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 7
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95
DR. SWIFT'S METHOD OF PREACHING.
United States. In 1792, six years after the installation of Mr. Swift, the subject of the erection of a new meeting- house began to be seriously agitated, and was carried into the town meetings. This agitation was continued during the remainder of Mr. Swift's ministry here.
It was a time of religious desolation throughout the land. A sermon to the ministers - one of the printed collection of his sermons - has this conclusion : -
"In a worldly view there are to all many discouragements. It is a time in which error prevails. It is a time of great stupidity and dark worldly prospects. But, cost what it may, let us preserve fidelity to our Lord and Master. You may be courted, on the one hand, to keep back the truth, and threatened on the other. But, oh, it is infinitely too great a sacrifice to gain the honors and riches of this world at the expense of fidelity to Christ ! We are not, my brethren, to expect much from this world. This, however com- fortable, would be but a poor reward. If we are faithful, we shall have an infinitely more important reward. A crown of glory awaits us from our Lord and Master, which may we, by our faith- ful labors, inherit, for the Redeemer's sake."
Upon the records of the church are preserved the names of thirty persons who united with the church during Mr. Swift's ministry here. Strange it would be if not many were added of whom no record is preserved, so imperfectly kept were the records.
There was no attempt in his sermons at quaintness, or antithesis, or merely rhetorical ornament. He chose an im- portant subject of religious doctrine or practice, went straight through with it, and stopped when he came to a proper end. He enlarged upon his theme according to the Scripture, and that his audience might obtain as profitable an understanding of it as possible, and applied the same in a short, pertinent improvement. He preached on civil government to the Legislature convened at Manchester ; on the duties of ministers to the ministerial association. He
96
MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
preached on the duties of children, and duties of parents. A small volume of his sermons, and plans of sermons, was published after his decease, together with a biographical sketch, and the substance of a discourse to his memory by the Rev. Lemuel Haynes.
He reared a large family on slender means. He fitted his sons himself for college. At the same time, he was noted for his hospitality. Mr. Haynes, in his memorial discourse, says, "Mr. Swift's benevolence and hospitality often astonished those who came under his roof." Mr. Haynes had peculiar occasion to remember these traits. Mr. Ilaynes, it is well known, though highly gifted, and the pastor of three most respectable white congregations successively, was "the colored preacher." But he was never, by the least act of Mr. Swift, made to feel the differ- ence. And when, on the occasion of many ministers being together over night, and so needing to be assigned two to one bed, Mr. Swift would anticipate all difficulty of allotting his brother of the darker skin by delicately saying, " Broth- er Haynes and I will go together." He ever possessed a deep interest in young men who were seeking an education, and in pious young men who had the ministry in view, and assisted many. Mrs. Hendrick, wife of Deacon Hendrick, of the Shaftsbury Baptist Church, residing where Perez Harwood, senior, deceased, resided, or near there, had a Baptist meeting at her house in a time of revival, and Mr. Swift came into the meeting. She said, " I am apprehen- sive, Mr. Swift, the young folks will be afraid of you ; they are bashful." -" I think not," said he. He soon obtained their confidence, and they related their experiences very freely. They were young converts. At the close of the meeting, Mrs. Hendrick spoke to Mr. Swift of the success of the occasion. "One of the most interesting meetings," she said, "I have ever attended." Mr. Swift replied, "I
97
DECEASE OF DR. SWIFT.
do not know that I have more than the one talent; but I can feed Christ's lambs."
He was graduated at Yale College. He received the degree of Doctor in Divinity from Williams College. He was successively member of the corporations of Dartmouth, Williams, and Middlebury Colleges. He was sent for from far and near to eclesiastical councils. At his death he was called the Apostle of Vermont.1
He loved to do missionary work, and went sometimes to a great distance to preach the gospel to the destitute. His death occurred suddenly, while thus temporarily engaged in missionary labor. It took place at Enosburgh, in this State, Oct. 20, 1804. He had removed from Bennington to Addison, and his labors there were being much blessed. The town had been distracted with serious divisions ; but after he commenced his labors there the moral and religious character of the people was soon entirely changed. A church was organized, and rendered respectable by the number of its members. "It is not easy," says the biog- rapher, " to conceive the grief which the people there felt on learning the sorrowful news of his death." He died in the triumphs of faith. When asked if he was willing to die, he replied, " DEATH HAS NO TERRORS."
He resided in the capacious house now first south of the late residence of Gay R. Sanford, deceased ; the same house or near to which in the earliest times here was the residence of John Fassett, clerk of the proprietors' meeting, deacon of the church, and innkeeper in that place.
He was a very large man. A lady,2 with whom I was conversing on the subject, related to me that she was a child when he was pastor of this church, but that she recol-
1 Rev. Calvin Durfee. (See "Proceedings at the Centennial of the Berkshire Congregational Association.")
2 Mrs. Raymond.
9
98
MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
lects him well. She recollects going to another town to visit there ; and, seeing a small man in the pulpit, she in- quired if he was a minister, with some surprise. She had always seen Dr. Swift in the pulpit, and supposed that none but very large men were suitable to be ministers.
He was married Nov. 6, 1769, to Mary Ann Sedgwick of Cornwall, Conn., sister of Hon. Theodore Sedgwick. She died in February, 1826. Their children were : -
Sarah Gold, Born, Nov. 13, 1770. Died, Oct. 23, 1853.
Clarinda,
66 July 18, 1772.
" April 12, 1851.
Serenus,
May 27, 1774.
" `April 3, 1865.
Noadiah, 66 Feb. 24, 1776. " March 21, 1860.
Erastus, 66 Feb. 9, 1778.
" April 14, 1848.
Benjamin,
66
April 9, 1780.
" Nov. 11, 1841.
Samuel,
66
Aug. 2, 1782.
Mary Ann,
66 July 22, 1784.
66 March, 1790.
Samanthe,
66 May 12, 1786.
June 20, 1805.
Persis,
March 28, 1788. 66 Sept. 5, 1815.
Laura,
March 6, 1790.
April, 1790.
Heman,
66
Sept. 30, 1791. 66 Jan. 30, 1856.
Job Sedgwick,
April 11, 1794.
66 June, 1859.
Mary Ann, 66 Aug. 18, 1796.
Of these children, Heman spent several months at An- dover Theological Seminary, in the study of divinity, but left for the profession of medicine. The only son who became a preacher was Job Sedgwick, who, after gradua- tion at Andover, preached several months in Maine and Vermont ; but, his health failing, he went to the South, was employed some time in teaching in Georgia, and afterward turned his attention to other pursuits. Two of the grand- sons became ministers, - Alfred Brown Swift, son of Hon. Benjamin Swift, and Henry Martyn, son of Dr. Heman Swift.
His second son, Noadiah Swift, M.D., became a deacon in this church.
99
MR. MARSH'S MINISTERIAL LABORS.
The following is the testimony of President Dwight to Dr. Swift's worth : -
" Dr. Swift was one of the best and most useful men whom we ever knew. Good men loved him, and delighted in his society, and the worst men acknowledged his worth. To the churches and ministers of Vermont he was a patriarch. He possessed an understanding naturally vigorous, respectable learning, sound theological opinions, eminent prudence, and distinguished zeal, combined in the happiest manner with moderation, benevolence, and piety; and wherever he was known he is remembered with the highest veneration." 1
IV. THE REV. DANIEL MARSH was born in New Mil- ford, Conn., May 10, 1762. The first public school he attended was at Brunswick, New Jersey, in the time of the Revolutionary War. He served as militia man at vari- ous times, travelled on foot, to and fro, between Connecti- cut and New Jersey. He cut wood night and morning to pay for his board, and by his own exertions obtained his education. He studied divinity with the Rev. Dr. Bradford, near Boston. He received an honorary degree of M.A., from Williams College, in 1795.
He was ordained at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., June 30, 1790 ; was pastor of the church there several years ; thence he re- moved to Catskill, N. Y. ; next to Salisbury on the Royal Grant; thence to Ballston and Saratoga; thence to Ben- nington.
He succeeded the Rev. Job Swift, D.D. He preached in this town as early as 1805, and was the first settled min- ister after the great revival in 1802-3. According to rec- ords of the Congregational society -kept in the town records - of March 27, 1805, at a meeting of the Congre- gational society : -
1 " Dwight's Travels," vol. II., p. 443.
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MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
" Voted, That the society recommend the Committee of Supply to hire Mr. Marsh for the year ensuing."
The building of the new meeting-house was approaching to completion. By vote of the society, Mr. Marsh preached its dedication sermon. December 4, 1805, was first ap- pointed for the dedication ; afterward the time was changed, and the dedication took place on New Year's Day, 1806. The dedication sermon was published with the hymns sung on the occasion. A sermon by Mr. Marsh, subsequently preached before the Legislature, and a sermon on the six- teenth of August, 1809, were published.
" March 19, 1806, on application of seven freeholders, declaring themselves to be of the Congregational order, and also by particu- lar request of the Congregational Church, all inhabitants of the town of Bennington, and especially of the Congregational society, are warned to meet at the court-house, to see if they will unite in calling the Rev. Daniel Marsh to settle over said church and society ; to see if they will vote a sum of money for salary from year to year, or for the year ensuing ; and to choose a committee, or in some other way to agree with him what he shall have." " March 31, 1806. - Met according to warning ; voted affirmatively ; voted to give four hundred and fifty dollars yearly, and so long as he shall continue with us in the gospel ministry." "May 12, 1806. - Adjourned meet- ing. Voted, It belongs to the church to call the installing council. Voted, It is our wish the church would unite with the Rev. Daniel Marsh in calling a council."
Mr. Marsh was accordingly installed, and remained pas- tor of this church until regularly dismissed by an ecclesi- astical council, April 25, 1820.
When his labors closed in Bennington, he went out, a short season, as missionary into Central New York, aided by a missionary society in Massachusetts ; then he preached in Rupert in this State ; thence to a feeble church in James- ville, Onondaga Co., N. Y. There he enjoyed a powerful
101
MR. MARSH'S SUCCESS IN BENNINGTON.
and extensive revival, in which his own soul was much en- larged, and the church greatly strengthened. This was the crowning work of his ministry ; for, after a few years of suc- cessful labor there, he suffered from inflammation of his eyes, by which he so far lost his sight that he was unable to read the remainder of his life. Although he gave up his charge, he continued to preach occasionally until near the time of his death.
Under his ministry, seventy-seven are known to have been received into the church here. Among them, Hiram Bingham, the missionary, Luther Bingham, Charles Cush- man, Capt. Elijah Dewey (at seventy-four years of age), Jotham French (afterward deacon), Henry Harwood, Hiram Harwood, second, Seth Hathaway, Stephen Hins- dill (afterward deacon), James Nichols, James B. Nichols, and others. Among the additions to the church, under his ministry here, were several who were hopefully converted while he resided as a near neighbor to them. The Bing- hams, the Nicholses, Mr. French, were near neighbors to him when he resided on the Charles Hicks farm. Also Eunice (Mrs. Martin) and Lydia Bingham, Mrs. Uriah Edgerton, a neighbor, Mrs. Hinsdill, mother of Mrs. Geo. W. Robinson. Also four female members of the Nichols family. He was very sociable. When he moved into the Hunt place, Capt. Burt lived near him. Capt. B. was not favorable to ministers, and said he should " neither borrow nor lend." Mr. Marsh heard of it, went to Capt. Burt's, and asked to borrow a saddle. Capt. B. lent him the sad- dle, and, in due time, became a great friend of Mr. Marsh. He was a man of peace, and successful in settling difficulties among brethren. On one occasion, being called, as a mem- ber of a council, to settle a difficulty in a neighboring church, when the council had assembled, and while they were organizing and preparing for business, he brought
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102
MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
the contending parties together, and reconciled them before the council was ready to hear the case. His salary was small. He was obliged to work a farm, which he was en- abled to purchase with property of his wife. While the horses were at work on the farm, he was accustomed to go from one side of the town to the other on foot, attending meetings, officiating at funerals, and visiting the sick. He subsequently bought a farm in Jamesville, in part with pro- ceeds of the sale of his Bennington farm. He was gifted in prayer. On one sixteenth of August, at the celebration, he was designated to make the prayer. He introduced so much pertinent matter into the prayer, the orator of the day complained that there was nothing left for the oration.
In his last sickness he enjoyed much of the presence of his 'Saviour, and officiated in prayers in his son's family as long as his voice was audible. He died at Jamesville, N. Y., Dec. 13, 1843. A veteran of eighty-two years, he met death in peace, rejoicing in the hope of a glorious immor- tality.
In the early part of his ministry he married Miss Anna Jagger, daughter of Deacon Stephen Jagger, of Long Isl- and. His wife was a remarkable woman. While residing in the north part of this town, hearing of Robert Raikes' Sabbath school, she organized one in her own house for the children in her vicinity. This, at the time, she supposed to be the first Sabbath school in the United States.1 She
1 A Sabbath school was organized in Middlebury, in this State, in 1813, and in Greensboro' in 1814. (" Vermont Chronicle," June 4 and July 30, 1864.) And in Connecticut, substantially, though not exactly, in the modern form, as early as 1764. (See Cont. Ecc. Hist. Conn., pp. 191-2.) It may not be out of place to in- troduce here the following notice of a tract enterprise, contained in the " Green Mountain Farmer" of August, 1811 : "Excited by the example, and encouraged by the success of religious tract societies in different parts of the United States, and elsewhere in the world, a respectable number of persons in Bennington have subscribed and contributed to procure excellent cheap religious tracts for chari- table distribution," etc., etc.
103
EXTRACTS FROM A DIARY.
also drew up a series of Bible questions, which she had printed at the printing-office of Anthony Haswell. She also organized a cent society for contributions to the mis- sionary cause, which continued a long time afterward in this parish.
They had nine children, - seven sons and two daughters. One of his sons, Edwards Marsh, became a minister of the gospel. One of his daughters became the wife of the Rev. Cyrus Hudson.
Two or three short extracts respecting Mr. Marsh, from Benjamin Harwood's diary, will interest those who remem- ber either of these persons. Here is one to show that Mr. Marsh found some not smooth sailing early in his ministry here : -
" May 30, 1808. - This afternoon I attended a meeting of the Congregational society. The question to be tried was, Whether we should support our present minister or not? It was carried in the affirmative. There was some debate on the subject, which was conducted with candor and coolness, except in some instances where party feelings could not be suppressed. Judge Robinson in- timated that, should Mr. Marsh be turned away through the influ- ence of his enemies, he was of the opinion that another minister could not be had here. He meant to be honest about it, and said he should vote against settling any other man. He appears to be a pretty warm advocate for Mr. Marslı. I was on the affirmative."
Very Anti-universal. - " April 22, 1810. - Had the pleasure of being where I might have heard Mr. Marsh had sleep not blocked up my hearing channels. By this I do not mean I heard none at all. I understood of his preaching enough to know that it was very anti-universal."
Solemn and Impressive. - (Diary of Hiram Harwood.) -- " May 28, 1813. - Mr. Marsh preached the funeral sermon of Governor Robinson in a solemn and impressive style."
March Meetings opened with Prayer. - " March 29, 1809. - A full meeting convened at the court-house, and, after an excellent prayer by the Rev. Mr. Marsh, proceeded to business."
104
MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
V. THE REV. . ABSALOM PETERS, D.D., was born in Grafton County, New Hampshire, Sept. 19, 1793. His father was Gen. Absalom Peters, a graduate of Dartmouth College, and descendant of a brother of Hugh Peters, fa- mous as an adherent of Cromwell, and who was beheaded on the restoration of Charles II., - a martyr to the cause of civil and religious liberty. The mother of Dr. Peters is claimed to be a lineal descendant of John Rogers, the . Smithfield martyr of " catechism " celebrity.
Dr. Peters was graduated at Dartmouth College, in 1816 ; studied Theology at Princeton ; was ordained and installed pastor, at Bennington, July 5, 1820, and dismissed Dec. 14, 1825, to accept the secretaryship of the United Do- mestic Missionary Society, and as such to aid in the forma- tion of the American Home Missionary Society, of which he was the first secretary, continuing such until 1837, -in these years also commencing and editing the " Home Mis- sionary and Pastor's Journal ;" was editor of the "American Biblical Repository " for four and a half years, commencing January 1, 1838 ; on November 20, 1844, was installed pastor of the First Church of Christ in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and dismissed, at his own request, Septem- ber 4, 1857. Beside these more protracted fields of labor, Dr. Peters' peculiar talent for originating and helping for- ward new instrumentalities in the cause of Christ has found scope in various engagements of lesser duration. Among these may be mentioned, his connection with the Union Theological Seminary, as one of its original projectors, and agent to collect funds for it, and in which he received ap- pointment to the chair of Homiletics and Pastoral Theolo- gy ; also his connection with the " American Eclectic," as originator and editor for a brief time, and other temporary labors.
He was the immediate predecessor, in Bennington, of
105
MR. PETERS' LABORS IN BENNINGTON.
the Rev. Daniel A. Clark. Under his ministry here, Arti- cles of Faith and a Covenant were adopted by the church, - it having been before with no other instrument of this sort excepting the Cambridge Platform. The church rec- ords, too, were kept with remarkable neatness and care by Major Aaron Robinson, the clerk. Mr. Peters was warmly seconded, in his efforts to elevate the tone of morals and re- ligion in the community, by intelligent and spiritually minded Christians. This was his youthful pastorate. With a grace- ful style in sermonizing, and great ardor in his work, he at- tracted large audiences, and was blessed with numerous addi- tions to the church. He will pardon the insertion here of an anecdote related by himself to the writer. In the first days of his ministry here, sitting one day in his study, he was surprised by a loud and repeated knock at his study door, and, upon being bidden to enter, in rushed an entire stranger, of eccentric manner, and from the north part of the State, who took him solemnly by the hand, and proceed- ed to say, sadly, "Brother Peters, I have come to warn you, to pronounce a woe upon you -' Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!'"
Not a very long time afterward the same individual paid him another visit in his study, but with a cheerfulness quite in contrast with his former aspect. He now grasped Mr. Peters warmly with both hands, and said, "This time, Brother Peters, I have come to congratulate you ; you are all right now." The truth was, the wrath of some individuals in the community had been roused recently against Mr. Peters ; the particular occasion of which was a sermon preached1 September 29, 1822, aimed directly against public wickedness, which the week previously had
1 The text was, " When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him."-Is. xlix. 19. The sermon was published by unanimous request of the church.
106
MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
assumed an alarming form in a devotion of a portion of the inhabitants, and of not a few congregated here from abroad, for nearly the entire week, to horse-racing and the performances of a travelling theatrical company. The zeal and efforts of Mr. Peters in this connection had no small share in the enactment of severe statutes against such evils, which, particularly with regard to travelling circuses, have for a long time not been inoperative in this State, until by an enactment, approved November 9, 1865, the bars, as to circuses, are again let down.
Dr. Peters was married, Oct. 25, 1819, to Miss Har- riet Hinkly Hatch, daughter of Major Reuben Hatch, of Norwich, in this State. Of seven children, the issue of this marriage, three were born in Bennington, - George Absalom Peters, M.D; Harriet Adeline, wife of the Rev. William Clift; and Horace Hatch, deceased in in- fancy.1
VI. THE REV. DANIEL A. CLARK was born in Rahway, N. J., March 1, 1799. His father was David Clark, a rela- tive of Abraham Clark, whose name appears among the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He was hope- fully converted at the age of fifteen, and one year afterward united with the church. He was graduated at Princeton College in 1808 ; pursued studies preparatory to the sacred ministry at the Theological Seminary in Andover ; and was ordained and installed pastor of the Congregational Union church of Braintree and Weymouth, Jan. 1, 1812. He remained in that charge until the fall of 1815. January, 1816, he was installed pastor of the Congregational church in Southbury, Conn., which field he left to be installed as pastor of West Parish, Amherst, Mass., Jan. 26, 1820.
1 See " A Birthday Memorial of Seventy Years, with Memories and Reflec- tions for the Aged and the Young; by Absalom Peters, D.D." New York, 1866. .
0
107
POWER IN THE PULPIT.
From Amherst he came to Bennington, and was here in- stalled June 14, 1826. His next and last pastorate was in Adams, Jefferson County, N. Y., where he was installed over the Presbyterian church July 17, 1832. He also la- bored for intervals before his ordination, and in repeated instances between his pastorates, in other places. He de- ceased March 3, 1840. " Without a struggle or a groan he calmly fell asleep in Jesus."
Mr. Clark's sermons and other productions have been repeatedly issued from the press. The last in two octavo volumes, with a biography.1
When thoroughly roused, which he often was, Mr. Clark delivered his thoughts from the pulpit with herculean force, nor did he disdain to flash the truth from a polished blade, or to cut a way for it to the conscience with a whetted edge. Sometimes his sentences disclosed a beauty rarely sur- passed. A layman,2 resident in Bennington during Mr. Clark's ministry here, states that of the many sermons of this divine which he heard, the one most impressed upon his own memory was marked by great beauty of style. The subject of this discourse was " The Beauty of Holi- ness." The discourse does not appear in the printed works. Of his discourse, " The Church Safe," the Rev. Dr. Sprague says,3 " It is enough to immortalize the mind that could produce it."
Children listened with delight to his preaching, because of its simplicity and clearness. It is related 4 of a bright little girl, that, returning home from church one Sabbath day, she was inquired of who preached, and replied, with
1 " The Complete Works of Rev. Daniel A. Clark," edited by his son, James Henry Clark, M.D., with a Biographical Sketch, and an Estimate of his Powers as a Preacher, in two volumes. Ives & Phinney, New York.
2 Seth B. Hunt.
3 Letter to J. Henry Clark,. M.D., in Clark's Works, etc.
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