USA > Ohio > The plan of union: or a history of the Presbyterian and Congregational churches of the Western Reserve; with biographical sketches of the early missionaries > Part 12
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Hence the anomaly of Congregational ministers in the Pres- byteries who never formally assented to the polity and disci- pline of the Presbyterian church ; though their application for admission was a virtual assent to, or approval of, the Presby- terian polity. In such cases it was understood that these men retained their former preferences, but as matter of expediency, consulting the peace of the church and their own usefulness, they adopted the ecclesiasticism found here. That objection- able members sometimes came in under this practice, can not be denied. And on their account the whole body suffered.
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Such was the material, and such the Plan of organization ; from which resulted the ecclesiasticism of the Western Re- serve. In the most natural manner, and under the influence of a piety and spirit catholic and apostolical, in its charity and simplicity, the church of the Reserve grew up the legitimate, healthy daughter of a legitimate marriage, openly and honor- ably solemnized, by qualified and capable parties.
If, after many years, schismatics came in to disturb the peaceful and happy family, which this union produced, and awakened jealousies, strife, and partial divorce, they only did what schismatics and disorganizers have ever done, in like circumstances.
ORGANIZATION OF CHURCHES.
As a specimen of the manner of organizing churches adopted by the early missionaries, and of the constitutions and creeds upon which the churches were based, the following from the records of the Hudson church, organized in 1802 by Mr. Bad- ger, is here subjoined. Readers are aware that, in the words of Rev. J. Seward, "from time immemorial it has been the practice of Congregational churches, as it has also of many Presbyterian churches, to have a brief summary of Christian doctrine and practice, to which, members admitted into the church, should publicly give their assent." Such was the use and design of the "Confession of Faith" adopted by the Churches of the Reserve.
A somewhat particular account of the Hudson church is here introduced, as being instructive, in a historical point of view, in several particulars.
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FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN HUDSON : ORGANIZED SEPT. 4, 1802.
"A number of persons in this town, who had formerly been members of churches, part in Goshen, Conn., and part in Bloomfield, N. Y., met for the purpose of taking some regular steps toward being formed into a church. Rev. Joseph Badger, missionary from the Missionary Society of Connecticut, presiding as moderator, opened the meeting with prayer. A system of doctrines was then attended to, with a view to their being adopted as Articles of Faith.
"Each individual having given his particular assent to the said system of doctrines, a Covenant was read and considered, which being also approved, after due consideration, there was an examination of each person respecting the ground and evidences of his hope.
"The next day, after a due and solemn consideration of the duty and importance of forming a church in this place, the following persons presented themselves to be constituted a church of Christ, viz : - Stephen and Mary Thompson, David Hudson, Abraham and Susannah Thompson, Stephen and Abigail Thompson, George and Almira Kil- bourne, Heman and Eunice Oviatt, Amos Lusk and Hannah Lyndley, (the two latter from Bloomfield, N. Y. ; the rest from Goshen, Conn.)
"A system of Faith was then read, to which they gave their consent. They were then led to the solemn adoption of a Covenant, in which they engaged to give up themselves to keep and walk in all the ordi- nances of the Gospel of Christ. They were then declared to be a church of Christ, commended to His blessing, and charged solemnly to keep covenant and walk worthy of the followers of the Lord Jesus, the Head of the church."
CONFESSION OF FAITH.
You believe the articles of the Christian religion as contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, and as contained essentially in the Confession of Faith of the Presbyterian Church in
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America. Particularly you believe the existence of one living and true God, self-existent, infinite in power, wisdom, and holiness ; exist- ing three persons in one God-head, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the great Creator, Governor, and Redeemer of the world.
You believe that God made man in His own moral image, consist- ing in knowledge. righteousness, and holiness. But that man, by his disobedience, has fallen from that holy and happy state and now is sunk in a state of sin and misery, out of which he can not recover himself, and in which he might have been justly left of God forever.
You believe that God, out of His mere goodness, has opened a new way of life to a fallen, guilty world, by the mediation of His Son Jesus Christ, as revealed to us in the Scriptures, given by the inspira- tion of the Holy Spirit. That by his death and sufferings He has made a sufficient atonement for sin, thereby honoring the law of God, and opening a way for the consistent exercise of Divine grace. That all are invited, through Him, to trust in God and be savad, and that there is no salvation in any other way.
You believe that, notwithstanding mankind are dead in trespasses and sins, and by nature enemies to God, yet it is the purpose of a holy God, according to the eternal election of grace, of His sovereign unmerited mercy toward mankind, to make up of them a holy, heavenly kingdom. That all its members must be regenerated by the special influences of the Holy Spirit, and that all such will be kept by the grace of God unto eternal life.
You believe that a Christian church ought to be composed of visible Christians who, by a profession of their faith in Christ, and a life agreeable to the precepts of the Gospel, give reasonable evidence, in - the judgment of charity of being real saints.
You believe in the divine appointment of church officers, the ordi- nances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, and the Christian Sabbath.
You believe it to be the revealed purpose of God hereafter to raise His church from its present depressed state, and to give His people rest and prosperity for a thousand years, when the Jews shall own the Messiah, and all nations shall know the Lord.
14 *
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F You believe that, although we are justified by faith, and saved by free grace, yet the moral law, as a rule of life, remains in full force to believers, so that perfect holiness of heart and life is their duty ; nor doth the Gospel of free grace countenance them in living in any sin.
You believe the doctrine of the general resurrection of the dead, and the judgment of the world by Christ Jesus, who will revive all true believers to eternal life, while the wicked and impenitent shall go away into everlasting punishment.
The above remained as the basis of the Hudson church until 1819, when the church adopted the Covenant and Articles of Faith and of Practice recommended by Grand River Presby- tery .* The Covenant and Articles of Practice first adopted differed but slightly from those recommended by the Presbytery.
The church was received under the care of the Presbytery in 1815, shortly before the installation of Rev. Wm. Hanford as its Pastor.
In 1826, the article requiring the church to have "a Stand- ing Committee, chosen from among their number, consisting of not less than two and not more than seven, whose duty it shall be to manage the prudential concerns of the church," was by vote of the church erased from its regulations. In 1835, the Presbytery of Portage "Resolved, that the request of the church in Hudson be granted, and the relation subsisting between the Presbytery and said church is, at their repeated solicitation, hereby dissolved."
Since its secession from the Presbytery the church has been repeatedly distracted, and at one time rent asunder.
The form, of the particular church organized, was, of course,
* See Grand Rivr Presbytery.
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in each case, somewhat modified by the ecclesiastical prefer- ences of the minister who organized it, and the prevailing sentiment of the majority of the people. Hence some were more strictly Presbyterial, and others more purely Congrega- tional, in polity.
All were more or less Republican in form, and could easily come into the Plan of Union, by slight modifications.
The churches formed on a basis similar to the above, increased in strength and numbers, enjoying peace and the favor of God and man, until they became numerous enough to feel the need of ecclesiastical bodies of their own. As inti- mated above, many of them stood as yet independent, but felt the need of a connecting bond between themselves. Others were connected with the Hartford Presbytery.
CHAPTER II.
ORGANIZATION OF PRESBYTERIES AND SYNOD.
Says the Rev. J. Seward, "About the year 1812- 13, the question was agitated of an ecclesiastical organization, for the Western Reserve. Some of the churches (church mem- bers ?) having been trained up in the School of Congregational- ism, were desirous of having an Association formed on strictly Congregational principles. But the Ministers, most of whom were still missionaries, felt themselves bound by their instruc- tions to endeavor to promote harmony between Presbyterians and Congregationalists ; and they well knew that the formation of a Congregational association, instead of promoting harmony, would immediately produce discord, and separate those who had hitherto acted in concert, and would in some instances split the feeble churches asunder.
"The anxious inquiry, 'what shall be done ?' went round, among the ministers and churches on the Reserve ; was pro- pounded to our fathers and brethren in the Presbytery of Hartford, the Synod of Pittsburg, the general Assembly, and
(160)
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in the Congregational Churches of New England. It was a subject of extensive and protracted consultation. After much deliberation, consultation, and prayer for divine guidance, it was concluded to propose the organization of a Presbytery in accordance with the principles of the Plan of Union. In this proposition it was contemplated that the ministers should be subject to the rules and discipline of the Presbyterian Church without exception ; but that the churches should enjoy the immunities guarantied to them by the Plan of Union.
Agreeably to this conclusion, the Presbytery of Hartford, -
at the meeting of the Synod of Pittsburg, in October 1814, presented the request, that the Presbytery might be divided, and a new one erected, to be known by the name of the Pres- bytery of Grand River; to include the whole of the Western Reserve, with the exception of churches in six townships in the south-east corner, and with undefined limits on the west. At the time the Presbytery of Hartford presented this re- quest, that body was very much under the influence of the Rev. Wm. Wick, of Youngstown, and the Rev. T. E. Hughes, of Greensburg; and these men were very familiar with the churches and ministers on the Reserve at that time, and well understood the views and feelings and habits that were then prevailing. In full view of these facts and circumstances, they, with their brethren asked the Synod to divide the Presbytery, with the explicit understanding that the new Presbytery was to be organized, so far as the churches were concerned, in ac- cordance with the principles of the Plan of Union.
The Synod of Pittsburg in compliance with this request, directed the division to be made, and ordered the new Presby- 14*
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tery to meet and organize at Euclid, in the month of Novem- ber, of the same year."
As the organization of Grand River Presbytery was the germ out of which grew the entire Presbyterial ecclesiasticism of the Western Reserve, a more particular account of the circum- stances attending it may be interesting.
Having given above Mr. Seward's version of the subject, he being of Congregational origin and preferences, yet a friend and supporter of the Plan of Union, I will also introduce an account of the same subject extracted from the autobiography of Rev. Thomas Barr, a decided Presbyterian. Mr. Barr, wrote this some years after leaving the Reserve, and after having been employed as an agent of the Presbyterian Mission- ary Society, and being devotedly attached to the Old School branch of the Presbyterian Church. The reader will perceive that he had, at this time, little sympathy with the Plan of Union, and little patience with Congregationalism. His view may serve to show those congregational brethren who com- plain of the oppression of Presbyterianism, that complaints were not all on one side. When discontent and jealousies arise, those who have least reason to complain, are often loudest in their outcries. Mr Barr says.
" It may be interesting and useful, to give a notcie of the origin of that anomalous part of the Presbyterian Church, the Western Reserve Synod. It sprang from the Grand River Presbytery; and this latter was the result of much curious yet serious deliberation and compromise. The compromise was indeed mainly at the expense of Presbyterianism ; but not then so well seen as since. The Reserve was mainly settled by New Englanders. These, so far as they were
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professers of religion, were generally Congregationalists, especially for the first four or five years. Wherever these formed churches they did it either upon pure Congregational principles, or what was called the mixed plan, which was merely a slight modification. And where there were no real Presbyterians among them, as was the case in nine tenths, even these churches were governed as really upon Congregational principles as any others. The truth is that at the time of constituting the Grand River Presbytery, I do not recollect a single church within its limits, that was truly Presbyterian and so governed, except the church of Euclid. There were perhaps one or two others organized with elders, but in such a manner as was merely nominal. The min- isters within the limits, were all Congregationalists by education, habit and choice, excepting Mr. Leslie and myself; and Mr. Leslie had be- come so enamored of Congregationalism that he was prepared to have given up Presbyterianism. There had been several Installations by ecclesiastical counsels, in which I had by invitation taken part.
" It was at the installation of Mr. Seward in Aurora, that the first step was taken toward forming an ecclesiastical body distinct from the Hartford Presbytery, of which Mr. Leslie and myself were members. We were both present, as were Messrs. Cowles, Badger and Seward, and a number of lay delegates. After the Installation services, the members of the council conferred on the subject of forming some eccle- siastical association. Mr. Badger and Mr. Leslie, with most of the delegates were at once for forming an Association on purely Congre- gational principles, to be wholly disconnected with the Presbyterian church, excepting by friendly correspondence. They anticipated a con- nection with the Congregationalists at Marietta and vicinity. Upon hearing these proposals, I felt somewhat grieved and distressed. I had been flattering myself that all these good brethern, now in this com- paratively remote situation, as to the associations of New England; and on the other hand, near to that large section of the Presbyterian church, uuder the jurisdiction of the Pittsburg Synod; would feel disposed to fall in with the Presbyterian forms and be one with them. This I felt then entitled to hope for from the " Plan of Union" already
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adopted with an imposing aspect, as also the frequent encomiums passed by intelligent Congregationalists upon Presbyterianism. I was not much acquainted with modes and forms of church government and discipline, still I was so decided in my Presbyterian preferences that circumstanced as I was, I had no thought of yielding them. I was then at the extreme north-west frontier. If these brethren formed an association in this region, it would separate me ecclesiastically from them, and keep me an isolated Presbyterian, connected with a Presby- tery (and to remain so), to none of whose meetings could I expect to be nearer then 60 or 80 miles, I had labored in these churches, scat- tered in the woods, some two or three years, in concert with these breth- ren, and that with much cordiality. We felt as brethren, our work was one, ' to feed the flock of God.' It seemed too that should this proposed measure go forward, it would mar the glory of religion in the eyes of many, and blight the opening prospects of halcyon days just rising in the church.
"It was owing to these views and feelings that I earnestly opposed the measure. And I have reason to believe it was owing to my opposition that it was not adopted on the spot. After my earnest plea against it, Messrs Cowles and Seward, who had hitherto said but little, seemed to demur. I believe their sympathies for my situation were awakened, and had much influence upon their minds. We all hesitated. Another meeting, and afterwards several others were appointed, to de- liberate, bofore we came to any conclusion."
In reading this account we cannot help reflecting how natu- ral it would have been for Mr. Barr and his church, finding themselves alone in their preferences, to have yielded to the others, and assisted to organize an association. But this seemed to him an impossibility ; and the rest, with their missionary instructions and Plan of Union before them, felt bound to seek unity and strike a compromise. Which, with true christian magnanimity, they reluctantly did. Mr. Barr proceeds :
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" At last something was shaped, to which we affixed the name of "The Consociated Presbytery of New Connecticut." This was laid before the Synod of Pittsburg for their sanction; but the very name gave alarm, if not offense to some. On this account, as also because its features, as well as name, were quite unpresbyterial, as was thought, Synod refused to recognize such a thing. The matter lay over a year or more. After more conferences, we agreed, on certain conditions, to apply to the Synod of Pittsburg, to be set off from the Hartford Presbytery to be known by the name of the Grand River Presbytery. In our conditions of compromise amongst ourselves, there were articles of faith drawn up to be used by the churches, but no distinct recognition of the Confession of Faith, nor of the forms of government of the Presbyterian church. Ministers were to be answer- able to Presbytery. Calls for settlement did not pass through the Presbytery to the candidate, but were, according to Congregational usage, put by the society directly into the hands of the candidate, and afterwards submitted to Presbytery, previous to ordination or in- stallation. While I resided there, no minister of Congregational origin was asked to assent to the formularies of our Confession of Faith. The churches that chose to connect themselves with Presbytery had the privilege of representation by lay delegates, which lay delegates had all the privileges and powers of an Elder. The only particular in which the Presbytery had any control over the churches, was that they were not to put a call into the hands of a candidate for settle- ment unless he were approved in some way by the Presbytery ; and in cases of difficulty where the church could not decide, instead of referring the case to a council, the Congregational course, it must be referred to the Presbytery, and their decision be final and au- thoritative (further than a Presbytery they had no wish to go). It was with great difficulty that this last point could be got inserted in the condition. I thought for awhile we should here split. At last it was agreed on, but on account of this article the church in Tallmadge, much the largest then on the Reserve, refused to connect with the Presbytery all the time that I remained in that region. The church
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of Hudson, and perhaps some others upon uniting, reserved the right of withdrawing on this account, if they should afterwards feel dis- posed. 3 Such was the degree, slight indeed, of Presbyterianism engrafted upon the Congregational stock; with the delusive hope of myself and others, that by and by, the whole would become a real Presbyterian tree, bearing fruit accordingly. In this I was miser- ably disappointed.
" It may seem to some, perhaps, that I assume an undue importance to my own particular agency in bringing about this arrangement. What I did at the time, I did in the simplicity of my heart, believ- ing that I was doing God's service ; and for a season I felt pleased that my desires so far had succeeded. But my self-gratulation has long since changed into deep regret, and shame, for my almost infatuated mistake. I only remained about five years on the Reserve, after the Grand River Presbytery was formed, but in this space of time, I be- gan to discover that name things as you will, the inherent properties remain the same. Congregationalism, wrap it up as you may, is Con- gregationalism still." (Too true, of that and every other ism, as bitter experience has often proved !) "Not that I intend any disparagement to Congregationalism, in itself considered; it is only the folly and ab- surdity of attempting to make real Congregationalism and real Pres- byterianism coalesce in one ecclesiastical body, so as to move harmo- niously, that I wish to expose."
" Real Presbyterianism and real Congregationalism" were not sought by the Plan of Union; but such a modification of each as should produce a better union, in which each should enjoy its own essentials, with the other's benefits and coopera- tion. We see here the spirit and arguments that produced the excision of '37. Mr. Barr admits that the arrangement was made with the most fraternal intentions, and disin- terested purpose, by all parties, and that, " as to doctrine, there was with us hardly a perceptible difference ;" which he prove ..
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by comparing with the confession of Faith, a Summary of Doctrine published by the Connecticut Missionary Society, for the use of the new settlements, and largely distributed on the Reserve by the Missionaries. His declaration after the com- parison, is, that " this Summary is essentially the same with that in the Confession of Faith and Catechisms." And still further, he acknowledges that under the arrangement entered into, " Congregationalism and Presbyterianism" did " coalesce and work harmoniously in the same ecclesiastical body" so long as the arrangement was let alone, and sectarianism was surpassed by christian charity. He proceeds :
"With so near an agreement (if indeed there was a difference) in doctrine, and acquiescence on both sides in our anomalous Presbytery, we moved on in much harmony. And I would here bear testimony to the piety, knowledge, zeal, fidelity and other excellent qualities, of my early Congregational associates. The memory of many seasons of ministerial and Christian fellowship is deeply impressed on my heart. We labored as for God, to turn the wilderness into a fruitful field. Our labor was not in vain in the Lord. We planted, we watered, and most of those brethren lived to see an abundant increase given of God. Without vanity, or injustice to others, I may say that in the period of our Association (previous to 1820) the germ was planted of what has since in that region so beautifully and usefully expanded itself in moral, religious, and literary fruits.
" Yet, notwithstanding the harmony and affectionate regard which subsisted between us," continues Mr. B., "as their members were yearly increasing by more Congregational ministers coming, while I remained the only real Presbyterian, I could not but perceive with painful regrets, that instead of approximating more nearly to Presby- terianism, there was more and more made manifest a determination not to recede any further from Congregationalism. This belng the
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case, and having still to labor much as a missionary, with some discouragements in the congregation, all, together, influenced me to think of a removal to a different section of the country."
The sum of the matter is, that Mr. B. entered the Plan of Union or Compromise, not as a finality, but hoping, one against many, eventually to bring pure Presbyterianism out of it. In this, of course, he was disappointed. He was not indeed a man for compromises ; nor could he be easily turned from any opinion or purpose. Honoring and admiring the man, we can but wish that his denominationalism had been cast in a larger mold.
The question is naturally suggested here, how far the Synod of Pittsburg and the General Assembly, shared the experience and disappointment of Mr. Barr? Could such disappontment have had anything to do with the excision that followed ?
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