clock on said Day."-"met acording to adjournment and after opening the meting proseded to Examen furder in to the Doctren and after making furder in Quiry in to the same put it to vote after this manar, if it be your minds that what Elder Hovey Declared to Shew plan Enough and by which we may know peopel are Deceived and do not believe the true gospel but a fals one menefist it by holding up the hand. Voted it is a sufficient mark to prove themn Deceived parsons by Jacob Jewell, Samuel Bailey, Jolin Jewell, John Ardway, John Jewell Jun"." "Voted that the mark that Elder Hovey give is not sufficient to prove people Deceived with a fals gospel by us Joseph George, Jonathan Atwood, John Mudget, Zechariah Johnson, Caleb Atwood, William Hutchins, Ebenezer Bailey, John Simons."
Elder Hovey's followers were in a minority : they at once "stepped down and out." Jacob Jewell made his last record. At the next
156
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1773.
meeting Jonathan Atwood was chosen moderator, and Joseph George, clerk.
They sent a letter to the church at Stratham, giving their reasons why they could not receive Elder Hovey. They labored with some of the brethren about his doctrine, but found them obdurate, and they determined to admonish them. Sept. 12th, the church voted that it could not allow Hovey's followers to commune or act with it as members in good standing, because they held that it has got the devil's counterfeit gospel, and that it rejects the gospel of Christ. It exhorted them to repent, and prayed that they may be made sensible of the dishonor they have done to Christ and his cause, and told them that if they did not recant it would have to proceed further with them, as the Scriptures direct.
The church inquired of some of the sisters who followed Elder Hovey, and Mehitable Ardway and Martha Jewell made such answers that it admonished them and threatened Martha with ex- communication.
But it was of no avail. Things went from bad to worse. The church met Oct. 31st, and after considering the matter, excommuni- cated all of Hovey's followers. The reasons given were that Hovey's followers said " the church had the devil's counterfeit gos- pel, that it denied the Father, Son and Holy Ghost; and that said followers broke away from the church in a disorderly manner."
The church was now a ruin. No more records were made, no money raised for preaching, and no meetings held till near the close of the Revolution. Thus we see that Elder Hovey was a remark- ably bright man and had a large share of common sense. He retired from Weare for a season.
CHAPTER XIV.
SCHOOLS.
THE first New England public school was kept in Boston, in 1635. Brother Philemon Purmont was the school-master, and the school was established by the town .* The first school law was
* The first school established by public vote in New England, is claimed to have been at Newport, R. I., in 1640. Schools existed in New Haven, Conn., in 1639; in Vermont, before 1763.
157
THE FIRST SCHOOL.
1769.]
made by Massachusetts in 1642, which was also our law, as New Hampshire was then a part of that state. A further school law was enacted in 1647, by which towns with fifty householders should choose a master to teach all youth, who may come to him, to read and write. The parents were to pay him ; if they did not, then the town should. Towns with a hundred families should have a gram- mar master to teach "the tongues " and fit the youth for college. If they did not, they should pay a fine of £5 for the use of schools.
New Hampshire became a separate province in 1680, and in 1693 passed an act which was substantially a copy of the Massachusetts school law. In 1719, the law was amended, and by it the selectmen were to hire the teacher, raise funds by rate to pay him, and pro- vide the school-room, fuel and board. The grammar school should be kept all the time ; if not kept, a fine of £20 should be paid. An amendment, two years later, made the selectmen pay the fine for such neglect, and not the town. Only masters could keep school.
Our Halestown grant gave one sixty-third part of our town for the use of a school.
Our Robiestown grant gave one share, or two lots. When the shares were drawn, the school got lots eight in the second and fifth ranges. They were good land, and quite a sum has been realized from them for the schools.
There was no public school in Weare for eighteen years after the first settlement. The youth were taught at home by their parents or the oldest child. Sometimes a master went from house to house, and such were called family schools. Thus the children all learned to read and write.
For five years after the town was incorporated not a cent was raised for schooling, and the subject was not even mentioned in the town records. But in 1769 the fourth article in the warrant was: "To see if the town will raise any money for a town school." At the meeting, March 14th, the clerk made this unique record of what they did : " Voted to raise money for Schooling and voted to the Negative." They adjourned one week, changed their minds, met and " Voted to reconsider the Vot that was to raise money for Schooling and voted to the Negative and Voted five pounds Lawful money for Schooling to hier a scool dame." Our first public school was at once opened, and kept in the spring and summer of 1769.
Let us look at this first school, which was kept at South Weare, in the house or barn of Jonathan Atwood, who lived at the southern
158
HISTORY OF WEARE, NEW HAMPSHIRE.
[1770.
foot of Mount Dearborn. The selectmen, as the law then was, had the sole charge of it. If all the children in town attended, some of them had to walk a long way through the dark woods, the forest primeval. They crossed the Otter, Meadow brook and the Peacock, musical streams. They saw where the wild deer browsed, tracked bears in the mud, and may have heard, as they often did, the howl of a wolf from Mount Wallingford or Mount William.
School opened then as now at nine o'clock in the morning. The small children read first in the New England Primer and recited the catechism it contained ; the larger scholars had the Psalter and the Bible, from which some read fluently, while others stumbled and drawled in the most wonderful manner. These were followed by arithmetic taught them by the teacher orally, or by rote, as it was termed. Often the rules were written out on paper and memo- rized .* Then they had recess, when the children " went storming out to playing "; succeeded by writing, and spelling at which they had numerous matches, choosing sides and spelling down. The afternoon exercises were nearly the same.
Their school-room was very simple, no school furniture like that of modern times, their seats rough benches, no desks, maybe a table, " deep scarred by raps official," for the teacher, and on which the children learned to write with quill pens ; no slates and no black- boards ; some carried a chair from home, that they might have more comfort.
It must have been a large school, for the first settlers, as a rule, had large families. They were a happy lot, full of fun just like children now. They played the same games as at the present time ; they are played the world over. They had "pizen," "gool " or goal, tag, snap the whip, high-spy, "eny, meny, mony, mi"; the large boys " rasseled," at arm's length, side holts, to backs, and lifted at stiff- heels. At a later day, when school kept in autumn or in winter, they snow-balled, slid down hill, or skated on the glare ice.
Weare was not satisfied with one school district ; it was too far to go to school. So the next year, 1770, they raised three times as much money, £15, and " voted to divide it into districts." They forgot to do this at the annual town-meeting, perhaps purposely, but, Aug. 16th, the selectmen, by "Verty of a pettion from a num-
* Some parents made written arithmetics for their children, which were plain, brief and full of common sense. But few scholars went farther than through the four fundamental rules.
159
THE FIRST GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
1772.]
ber of Signers to See if the Town will Raise money to hier Schooling this year & also how much & to agree what method the School Shall be Keept," warned a town-meeting, to be held Aug. 30th, at which the above vote was passed.
The next year, 1771, they did better and raised at the annual town-meeting $35.
In 1772, they raised $50, and the selectmen divided it into the following districts :- South Weare, by Captain Atwood's; New Boston Road, near Bond Little's ; Mountain Road, by Mount Mis- ery; Philbrick's, near where Hon. Moses A. Hodgdon lives ; North Road, to Sugar Hill ; Center Road, near Center Square .*
The people themselves made this division into districts, there was no law for the town or selectmen to do it. The selectmen charged the large sum of five shillings for thus dividing the money. The . next year the "North Road" was called in the record "Shogger Hill district," and we find that the selectmen paid £4 9s. 3d. for the school there.
A grammar school must be set up ; for the town had now, 1772, more than one hundred householders. The selectmen attended to this duty, and they were paid for going after a grammar school- master and getting him "aprabated" £1 1s. They hired Dr. Benja- min Page,t the first physician in Weare, and paid him, " for taking Charge of the grammar School," the enormous sum of twelve shil- lings.# He could not have taught long nor kept the school contin- uously at those wages, no matter how great the value of the money.
Ebenezer Breed followed him, and was the teacher at Sugar hill, Weare Center, South Weare and the Mountain.
Soon after, Dr. Philip Hoit, Weare's second physician, taught the grammar school. He was paid one year, £3 for his services, while Caleb Atwood was paid for the doctor's board in the South Weare
* " 1772. Paid to the Several disstricts for Schooling as followeth ;
paid to the destrict by Capt. Awoods. 3: 3:0
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