USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > Discourses comprising a history of the First Congregational Church in Providence; delivered June 19, 1836, after the close of a century from the formation of the church > Part 3
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We return to the ministry, which, as we have seen, did all in its power to accomplish so desirable an object-the minis- try of Dr. Hitchcock. It was one of his strongest desires to preserve peace among different sects. And he labored to con- nect this object with the support of religious institutions, by proposing a union among all the ministers of this town, each to preach in his turn, at a stated time and place, on the observ- ance of the Sabbath-a subject more neglected in this State perhaps than in others, and more then than at present .* In this attempt, however, he did not meet all the encouragement from his brethren that he desired. Nor was his strength equal tohis labors. In 1802, his health failed, and on the 27th of Feb- ruary of the next year, consumption terminated his life, at the age of fifty-nine, in the twentieth year of a peaceful ministry. " Great was our sorrow," says one of his church, " for his loss ; and the whole community seemed to sympathise with us, for he was highly respected. The Town Council directed the Preceptors of the public schools to attend with all the children of the upper classes, and they preceeded the hearse at the fu- neral, as did the officers and students of Brown University. The Rev. Dr. Tappan, Professor of Divinity in Harvard Col-
* It is said that in the early days of Rhode-Island, even ministers, or preachers at least, worked at their common business one part of the Sab- bath, and preached the other. Are there no people now, who work all the day, or do nothing better ? Does " religious freedom" mean freedom from religion ?
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lege, preached the funeral sermon, the Sabbath after the in- terment. The second Congregational Church and Society, attended with us on this occasion, and the meeting-house, though seventy feet square, and the aisles filled, could not con- tain the people."
In the want of other materials, I am compelled to draw the character of Dr. Hitchcock, if I attempt its delineation, from the few discourses which he published, and the impressions of those among you whose recollections of him are still fresh. Perhaps it were better not to attempt it, but to leave with those recollections, a subject with which most of you are much more conversant than myself, and which I may not rightly appreciate. But something is due to the new generation who have risen up since his death, and yet more is due to the com- pleteness of this sketch, imperfect enough at best.
ENOS HITCHCOCK was born at Springfield, Mass., in 1744, and graduated at Cambridge, in 1767. He gave himself at once to the study of divinity, and preached very early. His first settlement in the ministry was in 1771, when he was or- dained colleague pastor with Mr. Chipman, over the second church in Beverly, Mass. His connexion with that venera- ble man, whose infirmities threw most of the duty upon his fresh associate, was happy to the last ; and before and after that connexion was broken by the death of the elder, the younger pastor is said to have possessed the confidence of his people, and to have labored faithfully and successfully for their good. But those were times, when the minister of religion felt himself called to engage in other beside spiritual warfare. Stirred by the enthusiasm of the Revolution, Dr. Hitchcock became a Chaplain in the American army .* As the war ad-
* No opinion, of course, is intended to be expressed by these remarks, in regard to war, or to the part which so many of the clergy took in our rev- olutionary struggle. We are simply giving facts.
1852026
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vanced, he believed the claims of his country to be stronger than those of his parish, especially as in the fluctuating state of the currency, it was difficult to remain where he was. His pastoral relation was therefore, after nine years continuance, amicably dissolved. Yet that he had lost none of his inter- est in the ministry, nor relaxed his efforts, is evident from the fact, that we find him preaching here in December of the same year in which he left Beverly, 1780. He continued to supply this pulpit, in all the intervals of more public service, until, in 1783, he was induced to leave that for his first high calling.
From that time until his death, he devoted himself, with such ability as he possessed, to the true welfare of this society and this town. For he did not look merely at the religion or the benefit of a single church. He aimed to promote good morals and good manners, sobriety and intelligence, in the whole community. Education received an early and a large share of his attention. He made the schools his care, and did much to establish those free schools, whose advantages you are now reaping. His interest in the young was always strong, and he secured their respect and attachment. One of his earliest labors here was the preparation of a catechism, which he called The Parent's Assistant, and which he published at his own expense and distributed gratuitously. I have the third edition before me. It is a short simple manual, well adapted to its purpose. He is said, by Dr. Tappan, to have published several books on education, but they have not come in my way.
All his publications which I have seen are highly respecta- ble. They leave the impression, that while he was not pro- found in thought, nor eloquent as a writer or speaker, he was far from superficial or tame. He seldom rises, even as the
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orator of our early Independence, above an easy, direct, una- dorned and unimpassioned style. But neither does he ever fall below the sensible, the manly, and the useful. He is sel- dom original and never trivial. He is perspicuous rather than splendid, judicious if not commanding. He was often called to public services, and seems to have been considered, by this and other communities, a trustworthy and most useful, if not superior man. His discourses from the pulpit were always ac- ceptable, and the prevailing character of his preaching was evangelical and practical. If he did not attract or astound the many, he did not weary or fail to instruct the few. Under his ministrations, as we have said, the Society greatly increas- ed in strength and piety, and was honored among all. Its harmony was never disturbed. Its confidence in its pastor was never impaired. Its respect, and the respect of the com- munity, for his character and course, rose as his strength de- clined.
To the public he was an active friend and a true benefac- tor. He gave not only time, but by his scrupulous frugality enabled himself to give money to great and good objects, and that not by stint. In his intercourse with all, he was social, dignified, and remarkably urbane. Like other men, he had his preferences in social life, even among his own people ; and if he sometimes forgot, or never cared to know, that, unlike other men, a minister is forbidden to indulge those preferences, it was an error more willingly pardoned then than now. None who sought his sympathy or aid, sought in vain. None who needed his kindness, and showed that they valued his counsel, were ever forgotten. All who desired, experienced his open hospitality and lasting friendship. And at home, that test- place of all true feeling, a feeble and suffering wife, an adopt- ed daughter, and a faithful servant redeemed by him from
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slavery, and loaded with favors in life and in death, attest his humanity, his fidelity, and christian benevolence.
As a divine, Dr. Hitchcock was probably in early life a Trinitarian and an Arminian, never a Calvinist. There was no bigotry in his nature. No narrow or gloomy theology could ever have found a home there. He followed Christ, not man. He preached Christianity, not tradition. He lov- ed peace more than party. And he taught and lived for nothing less, and nothing more, than to do away actual trans- gression, and promote practical holiness. There is evidence, satisfactory to those who heard him most and knew him best, that his doctrinal views passed through a material change while he was here; a change which removed all that remain- ed, if any thing there was, in the way of his becoming what we now understand by a liberal christian .* I should be con- vinced of this, were there no other proof, by an examination of his Catechism, and his treatise on the Lord's Supper. Every word there is in remarkable accordance with our doctrine, dis- cipline, and whole aim. Still he was no sectarian or dogma- tist. He loved all who loved truth. He pitied all who loved error, or fell into its wiles. The character of his mind, the working of his heart, the creed of his life, might be written in a line : "Faith, hope, charity, these three ; but the greatest of these is charity."
To this church his memory is sacred. His monument is here, and not in marble alone, but in enduring gratitude. It is not there only, that you read and know of his having been " a faithful pastor and munificent benefactor." It is written upon more durable tablets. It is associated and blended with the very support of religious institutions among us. The tokens
* It is not meant by this that he was a Unitarian, for the name was not then used ; but that he was nearer this than the opposite, by far. See some material facts in Appendix, Note O.
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of his love, the fruits of his beneficence, the proofs of his hum- ble piety and christian faithfulness, are with us, and will be cherished and blessed by us, and by all who come after us .*
An interval of two years and a half occurred, between the death of Dr. Hitchcock and the settlement of another pastor. The pulpit was regularly supplied, by different men, and for some time by Mr. Strong, of Hartford, whose services the so- ciety appear to have highly valued, but were unable to re- tain.
In March, 1805, HENRY EDES, of Boston, who graduated at Harvard College six years before, was invited to preach four Sabbaths, and immediately after received a unanimous call to take the pastoral charge. This call he accepted, and was ordained the 17th of July following ; by a Council, not so large, it is true, as that which Mr. Cotton describes, but sur- passed by few for its constellation of honored names.t It was another instance of renewed fellowship, and must have awak- ened mingled but delightful emotions, to see Mr. Wilson offer- ing the consecrating prayer, and laying the ordaining hand, on the pastor of a church from which his own had so singular- ly separated.
From this period the Society was tranquil and prospered, un- til the sudden and disastrous loss of which we have spoken, the destruction of their house of worship in 1814. This com- pelled them to return to the old house which they had long before abandoned, and suffer its inconveniences for more than
* The words quoted make a part of the Inscription on the chaste mon- umental tablet, crowned with an urn, which is fixed in the wall of the present church, to the memory of Enos Hitchcock. The amount of his dona- tions to the Society, directly and indirectly, is six thousand one hundred and forty dollars. It is not common for ministers to leave such sums to their people, especially with a salary of 200 pounds, part of which the minister is said to have subscribed sometimes himself, when it was difficult for the parish to do it !
t Appendix, Note P.
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two years. The commanding edifice in which we are now gathered, was dedicated to Almighty God, Oct. 31, 1816, by a discourse from the pastor, Dr. Edes, and other appropriate and impressive solemnities. The promptness with which so costly and commodious a house was begun after so great a calamity, and the generous perseverance with which it was carried to its completion, are a better monument than stone or taste can rear, to the praise of its builders, and the religious interest, as we hope it was, of its rejoicing worshippers. It has now, after a term of twenty years, been for the first time closed for a few weeks, to be altered and repaired to meet the changing taste and increased numbers of those who frequent it. May their tastes and their privileges help them the better to understand its true purposes, and make them resolve to bend every thing and sacrifice every thing, to the paramount object, their own growth "unto an holy temple in the Lord." May the sentiments expressed by your late pastor, at the laying of this corner-stone, be long remembered, and the fervent prayers which he offered for your spiritual edification, be abundantly answered ; that here "thousands, born and unborn, may be- come prepared for a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."*
We have to notice another prominent event of late occur- rence, in the ministry of Dr. Edes; the formation of a second church of our own denomination, from this. In October, 1828, just a century from the formation of this church, one of the Deacons, with fourteen members, associated with others in the formation of a new church and society in this city, called the Westminster Congregational Society. Their communication to those from whom they parted, was of the most friendly and christian character, and was promptly answered in the same
* Appendix, Note Q.
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brotherly spirit, with the offer on the part of this church, and the grateful acceptance by them, of a communion service. Thus with the increase of inhabitants, and the progress of those views of religion which we dearly prize, we are permit- ted to see a sister church growing up at our side, extending and receiving the warm hand of cordial fellowship, and co- operating with us " in one spirit, with one mind, for the faith of the Gospel." God be with them and strengthen them, im- parting to them the best gifts, even the riches of his grace !
It should be remarked in this connexion, that no period in the doctrinal history of this church is more prominent, or has been the occasion of more comment, than this which we are now reviewing. Dr. Edes was the first minister of the church who was called, by the progress of opinion and the urgency of the times, to declare himself and his people distinctly Unita- rian. Not that there had been any concealment of opinion before. Not that there was any actual change now. But that they were forced into a new position and more public and emphatic avowal. They had always been liberal, always pro- testant and consistent. No one can point to a pastor or meas- ure, a principle or act, of this church from its beginning, which shows the least violence in doctrine or exclusiveness in spirit. There had never been a multitude of religious services, or pe- riodical religious excitements, or any imposition of creeds or severity of discipline. We discover at no period, any one fea- ture, speculative or practical, that resembles the stern charac- ter of those churches which are styled orthodox. In the Cov- enants only do we see any difference between the original and the present constitution of this church ; and there, not to the degree sometimes alleged. The first Covenant, adopted at the formation of the church in 1728, was, as we have said, Trini- tarian and moderately Calvinistic. But even the little Cal- -
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vinism it contained, could hardly have been carried into the preaching or discipline, for then we should have heard less of Mr Cotton's "not being evangelical enough," and holding to "dam- nable good works," and the New Lights would not have found it necessary to come out of the darkness of Egypt and the cor- ruptions of Babylon. As early as 1761, the church set aside that first covenant, or at least adopted a new one, which is a simple covenant, without the previous articles of faith. This was in fact as great an advance in liberality, as has ever been made here. There is nothing in the second covenant that we cannot now subscribe ; and the one adopted since, which we now use, differs from it more in form than in doctrine. So that the most material doctrinal change and the greatest her- esy of this church must be traced back seventy-five years .*
We are fully authorized therefore in the assertion, that the character of this church has been always liberal. But at the time to which we have now come, under Dr. Edes, there was a crisis which demanded not only liberality itself, but the dec- laration of liberality, a manifestation of doctrine. It became necessary to speak distinctly and strongly of doctrinal differ- ences, to take perhaps a peculiar name, and incur if not invite remark and odium. And the Pastor of this church did not shrink from the crisis, nor in any way evade the demand. He met them firmly, without the least concealment. He institu- ted lectures, for the express purpose of avowing and defending his doctrines ; lectures which are said to have been very able. The doctrine of the church was thus proclaimed to be, what in fact it had long been, evangelically liberal ; or, according to present distinctions, UNITARIAN.
Having noticed the prominent events in the ministry of my immediate predecessor, it is unnecessary to speak of it more
* Appendix, Note R.
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particularly. It is too recent and too familiar to you all to re- quire it. It was a period of entire harmony in the church, and was of longer continuance than either ministry before it- being twenty-seven years. It was terminated in June, 1832, at the request of the Pastor, who carried with him the affec- tions and prayers of many hearts.
The present Pastor came here the following September, and in October received the invitation which resulted in his settle- ment. He had graduated at Harvard College in 1820, and passed his first ministry in Northampton, Mass., where he was ordained over the Second Congregational Church in August, 1826, but was compelled by ill health to resign that charge after holding it four years. His installation as pastor of this church took place the 14th of November, 1832 .*
.. We have thus brought our review of the ministries, expe- riencies, and leading characteristics of this church, to the present time. It will be seen that a period of a little more than a century, has been occupied by five pastors, COTTON, BASS, ROWLAND, HITCHCOCK, and EDES, of whom one only, the fourth, died in the office. The others have each asked and received regular dismissions ; and the last is yet living .- It may have been observed also, that all of them, unless we except Rowland, whose place of education is not known, have graduated at the same College, HARVARD.
It will be seen too, that with a single exception in the early history, an exception partaking of the character of the times, no root of bitterness has sprung up in this church. There has been no discord or alienation among ourselves, and no ex- communications for heresy or immorality deface our records. No doubt there has been immorality, seen and unseen, in the
* Appendix, Note S.
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congregation and the church. No doubt there has been error, and error there may be now, perhaps hurtful and guilty error. But there has been no attempt to punish immorality and error, to prevent, exclude or correct them, except by the humble, faithful use of christian means, in the spirit of meekness and love. There has been entire freedom of opinion and expres- sion, entire liberty to differ and to improve, entire equality of privilege, no dictation by the_pastors, no interference by the people, no attempted dominion over other churches, or by oth- er churches over this, no assumption of power by the church over the congregation, or even over its own members, except to warn, counsel and exhort. In a word, there has been no infringement or departure, in a single instance, from the great principles of genuine Congregationalism and sound Protest- antism. The aim has been, not only to avow, but to practice the noble sentiments of Callender, in his memorable century sermon, now itself a century old; viz: "that every man's opinion must be taken from his own understanding and judg- ment, and not from the understanding and judgment of other men." And again, that " the Bible contains the religion of Christians, and the word of God is a sufficient rule of Faith and Worship."*
Do we say this in self-commendation ? By no means. We say it rather in explanation and self-defence. We are called to say it, in justice to the past, and in view of the present. We are called to say it, by the charge of defection and apostacy, brought against this church. The charge is vague and groundless. It may be brought against all, and has been. All Protestants have apostatized, if apostacy you call it, from the
* We rejoice to learn that the Rhode-Island Historical Society are about re-publishing this discourse of Callender. Beside its historical value, it is a noble monument to Religious Liberty. It breathes the true spirit of Pro- testant Christianity.
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religion of their Fathers, in important respects. All Chris- tians, indeed, have come out from that, which, under the first dispensation, was the true and accepted church. And as to later times, not a modern sect is there, that has not departed essentially from some of the opinions and practices of its foun- ders. Nay, they who are most apt to bring against us this charge, have themselves departed from the principles, and some of the best principles, of those in whom they glory. They have lost the simplicity of the puritan and pilgrim creed, and the spirit of moderation, and calm devotion, and independent thought and action, which once prevailed. They have given cause to the fearless Robinson, could he address them as he addressed our parting fathers at Leyden, to say again-" I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches, who are come to a period in religion, and will go, at present, no farther than the instruments of their reforma- tion." So we feel. And we say also, of some of our ances- tors and revered teachers, as he said-"though they were burning and shining lights in their times, yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of God ; but were they now living, would be as willing to embrace further light, as that which they first received."
No, we are not recreant to our fathers of this church. We are true to them. We listen to their teaching. They bid us search THE WORD for ourselves, and believe not in them, but in God and Christ, as they may give us light. We go back, and we find liberality and inquiry, freedom and charity, on ev- ery page of their own history. We find nothing so marked, nothing held so precious and inviolable, as these cardinal prin- ciples. As they held them, so do we ; and recreant and apos- tate shall we be verily, when we prove false to them. Even when we look at the very language' of the creeds-though
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creeds, in the common sense, there were none-in this church from the first, we see them all standing on that fundamental article, which, for more than half a century, and under three Pastors before the present, has been at the head, and constitu- ted the very essence of our Covenants-A FIRM BELIEF IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS, AS THE SOLE AND SUFFICIENT RULE OF FAITH AND PRACTICE.
The field which our view of the past has opened to us, tempts me on to other thoughts and wider views ; but I must consider myself and you, my friends. We have seen enough to make us grateful to that good Being, who watched over this church in its weakness, who guarded it in its dangers, who in- spired it with high trust and humble perseverance, raised up to it in every period friends and benefactors, reared it from in- fancy to maturity, and fulfilled to it the promise-" Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end shall greatly in- crease." Let us 'rejoice, with trembling ;' trembling, not for the faith, but in the thought of our multiplied privileges and fearful obligations; in the thought of our defection, indeed, from many of the virtues of our ancestors. Let us copy, as well as honor, all that was praiseworthy in them. Let us follow them in all things, in which they followed Christ. Let us live as his disciples alone. Let us deny ourselves, and serve him, and serve one-another. Let us cherish distrust of ourselves, and confidence in one-another. May ours be the spirit of mu- tual concession and forbearance, not in matters of faith only, but in all our intercourse as fellow-worshippers, as christians, and as men. Remembering always our accountableness to God, our allegiance to Christ, our professions of charity and love to all of every name who share our frailty and our hopes, "let us walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called,
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with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbear- ing one another in love ; endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace."
Brethren, Fathers, Friends, let us dedicate ourselves anew, this day, with this renewed House, to Him on whom it was founded, and to the service to which it was solemnly devoted. Let us consecrate ourselves and our children, our church and our faith, our property and our lives, the gift of time and the hope of eternity-to God, to Jesus, to truth, purity, and im- mortal glory.
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