USA > Rhode Island > Bristol County > Bristol > Manual of the First Congregational Church, Bristol, R.I., 1687-1872 > Part 4
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ERECTION OF A HOUSE OF WORSHIP.
The first public religious service in Bristol was in the dwelling house of DEACON NATHANIEL BOS- WORTH, a building still standing, occupied as the residence of J. DEW. PERRY, EsQ. Afterwards Sabbath services were held in COLONEL BYFIELD'S house, Byfield street, to which reference has pre- viously been made. These arrangements were tem- porary, to continue only until such time as the inhabitants could build a House of Worship.
In the " Grand Articles " of agreement between the Proprietors and those to whom they made grants of land and other privileges, it was stipulated among other things, " that every one shall and will, accord- ing to his estate, pay his proportion of the charge for the erecting and building of the Meeting House and Minister's House and accommodations there- unto, when and at such time as those that have the major part proprietary in said land shall nominate and appoint."
October 24th, 1683, at a Town meeting, two hun- dred and fifty pounds were ordered to be raised, to defray the expense of building a Meeting House ; and JOHN WALLEY, NATHANIEL BYFIELD, BENJAMIN CHURCH, JOHN CARY and JOHN ROGERS were ap-
promptitude and just liberality, the town voted ten pounds to defray the expenses of his funeral,-an act which proves that they would not let the sun go down upon their animosity .- Brooks' Hist. of Medford, 203-208.
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pointed a committee to superintend its erection. Measures were promptly taken to carry out this vote. A plan of house was soon adopted, and the work commenced. Citizens who could be well employed on the building were so employed and the value of their labor allowed on their taxes. The timbers were cut from the Common, near by, and with united zeal and courage the work progressed until a spacious and well constructed Sanctuary stood before them to the joy of their hearts, a monument of their self- denying interest in the Cause of the Redeemer. This House was erected on the spot where now stands the State Court House. We find no record of its exact dimensions, but tradition describes it as " spacious ; square in its form like the Apocalyptic City ; clap- boarded inside and out ; having double galleries one above the other ; with a cap-roof, surmounted in the centre with a cupola and bell, from which a rope was suspended directly beneath, by which 'GOODY CORPS,' the sexton's widow, used to ring the people to church for three pounds per year, as her lamented husband had done ere he died ;" over the preacher's head, a dormer window, and on all sides double rows of windows for the ingress of light ; and the floor, divided into square pews with oaken doors, " through the rounds of which the children used to peep at each other when the people rose for prayer and praise." These pews were constructed from time to time by the citizens as they were able, by leave of the town, and several years elapsed before the floor was all covered.
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Considering the pecuniary circumstances of the people, this effort was a remarkable instance of self- sacrifice and consecration to the higher interests of religion. They were few in number, feeble in re- sources, and had scarcely sheltered their families in their humble dwellings, when they gave their best energies to building a habitation of God. At a sac- rifice of toil and money, of which we in our com- parative abundance can have little conception, they secured for themselves this Religious Home, and with glad songs of praise dedicated it to the worship of Almighty God. We may smile at the severe sim- plicity of style, devoid of architectural beauty ; unprotected in winter by warming apparatus, and in summer offering literally to the swallow a place to build her nest and lay her young upon its unceiled arches ; its family pews square and roomy ; and its high pulpit, surmounted with pendent sounding board, seeming ready to fall and crush the man of God beneath its weight, as he discoursed of the awful wrath of God towards impenitent sinners ; yet we cherish the most tender and hallowed associations clustering around this first Sanctuary of the fathers in the wilderness.
This quaint building, laboriously erected by the pioneers of our civilization, and dedicated to the worship of Almighty God, was the only Sanctuary in town for nearly forty years, and the home of the first church for a round century. Here our pious ances- try sat and listened to messages of Divine Truth and salvation, raised their hearts in prayer and praise to
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God, and received nourishment of spiritual life. Here were they trained for the kingdom of glory, and to-day their notes of praise respond to angelic harps around the throne of God in heaven. Although of the people who once lived on earth and worship- ped here not one remains, and of the people now living not one ever saw this House of God, we cher- ish tender thoughts of the past, and preserve with veneration the door of the pastor's pew, the only remaining relic of the Sanctuary where our fathers worshipped God for one hundred years.
ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
Not long after the retirement of Mr. Woodbridge, the REV. SAMUEL LEE, D. D., an English dissenting Clergyman, celebrated among his contemporaries as a man of profound learning and ardent piety, arrived in Boston, and was cordially received by his Breth- ren and the Churches. Great interest had been awakened for the cause of Christ in Bristol, which seemed to suffer from the divisions that had sprung up under the Ministry of Mr. Woodbridge. Friends in Boston felt that it was of the highest importance that a man of commanding abilities and established reputation for soundness in the faith and wisdom should at once occupy this field, around whom the people might rally in union, and under whose direc- . tion a Church of Christ might be founded. At their suggestion he visited Bristol, and at once the hearts of the people went out to him as being sent of God, and the conviction became almost universal that he
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was the man for whose coming they had prayed, suffered and waited.
Measures were promptly taken to secure his set- tlement. The Town Records, 1686, November 23, give the following account of his enthusiastic recep- tion by the people, who went from the Town Meeting in a body to enforce their call by the magnetism of their presence.
" Then voted and agreed by a full vote and unanimous consent, to call the Rev. Samuel Lee to the work of the ministry in this town, which was accordingly done by the whole that were present at the Town Meeting. waiting on him at Mr. Byfield's, where one appointed manifested their invitation to him and he took it into consideration."
Sixty pounds per year was voted by the town for his salary, and fifty pounds towards building him a house .* The lands for the Ministry set apart by the Proprietors in the settlement of the town were also voted him. This call he accepted, and began his labors 1687, April 10.
* As speedily as practicable, a spacious mansion, built in the old English style and, it is said, by far the most elegant dwelling in town, was erected on the east side of Thames street, which was then the shore of the harbor. This house was afterwards owned by JEREMIAH FINNEY, descended by inheritance to his son, JOSIAH FINNEY, and was the birthplace of all his children. In it was born the wife of the late WILLIAM DEWOLF, ESQ., who, with her sister MARTHA, occupied in their early days the sacred study chamber where the man of God studied, wrote and prayed
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The third day of May following was observed as a day of fasting and prayer, in the midst of which sacred season the Church was organized in due form by the mutual consent of eight fathers of the town. The following is a copy of the record of these events taken from the earliest records of the Church, in the almost illegible hand of Deacon John Carey, whose name heads the page.
"In the year 1687, it pleased God to bringe that rever- end Mr. Lee to Bristol, and [it was (?) ] on visit to se the plac[e] and preach to the peopell. Ther was a joynt voat of the town for his taking charg heer to preach the gos- pell, and in order of settlinge the plac[e] in gospell order ; which after some short spac[e] came with his wife and family to settel heer."
" The 10th of April he begins with us, in order there- * * unto '87. * *
"May the third was the church gathered by the mutual consent and agreement of thos[e] persons mentioned.
MAJOR JOHN WALLEY, CAPTAIN NATHANIEL BYFIELD, CAPTAIN BENJAMIN CHURCH, NATHANIEL REYNOLDS, JOHN CAREY, HUGH WOODBURY, GOODMAN THROUP, NATHANIEL BOSWORTH whom they elected DEACON."
for his beloved people. The two eldest of Mr. DeWolf's children were also born here. For many years this house was known as " The Old Bay State," we know not why, unless it may be because it was so redolent with the associations of Puritan ideas, which are the glory of Massa- chusetts. The only relic of it now remaining is a pane of glass inscribed with the name MARTHA FINNEY, in the possession of a descendant of the family.
The 8th of May '87 was the first sacrament in Bristol : Con .- 0-4-3 the Contribution-0-11-2.
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Major Walley's daughter Elizabeth that day baptized, Nathaniel Reynolds his sone Benjamin baptized .- The two first in that Church."
Thus was the First Church gathered in Bristol, the first of the Congregational order within the present limits of Rhode Island .* At the organization, and for many years afterwards, the Church was known as " THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN BRISTOL." After the incorporation of the Catholic Congregational Society in 1784, the Church was, by common consent, called " THE CATHOLIC CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH." By this name it was known until, in order to hold and protect Charitable funds entrusted to its care, it was incorporated by act of the General Assembly in 1869, under the title " THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN BRISTOL." This is our present name and appro- priate designation, though we be no less a simple " Church of Christ" than when we began, and are no less " Catholic" in our fellowship with all who love our Lord in sincerity, and strive to do his will. Our Church life began in prayer to God, who gra- ciously directed those sturdy pioneers as they bowed
*The Church at East Providence is older, but its mem- bers are from both East Providence and Seekonk, Mass., and it has always been identified in Conference relations with the Massachusetts Churches. The Church in Bar- rington has also been claimed as being organized at an earlier date, but it is stated in Bicknell's History, p. 180, " that no distinct Church with a thorough Congregational polity was established until after the year 1711, and prior to 1718."
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before Him. Firmly, therefore, were the foundations of our spiritual edifice laid, and though the storms of earth have beaten against it, all these years it has stood, because it was founded upon a rock.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES OF THE EARLY MEMBERS.
The constituent members of the Church were all men of excellent character and leading influence in the town, and some of them were also prominent actors in Colonial affairs, and held stations of honor which gave them a national reputation.
JOHN WALLEY, the first on the list of members, one of the four original proprietors of the town, was highly respected and honored with various offices which he discharged with marked ability and fidelity. In all efforts for the civil, social, moral and religious welfare of the community he was among the fore- most of the citizens, and favored the most liberal provisions for these ends. He loved the Church of Christ with singular devotion, and it was a great grief to him that the organization of the Church in Bristol was so long delayed. He was ever the warm friend and hearty supporter of the Gospel Ministry, and, while he conscientiously opposed the settlement of Mr. Woodbridge, and, perhaps more than any other man, was instrumental in his removal, he yet rejoiced in all the good he accomplished, and was among the readiest to give him liberal pecuniary support as long as he remained.
Nor were the public services of Mr. Walley con- fined to Bristol. He was well known throughout
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New England, and especially in Boston, where he had lived and engaged successfully and honorably in mercantile pursuits, his valuable public labors were in frequent call. He was, for a season, Judge of the Superior Court, and a member of the Governor's Council. In 1690 he had command of the land forces in the expedition of Sir William Phipps, against Canada, of which he published a journal which is preserved in Hutchinson's history. Although this expedition was unsuccessful, it involved much heroic self-sacrifice and reflected honor both upon the men and their commanding officer.
MR. WALLEY was a son of the REV. THOMAS WALLEY, of London, who was at one time Rector of St. Mary's White Chapel, and said to be a man of great esteem ; who was one of the eight ministers who came from London in the "Society," Captain Pierce, arriving in Boston, 1663, May 24, and who died on Sunday, 1678, March 24, aged sixty-one years.
He came before his father and settled in Boston, whence he removed to Bristol.
His residence in this town was in the rear of State street, and his dwelling, substantially built after the style of those early times, is still standing and known as "the Walley house." His family con- sisted of wife and three children, two daughters and a son born here.
His daughter Sarah married CHARLES CHAUNCY, of Boston, and was the mother of a son of the same name, who became "one of the most distinguished
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divines on our side of the ocean," the junior Pastor of the Old South Church, referred to in the follow- ing notices of Mr. Byfield and family.
On the second of March, 1692, he was left a sorrowful widower by the decease of his loving and dutiful wife, the sharer of his joys and burdens, who departed in the triumphs of Christian faith. In the latter part of his life he returned to Boston, where he died in calmness and humble reliance upon the Great Redeemer for mercy, 1712, January 11th, in the sixty-ninth year of his age.
"The high trusts imposed by his country," says his Bio- grapher, "were discharged with ability and fidelity. To his wisdom as a Counsellor and his impartiality as a Judge, he added an uncommon sweetness and candor of spirit and the various virtues of the Christian. His faith was justi- fied by his integrity, his works of piety and charity."
NATHANIEL BYFIELD was the son of the Rev. Richard Byfield, " the laborious faithful pastor of Long Ditton in Surrey, England, who was one of the oldest of the ejected ministers in that county ; who afterwards retired to Montlack, where he usually preached twice every Lord's day in his own family, and did so the very Lord's day before his death, in 1664, aged sixty-seven years ;" who is described as " a man of great piety, zeal and exemplary holiness of conversation ;" who was. one of the distinguished Westminster Assembly, that prepared that admirable compendium of Orthodox Faith, known as "the Shorter Catechism." His mother was a sister of Bishop Juxon, a noted family in England. He was
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the youngest of twenty-one children, and one of the sixteen that sometimes attended their pious parents to the place of public worship. He was born in 1653 ; arrived at Boston in 1674, and conceiving a love to this country resolved to settle here. Accordingly, he married the following year MISS DEBORAH CLARKE, and commenced business as a merchant in Boston. In this he was eminently successful, accumulating considerable property, and, at the close of Philip's war, invested a portion of his wealth in the purchase of this township. Here he became an early settler, casting in his lot with the pioneers of the wilderness, sharing with them the toils and hardships of laying the foundations of a new and well regulated commu- nity. He continued a citizen of this town forty- four years, and his influence was great in all civil and ecclesiastical affairs. His residence was on the beautiful peninsula known as Pappoosquaws Point, west of the town, and his farm embraced nearly all of the peninsula .* Here was his family tomb, prepared by himself, located on the estate of the late William D'Wolf, Esq., whose remains are traced to this day, in which were buried members of his family who deceased during his residence in
*It has been generally supposed that his dwelling house stood on the spot where Deacon William Manchester now resides, but recent investigations lead to the belief that the venerable mansion now occupied by the heirs of the late Mrs. Sarah Herreshoff, was built originally by Colonel Byfield and occupied as his residence.
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Bristol. Within the recollection of persons now liv- ing, the name of " PRISCILLA " and a part of " BY- FIELD," were distinctly traced upon the head-stone
He was also a large real estate owner in the com- pact part of the town. He had five children born here by his wife DEBORAH, three of whom died young. The other two lived to be married, the youngest to the HON. LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR TAYLOR, of Massa- chusetts, who soon after died without issue; the other to EDWARD LYDE, EsQ., by whom she had five children, three of whom grew up and left de- scendants.
MR. BYFIELD was thrifty in his habits, catholic fh spirit, and generous in his benefactions, giving away systematically and cheerfully a portion of his income, amounting often to several hundred pounds yearly. One instance of his charities mentioned as worthy of special remembrance for the good it accomplished, was the publishing and gratuitously distributing an edition of ten thousand copies of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism. He was always a faithful and efficient friend of Education and Religion, and a lib- eral supporter of the Gospel Ministry. To his wis- dom, foresight and liberality are we chiefly indebted for our broad and regular streets, our large and beau- ful Common, and especially the school lands which were chiefly his own generous gift to the town, the income from which have been a material help to the cause of education here and a perpetual public charity. Two cups of our Communion Service of solid silver are inscribed as "the gift of Nathaniel Byfield,
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1693." Many other tokens of his interest in and liberal aid of the Church and Ministry here are held in remembrance with us to this day.
Nor was his large generosity confined to the limits of Bristol. His eminent abilities, natural and ac- quired, fitted him for a high position in affairs of State, and he cheerfully gave his services to the various offices, both civil and military, to which he was called by the suffrages of his fellow citizens as well as by royal appointment. Few have passed through a greater variety of scenes in public life.
In the field he quickly arrived to one of the high t places of power. In the State he was honored with many betrustments ; was in commission for the Peace and Judge of Probate ; was several times chosen Speaker in the Honorable House of Repre- sentatives ; sat chief thirty-eight years in the Court of General Sessions of the Peace and Common Pleas for the county of Bristol, as afterwards he did two years for the county of Suffolk ; was one of His Majesty's Council for the province of Massachusetts Bay, a great number of years ; and had the honor of receiving five several commissions for Judge of the Vice Admiralty from three crowned heads ; from King Willliam, in 1697; from Queen Anne, in the years 1702, 1703 and 1709, and from King George the Second in 1728." Being well informed for the exercise of authority, his very looks inspiring re- spect, loving order and possessed of a fine elocution, sincerely devoted to the interests of the community, he discharged all these trusts to popular acceptance.
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His name throughout New England was a household word; and one of the towns of Massachusetts, although he had no special connection with its his- tory, honored itself and paid him the homage of its respect by taking his name which it holds to the present day.
The wisdom and justice of Mr. Byfield's acts as a Civil Judge, are apparent from the remarkable fact that in no case were his decisions ever reversed on appeal to higher powers. It is still more interesting to note his freedom from those superstitious preju- dices which blinded even some of the best men of his time, and which led to the cruel proceedings in the matter of " the Salem Witchcraft" that are a dark blot on the page of history. Those proceedings he had the courage to oppose and condemn; and had his counsels been followed, no innocent person would have suffered death as a witch.
He did not escape the common lot of public men to suffer unjust aspersion and severe criticisms from political rivals in his own time, and from the detrac- tions of prejudiced or ill-informed historians who came after him; but well authenticated facts give him a highly honorable name.
NATHANIEL BYFIELD surely made his mark, and the footprints of his influence will be traced to the end of time. With all his grand and noble works of life, he had a steady and unshaken faith in the truths of the Gospel, and died in the lively hope of the glorious Redeemer. In 1724, on account of his advanced age, he returned with his family to Boston,
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where he closed his long and useful life 1733, June 6th, in the eightieth year of his age. The sermon preached at his funeral by his pastor in Boston, REV. CHARLES CHAUNCY, D. D., and afterwards published, was from the text JOHN 1 : 42 : Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him and saith of him, behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile; A very clear and forci- ble presentation of the beauty and worth of "a guileless character ;" at the close of which it is applied to Mr. Byfield in these words, viz. :
" I have no need to insert here, not doubting your thot's were upon our Nathaniel while I was representing the character in the text; the application was so easie and ob- vious; and I would hope unexceptionably : having care- fully avoided saying anything but what I thot in justice belonged to him."
An extract from the "Weekly News Letter," of June 14, 1733, appended to the published discourse, mentions, with other facts that are embodied in the foregoing sketch, the following :
" On the 6th of this instant, between the hours of 1 and 2 in the morning, died at his house here, after about a month's languishment, the HONOURABLE NATHANIEL BYFIELD, EsQ., in the 80th year of his age: Having long been a great ornament both of our Church and State. * *
" For his character, justice to his memory requires it should be said-He was greatly valued and honored by those acquainted with him, for his superior genius and abilities ; his great natural courage, Vigor and Activity ; his plain, unaffected, cheerful and instructive way of con- versation ; his catholic spirit; his real Integrity, and un- questionable faithfulness and Honesty; his zeal against
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sin, and to maintain public peace and good order; his first regard to the worship of God, and constant and devout and exemplary attendance on it both in Public and private, and in one word his love to the Ministry, the Churches and Civil and Religious interests of this people: All which being united in the same person and in an eminent degree, as it rendered his life an extensive blessing, so his Death just matter for lamentation.
He lived with the wife of his youth till 1717, upwards of forty years; and the following year married. MRS. SARAH LEVERETT, youngest daughter to the HONORABLE GOV- ERNOR LEVERETT, with whom he lived till 1730: when he was again left a sorrowful widower. He died with great inward peace and serenity of soul : and was honorably interred last Monday-a funeral prayer being first made by the elder Pastor of the Old Church to whose Communion he belong'd. He has left his grandson BYFIELD LYDE, EsQ. ; (son-in-law to his excellency Gov? " AR BELCHER) Heir to the bulk of his Estate."
The last will of Mr. Byfield, dated 1732, Decem- ber 6th, shows that he had large real estate in Boston, including mansion house, coach house, stable, cow house and two gardens joining ; also, rope walk, ware house, wharf and flats ; also, other tenement houses, stores, etc., and lands covering a large por- tion of Fort Hill, and various sites from Beacon street west and north to Cambridge street, now among the most valuable in the city ; also large es- tate in several New England towns, together with extensive tracts of land of several thousand acres in Maine and Vermont. His Christian character is manifest in the provisions of this Will, both the rever- ent expression of faith towards God, and bequests of 4
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charity, together with an equitable division of property among his heirs after the full payment of all debts and other bequests. It was his principle and practice to give largely in life to religious and charitable objects, and he expected the heirs of his estate to follow his example in this respect ; accord- ingly there were no large charitable bequests made in this Will, yet as a token of personal affection and respect for their office, he bequeathed gifts to " all and every" Minister of Christ, of every denomina- tion, in Boston, to the President and professors in Cambridge, and additional bequests to his " dear pastors," FOXCROFT and CHAUNCY, of the Old South Churc "Tis servants were remembered with Chris- tian affect. 1 counsel, and freedom, with ample provisions to secure the enjoyment of the same, was given to a favorite servant to take effect six months after his decease.
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