USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > Little Compton > The Two-hundredth anniversary of the organization of the United Congregational Church, Little Compton, Rhode Island, September 7, 1904 > Part 2
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It is now 1749. Washington is a youth of seventeen years in Virginia, destined to lead the armies of the Revo- lution. Fanenil Hall, Boston, the cradle of American lib- erty, has been built but seven years. Three years ago the boundary line was settled between the Massachusetts and the Rhode Island Colony when Little Compton, together with other towns to the north and northwest, becomes a part of the Colony of Rhode Island. Edwards is still preaching at Northampton. There are in this town ten hundred and four whites, sixty-two negroes, and eighty-six Indians.1 The church hears at least two candidates, a Mr. Brown, and Jonathan Ellis. The former for a time "preaches half the day on Lord's Days with Mr. Ellis," but is not permanently retained. Of the personality of Mr. El- lis we have only a meager account. But in "Sketches of Ministers,"2 written by Emerson Davis and preserved in his own handwriting, occurs the following: "Reverend Jonathan Ellis of Sandwich, Mass., graduated from Har- vard in 1737, and was ordained pastor of the Second Church in Plymouth, Mass., November eighth, 1738, when he was but twenty-one years old. Being naturally earnest, he be- came exceedingly enthusiastic, and said so many extrava- gant things that the people became disaffected and he was dismissed October thirty-first. 1749." He is installed pas- tor of this church December fifth of the same year.
For thirty-six years Mr. Ellis continues pastor of the church. During this time he marries almost two hundred couples, but he receives into the church only twenty-six members. I shall attempt no explanation of this poor nu- merical showing except to say that, while political agita- tion. Sabbath desecration, the corruption of public morals and the dissemination of atheistic doctrines doubtless re- tard the spiritual work. here as elsewhere, the most ade- quate explanation is probably that the minister and his
Records of the Colony of Rhode Island, Vol. V : pg. 270.
(2) Sketches of Ministers, by Rev. Emerson Davis, Congregational Library, Bos - ton.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LITTLE COMPTON.
people do not launch out into the deep and cast their net at the right side of the boat. Be this as it may, as a result of the decline in the membership of the church during this long pastorate, it after a time comes to pass that there are few male members in the church. But men a parish must have to attend to its business. And many good, straight- forward men Little Compton has at this time: only they are not members of the church, and there is no telling when they will be. So the idea is conceived, or rather, it is ap- propriated-for it is not new-that there shall be a society composed of the gentlemen of the parish who wish to join it, and that this society shall have charge of the property of the parish and manage the finances. And right here, in this psychological pass to which Ellis and his people have come, is the genesis of The United Congregational Society which is organized in February, 1785, under a charter granted by the State of Rhode Island "for the purpose of raising a fund, by free and voluntary subscriptions, contri- butions, legacies and donations, for the support of public worship by the Congregational Society [now known as the United Congregational Church], in the town of Little Compton aforesaid, of which Reverend Jonathan Ellis is
the present pastor."1 The granting of this charter, in answer to the petition of forty-six gentlemen of the parish, is the last important event connected with the church that transpires during his pastorate. For fifteen years Mr. El- lis has been a near neighbor of the eminent Dr. Samuel Hopkins, of Newport. The conflict between England and France for political supremacy east of the Mississippi and the War of the Revolution pass into history during the resi- dence of this good man here; and now, on September sev- enth, 1785, just one hundred and nineteen years ago to-day, he dies, his body is buried near the grave of Mr. Billings, and when he dies, there is in the nearby town of Newport a lovable little boy, but five years old, and destined power- fully to influence New England and the world, and his name is William Ellery Channing.
The church is now without a pastor for a year and a half.
(1) Charter of the United Congregational Society.
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It is during this interim that Adam Simmons, a Justice of the Peace, reaps a rich harvest in marriage fees. But said Adams Simmons soon comes to grief ; for January, 1787, a young man, Mase Shepard by name, is called. This gentle- man is a native of Norton, Mass., where he was born in 1759, is a graduate of Dartmouth College, has studied the- ology with Rev. E. Judson, of Taunton, and is, or is to be- come-I have not learned which-a brother-in-law of the father of Ralph Waldo Emerson. But the problem of se- curing a parsonage, in which the new minister is to live, now engages the attention of the parish during the interval before his installation; and as to the manner in which this question is handled, the following extract from the Records of the Colony of Rhode Island, truly photographic of the sentiment in many churches at this time, speaks most elo- quently : "Whereas the United Congregational Society in the town of Little Compton, preferred a petition and repre- sented unto this assembly that God, in his providence, hav- ing taken from them their late pastor, Jonathan Ellis, by death, they have unanimously made choice of a young gen- tleman to preach the Gospel to them; that the calamities of the time, and the want of a sufficient fund to support a minister, necessitate them to pray this Assembly to grant them the benefit of a lottery, for raising the sum of six hundred pounds, of the paper money of this State. for the purpose of building a parsonage house in the said town, for the said Society; and that Messrs. Perez Richmond, George Simmons, Nathaniel Church, David Stoddard. Nathaniel Searle, and John Davis may be appointed managers thereof ; which being duly considered.
"It is voted and resolved, that the prayer of the said pe- tition be granted ; that the said Society be empowered to set forth a lottery for the purpose of raising the sum of six hundred pounds, lawful money, for building a parsonage house for the said Society in the said town; that the said Perez Richmond, Etc., be, and they are, hereby appointed managers of the said Lottery, and empowered to agree on a scheme for the same; provided, they shall previously give bond to the Treasurer of the State, in a sum double the
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LITTLE COMPTON.
amount of said scheme, for the faithful performance of their said trust; and that no expense accrue thereon to the State." 1
The Rev. Dr. Hopkins, of Newport, is Moderator of the Council which on September nineteenth, 1787, ordains the gentleman recently engaged to preach; and we are informed that between the sessions of the Council refreshments are served at the house of Capt. George Simmons, which, in harmony with the customs of the day, include "four gallons of rum, three gallons of wine, one gallon of brandy, one hundred and forty-five pounds of veal, twenty pounds of ham, twelve pounds of pork, fourteen pounds of beef," and various other good things. But that the young minister, the traditions of the elders to the contrary notwithstand- ing, touched not either the rum, wine or brandy, is evident from the solemn statement (not made under oath) of his famous and lamented son, the late Prof. Shepard, that "My father never gave or accepted any form of distilled liquor in his intercourse with his people." 2
Mase Shepard is now the ordained pastor of this church, Only two days ago, that is, September seventeenth, 1787, the Constitutional Convention assembled at Philadelphia and presided over by the illustrious Washington, after four months' deliberation, adjourns, having completed its great work and framed our Federal Constitution. But, of course, Mr. Shepard is not aware of that. Nor does he know that ere long a terrible catastrophe, to be known to future ages as the French Revolution, will convulse all Europe. Any- how, he does know that his duty is to do with all his might whatsoever his hand findeth to do. And so, constitutions and revolutions to one side for the present, he goes to work with singleness of purpose. He looks over the town and finds that it has a white population which may be divided as follows: Two hundred and ninety-nine males and two hundred and eighty-two females under sixteen years of age; forty-six males and sixty-two females between sixteen and
(1) Records of The Colony of Rhode Island, Vol. X, pg. 232.
(2) One Hundred and Seventy-fifth Anniversary Record, pg. 58.
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twenty-two; one hundred and ninety males and two hun- dred and thirty-three females between twenty-two and fifty; seventy-six males and one hundred and six females upwards of fifty. There are also in town about a dozen Indians and thirty-four negroes-in all, thirteen hundred and fifty souls.1 And the one point in the parish to which, next the church, the people look, as to a rock in a weary land, is that place where the pastor resides, first, about a half mile north of the Common, and afterward a short distance south of the Common, where subsequently is the home of Deacon Isaac B. Richmond. Thither the thoughts and steps of the people go, and thence to the people speed the love, sympathy and watchfulness of the pastor.
The personality of Mr. Shepard is one of the finest com- pounds of human excellence this place has ever known. He is described as "a man of peculiar sociability. amiability and dignity," and is of commanding presence and powerful voice. He is fond of children and baptizes a great many of them. It is said that, often when calling in his parish, meeting a boy or girl in the road, Mr. Shepard would stop and inquire, "Well, whose boy are you?" or "Whose girl are you?" and when told, would say, "I hope you will grow up to be a better man than your father is," or "I hope you will grow to be a better woman than your mother is." Like Origen, who, first at Alexandria, and afterward at Caesa- rea, instructed the youth who came to him in great num- bers, this godly man, though "not a close student,"? is wont, on a smaller scale, to imbue the young men of this region with the doctrines of the gospel, some finding his tutorship a gateway to the ministry. He is associated with Samuel Hopkins and William Patten in the formation of the Rhode Island Missionary Society, and on the death of Dr. Hopkins is chosen President of that Society. There are one hundred and six marriages credited to him on the books of the town. One hundred members are admitted during the first eighteen years of his pastorate. In 1806 the great revival comes, and in one year one hundred and
(1) Records of the Colony of Rhode Island, Vol. IX, pg. 653.
(*) Sketches of Ministers by Rev. Emerson Davis, Congregational Library, Boston.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LITTLE COMPTON.
six more are added. The discipline is enforced. Com- plaints are brought before the church at different times charging one brother with breach of promise, which is not sustained; another with breach of marriage contract, which is sustained; another with injuring his brother in his worldly interest, which is not sustained. And it is during this pastorate that Lemuel Sisson, wife and eleven children come over from Newport and locate at Seaconnet Point. There in their house the first Methodist meeting in town is held. In 1820 they begin to hold preaching services. In- terest increases and an edifice is erected in 1825. Hence- forth Israel is divided, not geographically, but psycholog- ically; and to the credit of our Methodist brethren be it said that they have been very zealous for the God of their fathers and have set up idolatrous shrines neither at Dan nor Bethel. It is also during this pastorate that the American Board is organized, the mission to the Hawaiian Islands established, Andover, Yale and Bangor Theological Seminaries founded, while the controversy between Trini- tarians and Unitarians in New England goes on in earnest. And this wonderful man, having seen the glory of the Lord revealed at home and abroad, dies February fourteenth, 1821, in the sixty-second year of his age, and less than three months before the conqueror of Europe passes away at St. Helena. The body of Mr. Shepard is buried beside the church he has led from strength to strength.
Thus far, during the one hundred and seventeen years since the organization of the church, but three ministers have been shepherd to this people. Now begins the period of relatively short pastorates. During the next forty-six years five men successively minister to the parish-Emer- son Paine, Samuel W. Colburne, Alfred Goldsmith, Samuel Beane and Nathaniel Beach. Mr. Paine graduates from Brown University in 1813, studies theology with Dr. Em- mons at Franklin, is ordained at Middleborough in 1816, and comes to this town in 1822. Two years before his ar- rival the population reaches its highest point, the census of
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1820 giving fifteen hundred and eighty souls to Little Comp- ton.1
The new minister brings with him a wife, whom he has found at Dighton. They live opposite the church, near where Mr. Bodington now resides. With respect to body Mr. Paine is short and stout. He is a very sober man, even despondent, often declaring when he comes from church Sunday that he does not see how he can ever preach another sermon. He is an able reasoner and a profound thinker. His sermons are very long-some say one hour and a half. A gentleman leaving the church at the close of a Sunday afternoon service is heard to remark, "Well, he has preached the hens to roost this time." He is loved by many, respected by all, though not a favorite with everyone. Prayer meetings are held at the homes of the people, and always announced to "begin at early candle lighting." The church votes to revise the confession of faith, and a commit- tee is appointed for that purpose. The minister has a large Bible class that meets one of the weekday evenings. His influence is very great. The present edifice, except the tall steeple and basement, is erected in 1832. The same year the membership is two hundred and thirty-nine. Heretofore the church has lost relatively few members by their removal out of town. Now they begin frequently to be dismissed and recommended to churches in other towns and cities whither they have gone. "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away." Mr. Paine, however, receives many into the church. The church of Christ throughout the world is beginning to manifest great interest in foreign missions. Those at Beirut, Syria; at Canton, China; in Western Tur- key, Siam, Singapore, Persia and West Africa are founded during this pastorate. And the heart of this church beats in unison with that of the Church universal, so that about this time "The Male and Female Missionary Society" is or- ganized. John C. Calhoun and other southerners are talk- ing secession, and the country is ringing with the peerless defense of the Union and the Constitution by Daniel Web- ster in the Senate at Washington. Mr. Paine resigns in
Rhode Island Manual, 1904.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LITTLE COMPTON.
1834, and is succeeded by Mr. Colburne, who is tall and stout, jolly and pleasant, comfortable himself, likes to see others comfortable, is a good speaker, never hurries his peo- ple, is liked by all, laughs jokingly at those who are anti- slavery in sentiment, and resigns in 1838, after three years' service.
Mr. Goldsmith is now invited "to accept the pastoral of- fice of this Church and Society, with a salary of six hun- dred dollars annually, and the Parsonage added whenever you have a family." One year after the young preacher comes to town the annual Consociation of Congregational Churches of Rhode Island is held at Scituate, when the fol- lowing report is presented by the committee on desecration of the Sabbath and adopted by that body: "This Consocia- tion, feeling itself deeply grieved by repeated complaints of Sabbath desecration, through the delinquences of mem- bers of the churches of our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as others, traveling for purposes of business or pleasure on that holy day, do most solemnly and affectionately advise and exhort all the members of our churches wholly to abstain from, and discountenance all such traveling, either by pri- vate conveyance or in public stages, steamboat or railroad cars. And so important do the Consociation deem this subject that they advise the churches to consider all mem- bers persisting in such delinquencies as proper subjects of reproof and admonition."1
The new minister is tall and slender, is a spiritual preacher, an active pastor, and soon becomes popular. The church has no organ. Mr. Goldsmith proposes that the society buy an organ. Objection is made that there is no one to play it. "You get the organ, and I will furnish a player," replies the minister. And shortly he makes good his promise by marrying a young lady and bringing her to town. They live where Clarence C. Wordell and family now reside, the society having purchased that property during the pastorate of Mr. Colburne. The name of the minister's wife is Sarah; and a good musician she is, and
(1) Minutes of the Evangelical Consociation of Congregational Churches of Rhode Island, 1841.
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often at the midweek service the minister turns and says, "Sarah, sing Ariel :
Oh, could I speak the matchless worth, Oh, could I sound the glories forth."
The pews of the church hitherto have faced, and for some time after continue to face, southward. The colored peo- ple have seats reserved for them at the north end of the main galleries. They take their lunch between the Sunday services along the road now known as "Nigger Lane;" and the young white folks go down under the willows just north of the present parsonage to eat theirs. The question rela- tive to the use of wine at communion is agitating the church and it is voted to refer the question for decision to the Reverend Messrs. Fowler, of Fall River; Shepard, of Bristol, and Blodgett, of Pawtucket. The church makes some progress under the leadership of Mr. Goldsmith, but in one respect he is not abreast of the times. He does not approve of slavery; nor does he disapprove of it. Many people in about all the churches at this time feel that the subject of slavery ought to have no reference made to it from the pulpit, because such reference causes trouble. Wendell Phillips tells Harvard after the War that from her foundation she has always been set flint-like against every great reform. The following letter is written in these circumstances and sent to the church in May. 1843 :
"To the Members of The Congregational Church in Little Compton.
"DEAR FRIENDS: The undersigned feel that they can no longer retain a conscience void of offense towards God or man. without addressing you on a subject which lies near our hearts.
"In the course of the past winter a request signed by twelve of the church was made to your pastor to call a meet- ing of the church to consider the subject of slavery, and the duty of the church in relation to it. This he utterly re- fused to do, but suggested that a meeting might be called by the senior deacon of the church. Thereupon some of us requested Deacon Burgess to call a meeting of the church.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LITTLE COMPTON.
This he did, and, at the appointed time, those of us who could conveniently do so repaired to the meetinghouse, but what was our astonishment to find that with one consent our brethren and sisters had failed to meet us. This we consider a direct violation on your part of your covenant engagements to sympathize with, care for and watch over us.
"In consequence of your wanton violation of your engage- ments, virtual rejection of us as brethren and sisters, re- fusal to communicate with us in relation to certain slan- derous reports which have been in circulation touching our character as abolitionists, and your manifest determina- tion to continue to countenance the awful iniquity of slav- ery, by holding in full communion and fellowship slavehol- ders, slaveholding churches and apologists for slavery, we feel it to be a solemn duty we owe to God, to ourselves, and to our crushed and suffering fellow creatures, to consider ourselves no longer members of the Congregational church, and to withhold from you as a church, all Christian com- munion, fellowship and support.
"As this is probably the last time we shall ever address you as a church (unless you should repent and bring forth works meet for repentance in respect to the things men- tioned in this letter) we take this opportunity to say to you, that for all the offenses committed against us by the church, or by individual members, we tender you our cor- dial Christian forgiveness, and for all the offenses which we have committed against you, whether individually or as a church, we ask the same forgiveness which we extend to you.
.
THOMAS BURGESS,
MERCY WILBOUR,
SAMUEL S. BURGESS,
LYDIA BURGESS,
JAMES BAILEY,
THANKFUL BAILEY,
WILLIAM WOOD,
ABAGAIL BAILEY,
JOSEPH COE, RUTH A. BAILEY,
DAVID SHAW, DIANA G. WOOD,
ORRIN W. SIMMONS, ANN G. TOMPKINS,
RUTH BURGESS, LYDIA BAILEY,
MARY ANN TAYLOR." 1
(1) Letter in possession of Mr. Sidney R. Burleigh, of Providence.
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The same day the above communication is presented to the church, a committee is appointed to confer with the seventeen members who have withdrawn, and the follow- ing July fourth, 1843, a church meeting is held, Deacon Isaac B. Richmond in the chair, when, after a motion to im- mediately adjourn is defeated, the following resolution is presented and adopted :
"Resolved. That in the judgment of this church the sys- tem of slavery, or buying and selling human beings for gain, and holding them in involuntary servitude, is a great polit- ical and moral evil, offensive to God and man, and as such we ought in all lawful ways to discountenance it and to seek its removal." Mr. Goldsmith resigns in June, of the follow- ing year. The dismissing Council speaks of him as "An affectionate, faithful and devoted minister of the Lord Jesus Christ." He might have imitated the great Dr. Hopkins, who, sixty or seventy years before from his Newport pulpit, had boldly denounced human slavery and persuaded some of his parishioners to free their slaves ; but he did not. And after all, perhaps we ought to be tender in our judgment of those who failed to read aright the signs of the times; for human nature is to-day just as shirking and compromising as it was in 1843. And however desirable it may be, it is yet not to be expected that every man shall have the sub- lime moral vision and courage of a Martin Luther or an Abraham Lincoln.
It is now 1844. Henry Ward Beecher is preaching at In- dianapolis, three years hence to come to Plymouth Church, Brooklyn. This church calls a Mr. Beane, and in 1846 it is voted unanimousy to install him and to give him a sal- ary of five hundred and seventy-five dollars, "together with the use of the parsonage place and society pew No. 62 for each calendar year, with leave of absence for three Sab-
baths . . under the following conditions: That you pay all lawful taxes on said place, keep the walls, bars, gates. fences in good repair; also the internal parts of the buildings, painting included, and leave them when called to do so, in as good repair as when received. common wear ex- cepted." In his letter of acceptance, Mr. Beane says :
REV. SAMUEL BEANE
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LITTLE COMPTON.
"Having thus consented to become your pastor, I shall henceforward close my ears to all solicitations from other quarters, feel that you are my people, and endeavor, as much as in me lies, to promote your spiritual interests."
The new minister is a lovable man. That very couple are in this audience whom Mr. Beane begins marrying in West- port, Mass., and whom, after the marriage feast, he finishes marrying on the public highway just this side of the State line about a mile and a half to the eastward of the Little Compton Common. The mistress of the parsonage for sev- eral years has been principal of Wheaton Seminary at Nor- ton. Mrs. Beane attends the meetings of the Ladies So- ciable and the ladies read Uncle Tom's Cabin and other books at these gatherings. This leader among the Pris- cillas is accustomed to tell them how beautiful it is for the wife to submit to the husband, often quoting the words of Paul on that point: "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." But the ladies know that Mr. Beane submits to the will of his wife quite as much as she does to him. The minister takes a firm stand against slavery and is leader of the movement that culmi- nates in the planting of trees around the cemetery.
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