USA > Vermont > History of the Baptists in Vermont > Part 19
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Dorrill was allowed to get up, only upon promising, upon the penalty of his life, to deceive the people no more. This, of course, was the end of that error, but the lesson is too valuable to be lost.
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DR. HENRY D. HOLTON Member of Convention Board Secretary of State Board of Health
CHAPTER XV
THE WOODSTOCK ASSOCIATION
In that eventful year 1783, in which the long contest for American independence ended, the Woodstock Association was organized. The Baptist church in Woodstock, gathered under the ministry of Elisha Ransom in 1780, had attained a membership of eighty, and was connected with the Warren Association, to which its pastor was sent as delegate. This church united with three others across the Connecticut, and organized the Association which has since borne honorably the name first given it. The other churches were Canaan, of which Thomas Baldwin was pastor, Croydon, Sutton, Samuel Ambrose, pastor; and Wendel. To these, the same year, the church in Royalton, Vt. was added. This little group of churches was the nucleus around which others soon gathered to form an association covering a wide territory.
Three years after its organization, seven other churches joined it. These were Second Woodstock, Claremont, Temple, Windsor, Westminster, First Westmoreland and Marlow. The total mem- bership was then four hundred and ninety-six. The Marlow church had the largest membership, one hundred and eighteen.
In 1791, the Association numbered twenty-six churches and ten hundred and fourteen members. A list of the churches con- nected with this Association, in the order of their accession, will show perhaps as well as may be, the development of the body.
The Vermont churches were (1783) Woodstock, Royalton; (1786) Second Woodstock, Windsor, Westminster, (1788) Dum- merston, Reading; (1789) Rockingham, Hartford, Chester; (1791) Jamaica, Woodstock and Bridgewater, Guilford West; (1792) Thetford, Norwich; (1793) Cambridge, Plainfield, Sharon, Fairfax; (1794) Wardsboro, Alburg, Caldwells Manor, Canada; (1798) Chelsea; (1802) Pomfret; (1804) Weathersfield, Grafton, Caven- dish, Sutton; (1808) Windham; (1810) Andover, Washington;
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(1811) Townshend, Londonderry, Windsor; (1812) Barre, Dan- ville, Fairfield; (1813) Winhall, Mount Holly; (1817) Stockbridge and Reading; (1819) Hartland, Weston; (1821) Springfield; (1825) Ludlow; (1827) Townshend 2nd.
The New Hampshire churches were: Canaan, Croydon, Sut- ton, Wendel; (1775) Lebanon; (1786) Claremont, Temple, Mar- low, Westmoreland; (1788) Stoddard, Dublin; (1789) 2nd West- moreland, Mason, Hopkinton; (1790) New London; (1791) Alstead, Cornish; (1793) Grafton; (1798) Hanover; (1804) Goshen; (1806) Hanover and Lyme, Peterboro; (1808) Sutton; (1811) Acworth; (1812) Meredith, Boston, Unity; (1825) Lempster.
In 1828, there were twenty-seven churches in the Association, twenty-two ordained ministers, and a membership numbering two thousand, six hundred and eighty-two.
The Vermont ministers were Leland Howard, Aaron Leland, R. M. Ely, J. Freeman, David Sweet, Samuel Kingsbury, Samuel Lawson, Joel Manning, Joseph Elliott, Daniel Packer, Timothy Grow, Samuel Pierce.
In 1829, the New Hampshire churches had withdrawn to unite in associations within their own state, leaving the Vermont church- es, eighteen in number; Windsor, Chester, Jamaica, Springfield, Cavendish, Grafton, Windham, 1st Townshend, W. Windsor, Andover, Rockingham and Westminster, Mount Holly, Hartland, Weston, Reading, Ludlow, 2nd Townshend, Londonderry.
Since the division, the Woodstock Association has occupied practically the same ground with few changes.
In 1791, the number of churches was thirty-one, and of mem- bers one thousand, five hundred and ninety-eight, showing an increase of five churches and five hundred and eighty-four mem- bers in the first six years of its history. In the year, 1800, with thirty churches, the number of members was one thousand, six hundred and seventy-nine, and the additions were two hundred and eighty-two. The year preceding the session of 1800 must have been one of great refreshing to many of the churches, for thirty-six had been added to the church in Windsor, seventy-nine to that in Chester, thirty-eight to that in Plainfield, fifty-two to Grafton, twenty to Lebanon, thirty-three to Chelsea and Tunbridge. This
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refreshing also characterized the following year in which two hundred and thirty-two additions are reported. In 1832, the additions to the churches were five hundred and seventy-six by baptism, and the entire membership reached the number two thousand, six hundred and sixty-three. In 1839, the membership had reached the number of two thousand, nine hundred and seventy-one. From that time, from various causes, the member- ship has declined gradually, with occasional years of increase.
West Windsor, Reading and Hartland have become extinct; Jamaica, Townshend churches, and Windham have withdrawn to unite with the Windham County Association; in compensation for lost members the churches in Felchville, East Wallingford, Perkins- ville, Bellows Falls and Windsor have been added. In 1811, the Association consisted of fifteen churches with thirteen pastors, and a membership of fourteen hundred and thirty-eight, of whom nine hundred and fourteen were counted resident.
The Association, in the minutes for 1786, recorded its Senti- ments, Plan and Articles of Faith, a copy of which, for their histori- cal value, is here given in their original form.
SENTIMENTS, ETC.
1st. That such a combination of churches is not only pru- dent, but useful, as has appeared even in America, by the experi- ence of upward of sixty years. Some of the uses of it are union and communion among themselves, maintaining more effectually the order and faith once delivered to the saints, having advice in cases of difficulty, and help in distress, being more able to promote the good of the cause.
2nd. That such an Association is consistent with the inde- pendence and power of particular churches, because it pretends to be no other than advisory council, utterly disclaiming superiority, jurisdiction, coercive right and infallibility.
3d. That an Association should consist of men knowing and judicious, particularly in the scriptures. The reasons are obvious. Such men are the fittest to represent communities, who profess
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the scriptures to be the only rule of faith and practice in religious matters, who expect that every advice opinion or direction they receive from an Association should be scriptural.
They should be skillful and expert in the laws of their God, as counsellors are in the laws of the land, for that is the ground of the churches application to them.
PLAN
1st. The Association to consist only of messengers chosen and sent by the churches; those messengers to be judicious men as described in the sentiment the third. Their expenses to be borne by the churches which send them.
2nd. With the messengers the churches send letters addressed to the Association: In the letters mention is made of the names of the messengers and their authority to act for their churches.
Also the state of their churches, touching their peace, their increase by baptism and by letter, dismissions and commendatory from other churches, touching their diminution by death, excom- munication, and dismission to other churches, and the present number of members. If any questions are to be put to the Associa- tion, any advice to ask, or business to propose, these are to be ex- pressed in said letters.
3d. All matters to be determined in this Association by the suffrages of the messengers, except what are determinable by scripture: Such matters are never put to the decision of vote.
All that speak are to address the moderator, who is to take care that none be interrupted while speaking, and that no other indecorum takes place.
4th. Churches are to be received into the Association by petition, setting forth their desire to be admitted, their faith and order, and willingness to be conformable to the rules of associated body. When it is read and the matter ripened for a vote, the moderator states the question. Suffrage being given in favor of the petition, the said moderator declares that such a church is received into the Association in token of which he gives the mes- sengers the right hand of fellowship, and bids them take their seats.
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5th. The Association to meet annually, at Woodstock, or else- where as the Association shall choose, on the third Wednesday in August, at one o'clock in the afternoon, and continue until business be finished. It is to be opened with divine service after which a moderator and clerk are chosen, letters from the churches are read, names of the messengers are written, that they may be called over at after meetings; then business is attended to, minutes thereof made, a circular letter to the churches is prepared and signed, and a copy of it sent to every church, containing the minutes of the Association, the state of the churches, and when and by whom vacancies are to be supplied, who to preach, the next Association sermon, and whatever else is needful for the churches to know.
6th. A connection to be formed and maintained between this Association and that of the Warren, and that of Shaftsbury by annual letters and messengers from us to them.
7th. The faith and order of this Association is essentially that contained in what follows:
1. A belief in the display of God's divine righteousness in his moral government, when he made and situated man, and gave him such a law as he did.
2. That man is, by sin, totally depraved and destitute of original righteousness, whereby he is wholly averse to every in- clination to his duty, insomuch that despair and death are in all his actions, before regeneration; although Christ completed a righteousness by fulfilling the law and satisfying justice for the justification of all that believe.
3. That man's salvation is wholly in and by Christ.
(1) By his complete atonement for us. (2) By his victorious grace, conquering our hearts by the power of his spirit in regenera- tion and the renewing of the Holy Ghost unto final perseverance. (4) Divine sovereignty is the glorious election of grace on whom he will have mercy, while he leaves the rest to the reward of dis- obedience, of which none have cause to complain, for every mouth shall be stopped.
(5) Immersion for baptism, and that on profession of faith and repentance. (6) Strict gospel liberty and independency of churches, agreeable to ancient Congregational platform, and recep-
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tion into them upon evidences of sound conversion; all which is more largely set forth in a confession put forth by upward of an hundred congregations (in Great Britain) in the year 1689, and adopted by the Association of Philadelphia, in 1742, and by Warren Association, in 1767, etc.
The Association opened correspondence with the other Associations, the Warren, the Shaftsbury, and the New Hamp- shire, prepared circular letters and correspondence letters, and sent them out, and welcomed the delegates from other bodies.
The reading of letters from the constituent churches was an important part of the sessions, the answering of queries were given carefully.
The first mission work of the Association was within its own bounds. At each annual gathering, arrangements were made for the supply of pastorless churches, as far as possible. Places were designated and dates fixed for all the pastors, and the weaker churches were not allowed to go long without preaching.
These lists of appointments bear witness to the careful thought given to this work, and to the sincere interest of the stronger churches, and the pastors of them, in the welfare of their weaker organizations.
Rev. Thomas Baldwin, afterward pastor of the Second church in Boston, was active in this sort of itineracy, and in reminiscence of this he wrote as follows: "There were few towns within the space of fifty miles around in which I did not occasionally preach. In this warfare I went chiefly at my own charges; (a few churches visited for the Association made small compensation, and individ- uals, but I do not recollect that during the whole of that period, in all my journeyings, I received a public contribution). . . The roads are since so improved that it would be difficult to persuade the traveler now-a-days that they had ever been as bad as the early settlers represent."
At the session of the Association in 1788, Thomas Baldwin preached "a suitable sermon," and in the record of that year is this quaint and interesting minute: "Elder Baldwin, as appointed. exhibited his performance on this point; 'Whether the Baptists and the Pedo-baptists can commune together,' which was read
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and approved, and requested to be forwarded to the press." The publication of this paper called out a reply, two years after, from Rev. Noah Worcester, of Thornton, N. H., and to this Mr. Bald- win replied in March, 1794, which reply was so heartily approved and prized that it passed into the second edition in about two months. His argument was, that the controversy all turned upon the two questions: Who are the subjects of baptism according to the law of Christ? 2. What is the mode of manner of baptism which He hath instituted? It is a fact of interest that the Wood- stoek Association had something to do in leading Thomas Baldwin into the field of authorship, in defense of the tenets of the de- nomination then under assault.
In 1790, the Association was agitated over the information that several new editions of the Bible were likely to be published, and were requested to unite with several other religious bodies in a petition to Congress of the United States that no edition be pub- lished, but under the inspection of a committee of their appointing, to see that no alterations or errors take place. Elder Jedediah Hebbard and Deacon Joseph Thompson were appointed a com- mittee in behalf of the Association to petition Congress that the Bible be not printed, but under their inspection.
The meeting of 1791 was marked by action of special interest and importance. It marked the beginning of missionary efforts in destitute places beyond the bounds of the Association. Action was taken as follows: "Whereas, we find a number of our brethren in the ministry, viz., Elders Jedediah Hebbard, Joseph Call, Nehe- miah Woodward, and John Hebbard, disposed to journey to the northward to preach the Gospel in a great number of infant settle- ments up the Connecticut, in upper Coos country; also to journey through the north part of the State of Vermont, even as far as Caldwell's Manor, within the Canada line; being desirous to en- courage so laudable design, we recommend them as faithful min- isters of Christ, wishing them mueh of the grace of God, that they may see the fruits of their labors. And as the journey will be very expensive, we recommend to the churches to raise something by contribution to defray the charges of said ministers in their jour- ney." This, says Dr. T. H. Archibald, is the earliest record of
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which we have found any trace of missionary effort beyond their own bounds, by any body of Baptists in this country, although there was no special organization, separate from the Association itself, for the promotion of this object. The earliest distinct society for this purpose was formed in the Shaftsbury Association in 1802.
The following year, 1792, these brethren made so encouraging a report of their travels and ministry that the Association made this record:
"Resolved, that it would be expedient for some of our minis- tering brethren again to make a tour to that quarter. Whereupon, Elders Jedediah Hebbard and Ebenezer Bailey offered them- selves to make a visit this fall up the Connecticut River; and Elders Joseph Call, Isaiah Stone and John Hebbard up the Lake Cham- plain to Canada,-who by this Association are recommended as able ministers of Jesus Christ, hoping the Lord may make them very use- ful to the people. And as their journey is expensive, we recommend to our brethren that some contributions, as before, may be made for them." These brethren carried out their purpose and reported their success to the Association, upon which the general recom- mendation was recorded that our brethren in the ministry travel as much as can be convenient, as the people are very destitute in those parts.
This volunteer mission work was continued from year to year, with the approval of the Association and its cordial support, till it was thought expedient to organize a society specially devoted to the promotion of this work.
In 1794, the Association adopted rules of decorum, whether to correct errors or to provide for future good order, we can only conjecture. 1. Only one person shall speak at a time, who shall rise from his seat and address the moderator when he is about to make his speech. 2. The person thus speaking shall not be in- terrupted in his speech by any except the moderator till he has done speaking. 3. He shall strictly adhere to the subject under consideration, and in no wise reflect on the person, or persons, who spoke before, so as to make remarks on his or their slips, failings or imperfections. 4. No person shall speak more than three times
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on one subject, and shall not exceed fifteen minutes in either speech without liberty from the Association. 5. The moderator shall not interrupt any member or prohibit him from speaking, except he breaks the rules of this decorum. 6. No member shall have the liberty of laughing during the sitting of the same; nor whisper- ing in the time of a public speech. 7. No person shall abruptly break off or absent himself from the Association without liberty obtained from it. 8. The names of the several members of the Association shall be enrolled by the clerk, and called again as often as the Association requires. 9. The moderator shall be entitled to the same privilege of speech as any member, provided the chair shall be filled by the clerk, or any other member, during the time he is speaking. 10. Every member who shall break any of the above contained rules shall be reproved by the Association as they shall think proper.
In 1804, Elders Seaman and Kendrick and Higbee were ap- pointed a committee to form a plan for a missionary society. September 26, 1806, the society was organized, and carried on the work with system and vigor. The men ready for this kind of service were Samuel Smith, Jeremiah Higbee, Joel Manning, Wm. Elliot, Ariel Kendrick, Elijah Wiley, Stephen Choat, Jabes Cottle, Thomas Baker. These men went upon journeys of two months' duration, usually, though sometimes shorter journeys were made. In 1809, three such journeys were made; in 1810, five; and in 1811, as many more. Their journeys were usually about five or six hundred miles. Elder Manning giving an account of one of his travels said: "I have tried to preach forty-five times, have passed through fifty-eight towns, and have rode five hundred and forty miles." Besides public services they made many family visits and preached what they were pleased to call chimney corner sermons.
Now and then they had the opportunity to baptize converts and were always welcomed by the scattered people, and did a great amount of good. For this arduous and important service they received from the society treasury at the rate of five dollars per week.
Illustrative of the watchfulness of the Associations over each other and of the Associations themselves over their own members,
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in 1812, a communication was received from the Vermont Associa- tion that they had received impressions that some of the members of the Woodstock Association were heterodox in sentiment and requested information. A committee of inquiry was appointed, and in 1814, Elders Jeremiah Higbee and Joel Manning submitted to the committee a statement of their belief concerning the Son- ship of Christ. The Association voted disapproval of the senti- ments expressed, but, in view of the pleasant connection between them and these brethren, they resolved to postpone action in hope that the brethren would return to soundness of faith.
The result was as anticipated, and the two brethren made further statements retracting the former ones and were fellow- shiped accordingly.
The year, 1814, memorable in the history of American Bap- tists in general, as the date when the General Missionary Con- vention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States for Foreign Missions was organized, was an eventful one in the history of this Association. At this session Luther Rice was present, and under the inspiring influence of his words and presence, great interest was aroused in the work of foreign missions, and a com- mittee consisting of Kendrick, Going and Manning was appointed, to report on the expediency of forming a society in this vicinity, for the promotion of foreign missions. That committee reported in favor of such an organization, and the society was formed during that session. In 1816, this society had received $826.51 and had remitted to the treasury, at Boston, $600. In 1818, they remitted $300. Says Dr. Archibald, "If now we remember that in that year, 1818, all the receipts from the whole country were only $8,076.51, that in that year Massachusetts paid only $676.51 and Connecticut only $316.51, we shall see that this Association was doing much more than its proportionate share of sustaining the infant enterprise."
The year 1814, was marked by another enterprise on the part of the Association. The record is as follows: "As a request from the first church in Windsor was brought forward to the Associa- tion to encourage the formation of a Charitable Education Society for the purpose of improving the minds of pious youth, who are
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called to the Gospel ministry, appointed Brn. Leland, Higbee, Lampson, Bradley, Elliott, Kendrick, Going, Dea. Manning, Abner Forbes, Hon. Judge Fletcher, of Cavendish, to meet at Wind- sor, of the first of January next, 1815, at two o'clock p. m., to form a constitution for an Education Society, and print a circular for the churches. Also the churches are requested to contribute in the course of the year for this laudable purpose and forward the same by their messengers to the next Association." The reports of this society show that it was very cordially and generously sustained during its existence. In the report for 1822 is an item of interest. Donation by Wmn. Cheney for B. Stow. This bene- ficiary was doubtless Baron Stowe, who was at that time a student in Columbian College, D. C. The Treasurer's reports indicate that the women of the churches were specially interested in this work, socks, cotton shirts, fulled cloth, appearing with items of cash from Female Mite Societies, and individual sisters.
Both the Missionary Society and the Education Society con- tinued their work till 1826, when by vote they were both dissolved, and transferred their work to the Vermont and New Hampshire Baptist State Conventions, then just formed.
This Association took a deep interest in the educational in- stitutions of the State, commending Brandon Academy, Leland and Gray Academy, Black River, New Hampton Institute, and Vermont Academy, to the co-operation, prayers and benefactions of the people.
In 1845, the Association pledged itself to furnish the means for the support of a missionary in the foreign field, under the direction of the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions, with the re- quest that the missionary thus supported should make yearly communications, to this body, and oftener if he may deem it ad- visable. The cost of this enterprise was apportioned among the churches, in sums ranging from ten to fifteen dollars for each of the smaller churches, and from thirty-five to fifty dollars for each of the larger churches. A committee of one from each church was appointed to carry out this plan. E. Hutchinson, of Windsor, was appointed to do the corresponding with the Board at Boston.
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The proposition of the Association was pleasing to the Board, and Rev. Nathan Brown, of the Assam Mission, became the missionary of the Woodstock Association upon the foreign field, and an interesting letter from him each year, during his mission on that field gave special interest to the sessions of the Association. The salary of the missionary was increased in 1847 to $600, and the assessments upon the churches increased accordingly, the total assessments amounting to $674.
It is greatly to the honor of the Woodstock Association to have been thus associated with Nathan Brown, translator of the New Testament into the languages of the Assamese and the Japa- nese.
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