USA > Rhode Island > Kent County > East Greenwich > History of the town of East Greenwich and adjacent territory, from 1677 to 1877 > Part 7
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In New England this meeting originated at a very early period, on account of the sufferings of Friends who were persecuted for their faith or distrained to do military duty. It was desired to take cognizance of all grievances where any Friends might be affected in either person or property, or in regard to their Christian testimony, to advise, counsel and assist as best wisdom might direct ; and any aggrieved Friends might apply to this meeting as circumstances might require. Wealthy and liberal Friends gave freely of their substance to relieve the sufferings of their less fortunate brethren, as well as others who were not members of the Society from time to time. Friends have suffered both in person and property on account of their conscientious re- fusal to do military service. There were several instances in Rhode Island during the late war, and as they utterly refused to fight they were detailed for hospital duty.
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The ancient records of Greenwich Monthly Meeting show an entry like the following :
" At our monthly meeting held at East Greenwich the 21st 4th month, 1/03, this meeting received 30 books of Daniel Gould's writing, concerning Friend's sufferings in Boston, from Rhode Island yearly meeting, for which is to pay twenty shillings."
3d Month, 1706. "Friends from Providence present their sufferings, which are ordered to the quarterly meet- ing, and Samuel Comstock, and Edward Boss are appointed to attend the same."
2d Month, 1738. "South Kingston preparative meeting gives an account to this meeting, of the sufferings of John Greene and Elisha Baker, on account of their sons not ap- pearing on training day, to the value of ten shillings each person."
9th Month, 1738. "This meeting gathered Eleven Pounds for Ezekiel Woodward, he having suffered loss by fire."
2d Month, 1740. "This meeting received a paper signed by John Greene, giving account of sufferings, to the value of fourteen shillings taken from him by Elisha Arnold for his son not appearing in the quality of a soldier ; and like- wise received one paper signed by Ebenezer Mott giving ac- count of suffering to the value of Eighteen shillings taken by John Maxon, clerk of a training band, for his not ap- pearing in the quality of a soldier."
. It was cases like these which promoted the organization of a regular committee about the year 1776, since which time a "meeting for sufferings " has been an auxiliary to each yearly meeting.
Separate meetings, attended only by those persons who have been raised to the station of ministers or elders, are held prior to quarterly and yearly meetings, and are termed " select meetings."
General meetings, or as they were afterwards called, yearly meetings, were held at a very early date in various parts of Great Britain. The first of which any account is given was held at Swannington, a town in Liecestershire, in 1654.
Five years later, 1659, a general meeting was held on the island of Rhode Island, upon the 9th day of the 4th month, (old style), now the sixth month, and it is probable that a yearly meeting has been held there annually ever
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since. The yearly meeting therefore of New England was the first established in America, or rather their general meetings grew into a yearly meeting.
As early as 1658 there were fifteen ministers laboring in New England and the South, and before the end of the year most of them were in prison. The following years witnessed persecution of the severest character in the colonies of New England, and many suffered death for truth's sake.
But Rhode Island was a secure refuge from the scourge, the prison, the gallows and the branding-iron ; for even some of the early governors and officers of high rank professed that religion which aroused every evil passion in the breast of the conscientious Puritan. At one of these great gatherings of Friends in Rhode Island the authorities of Boston were greatly alarmed, fearing that they would form themselves into an army and attack them.
In the year 1672 George Fox attended the yearly meet- ing, and mentions in his journal that he tarried at Nicholas Easton's house, who at that time was Governor of Rhode Island. He also attended a marriage at a Friend's house who had formerly been Governor. He says :
" When this general meeting in Rhode Island was ended it was hard for Friends to part, for the glorious power of the Lord, which was over all, and His blessed truth and life flowing amongst them had so knit and united them together, that they spent two days in taking leave one of another."
He held a meeting in Providence in a great barn, which, he says, " was so thronged with people that I was exceed- ingly hot and perspired much." Tradition says that dur- ing this visit he preached under a tree in Old Warwick, which stood upon the land now owned by John Holden, Esq. He held a large meeting at Narragansett, twenty miles from Rhode Island, to which people came from Con- necticut and other parts around.
Greenwich monthly meeting of Friends was first held at the house of John Briggs, Kingston, on the second day of the week in the fifth month, 1699, as appears by the follow- ing extract :
" At the yearly meeting in Newport, on Rhode Island, the 12th of 4th month (now sixth) 1699, it was the mind of the meeting, that the monthly men and women's meeting
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should be at the house of John Briggs, on the second day of the week in the fifth month, for business; the meeting proceeded to business on the day mentioned, and it is the mind of this meeting that John Briggs take the account of the meeting in writing."
It was established under the name of Narragansett monthly meeting, and comprised the territory of Provi- dence, Warwick, East Greenwich and Kingston. Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting was established the same year, composed of the monthly meetings of Rhode Island, Dart- mouth and Narragansett.
It appears that the First day meetings were held in Kings- ton, probably near Wickford, at the dwelling house of Joseph Hull, who was a speaker in these meetings, but in conse- quence of a difference between Jack Turner and him, and some dissatisfaction expressed by Friends respecting his conduct, it was resolved that the weekly and First day meet- ings be held at the house of William Gardiner, until further order from this meeting."
At this period men and women's meetings for business were held together. Three monthly meetings were held at the house of John Briggs; then they were held at the house of Jabez Greene, in Warwick, probably at Potowomut, until a meeting-house was erected. On the 4th of March, 1700, the place of holding meetings on First day was again changed. It was to be held two First days at the house of John Watson, and two First days at Joseph Hull's house, and not at William Gardiner's for "several " reasons.
Before the close of the year it was resolved to build a meeting-house, as appears by this ancient record :
"At the monthly man and woman's meeting in the house of Jabez Greene, this 5th. of 12th. month, 1699, its the mind of this meeting that Ebenezer Slocum and Daniel Cogshall are chosen to appoint where a meeting house shall be built and set up for this purpose, to wait upon God in, and to worship him in spirit and in truth."
This meeting-house was placed on the land of John Spencer, about half a mile southwest of the village of East Greenwich, near the four corners, and just west of Payne's grist mill. The building was begun and so continued, that at a men's and women's meeting at the new meeting-house in East Greenwich, "Ye 2d day of ye 7th month, 1700, it was agreed that a meeting be kept there on every First
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day, that is, at the aforesaid meeting-house, by all that are willing there to meet." The meeting-house and lot were not conveyed to the Society until 1704. The quaint trans- fer is found upon the record book in the handwriting of John Heath, the town clerk :
" This indenture, made 21st day of ye sixth month, called August, in the ninth year of the reign of our sover- eign Lady Anne, Queen of England, and in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and four, between John Spencer of East Greenwich, in ye colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, yeoman, on ye one part, and Benjamin Barton, Jabez Greene, John Greene of Warwick and Zachariah Jenkens, Abner Spencer of aforesaid colony, husbandman, of ye other part; witnesseth that ye said John Spencer, for and in consideration of the sum of twenty shillings current money of New England, do sell, by com- putation sixty three and one half rods, be it more or less, being that part or parcel of land on which stands a certain meeting-house in which ye people called Quakers usually meet in East Greenwich."
This ancient document further provides, that none of the grantees shall divide it or sue out writs of division or par- tition, but hold the same during their natural lives in com- mon, and to the survivors and survivor of their heirs and assigns forever.
This spot is now enclosed by a substantial wall, and within its precincts, marked by rude stones, rest the re- mains of many of those venerable Friends who worshiped within the walls of the old meeting-house more than one hundred and fifty years ago. What changes have been wrought since they rode to meeting on saddle and pillion, dismounted at the old stone horse block, crowded its quiet aisles, sat in silence or listened to words of truth !
As we turn the time-stained pages which bear the record of faithful labors, we mark their zeal; admire their forti- tude under persecution ; respect the patience with which they tried to reclaim false brethren ; reverence their godli- ness, and desire vainly to imitate their lives.
Although the house was used for meetings, it remained unfinished until the 3d month, 1703, when Peter Greene, Jabez Greene and Thomas Greenall were appointed a com- mittee to finish it. The next month the following minute appears :
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" Upon further consideration of ye finishing our meeting house, it is seen convenient by this meeting yt those three Friends may omit ye finishing at ye present, yt they may propagate ye building a small addition to ye meeting house, as they may see convenient."
The addition must have been very small, perhaps only a portico, as the account for its construction of one pound, ten shillings and three pence, was presented a few months afterwards.
A great number of families must have belonged to the monthly meeting at this period, and they continued to in- crease for half a century. Some of the prominent Friends were Benjamin Barton, John Briggs, Jabez Greene, Wil- liam Knowles, Rowland Robinson, Ebenezer Slocum, Sam- uel Perry, Thomas Arnold, Henry Knowles, Thomas Greenall, besides Joseph Hull and William Gardiner, who were at least conspicuous, and retained so much of the " Old Adam," that they received and justly deserved the frequent admonitions of their watchful brethren. At one monthly meeting Samuel Perry and Edward Carter were appointed to speak to Daniel Abbott, to be more careful to attend meetings, which he promised to do, and at another, " Friends are advised to be careful and bring up their fami- lies, in ye fear of ye Lord according to truth's testimony."
It will be seen by the preceding sketch, that the erection of the first house for divine worship on the western shore of Narragansett Bay, is justly claimed by the Society of Friends, seven years before the building of St. Paul's Church in Kingston-which was removed to Wickford in the year 1800, and is now standing in a very dilapidated condition, to the disgrace of the parish-and twenty-eight years before Trinity Church, first built in Newport in 1702, was removed to the shore of Coweset Bay, and placed midway between East Greenwich and Apponaug.
When the Rev. James McSparran, a Scotch clergyman of the Church of England, who possessed both learning and eloquence, was sent to the Colony by the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," in the year 1721, he found the country filled with what he termed " Quakerism and other heresies. He says, ( impudently ) :
" In Rhode Island no religion is established ; there a man may with impunity be of any society or of none at all ; but. Quakers are for the most part the people in power ; there
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have been two incumbents here before me; but neither .of them had resolution enough to grapple with the difficulties of the mission above a year. In 1700, after Quakerism and other heresies had in their turn ruled and tinged all the inhabitants for the space of forty-six years, the Church of England, that had been lost here through the neglect of the crown, entered as it were unobserved and unseen, and yet not without some success. A little church was built in Newport, the metropolis of the Colony, in 1702, and that in which I officiate in Narragansett in 1707. I entered on this mission in 1721, and found the people not a Tabula rasa, a clean sheet of paper upon which I might make any impression I pleased ; but a field full of briars and thorns and noxious weeds, that were all to be eradicated before I could implant in them the simplicity of truth."
It seems the Reverend Doctor did not succeed in eradi- cating those Quaker thorns and briars, but on the contrary, being so firmly rooted in the soil, they overrun and crowded him out. Dr. McSparran ceased his labors in 1757, and was buried beneath the communion table of the Church in South Kingstown, whose interests he had served so well.
He was succeeded by the Rev. Samuel Fayerweather, who, with less talent, had less tolerance than his predeces- sor. He complains bitterly that Quakers, Baptists, Fanatics, Ranters, and Infidels, swarm in this part of the world, and says that "Many good books are wanted in the Narragan- sett country for the suppression of Deism, Infidelity and Quakerism."
That the Friends did not readily embrace the discipline and teaching of that power which had despoiled them of their property, dragged them to prison, and which they had crossed the ocean to escape, nor listen receptively to the preaching of those exponents of Episcopacy who wished to establish in the New World the union of church and state cannot be denied ; but whether they could be classed with Infidels and Deists with any degree of propriety, the follow- ing " Declaration of Faith " will show, which was published in 1672 by one of the pioneers of the Society :
" We do own and believe in the only wise, omnipotent and everlasting God, the creator of all things, both in heaven and earth ; who is God over all, blessed forever; to whom be all honor and glory, dominion, praise and thanks- giving, both now and forevermore; and we own and be-
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lieve in Jesus Christ, his only and beloved son, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins ; and we own and believe that he was made a sacrifice for sin who knew no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; that he was crucified for us in the flesh, without the gates of Jerusalem, and that he was buried, and rose again the third day by the power of his Father, for our justification ; and that he ascended up into heaven, and now sitteth at the right hand of God. He it is that hath now come in the Spirit, and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true; he rules in our hearts by his law of love and life, and makes us free from the law of sin and death. He is our mediator that makes peace and reconciliation between God offended and us offending ; He being the oath of God, the new covenant of light, life, and grace and peace, the author and finisher of our faith. Concerning the Holy Scriptures, we do believe that they were given forth by the Holy Spirit of God, who, as the Scripture itself declares, through the Holy men of God, spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
Without entertaining extravagant ideas of the purity and piety of our forefathers, for human nature is the same in all generations, it is safe to assert that the standard of morality among the Friends in that day was well main- tained, and departures from it promply noticed. Much labor was expended to reclaim the erring; but if, after re- peated admonitions they walked in forbidden paths, the final remedy was excommunication.
The manner in which many members were admitted in the Society seems rather curious at the present time, and was called "marrying into the Society; " that is, if one of the parties to a marriage was a Friend, the other, by being mar- ried under the auspices and according to the custom of the Society, would be afterwards recognized as a member, and their children would become birthright members. In this way many steadfast Friends came into the Society, and sometimes became approved ministers, thus showing the mighty power of love upon the heart. Doubtless many a worldling has been won from the base pleasures of the " broad way " by the superior attractions of a fair face.
The phraseology used by Friends in the marriage cere- mony varied considerably previous to the year 1710. A marriage recorded in Yorkshire, England, has the following brief certificate :
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" George Musgrave loved Ann Brock, and she became his wife publicly in the congregation, upon the twentieth day of the present month, in the year 1663. (Signed by seventeen witnesses.)"
East Greenwich has nothing equal to this, for either age or brevity, as no certificate appears to have been recorded prior to 1699, when the monthly meeting was regularly established. Marriages were frequent in the " old meeting- house" for half a century. It was not unusual for the notice of two intentions of marriage to be given at one meeting, and the parties " liberated," as it was called, to proceed according to the devout order of truth. The book in which the earliest marriages were recorded is not extant. The following is a copy of the certificate of one of the primitive marriages solemnized in the old East Greenwich meeting-house :
"New England: Henry Tucker, of Dartmouth of ye county of Bristol, son of Abraham Tucker of ye same place, and Phebe Barton of Warwick in ye colony of Rhode Island, darter of Benjamin Barton, of ye same place, having declared their intentions of taking each other in marriage before several public meetings of ye people of God called Quakers, in East Greenwich, according to ye good order used amongst them, whose proceedings therein, after deliberate consideration thereof, were approved by the said meeting, they appearing clear of all others, and having consent of parents and relations concerned, now these are to certify to all whom it may concern, that for ye full accomplishing of their said intentions; this sixth day of ye eighth month one thousand seven hundred and four ; they ye said Henry Tucker and Phebe Barton, in a public assembly of ye aforesaid people and others, met together for that end and purpose and according to ye example of ye holy men of God, recorded in ye Scriptures of truth ; in solemn manner he, ye said Henry Tucker taking ye said Phebe Barton by ye hand did openly declare as followeth : Friends, I desire you to take notice, that in ye presence of God and before this assembly I take this friend, Phebe Barton, to be my wife, promising to be a faithful friend to her till death doth separate; then and there ye aforesaid Phebe Barton declared as follows ; Friends, I desire you to take notice, that in ye presence of God, and before this assembly I take this, Henry Tucker, to be my husband,
5
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promising to be a faithful wife till death make a separation. And ye said Henry Tucker and Phebe Barton, as a further confirmation thereof, did then and there to these presents set their hands; and we whose names are hereunto sub- scribed being present amongst others at ye solemnization ยท of their said marriage and subscription in manner afore- said, as witness thereunto have also to these presents subscribed our names ye day and year above written.
HENRY TUCKER. PHEBE BARTON.
(Signed by Benjamin Barton and twenty-five others.)"
Many of the names appended to these old certificates are curious and quite as unique as some of the fancy names of the present day. If names enhance the qualities which they represent in the persons who bear them, the virtues of their possessors must have been conspicuous as a reward for wearing them through life, such as Desire Greene, Con- tent Richmond, Plain Wilkinson, Deliverance Reynolds, Increase Greene, Experience Hull.
Sometimes the youthful members instead of bringing their partners into the Society by marriage, went out them- selves ; and when so married were deprived of the right of membership, unless a suitable acknowledgment was made for their disorderly conduct. It is an old adage that "Love laughs at locksmiths," and it is often disrespectful to the barriers of creed and sect.
William Wanton, who came to Newport in 1704, from Scituate, Massachusetts, and was made Governor of the Colony in 1732, was a consistent Friend in early life. Both his father and brother were Quaker preachers, and popular exponents of their doctrines. Before his removal he was married to Ruth, the daughter of Deacon Bryant. She was a Congregationalist, while he was a rigid Quaker. So religious objections to the match were raised on both sides, when William said, "Friend Ruth, let us break away from this unreasonable bondage; I will give up my religion and thou shalt give up thine, and we will both go over to the Church of England and go to the Devil together." The compromise was carried out so far as marrying and uniting with the Church of England, but whether it was fully completed the chronicle fails to inform us.
It used to be customary for Greenwich monthly meeting to appoint two or three Friends to serve as visitors in each
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particular meeting, or as the ancient scribe wrote it, " wisi- tors," whose duties in reporting breaches of good order or misconduct were similar to those of the overseers now ap- pointed. They were expected to visit the families of Friends from time to time ; to settle differences, and report to the meeting all " disorderly walking."
Epistles from one meeting to another were very frequent, and they embraced any subject of religion or morals which seemed to require attention. There were several meetings held in this vicinity which were called at that time yearly meetings. At one of these held on the 10th of 3d month, 1703 :
" It is agreed by this our yearly meeting, that John Briggs shall write and send ye minds of this meeting to our friends dwelling in the Narragansett parts, they having been very slack in their coming to our monthly meeting.'
One of the earliest subjects which claimed attention was the support of the testimony which they had always borne against carnal warfare as appears by the following minute :
" This yearly meeting being the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th of ye 5th month, 1700, having taken into consideration the baits and snares that have been laid to betray the innocent, would revive this our ancient testimony by way of exhorta- tion to all Friends; and it is our desire that all Friends and their children stand clear in their testimonies against wars and fightings and learning to war; and also against paying directly or indirectly for not training or bearing arms, but to suffer patiently or gladly the spoiling of our goods, or what the authority shall see fit cause to inflict upon our persons for the testimony of our consciences ac- cording to Christ's examples; and also against the paying the hireling priest or towards the maintaining or repairing houses ; or anything contrary to the testimony of truth. Given forth at our yearly meeting and signed by those ap- pointed from ye several monthly meetings and also quar- terly in Newport and to be read in the monthly and quar- terly meetings.
" Signed by
JAMES BURRILL, JACOB MOTT, EBENEZER SLOCUM, EDWARD WANTON, And others."
Young men were frequently "dealt with " for going with a " train band," and many instances of suffering were reported like this :
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" Samuel Greene came to Peter Greene's house ye 6th month, 1700, and demanded 2 shillings for not training and he took a pewter platter which cost 3 or 4 shillings; again he came ye 25th of ye 12th month, 1700, and demanded 6 shillings for not training; and he took a leathern deerskin which cost 3 shillings ; again he came ye 25th of ye 3d month 1701 to Peter Greene's house, and demanded 2 shil- lings and 5 pence for not training, and took a pewter plat- ter which cost 12 shillings."
While they could bear and suffer for the sake of con- science, they sometimes descended from the lofty ground of spiritual liberty to modify personal freedom. In 1720 Greenwich monthly meeting considered the matter relating to "perewigs," with this order :
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