USA > New York > A history of the purchase and settlement of western New York : and of the rise, progress and present state of the Presbyterian Church in that section > Part 5
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20,437
20,777
Wyoming.
1841
29,663
27,205
Total
62,888
219,803
507,234
716,775
898,376
93.1,436
20,732
23,689
Chenango.
1798
35,700
62,465
78,635
Genesee.
1802
ITS EARLY HISTORY.
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24
CHAPTER III.
Settlers in Western New York : their Origin. Motives for Emigrating. Character; Obstacles to the speedy establishment of Religious Institutions. First Organization of a Congregational Church, and Administration of the Lord's Supper. Rev. Zadoc Hunn, his Death and Character. Church organized in Palmyra : in Oquago : at Sherburne: at "Newtown : at Charlestown : at Geneseo : at East Bloomfield : South Bristol : North Bristol : West Bloomfield : Victor : Canandaigua : Middle- town : Pittstown: Augusta. Manner of Organization : Confession of Faith and Covenant. Settlement of Rev. John Rolph at South Bristol ; Rev. Reuben Par- mele at Victor ; Rev Timothy Field Ordained and Settled at Canandaigua : Rev. Joseph Grover Settled at North Bristol : Rev. Eleazer Fairbanks at Palmyra : Rev. Jedidiah Chapman at Geneva, a Standing Missionary : Rev. John Lindsley at Ovid : Rev. James H. Hotchkin at West Bloomfield : Rev Ahijah Warren at South Bristol. Harmony between Congregationalists and Presbyterians. Circum- stances contributing to the Formation of Churches and Settlement of Ministers. Missionaries. Revival. Dr. Williston's Letter. Mr. Bushnell's Letter. Means used to promote the Revival : its Character and Results. Ontario Association.
THE first emigrants to Western New York were from different parts of the United States ; but mostly from New England. Those who were from the same neighborhood, frequently located them- selves together in the same township. Not unfrequently, however, the case was otherwise. In the same vicinity were found people from different parts of the country. Emigrants from Connecticut intermingled with emigrants from Massachusetts and other New England States, were found in the same neighborhood. Not unfre- quently, emigrants from the New England States, and emigrants from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, located themselves side by side. A few from States south of Pennsylvania, and some from Europe, were among the early settlers of Western New York. The first inhabitants were of English, Low Dutch, German, Scotch, and Irish origin. But in most places, the New England character. was the prevalent trait. In consequence, however, of the inter- mixture of emigrants from different parts of the country, there was in many places a great diversity in their habits, tastes, and modes of thinking on a variety of subjects, and especially on the subject of religion and religious institutions. This circumstance in many places prevented the establishment of any religious worship and order for a long period. Again, the first settlers of Western New York were dispersed over an extensive territory, and few of them for a considerable season were to be found in any one place, located together. In the early settlement of New England, fear of the Indians obliged the first inhabitants of a town to locate themselves in a compact village, with suitable fortified houses for their defence against their savage foes. The same circumstance required that
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THIE EARLY RELIGIOUS IIISTORY OF WESTERN NEW YORK. 25
they should, when settling a new township, emigrate in consider- able numbers at the same time. Hence it was not uncommon in the settlement of a new township in the New England States, for the clergyman to constitute one of the company, and for religions order and stated preaching of the Gospel to commence with the settlement of the town. But the circumstances under which Western New York was first settled, were vastly different. A treaty had been made with the Indians, which it was supposed would ensure safety to the settlers. A vast tract of wild land lay before them, on any part of which they might locate themselves. Diversity of soil and timber, and adaptedness to different branches of husbandry existed. Contiguity to roads, streams of water, places where water-power might be employed, and where centres for business might be expected to be formed, constituted attractions to different individuals, according to their respective tastes, or cal- culations respecting their employments. Hence, for a considerable period after the commencement of the settlement, but few families were to be found in any one neighborhood. In many instances a single family lived at a distance of some miles from any other family for a year or two. Under these circumstances, it was not practi- cable to form religious societies, and congregations for divine worship, in most places, for a considerable period.
Emigrants to Western New York were generally drawn thither by a regard to temporal circumstances. They were not like the original emigrants to New England, fleeing from persecution, and seeking a place where they might worship God according to the dictates of their own consciences, without molestation. It was not a missionary enterprise to civilize and christianize the aborigines of the country. But the great object with them, was to improve their temporal circumstances. Land of an excellent quality might be obtained at a very cheap rate. Those who had property ex- pected to increase their property, by occupying larger and more fertile farms, by speculating in new lands, or by engaging in some employment of enterprise which the circumstances of a growing country might make lucrative. Those who had little property to bring with them, believed that where land was cheap they should be able to procure for themselves farms, which by industry, in the course of a few years, would place them in comfortable, if not in affluent circumstances. Mechanics not finding sufficient employ- ment in the older settlements emigrated to the new country, in hope of full employment, and generally with a view of adding the busi- ness of a farm to their mechanic employment. Some undoubtedly were moved by a spirit of romance to engage in the hardships and novelties connected with the settlement of a new and distant country ; and some, in removing to this western region, plainly manifested from their manner of life after their removal, that one principal object in their removal was to get rid of the restraints which civil
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WESTERN NEW YORK.
law and public sentiment, connected with religious institutions, imposed upon them in the Eastern States from which they emi- grated.
The first settlers of a new country, when their removal is volun- tary, are, as a matter of course, possessed of an enterprising character. This was peculiarly the character of the first emigrants to Western New York. It was a great enterprise in which they were engaged, holding forth brilliant prospects for the time which was to come. But the realization of these prospects was to be the result of toil, the endurance of hardships and privations, and the exposure to many dangers and sufferings. Those who could look all these circumstances in the face, and go forward with confidence, must possess a character for enterprise. They were also, in general, an intelligent community. They were, as has been stated, mostly from New England, particularly from the States of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Some of them were liberally educated in the institutions of New England. Most of them possessed the intelli- gence, and had received the common school education, which was general in Connecticut and Massachusetts at that period. In intel- gence and general information they were a fair specimen of the race from which they derived their origin. As to their religious character, there were many who were openly irreligious ; and this was the case with a considerable number who were of some influence in civil society, and who wished to break down the insti- tutions of Christianity in the community. The settlement of West- ern New York was coeval with the French Revolution, and the reign of infidelity in that unhappy country. French principles, including the most rank infidelity and atheism, were zealously pub- lished in the United States, and embraced by vast multitudes throughout the land. The deluge of infidelity threatened to sub- vert all religious institutions in the nation. Some who were deeply imbued with these principles, were among the first settlers of Western New York, and were zealous in propagating their senti- ments ; or, at least, frequent in throwing out sneers against the Bible and its doctrines, or against ministers of the Gospel and pro- fessing Christians. But a much larger proportion of the first white inhabitants of Western New York were not of this class. True, many of them were thoughtless on the subject of religion, immersed in the concerns of this life, and regardless of the institutions of the Gospel ; though they would acknowledge a belief in the reality and importance of Christianity, and the necessity of an experimental acquaintance with it, in order to final salvation. Others, having been educated in the regular habits of the New England States, and accustomed from their earlier years to an attendance at the house of God on the Sabbath, if they were not truly pious, yet had such a conviction of the reality and importance of religion, as to lead them to feel a strong desire to enjoy the stated preaching of
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ITS EARLY RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
the Gospel, and to improve the occasional opportunities afforded them by itinerating missionaries to hear the Word of God dispensed. They wished to see the institutions of the Gospel established, and in operation, as they had been accustomed to them in the places from which they had emigrated. They desired that their children might be trained up under the influence of religious institutions. Others were professors of religion, members of churches in the places from which they emigrated ; and though some of them seemed to leave their religion behind them in their removal, and to cast off the fear of God; yet a goodly number of them came to their places of location with a determination, that as for them and their houses, they would serve the Lord. They loved the house of God, and the institutions of the Gospel, and an opportunity to hear the Word preached by an itinerating missionary, was to them a feast of fat things. At any time were they ready with their families, to go miles on foot or in an ox-sled, to hear a sermon, when notice was given that a missionary would preach. Where two or three families of this description located contiguous to each other, generally, public worship upon the Sabbath was immediately commenced. In numbers of instances this was the case in neigh- borhoods where but a single male professor of religion resided. The exercises of such meetings commonly consisted of prayer, singing, and reading a printed sermon. In some cases where there was no individual willing to lead in prayer, a neighborhood would assemble on the Sabbath, read a sermon, and, perhaps, sing a psalm. But in very many places regular public worship upon the Sabbath was not maintained for years after the settlement commenced. The habits of the people were loose and irreligious. The Sabbath was made a day of business, visiting, or pastime. Drinking and carousing were frequent concomitants. A new generation grew up under the influence of these irreligious examples, and were, perhaps, worse than their fathers. Several places in Western New York might be mentioned, in which the present character of the inhabitants, and their irreligious habits, are plainly to be traced back to the practices of the early settlers, half a century ago. On the contrary, the good order, high intelligence, good morals, and religious character of places that might be named, is most mani- festly the consequence under God, of the early establishment of public worship, and the other institutions of the Gospel, in connexion with the pious character and example of some of the first inhabit- ants.
For some years after the settlement of the country commenced, no minister of the Gospel of the Presbyterian or Congregational denominations, resided within its boundaries ; nor was any church of either of these denominations organized. Whether any ministers or churches of other denominations were in existence on this field, is not known to the writer. The first organization of a church
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WESTERN NEW YORK.
which took place in Western New York, is supposed to have been effected by Rev. John Smith, a clergyman from Dighton, Mass., who had purchased land in the Genesee country. Mr. Smith was in the country for a short season on business respecting his land. By his advice a number of persons who were members of churches in the Eastern States, then resident in different places in the Ge- nesee country, met at Canandaigua and were organized as a church by Mr. Smith, and attended on the celebration of the Lord's Supper. This was probably the first instance of the celebration of the Lord's Supper in Western New York. At what period this transaction took place cannot now be ascertained, as no record of it remains ; and, perhaps, no record was ever made. The individuals, however, in accordance with the practice of New England churches, gave their assent to a short summary of Christian doctrine, and entered into covenant with each other. Some of the individuals concerned in this transaction removed into the country in the year 1790. Probably the organization of this church took place a year or two later. The members of this church are supposed to have been few in number. They resided in different townships, and probably were but little acquainted with each other. They were at too great a distance from each other to meet together on the Sabbath for religious worship. Nor does it appear that they ever met again after their first organization. Their organization as a church pro- bably took place under the impression that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper could not be lawfully administered without a regular church organization.
In the year 1795, Rev. Zadoc Hunn, from Berkshire county, Mass., removed with his family into the country, and located him- self on a farm in Canandaigua, adjoining what is now the town of Bristol, in the county of Ontario. At his arrival it is believed that no church had yet been organized, with the exception of the one mentioned above, which, however, was virtually extinct. Mr. Hunn, like most of the clergy in the State of Massachusetts, belonged to the denomination of Congregationalists, and was a regular minister of that denomination. He was graduated in Yale College, in the year 1766. Previous to his residence in Western New York, he had been the regular pastor of a Congregationalist church in the State of Massachusetts ; but after his removal he remained to his death without pastoral charge. He was, however, employed in various places around him to preach the Gospel, and perform other ministerial services, and, it is believed, was abundantly laborious and useful. His death took place on the twelfth day of May, 1801. After his decease he was long and affectionately remembered by the good people in the county of Ontario. His talents as a preacher were, probably, not of the popular kind ; but he was highly esteem- ed as a good man, plain in his manners, correct in his doctrine, fervent in spirit, instructive in his conversation and preaching, and
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ITS EARLY RELIGIOUS IIISTORY.
acceptable to his audience. His labors were, undoubtedly, very useful ; and it is noticeable, that the extensive revival which oc- curred in 1799 and 1800, was most powerful in those places where Mr. Hunn had labored as a minister.
Previous to the arrival of Mr. Hunn in the Genesee country, the few inhabitants who resided in the region, must have been almost wholly destitute of the preaching of the Gospel. As far as is known to the writer, no minister of the Presbyterian or Congre- gational denomination resided in any part of what in this work is denominated Western New York. Two or three missionaries under the appointment of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, had entered the borders of the territory and preached a few sermons. One or two, perhaps, had traversed nearly the whole settled region. The same, probably, is true respecting mis- sionaries sent out by the general association of Connecticut. But it is not known that any minister was employed to preach statedly in any place. In 1793, a Congregational church was organized in Palmyra, by Rev. Ira Condict, a missionary under the appointment of the General Assembly. As the records of that church for the first.twenty years are lost, it cannot now be ascertained what was the number of original members. The same year, on the fifteenth day of August, a church of the same denomination was organized at Oquago (now Windsor), by Rev. Benjamin Judd, then a mission- ary under the appointment of the General Assembly, with the assistance of Rev. Daniel Buck. This church, at its organization, consisted of seven members. In July, 1794, a Congregational church consisting of seventeen members was formed at Sherburne, on the Chenango river, by Rev. Mr. Campbell, said to have been a missionary from Connecticut. These, as far as the information of the writer extends, were the first organized churches of the Congregational denomination in Western New York that remained permanent. These churches at an early period obtained the stated preaching of the Gospel and administration of Gospel ordinances. In 1795, Rev. Daniel Thatcher, a missionary in the employment of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, spent some time in this region of country in missionary service, and organized churches in Newtown (now Elmira), Charlestown (now Lima), and Geneseo. These churches were organized on the Presbyterian platform. The church at Newtown, denominated the Presbyterian church of Newtown and Chemung, was, at the first meeting of the Presbytery of Geneva (Sept. 17, 1805), received under the care of that Presbytery, but it never flourished ; and on the 31st of October, 1810, a committee of Presbytery reported that it had become ex- tinct. The church in Charlestown remained in a feeble condition till the year 1799, when it was resuscitated, and reorganized as a Congregational church. The church in Geneseo was for a number of years in a low state; for most of the time destitute of the
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WESTERN NEW YORK. .
preaching of the Gospel, and living in the neglect of stated public worship; but it afterwards revived, and its circumstances were more prosperous. This is the church which now has its location at the little village of Lakeville, at the foot of Conesus lake. In 1796, a church of the Congregational order was organized in East Bloomfield, consisting of sixteen members residing in that place or in the vicinity. Rev. Zadoc Hunn assisted in the organization of the church, and was one of its members. In December of the same year, the church of South Bristol was organized by Rev. Zadoc Hunn and Rev. John Rolph. At its organization it consisted of ten members. Jn 1799, churches were organized in North Bristol, in West Bloomfield, and in No. 11, 4th Range (now Victor). These three last mentioned churches may be considered as ema- nating from the church in East Bloomfield, as a number of the individuals of whom they were composed had previously been members of that church. The same year, or early in the next year, the church of Canandaigua was organized.
In 1800 the church of Middletown (now Naples) received its organization ; the church of Pittstown (now Richmond) in 1801 ; and the church of Augusta (now Rushville) in 1802. These churches were all formed on the congregational plan of discipline. The usual method of organizing a church was this : The individuals pro- posing to unite in church fellowship, obtained the assistance of some minister of the gospel, or more than one, if convenient, and on the day previously appointed for the purpose, assembled in a conference meeting with the minister or ministers who were to officiate. They then individually gave a relation of their religious experience, or statement of the reasons on the ground of which they believed that they were Christians. If satisfied with each other in this respect, and their relations were satisfactory to the officiating minister, they then, standing, gave their assent to a short confession of faith, or summary of Christian doctrine, read to them by the minister officiating ; after which a form of covenant was read by the minister, to which they all gave their assent, where- upon they were declared to be a church of Christ. If any of them had not previously been baptized, their baptism immediately took place. Credible evidence of the regeneration of the heart by the Holy Spirit, was considered as essential to church fellowship and a participation in the sacraments of the New Testament. The Confession of Faith and Form of Covenant, in different churches, were often expressed in different terms. The officiating minister furnished one, perhaps, which was adopted by the church of which he was pastor, or which he had obtained from some respectable source, or which was composed by himself for the occasion. But though these instruments differed in mode of expression, they generally coincided in sentiment, and expressed the fundamental doctrines and duties of religion in a distinct and brief manner.
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ITS EARLY RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
That it may be clearly understood what were the views of Chris- tian doctrine and practice which were entertained by the early churches of Western New York, and which still constitute the bond of church union among them, the following Confession of Faith and Form of Covenant, which has been extensively adopted, and with which most of the others used in the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches of Western New York substantially agree, are here appended.
"CONFESSION OF FAITH .- You do receive the Confession of Faith, and the Catechisms of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, so far as you are acquainted with them, as containing an excellent summary of Scripture truth-Particularly,
" You believe that Jehovah, the one only living and true God, is perfect in natural and moral excellence ; that he exists in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, who possess the same nature, and are equal in every divine perfection ; that he made, preserves, and governs all things for his own glory, and that, in whatsoever comes to pass, he accomplishes the eternal counsel of his own will, in such a way that man is a free and accountable agent.
" You believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament are given by inspiration of God, and are the sufficient and only rule of faith and practice.
" You believe that God created man upright; that man freely sinned and fell ; and that, in consequence of the original offence, all mankind, in their natural state, are destitute of holiness, totally de- praved in heart, and under the curse of the divine law.
" You believe that Jesus Christ is both God and man in two dis- tinct natures, and one person for ever ; that by his sufferings and death he made a complete atonement for the sins of the world, that he rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven, as the Mediator between God and man ; that through him salvation is freely offered to mankind ; and that there is salvation in no other.
"You believe that all those who will be saved by Jesus Christ, were, in distinction from others, given to him as his Elect, from all eternity ; that, by the special influence of the Holy Spirit in their regeneration, they are made willing to receive him in the faith of the gospel ; and that, having received him, they are justified by grace, through faith ; and have the sure promise of being preserved, by the same grace, in new and holy obedience unto eternal life.
" You believe that Christ has a church on earth; that, in its visi- ble form, it comprehends all those who credibly profess the faith of the gospel, that its sacraments are Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and that Baptism is to be administered not only to believers, but also to the children of their households.
" You believe that the sanctification of the weekly Sabbath is of perpetual obligation ; that the worship of God in the closet, in the
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WESTERN NEW YORK.
family, and in the sanctuary, is divinely appointed ; that the preach- ing of the Gospel is a divine institution, and that a strict and care- ful discipline should be maintained in the church for its edification.
"Finally-You believe there will be a resurrection of the body, and a general judgment, when Christ will be revealed as judge, the righteous be received to eternal blessedness in heaven, and the wicked be sentenced to endless misery in hell."
"COVENANT .- You do now, in the presence of the ever-living God, his holy angels, and this assembly, avouch the Lord Jehovah to be your God ; Jesus Christ to be your Prophet, Priest, and King ; and the Holy Ghost to be your Sanctifier, Comforter, and Guide ; you deliberately and for ever dedicate yourselves and all you have, to God in Christ, humbly confessing and repenting of your sins, and solemnly promising, in dependence on his grace, that you will make his word the rule of your faith and practice ; that you will carefully observe his ordinances and institutions; and that you will never turn back from your profession, but will walk with God, and with his people all the days of your lives. You more particu- larly dedicate yourselves to the service of Christ in this church, engaging that you will walk with it, in charity and Christian affec- tion ; that you will seek its purity, peace, and edification ; and that you will faithfully employ, and meekly receive the admonition and discipline which Christ has ordained, until by death, or in the pro- vidence of God, your connexion with it shall be orderly dissolved."
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