USA > Vermont > History of the Baptists in Vermont > Part 38
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Churches were not recognized as missionary organizations from which delegates could be sent and contributions expected. Or- dained ministers were not members by virtue of their office, but by virtue of their appointment by some society. Within the churches there were missionary societies, and female mite so- cieties, and flock societies, and Education societies, and these were the units of the Convention and the base of its supplies.
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Accordingly, the first work of the Convention was an effort to multiply these societies. The lack of missionary interest was accounted for as due not to want of feeling, but chiefly to want of system and cooperation among our churches. They said, "The practice of forming distinct societies is not sufficiently prevalent. To remedy this evil the Convention has been formed in this State, and it is earnestly desired that in each and all our churches, socie- ties may be formed speedily, auxiliary to the Convention and re- port without delay."
The agents appointed in 1825, addressed themselves vigorously to this task of organizing societies, and within a year seventy-five new societies were reported. The work of organizing and reorgan- izing was urgently pressed. Appeals were addressed to the pastors to engage in this work. Thus, plainly the hopes of our fathers were based upon organizations within the churches, rather than upon the churches themselves. It is interesting to follow the amendments to the constitution and note the gradual change in the recognized basis of the State Convention.
By an amendment in 1826, a contribution of $50 entitled a society, not only to an additional delegate, but also gave it the right to elect a trustee, and $25 annually gave a contributing individual the right to a place on the Board of Trustees. The offer of a life membership in the Board for $50 was withdrawn.
In 1829, the Associations were permitted to send each five delegates instead of one; and the churches are for the first time in- cluded with the societies, as entitled to delegates, if contributing to the funds of the Convention.
In 1832, the constituency was apparently broadened by the general provision, that it consisted of delegates from Associations not exceeding five, and of delegates from any other body of people, who shall contribute $5 annually. Additional delegates were al- lowed for additional $50.
In 1842, ordained Baptist ministers in regular standing, resid- ing within the bounds of the Associations, were entitled to member- ship; the delegates from Associations reduced from five to three each; one delegate was received from each church and each auxiliary society, and the members of the Board were ex-officio members.
HON. WILLIAM W. STICKNEY Governor of Vermont, 1900-1902 President of Convention Board
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The amendment of 1851 differs little from that of 1842, except by the provision that any member of a Baptist church in good standing may be a member for the year, by the payment of $5.
The latest amendment, that of 1893, reads, "This Convention shall be composed of ordained Baptist ministers within its bounds in regular standing, members of the Board, and delegates from the churches as follows: One from each church contributing to its funds; any church contributing not less than fifty cents per resident member (as reported the preceding year) shall be entitled to a second delegate, or any church, contributing $50, or more, shall be entitled to a delegate for every $50."
Thus the Convention has come gradually to recognize its ministry and its churches, as the sole basis of its membership, and source of its supplies.
1835-1840
For the next six years the Convention prosecuted its work with commendable energy, and a fair degree of success, but evidently under increasing difficulties and discouragements. The average yearly receipts were $2,083. And yet, in the year 1837, the receipts fell off from $2,600 of the year before, to $1,140. This unexpected decrease seemed to lay upon the Board the neces- sity of paying only fifty cents on the dollar of the appropriations; and they had to borrow the funds in the treasury, belonging to foreign missions, to do that. The year 1837, was one of great financial disaster throughout the country. During the six years there were employed, on an average, seven and one-half mission- aries a year, in Danville, Barre and Fairfield Associations, and in the border townships of Canada. The mission in Canada became very interesting. In 1838, six missionaries were appointed to that field alone, five of them labored through the entire year, and the sixth, four months. They reported nine churches and four hun- dred members. Edward Mitchell and Jonathan Baldwin were especially useful through this period. Mitchell laboring for the most part in Canada, and Baldwin both in Canada and in the northern part of Vermont. It was in 1838, and in a protracted
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meeting in St. Armand, held by this venerated man of God, that Charles Hibbard was brought to the decision to give himself un- reservedly to Christ. Mr. Baldwin's labors as a missionary and in protracted meetings were greatly blessed for many years. During this period there were baptized into the churches connected with the Convention, four thousand, five hundred and seventeen, or an average per year of seven hundred and fifty-two and five-sixths. In 1837, the Convention, sympathizing with the feeling which originated the American and Foreign Bible Society, recommended the immediate formation of a Vermont State Bible Society, auxil- iary to said society. An adjournment was at once voted to give an opportunity for the organization of the same. Hon. J. D. Farns- worth was chosen president, with ten vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer, and executive committee.
A full account of this organization is given in a separate chapter.
During these years two more schools of higher learning, under the control of the denomination, were established in the State, in- dicating a revival of educational interest of much promise-Black River Academy, founded at Ludlow in 1835, Leland and Gray Academy founded at Townshend about the same time, and the Derby Literary Institute, afterward known as Derby Academy, at Derby Center, incorporated in 1839.
During these years the questions of temperance and slavery, specially the latter, began to assume increasing prominence. Resolutions, strongly condemnatory of the slave-holder, as well as the institution of slavery, were introduced and earnestly discussed in the meetings of the Convention.
At the close of this period the total membership in our churches was eleven thousand, one hundred and one, being an increase of four hundred and nineteen since 1834, and of four thousand, seven hundred and seventy-two since the formation of the Convention.
At a meeting of the Board in October, 1837, it was voted "that the American Baptist Home Mission Society be requested to recognize our missionaries laboring in Lower Canada, as their own; and that they authorize this Convention to sustain them from funds raised by the Convention, designated for Home Missions, and
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pay over the surplus to the parent society. This course was not taken for the purpose of relinquishing our jurisdiction over the Canada mission, nor because we have discovered any diminution of interest on the part of the churches to sustain it; but solely to avail ourselves of funds raised within our borders, for what is called the Home Mission." The executive committee of the Home Mission Society in reply to the request of the Board, agreed to comply with the request. "It is deemed reasonable," they say, "that the money expended out of Vermont should be considered as belonging to the Home Mission Department. By this arrange- ment it is understood that your Board are still to have the oversight of the Canada mission, and that all moneys, raised in Vermont for home missions, shall be appropriated for the support of that mission; the surplus to be transmitted to the treasurer of the parent society."
Under this new arrangement the missionaries were expected to report, from time to time, to the Home Mission Society, and the treasurer of the Convention to report an account of the moneys paid over to these missionaries. The Convention considered itself pledged for the support of this mission, but were not able to long carry the burden, and the mission was practically transferred to the Home Mission Society.
1841-1850
In the sessions of 1841, the discussions were animated, if not exciting. Anti-slavery was the subject of all-absorbing interest. A proposition was introduced recommending that the relation between the Convention and the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society and the American Baptist Home Mission Societies be dis- solved, and another resolution introduced called for a protest against the action of the Triennial Convention, which was thought to have committed that body in favor of the South on the subject of slavery. Neither of these resolutions passed, but they were fully discussed. A remarkably large number of visitors from abroad were present and took part in these discussions. These were Reuben Winchell, agent of the American Baptist Mission Society;
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Horace Seaver, agent of the American and Foreign Bible Society; William Crowell, editor of the Christian Watchman; E. Thresher, secretary of the Northern Baptist Education Society; Seth Ewer, Sandy Hill, N. Y .; D. S. Lincoln, Hubbardton; Lewis A. Dunn, Granville, N. Y .; J. M. Rockwood, Mass .; and S. Fletcher, N. Y.
The committee on the state of religion reported, "There has not been such general dearth of revival intelligence through the State for many years. Last year nine hundred and sixty-four bap- tisms, this year three hundred and seventy-six. Of the one hun- dred and thirty-five churches reported last year, only about fifty have retained their pastors. This is one of the most unfavorable indications in the history of the Baptist denomination in this State; for these changes have taken place among the churches themselves. But few pastors have been called out of the State, or to larger or more important fields. Under the unhealthful ex- citement of these frequent changes the churches can enjoy but a spurious prosperity at best, and the ministry cannot greatly im- prove."
Such was the bankrupt condition of the treasury that the Board felt obliged to decline nearly all applications for aid to churches. Three only received any help, and the year closed with a debt.
In 1842, little was done save to render $50 each to the churches in Burlington, Brattleboro, and Middlebury. The Burlington church, under the lead of Rev. H. Safford, was building a meeting- house. The Brattleboro church was thought to be able, under favorable circumstances, to raise $300, and needed the fostering care of the Convention.
Brother Safford, of Burlington, had expressed the hope "that Baptists in Vermont, who have means, will not forget the Burling- ton church, and that the Board of the Convention will increase their appropriation for a few years, when they hope to go alone, and do something to help others,"-a hope gloriously fulfilled.
In 1843, no missionaries were employed, and no appropria- tions made. Even the Canadian mission was cut off. This year the Convention received its first legacy. By the will of John Rog- ers, a legacy was given the Convention, which at that time was
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thought to be about $750, but fell somewhat short of that amount. This was the beginning of the permanent fund.
There were no signs of improvement in 1844. Many churches had been sadly injured by the recent extravagant notions of the Second Advent of Christ.
On its twentieth anniversary, the Convention was still in debt and practically disabled in most lines of work.
In 1843, the eighteenth annual report of the Board began with this melancholy record: "We have been constrained for the want of funds the past year, to almost suspend our missionary operations. We have been obliged, not only to withdraw aid from Canada, but to turn away from waste places within our own borders."
During the next five years little was attempted or accom- plished. The Convention was, however, awakening to its condi- tion and was studying the causes and seeking the remedy.
In 1848, a special committee, appointed to suggest the causes and ascertain the remedy for the decline of the Convention, re- ported as follows:
"I. Causes. We consider a worldly spirit, sapping the foun- dations of deep piety and benevolence, as the main cause. The prejudice against State agencies, on account of the supposed use- less expenditure for their support, as a second cause.
"Giving up the prosperous Canada mission, and the missions among the Catholics in northern Vermont we consider a cause.
"Want of full published reports of the success attending the aid afforded several of our once feeble, but now flourishing churches, we consider among the causes.
"Did the churches generally know the value of their aid formerly afforded to several feeble churches, they would be more ready to continue their benevolence.
"II. The Remedy. We consider that the appointment of one or more missionary agents, to take the oversight of the whole field-its wants, and its pecuniary means-is one of the first things to be done.
"We consider that definite fields of labor should be hunted up and pointed out to the churches, as objects of specifie effort;
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such as used to be the Canada mission, and as would be the Catho- lic population on the northern border of our State; such towns as once were Burlington, Rutland, Brattleboro, and places where former assistance has been rendered by your body.
"Feeble churches should be visited by the missionary agents, ascertaining their ability, stirring them up to duty and aiding them in obtaining pastors to supply the churches according to their ability of support.
"Pastors raising funds for benevolent purposes should en- deavor, under existing circumstances, to see, especially, that the wants of the Convention be supplied. While we would not wish to have any cause of benevolence neglected, still we would have the importance of making first efforts, at least the present year, for the State Convention."
A. Angier was chairman of this committee.
Again, in 1850, Mr. Angier expressed to the Board his con- viction, that if the Board, for the ensuing year, should adopt effi- cient measures for the supply of the destitute in our own State, the churches would cheerfully devote the major part of their contribu - tions to the treasury of the Convention.
During the years 1840-1849, inclusive, twenty-nine churches became extinct. These were Dorset, Craftsbury, Burke, Shafts- bury 2d, in 1840; Franklin, 1841; Barre, 1842; Arlington, Roches- ter 2d, West Windsor, Windsor, 1843; Richmond,-the birthplace of the Richmond Association, 1844; Ferrisburg, Fletcher, Reads- boro, Randolph, West Townshend, Williamstown, Winhall, 1845; Sterling, Stowe, 1846; Charleston, Stockbridge, Stratton, 1847; Hartford, Pawlet 2d, Union Village, 1848; Milton, West Roxbury and Waitsfield, 1849.
Sunday schools, ministerial education, and, in short, all our State benevolent work seemed struck with spiritual paralysis. And yet one or two items cast a glittering ray into the gloom. One was the French mission at Enosburg, which, though it had its lights and shades, was generally very prosperous from the time it was taken up in 1843, till at the close of this period. The church numbered one hundred and seven members, the most of whom were won from the thrall of Romanism. One new church, the Hyde-
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ville, was organized this year under promising auspices, and aided by the Convention. The Brattleboro church, after nine years of fostering care, in which time it received from the Convention about $350, became self-supporting, in 1849, and it is important to notice that, while thus fostered, it contributed during those nine years, to different benevolent objects, between $600 and $700 Thus, "the bread cast upon the waters was found after (not) many days."
It is but just, also, to the churches of this period to state that they were not utterly dead to the claims of the perishing world. They took a far deeper interest in foreign missions than in their own State or home mission work. During the last four years of this time, they contributed $7,966.57, or about $2,000 a year to the Missionary Union.
Some of the more prominent causes of this remarkable de- clension, noted by Mr. Hibbard, are as follows:
First, is Millerism, which from 1841 to 1843 swept like a deso- lating fire over a considerable section of our State. It was specially destructive in Addison County and Lamoille Association. At the outset, it led many to scoff and turn away in disgust from all con- sideration of religion, but as the time set drew nigh, there was in- tense excitement, and multitudes from sheer fear, it is believed, professed to be converted and were baptized. In that year, one thousand, two hundred and fifty-five united with our churches by baptism, while the year before, only four hundred and seventy- seven did so; and the year after, one hundred and fifty-four; and still a year later, one hundred and one. But if many had scoffed at religion during the excitement, very many more did so after the set time had passed, and became utter infidels. And while spurious converts quickly fell away, thousands of true christians, who had more or less strongly entertained the belief, were paralyzed by the shock given to their faith in God's word. It took years for some of the most excellent of them to regain their lost ground, and many of them died under a cloud.
Second. Following in the track of this desolating scourge, or rather sweeping on with it, came a wave of infidelity, - often called Murrayism,-from the fact that Orison S. Murray of Brandon, was
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the head and front of it. He was a Baptist, and a man of great energy and determination of character, and had for some years been editor and proprietor of the Vermont Telegraph, a Baptist paper widely taken by our people. Becoming an infidel, he began at first covertly, but afterward openly and boldly, to disseminate his pernicious views, through the columns of that journal. When the paper was discarded by the denomination and the "Vermont Baptist Journal" was started in Middlebury, in 1842, (this paper was published only a few months) to counteract its infidelity, he took the lecture field. Being a strong, outspoken opponent of slavery, he drew large audiences, into whose ears, willing or un- willing, he was sure to pour his infidel sentiments. The poison was widespread, and the evil results far greater and more lasting than those of Millerism.
Third. The anti-slavery discussions were a third element in explanation of this declension. Baptist principles demanded equal liberty for all. It is not surprising, therefore, that our people early took strong anti-slavery ground. This they did as far back as 1834, but then, trampling on their own principles, many were not willing to allow others the liberty of seeking its overthrow in whatever way might seem to them the most promising, and so the discussion grew hot,-nay, almost fierce. It was brought into the Convention and all public meetings consuming time, dividing coun- cils, impugning motives, alienating brethren. The Vermont Tele- graph was full of it, and in 1842, was formed the Vermont Anti- Slavery Society. Now, there is no doubt but that God over-ruled this discussion for good. It did its part in bringing to pass President Lincoln's ever memorable proclamation of liberty to the slaves, in 1862, but turning away men's minds, as it did so largely, from the subject of personal religion, it just as certainly did mueh to bring on the great declension of this period.
Fourth. But a cause, greater than any one-nay, than all these, because it left an open door to them all-was the ineffi- cient ministry. One of the most keen and accurate observers in the State referring to that period, wrote: "We had no adequate supply of even partially trained men, in the ministry, to meet the evils that came in like a flood." Here we have in a sentence the
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secret of the disaster. Beyond a dozen or fifteen names, we had no well-trained men in the ministry-men fitted by mental discipline and generous culture to meet the disseminators of error, hand to hand, foot to foot, and turn back the tide of evil; or yet, as in the anti-slavery discussions, to stem the torrent of misguided enthus- iasm. Grant, Patterson, Church, Conant, Hotchkiss, Hodge, Smith, and Ide, and others like them, each a host in himself, had left the State.
We find that against the churches where such men were re- tained, the storm surged in vain.
Fifth. A fifth adverse influence, and one which, to a certain extent, lay still back of the last mentioned, was a worldly spirit, or a love of the wealth and honors and pleasures of this world. It had grown strong with the greatly increased prosperity of the coun- try. It indisposed men to take the sacrifices needful to the pro- curing of an educated ministry, or to support, and so retain, such as had providentially come to them.
It took advantage, moreover, of the early prejudice against a learned ministry, and so refused to support the men, who, if re- tained, would have been the salvation of the churches. Christians hoarded their wealth, or spent it upon their lusts, which, if poured into the treasuries of the churches and the Convention, would have saved the State from the terrible calamity of this period, and caused many a desert place to bud and blossom with beauty. If the last was the secret of the disaster, this was the bottom element. Other minor causes might be mentioned, but such of them as were pe- culiar to this period are substantially covered by the above.
The anti-slavery discussions were so animated in this period, and the action of the Convention on the subject so distinctly his- torical, that the full account of it may well be included here.
SLAVERY
In 1837, a new committee was appointed,- a "Committee on Slavery,"-A. Sabin, and O. S. Murray. The report of this com- mittee was adopted and ordered printed in an extra of the D'ermont Telegraph, signed by the chairman and clerk of the Convention,
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and sent to all the Baptist churches in the southern states of the American Union.
The next year, 1838, Wm. Guilford and W. Marsh, were on this committee. This was their brief report, unanimously adopted : "Resolved. 1. As the ancient prophets were sent to warn the kings and nations, and remonstrate with them for their sins, the sons of the prophets ought to speak in the ears of this nation, re- proving, exhorting, and remonstrating for the sin of slavery. Resolved. 2. That the history of the last six years demonstrate that God has been arousing the minds, not only of this nation, but of all christendom, to the injustice and cruelty, and sin of slavery; and we cannot be workers together with God unless we throw our influence into the scale of humanity and justice."
The extent to which the subject of moral reforms was agitating the minds of the delegates to the Conventions is indicated by a resolution which, though tabled, had some grounds, evidently, for its introduction.
"Whearas, the introduction into this Convention of the various subjects of moral reform, such as Temperance, Anti-Slavery, Peace, etc., seems to divert attention and retard the business con- stitutionally before this body, therefore, Resolved, that in future we vacate the afternoon of Thursday to give room for those who may wish to discuss the several subjects of moral reform now agitating the community."
In 1840, the committee of arrangements of the Convention, assigned Wednesday evening to the friends of the slave, at which time most of the members of the Convention assembled, and many from the village and vicinity of Bristol. It was a full meeting, indicating deep interest in the subject.
Brother Stephen Hutchins, pastor of the Baptist church in Bennington, was appointed chairman, and O. S. Murray, clerk. Moses Flint, of Charlotte, led in prayer. All were invited to par- ticipate in the discussion. The following resolutions were intro- duced and read: "Resolved, that slavery is a violation of human rights, a sin against God, and, as connected with the christian church, a scandal on the Christian religion.
"Resolved, that the time has fully come to withdraw christian
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fellowship from those who practice this sin, or apologize for it, or in any way countenance it.
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