USA > Vermont > Bennington County > Bennington > Memorials of a century. Embracing a record of individuals and events, chiefly in the early history of Bennington, Vt., and its First church > Part 6
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II. OTHER REVIVALS. - In 1811 (during the pastorate of the Rev. Daniel Marsh), thirty-eight are known to have been received into the church. In 1820 (the year in which the Rev. Absalom Peters was ordained and installed over the church), thirty-three were added. In 1827 (the second year of the pastorate of the Rev. Daniel A. Clark), there was an accession of one hundred and one. In 1838 (the interval between the pastorate of the Rev. Mr. Clark and that of the Rev. Mr. Hooker), one hundred and sixty-eight were added to the church. In 1834 (in the pastorate of the Rev. E. W. Hooker), ninety were received into the church. Without pursuing the list further, it is apparent there have
church, and continued until three years after Mr. Hooker came. It was held in the meeting-house, in earliest times not uncommonly at Mrs. Samuel Robinson, Sen. I have known my father to go when there were but two or three." - W. Haswell.
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HAPPY COMMUNION SEASON.
been repeated seasons of special religious awakening, and large ingatherings into the church since the revival of 1803.
That, in 1831, may be called, perhaps, the greatest ré- vival, certainly next to that of 1803. In the revival of 1831, one hundred and thirty-one persons were received into the church at one communion.
The following graphic account of that occasion is from Dr. Peters' " Birthday Memorial," Appendix, p. 64 : -
" I cannot close my reminiscences of the church in Bennington without recurring to a scene of surpassing interest, in which I was called to participate some five years after my dismission from its pastoral care. My immediate successor, the late Rev. Daniel A. Clark, had already closed his ministry there, and the church was without a pastor. But where his ministry had planted and watered, God was giving the increase. It was that wonderful year of the right hand of the Most High in many of the churches, 1831. In connection with the preaching of Rev. E. N. Kirk, then of Albany, and others who had temporarily supplied the pulpit, a great revival of religion had been wrought. A large number of . the hopefully converted had been examined and accepted, and were awaiting a formal admission to the church at the next com- munion day, September 4th. I was present by invitation, preached on the occasion, presided at the administration of the Lord's Sup- per, and admitted one hundred and thirty-one persons, on confes- sion of their faith, to their first communion at the Lord's table. Their ages ranged from thirteen to seventy years, and seventy- six of the number, not having been baptized in infancy, received the sacrament of baptism.
" The baptismal service alone, for seventy-six persons in succes- sion, which was performed wholly by myself, occupied all of two hours. Yet this, with the other protracted exercises, produced no weariness in the congregation. A wakeful, earnest attention and a tearful interest pervaded the assembly, and indicated a divine presence above and around us."
CHAPTER VIII.
THE FIRST SEVEN PASTORS.
HE REV. JEDIDIAH DEWEY. - Of the Rev. Mr. Dewey, the first pastor of the church, it is to be regretted that so imperfect a memorial has been preserved. Nevertheless the testimony which we have (being found here and there in relations so diverse from each other, and so foreign to any de- sign of a formal eulogy) is the more conclusive to his worth. Of the extraordinary measures to obtain Mr. Dewey to the pastorship of this church mention has been already made in the account of the organization of the church.
Unquestionable evidence has descended to us of his fer- vent piety and ability, as well as fidelity. A letter from Westfield, Mass., from the pen of the Rev. Emerson Davis, D.D., pastor of the original church in Westfield (which Mr. Dewey left to join the Separates) is interesting ; and some extracts from it may be presented here : -
" Mr. Dewey united with the church (the original church in Westfield) in 1737, at twenty-three years of age. Soon after this the church adopted the half-way covenant. This was particularly offensive to some of the earnest and devoted members. They said the church had abandoned its principles and would admit unconverted persons to the church. Many absented themselves from the communion. They left the church. Mr. Dewey did so, in 1748. He was called to give account in 1749. In 1750 the church voted that, inasmuch as he had gone out from them, had
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MR. DEWEY'S STERLING QUALITIES.
joined the Separates, and become their preacher, that they would no longer regard him as one of their number. They did not call it excommunication, but a withdrawal of fel- lowship. Mrs. Dewey was cut off in the same manner in 1751. Mr. Dewey had only a common-school education, but he was intelligent and gifted. His Christian character stood high. The church refused to excommunicate him, be- cause it would imply something criminal, and so they only withdrew fellowship."
From these few but interesting particulars we can learn somewhat as to the sort of man he was. He was an ear- nest Christian, and had a conscience of his own, and aimed to do good, that his life should not be a blank. He had learned the trade of a carpenter. When the first meeting- house was raised the force was insufficient, and one of the sides halted when partly up. Mr. Dewey stepped forward and said to the builder, " Do you take a pole and help to lift with the men, and I will give the word of command." The builder complied. At that instant two men came riding up on horseback from the south. They dismounted, and also grasped the poles. Mr. Dewey gave the word of command, and the side of the frame went up forthwith to its perpendicular position, was fastened, and the raising of the building was completed without further delay. He also built or superintended the building of the house in which he resided.
It is a proof of Mr. Dewey's sterling qualities that, though a Separate and without liberal education, and though a party was increasing in the church more in sym- pathy with the Standing Order Congregational churches, - a reaction apparent in the controversy of the church respect- ing the method of raising the salary and other moneys for expense of public worship, and which became decisive in the character of Mr. Dewey's successor, and in the charac-
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MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
ter of the men composing the council which installed Mr. Avery,-yet Mr. Dewey was as much esteemed by the conservatives as by any portion of the church and congre- gation. An incidental paragraph in the Rev. Mr. Avery's published narrative corroborates the estimate here pre- sented. Referring to the history of the church under Mr. Dewey's ministry, he says : -
" As a number of professors, not of the Separate order, have become inhabitants of the town, and have great re- spect for the personal and ministerial endowments of the Rev. Mr. Dewey, who was of catholic and liberal princi- ples, they have, at different periods, joined the communion here."
From the time of his first connection with the Westfield church as its pastor to the close of his labors in Benning- ton was a period of twenty-nine years. His pastorate of the Bennington church continued through a period of fifteen years and four months.
In rude and boisterous times he built up the infant church in its new home, and left it to his successor with a roll of at least one hundred and twenty-seven names. (Inclusive of those deceased and those dismissed.)
Mr. Dewey was also a patriot. With a warm love of his people, and a profound interest in the future prosperity of the infant settlement where he had cast in his lot, his ener- gies were unavoidably taxed, not only by the spiritual wants, but also by the secular exigencies of the community. As early as January, 1770, he was indicted with others at Albany as one of the leaders in the efforts of the settlers to maintain their land-titles ; not that he was active in any violent sense, but his counsels were understood at Al- bany to have weight with his fellow-citizens, on public affairs. In May, 1772, in a spirited correspondence be- tween the New York governor and the inhabitants of Ben-
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MR. DEWEY A PATRIOT.
nington, his name is foremost in the address of the gov- ernor's letter, and at the head of the signatures in the reply of the Bennington men to that letter. The following pas sage occurs in that letter : "I am told Mr. Dewey, a minister of the gospel, James Brcakenridge, and Mr. Fay (Dr. Jonas Fay) arc persons in whose judgment you have much confidence. I should therefore think they would be your proper messengers on a business in which you are so deeply concerned ; especially Mr. Dewey, who has been fa- vorably represented here since my appointment to this gov- crnment."1 As the result of this correspondence with Governor Tryon, in which Mr. Dewey took a leading part, the government of New York for a time quite modified its course ; so much so that the settlers here thought their troubles connected with this controversy had come to an end. Guns were fired in Bennington, speeches made, and a vast concourse from this and neighboring places united in celebrating what they believed, or hoped, was the dawn of peace. These bright hopes were destined, however, to be blasted ; but it shows that Mr. Dewey did what he could wisely, by peaceful negotiation, to bring an end to contro- versy, and that his influence with Governor Tryon was not inconsiderable.
But Mr. Dewcy, it appears, understood and applied the maxim, that there are times when forbearance ceases to be a virtue ; and hence he was feared as well as respected at Albany. He was, as all accounts agrec, a man of stern force in the discharge of his duty according to his con- science. In 1777, when the Revolutionary War had com- menced, and the enemy were descending the Hudson River with great forcc, and threatening to devastate the whole country, and had sent a detachment to capture the military stores at Bennington, lic preached a war sermon. He told
1 See State Papers, pp. 22, 23.
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MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
his people to take arms and go fight for their country. On the next Saturday the Bennington battle was fought and won. The two following anecdotes do not seem exactly credible, but they are among the traditional anecdotes of Bennington, and given as related to the writer : -
It is related that on one occasion, when Ethan Allen was in the congregation, and Mr. Dewey was preaching on the character of God, some remark in the discourse displeased Col. Allen ; he arose in his place at the head of a prominent pew in the broad aisle, and saying with an audible voice, "IT'S NOT SO," started to go out of the pew, evidently with the intention of leaving the house. Mr. Dewey, lift- ing up his right hand, and pointing with his fore-finger di- rectly at Col. Allen, said, " Sit down, thou bold blasphemer, and listen to the Word of God." Allen, who had too strong a taste for that style of doing things not to like it under any circumstances, immediately resumed his seat, and gave respectful attention to the remainder of the dis- course.
It is also related that at the public divine service of thanksgiving for the capture of Ticonderoga, in which Allen bore so heroic and so famous a part, many officers from Ticonderoga attended, and Allen was present. Mr. Dewey preached, and made the prayer, in which he gave to God all the glory and praise of the capture of the strong- hold. Allen, in the midst of the prayer, called out, " PAR- SON DEWEY ! PARSON DEWEY ! PARSON DEWEY !" The third time of so pronouncing his name made Mr. Dewey to pause and open his eyes. Allen then raised both hands and said, " Please mention to the Lord about my being there!" Mr. Dewey, taking no further notice of the interruption, pro- ceeded with the public devotions.
He could also be genial and pleasant. One or two char- acteristic anecdotes are proper to be introduced to illustrate
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ANECDOTES OF MR. DEWEY.
this. When the house, now the residence of Aaron L. Hubbell, and built by his father, was raised, Mr. Dewey was present : also Joseph Rudd, who was engaged to be married to Sarah Wickwire, then living in a house nearly opposite. Mr. Dewey, who knew of the intention of mar- riage, said to Joseph, " If you will go and lead Sarah over here, I will marry you for nothing." The reply was, "It's a bargain." Joseph led the young lady to the place, some planks were laid down upon the timbers for a floor, and they were married.
It is related, there was a stupid and withal an eccentric or half-witted servant man in Mr. Dewey's house, who liad the strange habit of arising in the night, and wandering from room to room with a lighted candle in his hand. Mr. Dewey, who was both a careful and an economical man, rebuked the individual, saying he feared his house would be set on fire by such proceedings, and moreover he did not like to have his candles consumed so uselessly ; but on the very next night he heard the noise of the man about the house again. Mr. Dewey, full of indignation, and de- signing to be very severe, proceeded to the room, and lo ! instead of one candle, the fellow had two, one in each hand, illuminating liis nocturnal perambulations. Mr. Dewey, who had a sense for the ludicrous, suddenly forgot his anger, and retired from the scene, saying not a word.
If Mr. Dewey had any enemies, it has not been handed down. The valuable right of land called the minister's right was settled upon him by vote, as follows : -
" July 18, 1763. - Voted, To give the Rev. Jedidiah Dewey the lot of land called the minister's, in said Bennington, exclusive of the labor already done on said lot, in case said Mr. Dewey settles with us in the gospel ministry." "November 1, 1763. - Voted, To give the Rev. Mr. Jedidiah Dewey the lot of land called the minis- ter's lot, for his settlement, as an encouragement for him in the work of the ministry."
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MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
He built and occupied the house, the residence of the late Major Aaron Robinson.
He was the son of Jedidiah and Rebecca (Williams) Dewey. He was born in Westfield, Mass., April 11, 1714, and died December 21, 1778. He married Mindwell Hay- den Hopkins, of Windsor, Conn., August 4, 1736. They were published July 3 of that year. Of her were born to him : -
Mindwell, Nov. 29, 1737.
Eldad, Aug. 12, 1747.
Lucy, Nov. 16, 1739.
Lucy, 2d, Nov. 9, 1751.
Jedidiah, June 17, 1742. Elijah, Nov. 28, 1744.
Margaret, Nov. 28, 1756. Betsey, Dec. 16, 1759.
Mrs. Mindwell Hayden Dewey died May 29, 1760, before Mr. Dewey's removal to Bennington, in the forty-eighth year of her age. Mr. Dewey married his second wife, Betty Buck, February 20, 1761. Of her were born to him : --
Loan, May 15, 1765.
Claret, Oct. 6, 1773.
Tabitha, Feb. 16, 1768.
Julia, Oct. 20, 1770.
Phyana, Dec. 13, 1775. Plina, Jan. 26, 1778.
Mrs. Betty (Buck) Dewey died June 29, 1792, in the fifty-fourth year of her age.
II. THE REV. DAVID AVERY was born April 5, 1746, in Norwich, a part of the town called Norwich Farms, now a part of the town of Franklin, Conn. His immigrant ancestor was John Avery, a Scotchman who settled in Truro, Mass. His parents were John and Lydia (Smith) Avery. He experienced religion under the preaching of Whitfield.1 He was fitted for college in the 'noted Indian Missionary School of the Rev. Eleazer Wheelock, D.D., at
1 Notes of the Rev. P. H. White.
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A WAR SERMON.
Lebanon Crank (now Columbia), Conn. He was gradu- ated at Yale College in 1769, and studied theology with his former preceptor, then President of Dartmouth College, (into which institution the Indian Missionary School had just been formed).1 He was ordained as missionary to the Oneida Indians, Aug. 29, 1771, as colleague with the Rev. Samuel Kirkland. This Mr. Kirkland was son of the Rev. Daniel Kirkland, pastor of the Newint (now Lisbon) church in Connecticut, from which the Newint Separate church, previously referred to in this discourse, separated. Mr. Avery did not, however, long remain among the Indians, but returned to New England and preached in various places until March 25, 1773, when he was installed at Gageboro' (now Windsor), Mass.
The Sabbath after the news of the battle of Lexington reached Gageboro', he preached a farewell sermon, telling the people that God would take care of them ; as for him- self he was going to join the army. When the congre- gation was dismissed he took his stand upon the steps, and gave a soul-stirring address on behalf of his country, en- treating his people " by every motive of patriotism, and as they valued liberty and abhorred slavery, not to turn a deaf ear to her cry." Twenty of his parishioners gave a quick response to his appeal, chose him captain, shouldered their muskets, and started on foot for Boston. In ten days from the battle of Lexington they were in their camp at Cambridge. They rested the first Sabbath at North- ampton and attended public worship. In the afternoon, Mr., now Capt., Avery preached. His text was Nehemiah iv. 14,- " And I looked and rose up and said unto the nobles and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them ; Remember the Lord, which is great,
1 One hundred and fiftieth anniversary pamphlet of Columbia, Conn., by the Rev. F. D. Avery and others.
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MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses." On the fol- lowing Saturday, they arrived at Cambridge, and on Sun- day Mr. Avery preached to the whole army from the same text. He received a commission as chaplain in the army, dated April 18, 1776, and was attached to Col. Sherborne's regiment. He not only faithfully performed the duties of his office, but occasionally volunteered to stand guard, or even to go into a battle. While holding his position as captain, he instituted daily religious services, going from tent to tent to read the word of God. At first he had leave of absence from his parish, the neighboring minis- ters supplying the pulpit two-thirds of the time; but his absence being protracted he was dismissed from Gageboro', April 14, 1777. He was at the battle of Bunker Hill ; saw the defeat of our army at the battle of Long Island ; was by the side of Washington in his melancholy retreat through the Jerseys ; was present at the taking of Bur- goyne, at the capture of the Hessians at Trenton, and in the battle of Princeton ; was in the army during that ter- rible winter at Valley Forge ; helped build the fortification at Ticonderoga ; was by the side of Washington when he signed the death-warrant of Andre, and witnessed the ex- ecution of that ill-fated officer ; and was very active in the efforts which were made to capture the traitor Arnold.1 He resigned his chaplaincy Feb. 1, 1780, but continued to serve till March, 1780.
His ministry at Bennington was next in order. He pub- licly took charge of the church and congregation here, in the presence of the Rev. Messrs. Daniel Collins, Samuel Morrison, and Seth Swift, May 3, 1780. With the excep- tion of church action in cases of discipline, and the doings of the councils in his own case, the records present little
1 Anniversary pamphlet of Columbia, Conn.
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MR. AVERY'S DOCTRINES.
clue to the nature and extent of his labors in this field. Tradition has preserved still fewer particulars of his min- istry here. A manuscript letter, written by him after he left, to one of his Bennington flock, speaks of his earnest endeavors to inculcate the doctrines of God's word, both in his sermons and bible-classes. He was, undoubtedly, active and laborious ; but what special fruits there were of his labors here the judgment-day can only disclose. He was dismissed at his own request, by vote of the church, June 17, 1783.
He was settled at Wrentham, Mass., May 25, 1786, and, after much difficulty there, was dismissed April 21, 1794, but still continued to preach to a congregation in North Wrentham. He afterward removed to Mansfield, Conn., and employed himself with preaching in vacant parishes in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont. He also per- formed two missionary tours in the western part of New York State, and one in Maine, under the patronage of the Massachusetts Domestic Missionary Society. He afterward gathered a church and society in Chaplin, Conn., to which he preached for three years. In October, 1817, he went to Shepardstown, Va., to visit a daughter, and while there re- ceived a call to settle in Middletown, Va.
He possessed superior talents and culture. Strange to say, in two or more instances of disaffection toward him in the parishes where he was, the openly alleged ground of dissatisfaction was unsoundness of doctrine, " leaning toward Socinianism;" and yet all the reliable evidence goes to show that he was a bold and discriminating preacher of Orthodox doctrines. The principal charges against him, before the council in this place, were with regard to the doctrines which he preached. Three specifications were presented in the complaint, wherein, as was alleged, his doctrines were false .. .. The council decided that the views
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MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
of doctrine which the complainants alleged he taught, and which they regarded as unsound, were correct.1
While here, Mr. Avery built and occupied the house late the residence of Judge Isham. He used to sign his name David Avery, V.D.M., - Verbi Dei Minister, - minister of the word of God. He is described as tall, portly, of com- manding presence and strongly marked features ; a gentle- man of the old school, frank, cordial, and dignified. He usually preached extemporaneously from short notes. He wrote with a very large, open, and graceful chirography, ex- ceedingly pleasant to read. He had a clear, sonorous voice, and spoke so distinctly that every soldier in a brigade could hear all that he said.2 His published discourses were, two funeral sermons ; a thanksgiving sermon ; and a sermon on holding the tongue.
When upwards of seventy, he received the call to settle in Middletown, Va. His installation was appointed, but never took place. It was prevented by illness, which proved fatal. The clergymen who were pall-bearers at his funeral were the same who were invited to his installation. The text on which he last preached, about two weeks before his death, was Rom. viii. 9: " Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his." In the incipient stages of his last sickness, some evangelical ministers and elders of different denominations assembled by his request at the house where he was, and established a united monthly con- cert of prayer. One of the prayers he offered himself, sit- ting bolstered up upon his dying-bed. He died of typhus fever, Feb. 16, 1818.
III. THE REV. JOB SWIFT, D.D., was born in Sandwich, Mass., June 17, 1743. His parents were Jabez and Abi- gail Swift, of Kent, Conn., to which place his father re- 1 Church Records, and Mr. Avery's Narrative. 2 Notes of Mr. P. H. White.
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TROUBLOUS TIMES IN THE COUNTRY.
moved when he was very young. He was graduated at col- lege in 1765. His mind became hopefully impressed with a sense of religion while engaged in the study of Pres. Ed- wards' writings at college. He was assisted in his theologi- cal studies by the Rev. Dr. Bellamy. He was little more than twenty-two years of age when he became a preacher of the gospel. In the following year he was ordained over a church and people in Richmond, Mass., where he labored seven years. After his dismission from the church in Rich- mond, he preached in different places for a twelvemonth. He then removed to the Nine Partners, in the State of New York, and remained there seven years. Thence he re- moved to Manchester, in this State. After a ministry of two years there, he removed to Bennington, and was in- stalled here May 31, 1786.
His labors here were arduous and prosperous ; but it was not a time of numerous and extensive revivals. The con- troversy respecting the claims of New York was not finally adjusted until Oct. 28, 1790, some four and a half years on- ward in his ministry here. The State was not admitted into the Union until March 4, 1791. The troubles had already commenced, growing out of the impoverishment of the people by the Revolutionary War, and the depreciation of paper currency. By the latter cause, Mr. Swift, previously to his removal to Bennington, had the misfortune of losing the chief part of his property. There were heavy taxes to meet the necessities of the national and State governments. There were serious disturbances in different parts of Ver- mont, and attempts to resist the collection of the taxes. The Shay's rebellion in Massachusetts, from the same cause, occurred at this time, - 1786, 1787. In Vermont, the attempts to overawe the courts and resist the officers of the government, though not in the end successful, showed how deep was the distress of the people because of the
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MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
poverty occasioned by the long and arduous struggle with many and diverse enemies and dangers. The difficulties of this time were aggravated fearfully in Vermont by its anom- alous condition. It being yet unrecognized as a State by neighboring States and by the Federal Union, and its self-constituted regime being resisted and denied by some of its own citizens, there was naturally an extraordinary influx into the State of lawless persons, -individuals bankrupt in character, as well as in finances. This was a source of dis- order in the State of serious extent. The high part played by Bennington in the civil affairs of the State was continued. Twice during the ministry of Mr. Swift, the Legislature was convened here, - in 1787, and in 1792. Also during his min- istry here the party spirit of the two political parties, called then Federal and Republican, waxed warm and was often- times at fever-heat. This excitement and struggle of polit- ical parties began as soon as Vermont was admitted into the Union. Intensity of party contests in Bennington, it would seem, could not have been surpassed elsewhere. In- fluential men, indeed the preponderance of influence in the church and society, were committed to Jefferson and his ad- ministration. Mr. Swift is represented as a model minis- ter for prudence. He was at all times careful of the inter- ests of Christ's spiritual kingdom. He, however, without doubt, sympathized with Pres. Dwight, of Yale College, and the Rev. Dr. Emmons, of Massachusetts, and other leading New England divines, who conscientiously believed Jefferson to be infidel in religious opinion, and who gave to this consideration great weight in their comparative esti- mate of the political parties of that time. It is represented that Mr. Swift gave dissatisfaction because his prayers at public worship were so worded as not to recognize Jeffer- son as a Christian, - it being the custom to pray particu- larly for both the President and Vice-President of the
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