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A SERMON 
 
 COMMEMORATIVE OF THE 
 
 Two - Hundredth Anniversa ry 
 
 First Congregational Church. 
 
 WESTFIELD, MASS., 
 
 DELIVERED RY TH/E PASTOR, 
 
 Rev. JOHN H. LOCKWOOD, 
 
 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1879, 
 
 To which an Appendix is added. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY REQUEST. 
 
 westfield, mass.: 
 
 Clark & Story, Printers. 
 
 1879. 
 

 A SERMON 
 
 COMMEMORATIVE OF THE 
 
 Two = Hundredth Anniversa ry 
 
 First Congregational Church 
 
 WESTFIELD, MASS., 
 
 DELIVERED BY THE PASTOR, 
 
 Rev. JOHN H. LOCKWOOD, 
 
 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1879, 
 
 To which an Appendix is added. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY REQUEST. 
 
 westfield, mass.: 
 
 Clark & Story, Printers. 
 
 1879. 
 
Copy of Correspondence. 
 
 Westfield, October 6, 1879. 
 Rev. J. H. Lockwood, — Dear Sir: — We, on behalf of the 
 Society of the First Congregational Church of Westfield, 
 respectfully request of you a copy of your Bi-Centennial His- 
 torical Sermon for publication. 
 
 Henry W. Bates, ^ _ _ 
 
 ! Prudential 
 Junius A. Talmadge, 
 
 Lyman M. Smith, 
 
 Committee. 
 
 Westfield, October 6, 1879. 
 Messrs. Henry W. Bates, Junius A. Talmadge, and Lyman 
 M. Smith, — Gentlemen: — Since the Bi-Centennial Historical 
 Sermon, delivered yesterday in the First Church, is, in your esti- 
 mation, worthy of publication in a permanent form, I cheerfully 
 place it at your disposal, with such additions as seem worthy of 
 preservation with it ; but which, incorporated into it, would have 
 made it too long for delivery at a single Sabbath service. 
 
 Respectfully Yours, 
 
 John H. Lockwood. 
 
PEEFATOEY NOTE. 
 
 Many difficulties beset the preparation of such a sketch as 
 is here attempted. The task has been not simply to collect 
 annals of the old church, and not simply to prepare an address 
 upon it ; but it includes both, and more besides. As it would 
 probably become a document of some historical value to future 
 generations, it was important to include in it many interesting 
 reminiscences with exact dates, and as it was to be delivered on 
 the occasion of a regular church service, it needed to be restricted 
 in extent and partake somewhat of the character of a sermon. 
 Many items of interest to antiquarians, or to those whose families 
 have lived here for many generations, and many others that are 
 simply amusing and curious, were therefore excluded as outside 
 the scope of the task. Seme of them are accorded a place iu the 
 Appendix, which I would be glad to enlarge indefinitely were it 
 not for the fear that it might thereby make too voluminous what 
 is intended to be merely a brief sketch, and not an exhaustive 
 treatise. It is also to be remembered that the discourse was 
 prepared with the Town Bi-Centennial volume before me, in 
 which are many deeply interesting facts relating to the early 
 days of the town and the church, not only in the address, but 
 also in the letters from former residents and reminiscences in the 
 appendix, some of which would be included here were they not 
 preserved there in permanent form. A few copies of that inval- 
 
6 PREFATORY NOTE. 
 
 uable volume remain unsold, and may be secured at the news- 
 room of Mr. W. P. Meacham. 
 
 The many persons who have kindly proffered assistance, with- 
 out which this task would have been utterly hopeless to one who 
 has been a resident of the town only six months, will please ac- 
 cept thanks therefor. Among them special mention should be 
 made of Mr. Henry Holland, who having made a special study 
 of local antiquities, has been of great service in determining 
 sites of historic interest, and in giving other valuable information ; 
 and Mr. David M. Chace, the Town Clerk, who has afforded the 
 fullest facilities for examining the town records. 
 
 JOHN H. LOCKWOOD. 
 
SERMON. 
 
 I. Kings, viii., 57.— The Lord our God be with us as he was 
 with our fathers. 
 
 This year marks a noteworthy epoch in the histoiy of our 
 church. Time has rolled on with steady flow till two hundred 
 years have passed since it was organized by a handful of faithful 
 disciples. The future for which they provided, so much of which 
 is now past with its checkered record of human experience, was 
 hidden from sight, but they laid foundations in faith and others 
 have builded thereupon. Taking twenty years as the measure 
 of a generation, this church has been the earthly home of ten gen- 
 erations of believers, where they have heard the everlasting gos- 
 pel ; where they have raised to the throne of grace praises and 
 supplications ; where they have brought sacrifices of themselves 
 and their possessions. In this new world, whose remotest history 
 is so recent, the churches that have passed through the vicissi- 
 tudes of two centuries are comparatively few. 
 
 Among those of our own order, which are naturally the oldest 
 in New England, there are forty-seven that exceed this church 
 in age, of which one is in York, Me., organized in 1672, seven- 
 teen are in Connecticut, and twent} T -nine are in Massachusetts. 
 Several of them are but a few years older, and there are several 
 also but a few } T ears younger. No surer criterion of the rapidity 
 with which the fathers entered into possession of this land of 
 Canaan can be found than that suggested by the dates of the 
 organization of the first churches of New England. In recogni- 
 tion of their Christian heroism, as well as God's long-continued 
 blessing upon their labors, we should commemorate this remark- 
 able anniversary. The formal exercises of organization occurred 
 
8 BI-CENTENNJAL SERMON. 
 
 August 27th, 1679 ; and, though the corresponding date of this 
 year is passed, yet for the sake of convenience a formal observ- 
 ance of the occasion has been delayed till now. 
 
 The task of preparing a brief and interesting sketch of the 
 church's history is beset b} T some difficulties besides those com- 
 mon to all historians. The available materials are very limited ; 
 many of them have been carefully investigated and ably displayed 
 by different persons within a few years, and are therefore some- 
 what familiar to most of those who are interested in the church ; 
 and in a stable and conservative community like this, local tra- 
 ditions are carefully perpetuated. Families that have lived here 
 for many generations naturally gather up facts relating to their 
 ancestors for their own gratification, and to. impart in turn to 
 their children. Many family trees planted herein the early days 
 of the settlement still flourish like monarchs of the forest. But 
 though I may not discover in the records of the past many facts 
 unfamiliar to those who were privileged to hear the carefully- 
 prepared sketch of the town's history incorporated into the ad- 
 dress of a member of this congregation, Hon. William G. Bates, 
 delivered ten years ago when its bi-centennial was celebrated ; or 
 to those who listened before that time to the various historical 
 sermons of my predecessor, Rev. Dr. Emerson Davis, whose 
 memory is still so sweetly fragrant wherever he was known ; yet 
 it may be pleasant even to them to be stirred up by way of re- 
 membrance. Many strangers have also come among us within 
 the last decade, and many children have matured from infancy to 
 capacity to understand and enjoy stories of the past. While 
 studying all original sources of information available, I shall use, 
 freely and gratefully, the results of those who have preceded me 
 in the field to be traversed at this time, hoping, not to excel 
 them, but only to follow closely in their footsteps, and perhaps to 
 beat two paths into one that may be more easily traversed by 
 others who shall follow. In order that no available material 
 might be lost I have carefully searched anew the town and church 
 records from the beginning, and shall quote from them freely, 
 believing that their quaint language and plain statements are 
 more interesting than the}- would be if clothed in modern 1 dress, 
 and that they may never again be annotated. It has been so in- 
 teresting to me to study the course of events making up our 
 church history, as recorded in original documents, yellow with 
 
BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 9 
 
 •age and often in almost illegible chirography, though involving 
 weeks of patient study, that I desire to share the pleasure, as far 
 as possible, by giving you a literal transcript of what may never 
 fall under your eyes in original form. The task in hand differs 
 in scope from that of Mr. Bates ; in extent from that of Dr. Davis 
 already referred to ; — the former having prepared a sketch of the 
 town, and the latter in various published documents, of which I 
 have copies, delineating briefer periods ; but now my effort is to 
 trace the history and affairs of this church for two centuries. 
 This attempt includes within its scope matters relating to the 
 origin, growth and changes of the church, and facts of importance 
 in the lives of its officers and members. Until a comparatively 
 recent period the church has been so fully identified with the 
 town that the records of the latter contain much relating to the 
 former, — all the secular affairs of the church having been at- 
 tended to at town meetings, as part of their prescribed business, 
 where it was decided even to call every minister who preceded 
 the Rev. Dr. Davis, settled in 1836. 
 
 The first reference in the town records to ecclesiastical affairs 
 bears date of March 19, 1666, when a lot of twelve acres was set 
 apart for the minister, " if he should like it ; " intimating that the 
 act was done in anticipation of his arrival. According to the 
 detailed account of Mr. Taylor of the origin of this church, no 
 one came to occupy the land till a little later. He says : 
 
 " Westfield, then Warronnokee, coming to be an English plan- 
 tation, had at first Mr. John Holyoake, son to that Godly Capt. 
 Elizur Holyoake of Springfield, to dispense y e word of life amongst 
 them, An D mi , 1667, about half a year; but in y e beginning of 
 winter following, he as finding y e ministry of the word too heavie 
 for him desisted; from which time till y e beginning of winter 
 1668 they had no minister." 
 
 In August, 1668, the town acted as follows, after deciding to 
 allow a minister the sum of £40 a year, to be derived by taxes 
 on the lands : 
 
 "It is voted that we look at ourselves as free & at liberty to 
 seek out according as God shall guide us for a minister to carry 
 on the work of Christ here." 
 
 Their first laborer in the spiritual vineyard must have given 
 satisfaction, for they voted " that George Phelps & James 
 Cornish shall go to Springfield to trade with Mr. Hollyoke & 
 
10 BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 
 
 receive his answer." The spirit of thrift and prudence seems by 
 the term thus used to have pervaded thus early even church 
 business. Mr. Holyoke not consenting, it was voted soon after- 
 ward " that Capt. Cook shall go into the Bay to procure a min- 
 ister, such a one as he shall be advised to by the elders in or 
 about the bay if the Committee at Springfield do approve of our 
 acts herein." He was ordered to take his journey " so soon as 
 to be in the bay the first Sabbath in October," about a week 
 later. James Cornish was to go the next day to Springfield to 
 consult the committee under whose auspices the town was settled, 
 " & to speak to Capt. Pynchon & desire him to promote the 
 design in the bay." Proof of the interest taken by these neigh- 
 bors in the efforts of the infant colony to procure a minister is 
 shown by the fact that during the next month, October, 1668, a 
 farther grant of land to Westfield was made on condition that a 
 minister should be procured within two years. There is no ac- 
 count of the result of the errand to the Bay, but the Rev. Moses 
 Fisk, son of a minister of the church at Chelmsford, was gotten 
 there, probably by Capt. Cook, who served the people three 
 years, and then left them. They then tried to get the Rev. Mr. 
 Adams of Dedham, and " finding y e said Mr. Adams not as yet 
 movable from y e collidge," Mr. Taylor says : 
 
 " Their messenger was advised to myself (y e meanest of those 
 that labour in Christ's vineyard) who upon advice did adventure 
 to go with him home, and upon y e Lord's day following, being 
 y e 3d of y e 10 m A.n° D mi 1672, preached my first sermon amongst 
 them from Matt. 3 : 2, — ' Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven 
 is at hand.' " 
 
 He did not determine for some time to stay ; but, there being a 
 prospect of organizing a church, he began to incline to settle 
 with the people, and after serving them two }'ears, he says : 
 " We set up conference meetings at w ch I went over all the 
 Heads of Divinity unto y e means of y e application of Redemption 
 before we did enter the church state." Their plans were delayed 
 by the desolations and distractions of King Philip's war, which 
 nearly destroyed the settlements at this end of the province. 
 Two houses and barns were burned here, and several men were 
 killed. The terror of the inhabitants was so great that several 
 moved away, among them four of the nine church members of 
 the place ; and the record says pathetically : "A sore tempta- 
 
BT-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 11 
 
 tion was thrust in upon us by the Adversary that seemed to 
 threaten the overthrow of all proceedings unto a chh state by 
 those by whom that interest was before most apparently de- 
 volved." But in the spring of 1679 they decided to call a coun- 
 cil, to convene in August.* Five years before this, in 1674, Mr. 
 Taylor married Elizabeth Fitch, daughter of the first clergyman 
 of Norwich, Ct., a " highly educated & accomplished lady." 
 One of his letters preliminary to that event, copied from the 
 original among the archives of the Connecticut Historical Soci- 
 et\ r , may be found in the appendix of the Town Bi-Centennial 
 volume.f The provision for his support, even before his formal 
 settlement, seems to have been generous. He received from £60 
 to £80 in those early years, besides large tracts of land. In ad- 
 dition to which the town voted in 1678 : 
 
 " That Lieut. Mosely & Isaac Phelps they are to take care 
 about Mr. Taylor's hay & corn in hay time and harvest for the 
 gathering of it in and the town are to spin Mrs. Taylor a day's 
 work apiece in haytime & harvest & they are to have a day or 
 two to said warning." 
 
 The account of the Council is so quaintly and strikingly told 
 that I shall quote Mr. Taylor's language quite extensively. Five 
 churches were invited by letters missive. He proceeds : " These 
 then being sent our work came on apace, for temptations having 
 attended our work one time after time before, I for my part was 
 un hearted until now to prepare, and therefore now I had both 
 hands full & must go down into the bay before the time. 
 Wherefore having often in private sought God together in order 
 unto this matter now upon the 20 th da} r of August, that day 
 fo'night unto the day of assemblage we set apart for a fast to be 
 kept by our whole town in order to y e great work of y e day of 
 imbodying. on which day I preached from that 1 Kin. 8 : 57 — 
 ' y e Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers ; ' " — words 
 I have myself chosen as not inappropriate for our consideration 
 to-day. He showed from it that parents, when about to erect 
 God's ordinances, ought to pray hard to God to be with them, 
 and adds : " And as for the duty of prayer two of the brethren 
 did help carry it on." In those early times it seems to have 
 
 *See Appendix A. 
 |See Appendix C. 
 
12 BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 
 
 been admissible foi' laymen to take part in the public service, at 
 least on a Fast Day. 
 
 Of the five churches invited to the Council, four were repre- 
 sented. The church at Norwich did not respond ; that at Wind- 
 sor sent delegates, its pastor being detained at home by a do- 
 mestic emergency. The three ministers who came were Rev. 
 Poletiah Glover of Springfield, or "Cousin Glover," as Mr. 
 Taylor calls him ; with whom came also " y e worshipful Maj. 
 John Pynchon," Rev. John Russel of Hadley, and the Rev. Solo- 
 mon Stoddard of Northampton, who afterward became a leader 
 among the advocates of the " half-way covenant." The membp.rs 
 of the Council arrived on the evening preceding the day ap- 
 pointed, and began at once to examine into the affairs engaging 
 them, and were greatly disturbed by discovering two serious ob- 
 stacles in the way of accomplishing what the brethren desired. 
 One was that Mr. Taylor, upon whom, as the candidate, de- 
 volved the delivery of the ordination sermon, proposed to preach 
 in the afternoon, instead of beginning the work of the day with it. 
 The other and more serious one was, that the statement of doc- 
 trine on which the church was to be recognized consisted onl} r of 
 the Confession of Faith of the Westminster Assembly and the 
 Cambridge Platform, which the Council deemed insufficient ; this, 
 however, was also in some way removed. We can but note a 
 contrast between the prudence of that time and the laxity of 
 the present, when churches are admitted to Congregational fel- 
 lowship simply offering the Bible to be interpreted by a majority 
 vote of its members at any time. In his statement before the 
 Council, Mr. Taylor reviewed the history of the enterprise, pre- 
 sented letters of dismissal of those who were to be organized 
 from their respective churches, and a formal commission to the 
 christian people of Westfield in general, and seven men named 
 in particular, to enter into a church state, signed by John 
 Leverett, Governor, and six assistants.* 
 
 I cannot forbear quoting at some length Mr. Taylor's account 
 of the concluding transactions of that ancient Council : 
 
 " After the confession of our faith was made we were called 
 out to give some account of the workings of the Spirit upon our 
 hearts that might be as a foundation for the- charity of God's 
 
 *See Appendix B. 
 
BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON". 13 
 
 t - 
 people to act upon in order to y e approval of us in their souls as 
 suitable matter for such a structure in hand. An account of 
 which, so far as time would admit, was then personally given in 
 these relations (here abbreviated) following, y e which had at 
 least some been read (and doubtless it would have been to more 
 edification) had not y e elders and messengers of Northampton 
 and Hadley drove on to y e contrary." 
 
 Then follow his and the Relations of the other six, written out 
 at great length, being extravagant delineations of their conver- 
 sion and subsequent experience. The sermon he delivered is 
 copied out in full, making twelve pages folio of microscopic 
 writing, which must have required at least three hours to preach 
 it. This was before the days of sermonettes fifteen minutes long, 
 which make some men popular. The sermon being ended, 
 "y e Moderator stood up & gave a brief account of what was 
 done and propounded y e brethren to y e Elders and Messengers 
 for their approbation unto their proceeding if they desired 
 further satisfaction in y e matter or judged anything yet further to 
 be attended to in this case before the covenant was entered into, 
 they were desired to manifest the same ; if otherwise let their 
 silence manifest it. Whereupon nothing appearing y e Moderator 
 called us forth to enter covenant, which being done in y e words 
 of y e covenant by and by recited he pronounced us a church of 
 Christ orderly gathered according to y e rules of Christ in y e gos- 
 pell." Mr. Stoddard gave the right hand of fellowship to the 
 church. " This being clone the Moderator demanded of y e church 
 whom they chose their officer and into what office. Whereupon 
 y e brethren of the church laid my unworthy self under a call unto 
 y e office of Pastor unto them." Rev. Messrs. Russel, Glover and 
 Stoddard, with Samuel Loomis, one of the brethren of the church, 
 laid on hands. " Mr. Russel prayed before ordination, Mr. 
 Glover ordained, and Mr. Stoddard ended the work with prayer." 
 The church covenant into which the original seven members en- 
 tered, is long, explicit, and solemn, and in the old church record 
 book is signed in large letters by Edward Taylor, John Maudesly, 
 Samuel Loomis, Josiah Dewy, John Root, Isaac Phelps, and 
 John Ingerson (now Ingersoll). The common number of seven 
 foundation-men was soon increased by one, as we learn from the 
 following explanation : 
 
 " Brother Th Gun being nominated for a foundation man de- 
 
14 BI-CENTENTSTrAL SERMON. 
 
 sired to be omitted and was admitted y e 21 y e 7 m without Rela- 
 tion, in that he was so much decayed by age that it would be a 
 hard thing to gather it, and he was a man of approved piety and 
 was recommended to us by Windsor church." 
 
 The method of receiving subsequent members was to consider 
 them in conference meeting, then propound them "in y e Assem- 
 bly that if any can give in any just ground against their Behaviour 
 they have liberty." They were then voted on at a meeting prepar- 
 atory to the Lord's Supper. After giving " an account of some 
 of those experiences of God's work upon their hearts, y e w h if 
 they thro fearfulness and bashfulness do desire y e same may be 
 read, y e chh complying to their desires therein the same as also 
 it is on y e admitting of Women." After an affirmative vote the 
 following covenant was read : 
 
 " We here in obedience unto Almighty God, in Christ receiving 
 members into full communion in this chh of Christ amongst us 
 and admitting you unto all Gospell privileges therein, according 
 unto y r several capacities thereunto, Do promise solemnly in 
 y e presence of God to perforin unto you as unto ourselves all those 
 mutuall Duties of helpfulness unto w ch we have mutuall} 7 obliged 
 ourselves, and do pronounce you Members of this chh of Christ 
 orderly admitted." 
 
 The infant church thus constituted had no other officer than 
 the pastor for many years. The account says: "No ruling 
 elder nor Deacon was elected, only Brother Loomis was de- 
 sired to look after the preparing wine and bread and to furnish 
 y e Lord's table." He was afterward elected Deacon, but hesitat- 
 ing about accepting the office and waiting for the election of a 
 colleague, he died without being ordained. It was not until 1692 
 that Josiah Dewey and Nathanael Weller were ordained the first 
 of a long line of holy men who have served in that capacity ; so 
 that the church was for thirteen years in that anomalous condi- 
 tion, having no officer but the pastor. 
 
 Where the people met for service during the early years is mat- 
 ter of conjecture, as no record that I can find refers to it. The 
 exact time of the erection of the first meeting-house is also un- 
 certain, the votes respecting it not being dated in the town 
 records ; but it was probably about the time of organization. 
 The first vote is as follows : 
 
BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 15 
 
 "That the town will go on with building a meeting house with 
 all convenient speed as may be, the dimentions are as follows : 
 About 36 feet square and for form like Hatfield meeting house, 
 as the comitey chosen shall advise and agree." 
 
 The next, and only other recorded vote respecting it, is strange- 
 ly muddled, but indicates that there had been some difficulty re- 
 garding the site, and that " after debating in the town, came to 
 vote of the town to lott that the friend one of God should deter- 
 mine it, and after solemn looking of God the lots were drawn 
 the lot came forth for the place before goodman Phelps or Good- 
 man Gunns if Mr. Taylor se cause." The town voted to build 
 " gallereys on each side of y e meeting house" May 10th, 1703, indi- 
 cating that the congregation was too large for the building. In 
 those primitive times strict order was enforced by duly consti- 
 tuted authority, as is indicated by a town vote in 1689 : 
 
 " Walter Lee, Samuel Fowler and the Sergeant of the guard 
 are appointed to take care of children on the Sabbath to see that 
 they atend and keep their places both before and in the time of 
 exercise." 
 
 As the town increased in population the church building, even 
 with the " gallereys," became too small to accommodate the wor- 
 shipers, and in 1717 the first recorded action was taken respect- 
 ing a new house of worship. Twice during the next year the 
 subject came up again before the town for consideration, and No- 
 vember 17, 1719, "the town took into consideration the neces- 
 sity that we are in to put ourselves into some way to find out a 
 place to set and to build a new meeting house." In order to se- 
 cure a peaceable settlement of difficulties about the site, they de- 
 cided to leave the matter to arbitration, and a committee from 
 Springfield was invited to decide it, consisting of Dea. John 
 Munn, Lieut. John Merick and Benjamin Lennard, who soon 
 afterward presented a characteristic report: "Gentlemen — 
 seeing God in his providence hath called us according to your 
 desire" (an instance of vox populi, vox dei,) " to consider your 
 surcomstances and where may be y c convenientest place for you 
 to set your meeting house our result is on the northwest corner 
 of Cap'n Maudeslej's lot by the meadow gate." There being dis- 
 satisfaction, however, with this decision, it was voted to leave 
 the matter with Cap'n Samuel Partridge, and abide by the result 
 
16 BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 
 
 he should reach. His report must have beeu formal and explicit 
 enough to satisfy the most exacting : 
 
 " Whereas the town of Westfield at a legal town meeting on 
 y e 21 day of this instant December 1719 past an act in said 
 meeting they being at a difficulty in concluding the place to set 
 their new meeting house at and voated to leave the full desition 
 of that matter unto me undersigned upon which I together with 
 Cap'n John Ashley and Lieutenant Abijah Dewey went up to 
 y e place of the cyder press their standing which I judged too fur 
 toward the West end of y e town for conveniency of the peoples 
 meeting at y e present allso I vewed y e norwest corner of Deacon 
 Root deseased his lot I judged that place too near y e dwelling 
 houses against and as to Mr Gunns paster and y e lot where old 
 John Sacket lived too much to the South end of the town and 
 y e old meeting house much more I allso vewed Cap'n Maudesleys 
 paster on y e south side of the way and that I judge will be too 
 near Cap'n Roots barn therefore having maturely vewed the 
 knowl on Cap'n Maudesleys lot on the north side of y e way 
 behind his housing I hereby determine to bee the place for erect- 
 ing and setting up the new meeting house this I deliver as my 
 positive opinion upon the premises. Samuell Partridge. " 
 
 The form of the new building is somewhat more fully sug- 
 gested than that of the old one. It was to be built " barn fation 
 with a bell coney upon the middle of it fifty two foots in length 
 and forty one foots in breadth."* It was probably remembered 
 by many aged people who have gone to rest within a few years, 
 as it stood until the early part of this century. Mr. Frederick 
 Fowler, now living, remembers it and the fire that destroyed it. 
 The bell, which was afterward procured, is said to have hung at 
 the centre of the roof, and to have been rung by one standing in 
 the middle of the ground floor. It was purchased in 1728 of 
 Jacob Windel, in Boston, for one hundred acres of land in the 
 south part of the town. Before it was procured the people were 
 called together by a more primitive method, as is indicated by 
 the following statement : 
 
 " The selectmen have agreed with Nath. Ponder to sweep the 
 meeting house the year ensuing and have promised him thirty 
 five shillings for said service, and with John Negro to beat 
 y e drum on the Sabbath days and others as ocation may serve, 
 and have promised him twenty three shillings for said service, 
 
 *See Appendix D. 
 
BI-CENTENiXIAL SERMON. 17 
 
 and the first drum is to be beat against the Widow Moseleys 
 house in good weather." 
 
 It is uncertain whether or not we are to infer from the last 
 clause that they were habitually " fair weather christians." The 
 building was paid for by the town, and a committee was ap- 
 pointed to assign sittings according to their dignity, those near 
 the pulpit being considered most honorable, a custom that pre- 
 vailed as long as the building stood. 
 
 The arrangement for Mr. Taylor's support was always liberal. 
 His salary was at first £50, raised in 1678 to £70, and in 1686 to 
 £80 ; in addition to which he had a generous allowance of land 
 both in, and outside of, the settlement. The people seem also 
 to have been considerate of his wants in many ways. In 1692, 
 whether from bad crops or some other cause, the people seem to 
 have felt poorer than usual, for they voted him £80, with the 
 desire that he would abate £10 thereof. The estimation in which 
 he was held is iudicated in various ways. He was consulted in 
 all matters relating to the temporal and spiritual interests of the 
 church ; as, for instance, it was voted to consult with him and 
 see whether he were willing that some timber from the old meet- 
 ing-house should be used in the new one. 
 
 Earlv in 1722 he began to show signs of advancing age, being 
 then eighty-one years old ; and Deacon Noble* and Capt. Ashley 
 were appointed " to go and discourse with" him concerning the 
 selection of a colleague. " At the same meeting Dea. Th. Noble 
 was chosen as a messenger to go in the towns behalf to give Mr. 
 Brown" (of New Haven) "' a call, and also voated to give Th. 
 Ashle}- five or six shillings to encourage him to go and accom- 
 pany Deacon Noble in his journey." Mr. Brown did not come, 
 and the following year Mr. Isaac Stiles, who had been teaching 
 here, received and declined a call. He was Mr. Taylor's son-in- 
 law, and his son afterward became President of Yale College. 
 
 This must have been a rather trying time for the people in 
 church affairs ; — their minister failing in health, their efforts to 
 secure an assistant proving unsuccessful, and their new house of 
 worship being uncompleted. They tried for several months to 
 make an arrangement with Mr. Bull, who was teaching here, 
 and " Nehemiah Loomis, John Root and Jonathan Ashley were 
 
 *See Appendix I. 
 
18 BI-CENTENNTIAL SERMON. 
 
 chosen to go and stir up the meeting house comitey to see that 
 the meeting house be finished speedily." The next year, 1726, 
 a house and lot were provided for the new minister, and " it was 
 voted that the town will give Mr. Bull £50 for a year ensuing 
 for preaching one half day each Sabbath, and to rise proportion- 
 ally according to his preaching ;" a vote, as has been said, of 
 rather doubtful construction. Finally, in May, 1726, a commit- 
 tee was appointed to see whether Mr. Taylor " would lay down 
 preaching." In September following, a committee was ap- 
 pointed to arrange for Mr. Bull's ordination at the town's charge. 
 I cannot ascertain whether the venerable pastor continued to 
 preach occasionally afterward, but it is probable that he did ; for 
 the people, among whom he had labored for more than half a 
 century, would have been glad to see him in his . accustomed 
 place and hear his familiar voice. He never fully recovered 
 from a severe fit of sickness that prostrated him a few years 
 before his death, which occurred June 24th, 1729, in his eighty- 
 seventh year, after he had served this church, before and after 
 its organization, nearly fifty-seven years. His is an enviable 
 record, and he has transmitted to a large number of descendants, 
 some of whom still hold land here that he owned, his unimpeach- 
 able character. There is said to have never been a scoundrel 
 among them. Three of his daughters married ministers. Anna 
 was the wife of the Rev, Benjamin Lord, D. D., of Norwich, Ct. ; 
 Naomi, of the Rev. Ebenezer Devotion of Suffield, Ct. ; and 
 Keziah, of the Rev. Isaac Stiles of North Haven, Ct. He was 
 buried in the old cemetery, where his tombstone may still be 
 seen, bearing the following quaint but expressive epitaph : 
 
 " Here rests the body of y e Rev'd Mr Edward Taylor y e aged, 
 Venerable, Learned & Pious Pastor of y e church of Christ in this 
 town, who after he had served God & his generation faithfully 
 for many years fell asleep June 24 1729 in y e 87 year of his 
 
 age."* 
 
 The events of this first pastorate have been thus explicitly 
 detailed because it is in many respects the most remarkable of 
 the church's history. They were days of anxiety and hardship, 
 but also of labors cheerfully undertaken and sacrifices patient^ 
 endured. The foundations were then beinyr laid for a structure 
 
 *See Appendix C. 
 
BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 19 
 
 that has honored the Divine Architect and its human builders. 
 Had those early settlers proved indifferent to the interests of 
 Christ's kingdom, while seeking to build homes and establish a 
 town, subsequent generations would not have had the reason 
 the}" now have to rise up and call them blessed, and we would 
 not have had such a record of successful work for God as we now 
 review. 
 
 As has been intimated already, efforts were made several years 
 before Mr. Taylor's death to secure a colleague. In the latter 
 part of 1724 the church sent to Mr. Nehemialf Bull, who had 
 been teaching on Long Island, to serve them in that capacity. 
 According to his own record in the church book, he first preached 
 here on the 17th of January, 1725, from the text — I.Corinth- 
 ians, viii., 4 — " For there is none other God but one." For a 
 year and a half he assisted Mr. Taylor and taught school. Ne- 
 gotiations with him having been finally concluded, he was or- 
 dained October 26th, 1726, one hundred and fifty-three years 
 ago this month. Six churches were invited to take part in the 
 Council, the three in Springfield, and those from Hatfield, 
 Enfield, and Suffield, respectively. 
 
 Mr. Bull has left a detailed account of the exercises. All the 
 ministers and delegates came on the evening preceding the day 
 appointed, as was customary in those times of primitive methods 
 of traveling, except Mr. Devotion of Suffield : 
 
 " And being gathered together it was thought by them a good 
 thing to do what business they could that night y* the}' might 
 not be hindered next day and thereupon they thought convenient 
 to examine into what opposition there was (for there had been 
 as the ordination drew on a great stir) therefore they sent for 
 the principal man who was so confident y' he could have a great 
 party on his side if there was a Town-meeting if the elders de- 
 sired there might be a Town-meeting next morning And the 
 Town were asked if they desired y l Mr Bull should be ordained 
 or that the ordination should go on that day to vote for it and 
 the vote was so clear y* y e Rev. Elders judged y* the barr was 
 clearly taken out of the way, wherefore they proceeded to sol- 
 emnize that affair and those that managed the work were the 
 Rev. Mr. Taylor &c in this order viz. The Rev. Mr. D. Brewer 
 began the solemnities with prayer, the Rev. Mr. W. Williams 
 preacht and then they proceeded to set me apart by laying on 
 of hands the Rev. Mr. E. Taylor, Mr. T. Woodbridge and Mr. 
 W. Williams laying on hands and then the Rev. Mr. T. Wood- 
 
20 SI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 
 
 bridge made the first prayer and gave charge & then the Rev. 
 Mr. W. Williams made the last prayer and then the Rev. Mr. E. 
 Devotion did that which stood in the room of the right hand of 
 fellowship and they were done. I was directed to name a Psalm 
 to be sung after w h I was (according to the custom in these 
 parts) directed to bless the congregation in the Father Son and 
 Holy Ghost and so the solemnities were finished." 
 
 Soon after this event, and before the death of Mr. Ta}dor, ev- 
 idence is given in the church record that the beginnings of that 
 movement which resulted in what has been known as the Half- 
 Way Covenant, and so seriously disturbed the churches of New 
 England, were felt here ; and Mr. Bull had become securely 
 enough established to take the lead in presenting to the church 
 the following questions : 
 
 "1. Whether such persons as come to enter into full com- 
 munion may not be left at their liberty as to the giving the chh. 
 an account of the work of saving conversion i. e., whether Rela- 
 tions shall not be looked upon as a matter of indifferency, and 
 the chh desired some time of consideration, so the matter was 
 deferred till the next Lord's Day, when it was voted in the affirm- 
 ative. 2. Whether a confession of faith drawn up in shorter and 
 more general terms should be used instead of the Assembly's 
 Catechism. 3. Whether all Baptized Persons who were come to 
 years of understanding and were capable of discipline belonging 
 to this congregation should be lookt upon subjects of discipline, 
 and voted in the affirmative. 4. Whether 5 men should not be 
 chosen by the chh to meet and consult with me about the issuing 
 cases of difficulty upon immergent occasions, this voted in the 
 affirmative." 
 
 Thus, in 1728, we have the first mention of what corresponds 
 with our church committee. Fifty years later, more definite action 
 was taken to secure greater efficiency of discipline. The new 
 confession of faith that was adopted was explicit enough as a 
 matter of intellectual belief, but contains no reference to personal 
 regeneration ; and while much longer than it, is in this respect 
 far more objectiouable than the Half- Way Covenant of the First 
 Church of Springfield.* 
 
 During the pastorate of Mr. Bull, some of his flock became 
 hostile to him, and carried their opposition far enough to threaten 
 a serious breach in the church. The town passed a mild vote to 
 the effect that there was cause of grievance against him ; but 
 
 *See Appendix F. 
 
BI- CENTENNIAL SERMON. 21 
 
 what it was, is stated neither there nor in the church record. The 
 latter gives an extended account of the wise and christian way 
 in which the difficulty was finally settled. He met the people in 
 a church meeting, that continued two afternoons and nearly a 
 whole night; and, after friendly conference, they arrived at " an 
 accommodation," and voted that all complaints against him 
 should be dismissed. This was not entirely satisfactoiy to the 
 disaffected ones, who shortly afterward raised a tumult and ab- 
 sented themselves from the sacrament. Having again called the 
 church together, he gave a quotation from " Hooker on Church 
 Discipline," to the effect that " men may complain of y r Elders if 
 y y consider 'mselves wrong d , but (says he) if y e complaint prove 
 unjust and unreasonable be it at y e peril of him that complains, 
 for he is to be censur d sharply & severely." Mr. Bull then 
 added a fearful scriptural example : " We all know how dread- 
 fully God testified his anger against Corah Dathan & Abiram 
 for complaining & murmuring against Moses and Aaron & 
 raising a tumult against them without any sufficient cause, & 
 there is great Reason why a due testimony sho d be born all 
 groundless Assaults made against y e ministers of Christ, be- 
 cause such things tend to wound and destroy their good names, 
 &c." He was, perhaps, somewhat improvident ; for the town 
 record shows that, though his salary was steadily increased, yet 
 he fell into financial embarrassments, as indicated by the fol- 
 lowing action : " November, 1735, £150 voted for salary ; Febru- 
 ary 5, 1736, £125 voted to pay his debts." In 1738 and the year 
 following, his salary was £240. His pastorate was cut short by 
 death, April 14th, 1740, in the thirty-ninth year of his age, and 
 the fourteenth year of his ministry. His family afterward moved 
 to Sheffield, where his oldest son became a respected physician.* 
 Mr. David Parsons preached a short time as supply ; and in 
 August, 1740, four months after Mr. Bull's death, the Rev. John 
 Ballantine was called to fill his place. The provision for his sup- 
 port is shown by the record. The house of the former pastor 
 was to be bought for £700, of which a £500 interest was to be 
 offered Mr. Ballantine to encourage him to settle. 
 
 " Also voted to give Mr. John Ballantine £200 in bills of 
 credit of the old tenor or £200 in silver money at 28s and 
 
 *See Appendix E. 
 
22 BI-CENTENNlAL SERMON. 
 
 4d per ounce as the bills now go and his firewood for his 
 sallary from }*car to year annually as long as the said Mr. Bal- 
 lantine carries on the work of the ministry with us." 
 
 This is the first time a particular sum was agreed upon for 
 more than one year. Mr. Ballantine was a native of Boston, and 
 descended from Scotch ancestors. He was graduated in 1735 at 
 Harvard. The vote to call him to this church was passed unani- 
 mously, after a season of " solemn fasting & prayer," and his 
 letter of acceptance shows that he took a spiritual view of the 
 work before him, and was deeply impressed by its responsibilities. 
 The Committee selected to sign the letters missive, inviting 
 neighboring churches to the Council that should ordain him, con- 
 sisted of Deacon John Shepard, Capt. John Gunne and Thomas 
 Ingersole, Esq., and each letter contained the following request : 
 " You are desired to meet at the house of Lieut. Ashley, at nine 
 of the clock in the morning." The Council was called for the 
 17th day of June, 1741 ; and before that time, answers having 
 been received from two churches in Boston, declining their invi- 
 tations, four churches in addition to those originally agreed upon 
 were invited. This irregular proceeding, together with a dif- 
 ficulty in regard to the First Church of Springfield, came very 
 near preventing the Council from performing its work. Mr. 
 Breck, the fourth pastor at Springfield, had been ordained a few 
 years before in the face of opposition, on account of grave sus- 
 picions cherished by some of the brethren that he was not strictly 
 orthodox, and some of the ministry would not consent to sit in 
 council with him and his church. The Council finally consisted 
 of only three churches, Sunderland, Brimfield, and Springfield 
 First. Mr. Breck made the opening prayer ; Mr. Rand preached 
 and gave the charge ; Mr. Bridgham prayed and gave the right 
 hand of fellowship ; they sang the one hundredth Psalm, and 
 were dismissed with a blessing. 
 
 The year of his ordination seems to have been a very pros- 
 perous one for the church, sixty-nine members having been re- 
 ceived on confession of faith ; a number unequaled in any previous 
 year, and in any succeeding one until 1819, when one hundred 
 and twenty-seven were received. The other years in our church 
 history made memorable on account of large accessions, are 1842 
 and 1843, when one hundred and fifteen were added, and 1850, 
 when the additions numbered sixty. 
 
BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 23 
 
 Mr. Ballantine seems to have been a man well suited to his 
 place as pastor in a small town, keeping track of all matters of 
 interest to the people, and exercising a kind of fatherly super- 
 vision over their affairs. For many years he kept a journal, in 
 which were noted the results of his observation of current events 
 relating to himself, his family, the church, the town, and the 
 nation. The original manuscripts were fortunately discovered, 
 after moulding in some obscure corner for more than half a 
 century, and are now preserved, with other old documents of 
 local interest, in that useful and beneficent local institution, the 
 Atheneum. Extracts from them were published in successive 
 numbers of the " Westfield Journal," in 1834, which show not 
 only much of the man's character, but also give an interesting 
 view of town life in those remote days. They are well worthy of 
 perusal by any who have a taste for local antiquities. As they 
 furnish about the only material from which to gain an idea of his 
 life and ministry, I shall make such selections from them as seem 
 most interesting on various subjects.* 
 
 During his ministry the church suffered much annoyance and 
 perplexity by the action of the Separatists, who were a small 
 body that withdrew from the services on account of grievances 
 occasioned by the " half-way- covenant." Some of them seem to 
 have been sincere reformers, who were outraged by the reception 
 of persons who did not give satisfactory evidence of regenera- 
 tion, by the authority granted to the regular ministry, and by the 
 method of taxing all citizens for the support of the church, 
 whether or not they attended its services. About this nucleus 
 of sincere and evangelical protesters against abuses, there gath- 
 ered many others, tinctured with all sorts of wild notions, hold- 
 ing divers absurd religious views. Mr. Ballantine was firmly 
 convinced of the error of their ways ; for, though the church char- 
 itably decided to consider such of their number as joined them 
 simply no longer members of the church, instead of formally and 
 publicly excommunicating them, yet he considered it wrong for 
 the faithful ones who remained to run after them, as shown by 
 the following entry : 
 
 " May 2 nd , 1775. A query was proposed by a member of the 
 church to day occasioned by one of our members attending the 
 
 *See Appendix G. 
 
24 BI-CENTENNJAL SERMON". 
 
 separate meeting last Sabbath, whether it was not disorderly to 
 attend a meeting of Separates. It was observed that we are to 
 mark those that cause divisions and avoid them and that since 
 the church had withdrawn communion from the preacher it 
 seemed absurd to receive one as a teacher whom we cannot fel- 
 lowship as a brother." 
 
 Yet he was extremely liberal toward all whom he considered 
 true christians. Having attended a meeting at Agawam, where 
 " the pedobaptists & anti-pedobaptists brought forward terms of 
 coalescence previously prepared," he says : 
 
 " It was a rare instance of Catholicism. I was well pleased 
 with it. It appears to me quite reasonable that we should hold 
 communion with those with whom we hope to live in heaven 
 though they differ with us in some non-essentials, as the subjects 
 & mode of baptism. All true christians are members of Christ ; 
 if one of the members of our body should be imagined by us to 
 be out of order, or should be really so, should we neglect it, or 
 cast it away? should we not try to recover it? or if we had no 
 hopes of that we should make ourselves easy with it. So should 
 christians deal with each other. It is arrogance in any man to 
 set himself up as the standard & condemn or approve others ac- 
 cording as they appear when measured by this standard. I dis- 
 claim infallibility in myself, and will not allow it in others." 
 
 He was either in advance of his church at this time in liberal- 
 ity, or else they backslid from the high ground then occupied ; 
 for, in 1788, twenty-seven years later, they refused to grant the 
 request of Anna Phelps for a letter to the Baptist Church. 
 
 The plainness of his preaching, and his patience under injuries, 
 are illustrated by the following entries : " I was insulted to-day 
 by. a principal man in town for a plain sermon delivered last 
 Sabbath against idleness. May none of these things move me ; 
 may I not be left to render reviling for reviling ; " — with more in 
 the same strain. 
 
 " May 20 th , 1762. Married David Mosely. I asked none of 
 the guests though the wedding was at nry house. I preferred not 
 to do much. Esq. Mosely made a supper and judged it better to 
 invite the guests himself. May 24. Some pretend that we not 
 only did not invite them but hindered their being invited to the 
 wedding. What need of prudence has a minister! It is a most 
 seasonable caution, 'Be ye wise as serpents & harmless as 
 doves.' " 
 
BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 25 
 
 His heart was pained by the decline of religion in his day, 
 though we are apt to think the old times were so much better 
 than the new. When English recruits started to attack the 
 French in Canada, he says: "May 16, 1759. The men who 
 were enlisted marched to-day. There used to be a sermon or 
 prayers with them, but nothing of the nature now ; as if they had 
 come to the conclusion that it is vain to seek God.'' His anxiety 
 must have diminished soon afterward, for, on the 28th of the 
 next month, he notes: " Fast throughout the Province to seek 
 God's blessing on the expedition against Canada." And the 
 public spirit of the day was sufficiently virtuous to uphold con- 
 viction and punishment for profanity; for, in 1760: "James 
 Wilson sentenced to sit in the stocks for profane swearing paid 
 his fine." He did not hesitate to reprove popular sins, though 
 lightly considered by offenders : " In consequence of finding in 
 the contribution box the other day a pewter dollar and some 
 other pewter coins I preached from Acts 5: 1-11," — which is 
 the account of Ananias and Sapphira. 
 
 Some of his comments are exceedingly pithy and bright, as 
 note the following : " Aug. 17, 1762. Many law suits, the con- 
 sequence of extravagance, imprudence, idleness, fraud & covet- 
 ousness." " June 31, 1766. Attended the funeral of Deliverance 
 Hanchett, aged 72. She was never married, maintained by the 
 town, unhappy in her temper, provoking in her language, lived 
 undesired, & died unlamented." This is perhaps more truthful 
 than many epitaphs of the time ; though " the truth is not always 
 to be spoken." 
 
 Mr. Ballantine must have been able to perform an immense 
 amount of work ; for, on a day when detained from church by 
 sickness, he says : " Have not been kept away but one day and 
 a half for twenty years." The Rev. Mr. Atwater, his successor, 
 had an experience almost as remarkable in this respect. In 
 twenty } - ears he was prevented from preaching one Sunday on 
 account of illness, and two Sunday's because of lameness. It 
 was not then, as now, necessaiy for ministers to spend three 
 months of the year in Europe to recuperate their wasted energies. 
 
 During the latter part of Mr. Ballantine's term of service, a 
 
 long-continued case of discipline perplexed the church. It was 
 
 finally suggested to call a mutual council, but each party wanted 
 
 the other to bear its expense. Neither yielding, it was proposed 
 
 4 
 
26 BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 
 
 that, if the offending brother should be adjudged guilty by the 
 council, he should pay the cost; but, if he should be acquitted, 
 the church should pay it. The matter was finally compromised 
 by each agreeing to pay one-half. Seven churches met, and 
 spent three days trying to effect harmony ; but their work was 
 done in vain, since he was afterward debarred from the Lord's 
 table. 
 
 Mr. Ballantine died February 12th, 1776, aged sixty, after 
 having served the church faithfully for thirty-five years. In the 
 " Hampden Pulpit," compiled by the Rev. Dr. Davis, it is stated 
 that three of his sons received a collegiate education ; that one 
 of them, Ebenezer, became a physician, and was the father of 
 Rev. Henry Ballantine, missionary to India, and Rev. Elisha, 
 Professor iu Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, and after- 
 wards pastor of a church in the city of Washington.* The Rev. 
 John Ashley was called after Mr. Ballantine's death, but was not 
 settled. 
 
 The Rev. Noah Atwater was called from the position of Tutor 
 in Yale College, (which he had held three years,) after preach- 
 ing here as a supply; and, after some hesitancy, accepted, and 
 was ordained November 21st, 1781. He was a student of more 
 than ordinary ability, as is evidenced by the fact that he was 
 graduated from Yale College with the first honors of his class of 
 1774. After a pastorate of twenty years, he died quite sud- 
 denly, his twentieth anniversary sermon having been the last he 
 ever preached. It was published at the town expense, together 
 with • his funeral sermon delivered by Dr. Lathrop, who was 
 pastor of the church at West Springfield sixty-five years. A 
 copy (probably the only one now in existence) of the two sermons 
 has been kindly loaned me for perusal by his grandson, Mr. 
 William L. Atwater, of New York. Dr. Lathrop gives quite an 
 extensive sketch of him. He says : 
 
 "He was blessed with superior abilities, a clear understand- 
 ing, a capacious mind, and a solid judgement. He loved good 
 men whatever name they might bear. He was a wise and 
 pacific counsellor in the churches and studied the things which 
 made for peace among his own people. He was remarkably 
 tender of character, inclined to speak well of all when he could, 
 and cautious not to speak evil of any but when he ought. His 
 
 *See Appendix G. 
 
BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 27 
 
 discourses were replete with sentiment, composed with perspicu- 
 ity & adapted to the promotion of godliness. His prayers 
 were solemn and devout, and his delivery was grave and com- 
 manding. Whatever he spoke appeared to come from a feeling 
 heart and it reached the heart which could feel. He had many 
 friends & I believe no enemies. If he had enemies, either they 
 did not know him or did not love good men. There were none 
 whom he treated as enemies or seemed to suspect as such. In 
 a word his ministerial life was a useful pattern to his brethren, 
 and his christian life was an instructive copy to his people." 
 
 He was interested in practical science, kept a rain gauge and 
 thermometer, and received a premium for an essay on the canker- 
 worm. 
 
 Did time permit, I would be glad to give a synopsis of, and 
 extracts from, his last sermon already referred to. The title 
 page, as published, reads as follows : " A sermon on the preser- 
 vation and changes of human life, by Rev. Noah Atwater A. M., 
 late Pastor of the church at Westfield, delivered to his people on 
 the 22 nd of November 1801 at the close of the 20 th year of his 
 ministry and under a distressing and threatening disorder of 
 body, which soon after terminated his life." The text is Acts 
 xxvi., 22 : — " Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue 
 unto this day." The same words from which Dr. Davis preached 
 on the last Sunday of his life. He states that there were then in 
 the town two thousand one hundred and eighty-five souls, and 
 continues : " When I was ordained the number of communicants 
 was 135. Of these, two thirds are gone from us ; 70, more 
 than one half, are dead, and 20 have removed to other places ; 
 but 45 remain." He received into the church one hundred and 
 twenty-one members. During the first year of his ministry he 
 visited every family in town, and during the twentieth he almost 
 repeated the task. His advice to his oidy son, printed with the 
 sermons, shows shrewd observation of men and things, great 
 practical wisdom, sound sense, and ardent piety. In places it is 
 not unworthy of Polonius, in the well-known parting advice to 
 Laertes. I cannot forbear giving a few of its most striking 
 injunctions : 
 
 " Be above little things & despise them wherever they ap- 
 pear. Be as frugal in your expenses as you can consistently 
 with a decent reputation. Learn the art of being esteemed 
 manly and generous by spending but a little. Always speak and 
 
28 si-centennial sermon. 
 
 walk and act naturally. Be always wise, kind, mild, and conde- 
 scending ; and yet keep at a proper distance from all improper 
 intimacies." 
 
 As a token of the estimation in which Mr. Atwater was held, 
 we have the town's action, voting that his family should have 
 free use of the parsonage and ministry land for one year after 
 his death, and that a printed copy of his last sermon should be 
 given to each family in town. 
 
 The first evidence of a movement to secure another meeting- 
 house appears on the record of the town under date of April 6th, 
 1801, when a committee of seventeen was chosen, one from each 
 school district, to select a site for it. As on previous occasions, 
 there was considerable controversy respecting it. Part of the 
 people even thought it expedient to enlarge the building then 
 occupied ; an idea that was earnestly supported during the fol- 
 lowing two years, till the edifice was burned to the ground, as has 
 always been supposed, at the instigation of the opposing party ; 
 but, though the town offered a reward of S300 for the conviction 
 of the incendiary, he was never discovered. The crowded condi- 
 tion of the old building is indicated by the fact that, while it 
 contained thirty-three pews on the ground floor, most of which 
 were six feet square, capable of seating fifteen persons each, or 
 altogether four hundred and ninety-five, the last official seating 
 provided for six hundred and fifty adults, many of whom were 
 heads of families. The report of the seating committee of that 
 year, the original of which is preserved at the Atheneum, con- 
 cludes as follows : 
 
 " Your Committee would farther observe, that the}' find it im- 
 possible to accommodate the inhabitants with seats in the Pews 
 of the House should they all attend meeting they would there- 
 fore recommend that precedence or priority cannot, nor ought 
 not to take place, by reason of any one being named or read off 
 as first in any Pew, but that all have equal right to a seat in the 
 Pews to which they are assigu'd indiscriminately, & that a Spirit 
 of accommodation only can alleviate the embarrassment & be a 
 substitute for our present cram'd situation & condition. 
 
 William Shephard, per order." 
 
 The new meeting-house was located, after considerable discus- 
 sion, where the present building stands, on ground bought by the 
 town for $236. Most of the pews were sold in advance, thereby 
 
BI- CENTENNIAL SERMON. 29 
 
 realizing the sum of S6,019 as a building fund, with which, in con- 
 sideration of a right to fifteen pews, the town agreed to finish it 
 and keep it in repair. It was decided by town vote to have two 
 flights of stairs leading up to the pulpit, and subsequently, that 
 they should be winding, in case any one could be found who 
 would pay the difference in cost between that and the straight 
 form. Some people afterward brought into town-meeting a 
 grievance based on the needless sacrifice of space and obstruc- 
 tion to view of the double flight. An ornamental pillar from the 
 front of the old pulpit is on exhibition here to-day. The pew 
 next the pulpit stairs was assigned to the use of the minister for- 
 ever. The building was dedicated January 1st, 1806, the Rev. 
 Mr. Knapp preaching the sermon ; and it was used nearly fifty- 
 five years, then sold for $1000, and moved back, where it still 
 stands, to make way for the present structure. During the time 
 of its use one thousand one hundred and eighty-eight members 
 were received into the church, while during the previous one 
 hundred and twenty-seven years the number reached only nine 
 hundred and fifty-seven. 
 
 The first mention of special sacramental utensils for use of the 
 church, is a statement in its record, that " about the year 1785, 
 Mr. Joshua Green of Boston made a present to the church of a 
 Bason to be used at Baptism and the church voted their thanks 
 to him for his kindness." Mr. Atwater afterward left $20 by 
 will to furnish the table, and the church voted to raise an equal 
 sum by subscription ; but the Hon. Samuel Fowler rendered that 
 effort unnecessary b} T a gift, indicated in an accompanying note 
 as follows : " I with pleasure herewith present to the church in 
 this town two silver plated Flagons (the first cost in London 
 being forty-five dollars) which I hope will be acceptable to the 
 church." These were received with thanks, and his name was 
 engraven on them, with the date of presentation. They are here 
 for inspection to-day. In 1824, the church received by will from 
 the same generous donor, two more flagons and a baptismal 
 basin, the former of which are still in use at communion seasons. 
 After the erection of the marble font by an unknown friend some 
 years ago, the basin was presented to Plymouth Congregational 
 Church of Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 The Rev. Isaac Knapp was ordained to the ministry in this 
 church November 16th, 1803. He was a graduate of Williams 
 
30 BI-CEtfTENNIAL SERMON. 
 
 College in the class of 1800, and served there two years as Tutor 
 before settling here. He died in 1847, in the seventy-fourth 
 year of his age, and the forty- fourth year of his pastorate. 
 After 1835, because of failing health, he was able to preach but 
 little, and was assisted by a colleague. 
 
 Though distinctly remembered by many now living, little doc- 
 umentary material available for a biographical sketch remains. 
 Dr. Davis, in the " Hampden Pulpit," characterizes him as 
 " a man of uncommon prudence, of great kindness of disposition, 
 conservative, sound in faith, and who lived agreeable to his pro- 
 fession." He was exceedingly affable, scrupulous for the finer 
 points of etiquette, courtly in his manners. He is said to have 
 bowed always three times on meeting an acquaintance. His pas- 
 torate was marked by peace and harmony among his own people, 
 and he was ever ready to afford wise counsel for the settlement 
 of any disputes brought to him for arbitration. Mr. Bates, in 
 the town bi-centennial address, says : " He knew the wants of 
 his people ; he appreciated the interests of the community ; and 
 few men were more ready to afford more valuable suggestions." 
 
 During the latter years of Mr. Knapp's active service, two 
 trifling innovations, one in the service of the church, the other re- 
 lating to the comfort of the worshipers, disturbed some of the 
 people. About 1820 small sums began to be paid for sacred 
 music ; and in 1824 the town voted $75 for sacred music, "to be 
 assessed on Mr. Knapp's salary." If this means, as it seems 
 to, that it was to be deducted therefrom, it must have been an 
 expensive luxury for him, however the people may have enjoyed 
 it, since his salary was only a little above $400, although larger 
 than when first settled. The people had become so accustomed 
 to long pastorates that, when he came, they " voted to add £i5 
 to £100 voted as salary to Mr. Knapp, to commence five years 
 from ordination." The other innovation was in heating the meet- 
 ing-house. In December, 1823, the matter was brought up in 
 town-meeting, when it was decided not to procure stoves and 
 window-blinds, but a committee was appoidted to ascertain the 
 cost of the former. For four winters more the people shivered 
 through the services ; but in December, 1827, it was voted, " that 
 the selectmen procure at the expense of the Congregational 
 Society of this town, two stoves together with the pipes not to 
 exceed in amount $80." 
 
BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 31 
 
 Here I would gladly conclude this discourse, and resume it at 
 another time, in order to have a better opportunity than is now 
 afforded to do justice to the life-work among you of the Rev. 
 Emerson Davis, D. D. My only consolation is in the fact that 
 the memories of so many of you are well stored with facts re- 
 specting him, tenderly and gratefully cherished. No one can 
 become thoroughly acquainted with the present life of this church 
 and this town without recognizing the broad and deep results of 
 his long and faithful ministry. His life here was the out- 
 working of a principle which he selected as the subject of his 
 valedictory oration on graduating from college : a To be useful, 
 the duty and happiness of man." His was a useful life in the 
 broadest sense, bringing to bear upon this community at so 
 many points an elevating and impulsive force, which is still in 
 operation. In the spheres of education, morals and religion, he 
 was ever zealous and efficient ; and in each of them this town 
 owes him a debt of gratitude, which demands that many genera- 
 tions yet to appear should rise up and call him blessed. 
 
 It is a matter of profound satisfaction to all who knew him and 
 have learned to honor him, that she, who was such a worthy help- 
 meet for him, is with us to-day. 
 
 Dr. Davis was born in Ware, July 15th, 1798, and was gradu- 
 ated from Williams College in 1821. After having been Precep- 
 tor of the Westfield Academy for fourteen years, he was ordained 
 as colleague of the Rev. Mr. Knapp. His theological training 
 was received under Dr. Griffin, President of Williams, with the 
 interests of which institution he was closely identified, serving as 
 Tutor one year, as Trustee thirty-three years, and as Vice-Presi- 
 dent seven years. 
 
 His pastorate here was eminently successful in the best sense 
 of the term. From its commencement, June 1st, 1836, to its close, 
 the church had reason to thank God for it. During its earlier 
 years it was marked by special religious interest ; for many years 
 there were additions to the church at every communion season, 
 and no year of the long period passed, that was not marked by 
 accessions. 
 
 The thirtieth anniversary of his settlement, on which he 
 preached a sermon reviewing his ministry, was his last Sunday 
 on earth. The following Friday, June 8th, 1866, sickness sud- 
 suddenly attacked him at teachers' meeting, and he died within 
 
32 BI- CENTENNIAL SERMON. 
 
 a short time. President Hopkins says of him in his funeral 
 sermon : 
 
 " His qualities of mind were not brilliant ; but he was consci- 
 entious, industrious, punctual, judicious, kind, faithful ; and 
 through these qualities, he gradually won the confidence and 
 affections of the whole community, as well as the devoted love 
 and reverence of his people. * * * He came up in his in- 
 fluence imperceptibly, as one of your grand elms. No man per- 
 ceived the moment of its increase ; but at length it stood with its 
 top in the heavens, and with its branches wide spread for beauty 
 and for shade." 
 
 The only colony formally organized from this church is that 
 which was started in 1856. A. little band of sixty-three persons 
 left their old home, bearing a parent's blessing, and were organ- 
 ized into a church by a council that convened May 22d of that 
 year. They soon afterward erected the commodious and hand- 
 some building in which they still worship, at a cost of about 
 $25,000 ; to which a convenient chapel has since been added. 
 The child has grown to vigorous and stalwart maturity, and now 
 stands and works side by side with the parent. Organized in a 
 true missionary spirit to meet the growing needs of the town, the 
 Second Church has always lived on terms of the utmost harmony 
 with those in the old household ; the utmost kindness and affec- 
 tion mark all their relations with each other, and they cordially 
 unite to carry on the common work of the Lord. After having 
 been served one year by the Rev. Francis Homes, the church 
 settled the Rev. J. S. Bingham as its first pastor in 1857, who 
 was followed, after six years of labor, by the Rev. George 
 Bowler. He was succeeded in June, 1866, by the Rev. Henry 
 Hopkins, whose able and faithful service has been rendered ever 
 since with a tenderness and kindness of heart that have won for 
 him affectionate and grateful friends throughout the community. 
 It is hoped that he will so far imbibe the spirit of the old church 
 as to follow the example of her long line of ministers who con- 
 sidered their settlement a life tenure. 
 
 The house of worship which the young organization soon 
 erected, incited the people of the old society to build this struct- 
 ure, at an expense of about $25,000. It was dedicated in 1860, 
 and, I understand, is practically free from indebtedness. 
 
 The Rev. E. II. Richardson succeeded Dr. Davis in the pas- 
 
BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 33 
 
 torate after a year had intervened, and was installed May 1st, 
 1867, coming here from Providence, R. I. He accepted a call to 
 Hartford, Ct., in 1872, and is now in New Britain, of that state. 
 
 He was followed by the Rev. A. J. Tits worth, called from the 
 Seminary in 1873, who resigned in 1878, to accept the pastorate 
 of the First Church at Chelsea. 
 
 The departure of these two respected and beloved pastors, 
 who had labored earnestly and efficiently, after five years of ser- 
 vice, occasioned the people great grief and disappointment ; and 
 the expressions of mutual regret and regard that were called forth 
 b}' the separation, show that both they and the people suffered 
 from it. 
 
 It is a remarkable fact in these days of short pastorates and 
 unsettled supplies, that the first six pastors of this church be- 
 gan and ended their ministerial work here, and were laid to rest 
 by their grateful and loving people. Their average term of ser- 
 vice is thirty-two years. 
 
 Your present pastor was called from Brooklyn, N. Y., and in- 
 stalled May 14th of the current year, beginning the third century 
 of the church's history as its ninth pastor. 
 
 The church has been served by thirty deacons, among whom 
 are four Deweys, three Fowlers, three Roots, two Ashleys, three 
 Shepards, two Searles, and two Smiths. 
 
 Gen. William Shepard, who has secured an honored place in 
 history through his heroic services in the French and Indian and 
 Revolutionary wars, a friend of Washington and Lafayette, after 
 laying aside his sword, was chosen to the office in 1789, and 
 served twenty-eight years, till his death in 18 17, aged eighty. 
 He was one of the most remarkable men ever connected with 
 this church. A copy of the sermon preached at his funeral by 
 Mr. Knapp, is carefully preserved by his great-granddaughter, 
 one of our members, and an extended sketch of his character and 
 career is given in the town bi-centennial address. 
 
 The whole number of members who have been connected with 
 this church from its foundation till now, if my count of their 
 names on the church record be correct, is two thousand five hun- 
 dred and seventy- six, received as follows: By Mr. Taylor, two 
 hundred and thirty-one ; by Mr. Bull, two hundred and twenty ; 
 by Mr. Ballantine, four hundred and twenty-two ; by Mr. 
 Atwater, one hundred and twenty-one ; by Mr. Knapp, six hun- 
 
34 BI-CENTENNTAL SERMON. 
 
 dred and seventy ; by Dr. Davis, six hundred and fifty-one ; by 
 Mr. Richardson, one hundred and thirty-nine ; by Mr. Titsworth, 
 one hundred and eight ; by others, fourteen. They would make 
 a vast company could all be gathered together. 
 
 The early history of the Sunday-school is not preserved in any 
 existing records ; but at least two of the scholars first collected 
 still live among us, Mrs. Samuel Horton and Mrs. Frederick 
 Fowler. The latter remembers quite clearly her experience in 
 that capacity, and has in possession an " Evangelical Primer," 
 containing several catechisms, given her for good behavior, and 
 a book of quaint hymns for children. Both these, with the Bible, 
 were studied by the scholars. The school is supposed to have 
 been organized in the spring of 1817, and met in the old Acad- 
 emy Hall for several years. An invitation to act as teachers, 
 addressed to Mr. Zabina Fowler, afterward a deacon, and Miss 
 Nancy, his sister, signed by six directors, is still preserved by 
 one of our people. Mrs. Fowler remembers a visit to the school 
 of Dr. Osgood, of Springfield, who spoke of the work of Robert 
 Raikes in England. The superintendents, so far as I can learn, 
 have consisted of the following brethren, in about the order in 
 which they are here given : Deacons Stearns and Stowe, Mr. 
 Chapman, Deacons Chadwick and Smith, Dr. Goodrich, Mr. 
 Greenongh, Rev. Mr. Titsworth, Mr. Todd, and Deacon Frank 
 P. Searle, the present incumbent. 
 
 It will doubtless be interesting to know what are the localities 
 of historic interest to this church, and they should be kept clearly 
 in memory. The -first meeting-house stood a few rods northwest 
 of the west end of the iron bridge that now crosses Little River, 
 on land afterward used for the town pound, and now owned by 
 Mr. William Todd. The second building stood on the corner of 
 Main and Meadow streets, in what is now Mr. George H. Mosley's 
 garden. The road, now Meadow street, forked, and ran on the 
 east and west side of it. The third house occupied the site of 
 the building we are in, which is the fourth provided by the 
 church. Mr. Taylor lived not far from his meeting-house, on a 
 road running north, a short distance west of it, and died in his 
 son's house, an old red one, that stood till a few years ago on 
 the corner made by the road just mentioned and Main street. 
 Mr. Bull and Mr. Ballantine lived on the south side of Main 
 street, on land running west from the corner of what is now 
 
BI-CENTENNIAL SERMON. 35 
 
 Cross street, on land since owned by the late Mr. Caleb Fowler, 
 whose first wife was Mr. Ballantine's granddaughter. Mr. 
 Atwater's house was just west of where the Atheneum now 
 stands. Mr. Knapp's house, since moved to another site, stood 
 just west of Mr. E. R. Van Deusen's house on Franklin street. 
 Dr. Davis lived on Elm street, just north of Arnold, about where 
 Loomis's hardware store now stands. The First and Second 
 Churches each built a commodious and comfortable parsonage 
 several years since. The first four pastors were buried in the old 
 burying-ground, and Mr. Knapp and Dr. Davis in the Pine Hill 
 cemetery. A tablet was placed in the church in memory of Mr. 
 Taylor by Homer and Henry T. Morgan, of New York, two of 
 his descendants, and one to the memory of Dr. Davis was placed 
 here by his people. 
 
 The support of the ministry of this church has been partly 
 provided for by sundry gifts to a ministerial fund, amounting 
 now to about $6,500 in the hands of trustees.* It has been de- 
 rived in part by sale of the ministry land, and in part by legacies ; 
 the first of which, in the church books, is that of Samuel Root, 
 probably a son of the third deacon of the church. His will was 
 drawn in 1711. 
 
 Many other details of historic interest might be added to this 
 sketch did time permit, but your patience was long since over- 
 taxed. 
 
 Two hundred years of the church's life are gone beyond our 
 power to recall or influence them. The lessons learned by re- 
 viewing them are to be applied to present duties, through whose 
 performance the future may be affected. With devout gratitude 
 for God's mercies, so bountifully vouchsafed during all these 
 years, let us determine to be more faithful in requiting them ; and 
 in glad recognition of the christian usefulness of generations that 
 have been gathered to their fathers, let us follow in their steps, 
 as they have followed Christ ; ever lifting heavenward, from 
 zealous hearts, loyal to Him and loyal to this our beloved church, 
 the prayer suggesting that Fast Day sermon two hundred } r ears 
 ago : " The Lord be with us as He was with our Fathers." 
 
 *See Appendix H. 
 
Appendix. 
 
 The copy of the letter missive, inviting the five churches of 
 Norwich, Windsor, Springfield, Northampton and Hadley to 
 the council that organized the church here, is partly illegible, 
 through the ravages of time. As an interesting historical docu- 
 ment, it is herewith given as fully as possible : 
 
 " Hon rd & Rev nd S r : together with y e Much Respected chh of 
 Christ at Norwich in which you serve. 
 
 After y e manifold Temptations & experienced Difficulties of 
 one nature & another that we y e Professed servants of Christ in 
 this place have met withall, & been delaj^ed thereb}', with respect 
 unto y e Interest of Christ in a Gospell instituted Order : it hath 
 graciously pleased y e Divine Omnipresent Preserver, y e father of 
 Spirits & y e God of all Mercy in Christ, so far to shine forth 
 upon us, as to lead us by y e hand, so, through y e same as to 
 bring us to a conclusion among o'selves to fix upon y e last fourth 
 day of y e sixth month next ensuing, for y e mauagem 11 ' of that 
 solemn & holy work of entrance into a city fframe, a chh Insti- 
 tuted State. And thereupon in sense of our own Insuffisionsie for 
 it, need of Advice, Directions & Assistance, as also y e Right 
 Hand of Fellowship in, & about y e same : as also considering 
 y e Result of civill Authority in this matter, y' it behooveth us as 
 o r Master to fulfill all Righteousness : & also the custom of the 
 chh of Christ (w ch in all commendable things is greatly to be ad- 
 hered unto) harmonizing herein, we have fixt on certain churches 
 to request them to allow unto us their Aide, Help & ffellowship 
 in this business * * * * also desire that you would accept 
 of such a burden of Christ in y e Gospell put upon you by us in 
 this desire, as y' you would send y r Rev nd Elders & Messengers 
 to help & incourage us in this worke y* is to be carried on by us 
 upon y e day above mentioned. 
 
 Thus earnestly desiring y e Everlasting ffather, y e Prince of 
 Peace & y s Eternall Spirit of love that sitts between y e Cheru- 
 bims, y 1 is in y e midst of y e Golden Candlesticks & y* speakes 
 unto y e churches, to prevent all impediments, obstructions to 
 
38 APPENDIX. 
 
 o r motion, to stir you up to all readiness of mind to accept 
 thereof: to give his gratious presence to you, & by & with you 
 unto us, we remaine, subscribing o r selves 
 
 Y r Neighbors ffriends, Companions & Brethren in 
 y e common Interest of Christ 
 -ry- ( Edward Taylor \ ( Ser. Dewy 
 
 T 1 1T79 i John Maddesley > < Isaak Phelps 
 y { Ensign Sam l Loomis ) ( John Root 
 
 These for y e Rev nd . Mr. J. F. pastor of, together with 
 y e chh of Christ at Norwich." 
 
 B. 
 
 In his sketch of the first Council, Mr. Taylor records the 
 formal commission from the authorities of the Colony for the task 
 of organizing the church : 
 
 " GPI then gave an account of the work of the day and in- 
 quired into the order of our motions hitherto and our liberty 
 for the same from 
 
 i Civill Authority 
 ( Church dismission of members. 
 As for the answer unto the first this following order which was 
 granted the foregoing year was presented and read. 
 August 9 th , 1678. 
 
 These doe signifie that we approve y e christian people in 
 y e colony of Massachusetts to enter into a church state according 
 to y e rules of Christ and y e laws of y e country in that case pro- 
 vided and in particular the persons hereunder named viz. Mr. 
 Edward Taylor minister, John Maudesly, Samuel Loomis. Isaak 
 Phelps, Thomas Gun, Josiah Dewy and John Root, who have 
 made application to us, who together with such others living 
 in that place whom God hath fitted as living stones for that 
 spiritual building (having testimony of their professed subjection 
 unto y e gospell of Christ) we do allow to enter church state and 
 commend them to y e Lord's gracious blessing. Signed y e day 
 and year above written. John Leverett, Gov r . 
 
 I 
 
 Simeon Broadstreet 
 
 Daniel Goodwin Sr 
 
 Thomas Danforth 
 
 T ^ > Assist. 
 
 John Pynchon { 
 
 Edward Ting 
 
 Joseph Dddly j 
 
 Thomas Gun, John Maudesley, Samuel Loomis and Isaak 
 Phelps were recommended by letters " writ to myself," as Mr. 
 
APPENDIX. 39 
 
 Taylor says, from Windsor. John Root brought a letter from 
 Farmiugton, Josiah Dewj- and John Ingerson from Northampton. 
 
 c. 
 
 From a letter received by the Hon. William G. Bates at the 
 time of celebrating the town bi-centennial, from Mr. Henry W. 
 Taylor, of Canandaigua, N. Y., a few brief extracts may prop- 
 erly be made to heighten our estimate and enlarge our conception 
 of the first pastor. The whole sketch, as given in the Bi-Cen- 
 tennial volume, is well worthy of perusal : 
 
 " He was born in England, educated for the ministry, studied 
 seven years in one of their universities ; but the ejection of two 
 thousand dissenting clergymen in 1662, and the persecutions 
 which that class of christians suffered, induced him to a voluntary 
 exile. He was, through his whole life, a most voluminous writer, 
 keeping a diary of the running events of his life, and recording 
 things of passing interest. He left a large number of written 
 folio volumes, and he was in the habit of transcribing, with his 
 own hand, the books which were loaned to him by his friend 
 Judge Sewall of Boston. * * * Mr. Taylor also studied 
 medicine ; and during his life was accustomed to minister as 
 well to the diseases of the body, as of the soul. He also gave 
 attention to natural history, and some of his compositions were 
 published in the scientific literature of the day." 
 
 The writer of the above, his great-grandson, has a small book 
 of his, inscribed on the title-page : 
 
 " Such things as are herein contained are the Principalis of 
 Physick, as to the practical part thereof, being extracts of that 
 famous Physician, Riverius." 
 
 In the same book President Stiles, Mr. Edward Taylor's grand- 
 son, bears witness to his attainments as a literary man: 
 
 " He was an excellent classical scholar, being master of the 
 three learned languages, a great historian, and every way a .very 
 learned man. He was an incessant student, but used no specta- 
 cle glasses to his death. I have a manuscript folio of six hun- 
 dred pages, his commentary upon the Evangelists. * * * * 
 
 A man of small stature, but firm ; of quick passions, yet seri- 
 ous and grave." 
 
40 APPENDIX. 
 
 A MODEL LOVE LETTER. 
 
 The following is a copy of the original letter among the col- 
 lections in the Connecticut Historical Society, written by the 
 Rev. Edward Taylor, of Westfield, Massachusetts, July, 1674, to 
 Miss Elizabeth Fitch, daughter of the Rev. James Fitch, one of 
 the original proprietors, and the first clergyman settled in the 
 town of Norwich. 
 
 This letter was written by the Rev. Mr. Taylor to Miss Fitch 
 — reputed to have been a beautiful and accomplished lady — 
 during his courtship, and was to have been read, if opportunity 
 offered, at the bi-centennial dinner, by Colonel George L. Perkins, 
 a great-great-grandson of the Rev. Mr. Fitch : 
 
 Westfifxd, Mass., 8th day of the 7th month, i674. 
 My Dove : — I send you not nry heart, for that I hope is sent 
 to Heaven long since, and unless it has awfully deceived me it 
 hath not taken up its lodgings in any one's bosom on this side 
 the ro} r al city of the Great King ; but yet the most of it that is 
 allowed to be layed out upon any creature doth safely and singly 
 fall to your share. So much my post pigeon presents you with 
 here in these lines. Look not (I entreat you) on it as one of 
 love's hyperboles. If I borrow the beams of some sparkling met- 
 aphor to illustrate my respects unto thyself by, for you having 
 made my breast the cabinet of your affections as I yours mine, 
 I know not how to offer a fitter comparison to set out ray love 
 by, than to compare it unto a golden ball of pure fire rolling up 
 and down my breast, from which there flies now and then a spark 
 like a glorious beam from the body of the flaming sun. But 
 alas ! striving to catch these sparks into a love letter unto your- 
 self, and to gild it with them as with a sun beam, find, that by 
 what time they have fallen through my pen upon my paper, they 
 have lost their shine and fall only like a little smoke thereon in- 
 stead of gilding them. Wherefore, finding myself so much de- 
 ceived, I am ready to begrudge my instruments, for though my 
 love within nry breast is so large that my heart is not sufficient 
 to contain it, 3 7 et they can make it no more room to ride into, 
 than to squeeze it up betwixt my black ink and white paper. 
 But know that it is the coarsest part that is couchant there, for 
 the finest is too fine to clothe in any linguist and huswifry, or to 
 be expressed in words, and though this letter bears but the 
 coarsest part to you, yet the purest is improved for you. But 
 now, my dear love, lest my letter should be judged the lavish 
 language of a lover's pen, I shall endeavor to show that conjugal 
 love ought to exceed all other love. 1st, appears from that 
 which it represents, viz. : The respect there is betwixt Christ 
 
APPENDIX. 41 
 
 and his church, Eph. 5th, 25th, although it differs from that in 
 kind ; for that is spiritual and this human, and in degree, that is 
 boundless and transcendent, this limited and subordinate ; yet it 
 holds out that this should be cordial and with respect to all other 
 transcendent. 2d, Because conjugal love is the ground of con- 
 jugal union, or conjugal sharing the effects of this love, is also a 
 ground of this union. 3d, From those Christian duties which 
 are incumbent on persons in this state as not only a serving God 
 together, a praying together, a joining in the ruling and instruct- 
 ing their family together, which could not be carried on as it 
 should be without a great degree of true love, and also a mutual 
 giving each other to each other, a mutual succoring each other in 
 all states, ails, grievances ; and how can this be when there is 
 not a love exceeding all other love to any creature? And 
 hereby if persons in this state have not love exceeding all love, 
 it's with them for the most part as with the strings of an instru- 
 ment not tuned up, when struck upon makes but a jarring, harsh 
 sound. But when we get the wires of an instrument equally 
 drawn up, and rightly struck upon, sound together, make sweet 
 music whose harmony doth enravish the ear ; so when the golden 
 strings of true affection are struck up into a right conjugal love, 
 thus sweetly doth this state then harmonize to the comfort of 
 each other and to the glory of God when sanctified. But yet, 
 the conjugal love must exceed all other, yet it must be kept 
 within bounds, for it must be subordinate to God's glory ; the 
 which that mine may be so, it having got you in its heart, doth 
 offer my heart with you in it as a more rich sacrifice into God 
 through Christ, and so it subscribeth me, 
 
 Your true love till death, 
 
 EDWARD TAYLOR. 
 
 This for my friend and only beloved 
 
 Miss Elizabeth Fitch, 
 
 at her father's house in Norwich. 
 
 The reader of this letter does not fully appreciate it, and can 
 not do so, without seeing the facsimile of it. An imperfect de- 
 scription can not do justice to it. The reverend gentleman 
 brought the fine arts to his aid ; and rightly so, for love itself is 
 one of the fine arts, and is so denominated by one of the old 
 Roman poets. 
 
 Our types do not allow us to copy the pictorial illustrations ; 
 but our readers may fancy a " pen and ink sketch" of what he 
 calls a dove, in the lower corner of the letter, of the size of an 
 old-fashioned ninepence, without feathers, and looking like a 
 plucked chicken. It was necessary to denude it of its feathers, 
 6 
 
42 APPENDIX. 
 
 to have room to inscribe upon the side of its body the following 
 couplet : 
 
 This clove and olive branch to you 
 Is both a post and emblem too. 
 
 INVENTORY OF REV. EDWARD TAYLOR. 
 
 IN RECORDS OF PROBATE OFFICE OF NORTHAMPTON, VOL. 5. AN 
 
 ANCIENT TOME BOUND IN HOG-SKIN PARCHMENT. 
 
 Hampshire Westfield, Oct. 14 th , 1729 Deacon David Ashley & 
 f James Dewey & Nehemiah Loomis were appointed 
 | & sworn to apprize the estate of the Rev d Mr. 
 Mr. Edw d j Edward Taylor Lately Deceased in Westfield 
 Taylor. "] afores d . John Ashley Just. Peace. An Inventory 
 | of the Estate of the Rev nd . Mr. Edward Taylor De- 
 ceased this done Aug. 29 th , 1729 
 No. 1. — A Great coat 20s. A lined Jacket 20s. A shirt 6s, 
 a shirt 3s, a pair of breeches 2s. Two pair of breeches Is. A 
 Hat 13s. Gloves Is. 2 Bands Is. 6d. An old Gown 3s. A 
 Jacket 3s. Two brown under Jackets 2s. A white woolen under 
 Jacket 6d. To a Bed and Bolster in the Parlour Chamber 
 £3. In : 0. A set of brown stamped brown curtains & Valliants 
 15s. Bedsted Rope & Rods 20s. Hair Cloth 20s. An old 
 flower'd Rag at 5s. A white Blanket at 8s. A Good Flower'd 
 Rug at 25s. A white Rug 10s. A Flag Matt, Is. 6d. A 
 Streaked Pillow 5s. A Red Rug 5s. An old Feather Bed in the 
 Parlour 40s. A Bolster 9s. A Pillow 6s. A Blanket with 
 black streaks 6s. A Set of Red Curtains & Valliants 30s. An 
 old under Bed 2s. Bedstead & Rop. 20s. A new Bed in the 
 outward chamber £3. An underbed 2s. another old underbed 
 3s. Old streaked curtains Valle ce & Bedstead 6s. An old Bol- 
 ster some feathers in it 3s. A Bed in the outw d room Bolster & 
 Pillows £4. 15s. Two Rugs in the outward room 30s. the Bed- 
 stead Ropes & Matt, 5s. An old white Blanket 3s. An old 
 piece of Green Broad Cloth 3s. A pair of sheets 18s. A good 
 sheet 9s. 3 old sheets lis. A sheet 8s. An old sheet 3s. Two 
 sheets 20s. Two old sheets 3s. An old sheet 2s. 6d. An old 
 Cotten sheet 4s. A good sheet 8s. Another good sheet 8s. A 
 pair of Good sheets 25s. Six Cotten Napkins 18s. An old 
 Holland Table cloth 3s. Another Table Cloth 2s. 5 Towells 
 wove with a wale 7s. 6d. Two old Towells Is. Two Towells 
 2s. A Holland Pillow Bier 3s. 2 Pillow biers 2s. 6d. A Table 
 Cloth Is. 6d. A Napkin Is. A strainer Is. A Great Pie Plate 
 10s. A Great Platter 14s. A Platter 13s. Another Platter 
 13s. 3 Platters 36s. 3 more Platters 30s. One Platter 10s. 
 one Platter 12s. two Platters 18s. A little Platter 3s. 5 plates 
 15s. Two old plates 4s. A Bason 4s. 6d. 2 basons 4s. 6d. 2 
 little basons 2s. 6d. A pint cup, 4s. 6d. Old Pewter 6s. A 
 
APPENDIX. 43 
 
 Tankard 6s. 6d. Part & wheels 10s. Cups & Tin 2s. 6d. A 
 Coller 6s. 
 
 No. 2.— Traces 18s. A Slead 6s. Small Caps & pin 2s. 1 
 Hoe 5s. An ax 4s. 2 Wedges 4s. Beetle rings 2s 6d. Yoak 
 & Irons 5s. Several Old Rings & pieces of fetters 3s. An ax 
 6s. Another pail 2s. Another pail Is. 2 pottles 2s. A churn 
 2s. 6d. Dishes & Trenchers 3s. A Great wheel 5s. A little 
 wheel 5s. A wreal 2s. 6d. A cheese fat & straining dish Is. 6d. 
 An old Book Is. Cards 2s. 6d. Old Iron 2s. 2 old Barrels 3s. 
 Scales & Waits Is. 6d. Knives & forks 6s. A pair of shears & 
 2 little bottles Is. 6d. A Sow & two pigs 36s. Another sow 
 30s. 9 swarms of bees £4. 10s. Od. Two forks 3s. A Plow & 
 Irons 20s. Plow chain 14s. A Rug in the Garret 15s. A ham- 
 mer Is. 6d. A Heifer £3. 5s. Od. A little heifer 17s. Another 
 heifer £1. 14s. Od. A Young horse £7. 0s. Od. A Colt 50s. A 
 Malt Trough 10s. 
 
 No. 3.— A Great Kettle £5. 0s. Od. A Midling Kettle 
 £2. 15s. Od. A Less Kettle, £1. 15s. Od. A little Skillit 6s. A 
 Three leged Brass pan 18s. A Brass Pan 20s. A Great Skillit 
 10s. A Pie pan 4s. A brass Scummer & Ladle 7s. 6d. A 
 Brass Candlestick 4s. A flat candlestick 2s. Hand Irons Brass 
 Plates 16s. Hand Iron Tops 8s. A warming Pan 25s. An 
 Iron Dish Kettle 17s. An Iron Pot 20s. one Trammel 6s. 
 Another Trammel 4s. Pothooks 3s. A pair of Tongs 6s. An- 
 other pair 4s. A slice 4s. Great Hand Irons 20s. °Grid Irons 
 12s. Great Flat Hand Irons 6s. Little Slim Hand Irons, 4s. 
 Grid Iron 5s. frying pan 9s. A spit 5s. A Brass Chopping 
 Dish & little piece of Bass 4s. A Burning Iron Is. A Fender 
 Is. A Branding Iron 2s. A turn Gouge Is. A Swivle Is. 6d. 
 A Box Iron & Heaters 6s. An Iron Candlestick Is. Hetchels 
 5s. Musket 10 s. A Pistol 4s. A Hewing Ax 2s. 6d. A Par- 
 cel of old Iron 2s. 6d. Collerhooks Is. A "Plain Iron 6s. ham- 
 mer Is. A .chamber pot Is. A Tunnel lOd. paper box 4d. 
 A Paper Morter & Pestle 3s. 6d. Earthen Pans Is. 4d. Great 
 Table in j e Parlour 25s. A Great Table in the Outw d Room 20s. 
 A Silver Tankard £15. 5s. Od. A two ear'd cup, one Pottinger 
 a salt seller & 4 spoons & a drain cup Total wt. 37 oz. 
 £34 : 0s. Od. A Black Cow £5. 10s. Od. The Gallows cow 
 £5. 10. Od. The Lined Cow £5. 5s. Od. A little Table 8s. 5 
 chairs 15s. 3 chairs 7s. 6d. 2 Great chairs 6s. one 2. Two 
 high chairs 7s. 2 Old chairs Is. A Chest of Drawers 30s. A 
 Narrow chest 2s. 6d. A long form 7s. A Cupboard Cushion 
 10s. A Looking Glass 2s. A staff Is. 6d. A chair table lis. 
 A Looking Glass 16s. A carved chest 16s. A new chest 6s. 
 A Trunk 6s. An Indian bark Is. A little square trunk Is. A 
 joint stool 3s. A compass Is. Aflaskit5s. The Studdy Table 
 10s. The little old bellows 4s. An old hour glass Is. A Box 
 in the Studdy 4s. Wooden Steelyards Is. 2 old chests 5s. A 
 
44 APPENDIX. 
 
 Half bush 11 2s. 6d. A two pound weight Is. 3 Sievs Is. 6d. 2 
 old barrels 2s. A Pork barrel 2s. 6d. A Cider barrel 2s. A 
 cider barrel 3s. A small Cask Is. Gd. A Beer barrel 2s. A 
 Powdering Tub 2s. 2 old Casks in the Celler 2s. An old lye tub 
 Is. A Mashing Tub, 2s. A half tub Is. Funnel 2s. 
 
 The total valuation of his property thus inventoried amounts 
 to £182, Os., 6d. That of his library, which is also inventoried 
 in the same record, is £54, 4s., 7d. 
 
 D. 
 
 After receiving the impressive deliverance of Samuell Par- 
 tridge, who was Judge of Probate of Hampshire County, respect- 
 ino- the site of the second meeting-house, it was voted that his re- 
 port should be the " finall ishew " of the matter. 
 
 " At the same meeting it was voated by the town that they 
 would beo-in to raise the new meeting house on Wednesday morn- 
 ing at 2 hours by sun in the morning the 8' h day of this instant 
 June, assembling to work at the beat of drum every morning 
 until it is over. 
 
 At the same meeting it was voated y* all men belonging to the 
 town shall assist in the work of raising the meeting house from 
 17 years of age & upwards on pain & penalty of 3 shillings pr. 
 day for every days neglect duering the time of raising ex all 
 such as shall make a satisfactory excuse to the Comitey y* have 
 the chairge of y e mater. 
 
 At the same meeting it was voated that the comitey shall have 
 liberty to prepare four or five barels of beer at the town charge 
 for that consem above mentioned. 
 
 At the same meeting it was voated that Captain Phelps, 
 Deacon Noble & Deacon Ashley should go & desier Mr. Taylor 
 to come to the place of raising the meeting house then & their at 
 the time appointed to seek to God for his guide & protection in 
 the work of raising." 
 
 E. 
 
 The Rev. Nehemiah Bull was descended from an ancient and 
 honorable family of that name in Hartford. His great-grand- 
 father, Capt. Thomas Bull, one of the early settlers of that city, 
 was honorably and usefully connected with the bloody battle 
 
APPENDIX. 45 
 
 against the Pequot Indians in May, 1637, when, as a historian of 
 the period has said : 
 
 " More bravery was displayed and greater good achieved to 
 New England, than by any battle which has since been fought, 
 not excepting the battle of Bunker Hill. The Pequots were the 
 most warlike and blood-thirsty Indian nation in New England. 
 By this action they were defeated and ruined as a nation, as their 
 fort was destroyed, sevent}' wigwams burned, about six hundred 
 Indians killed in the action by Are and sword, with only about 
 seventy active white men in the field ; by which action Connecti- 
 cut was saved." 
 
 Rev. Mr. Bull's oldest son, William, a physician, married Jane, 
 daughter of Colonel John Ashley, of Sheffield. They had a son 
 William, who entered the profession of his father. 
 
 F. 
 
 The " Half- Way Covenant," to which reference has been made, 
 is here given in full : 
 
 " I believe (we) y* there is one only living & true God In- 
 finite Eternal & Unchangeable in his being, wisdom, Power, 
 Holiness, Justice, Goodness & Truth, Distinguished into & sub- 
 sisting in 3 Persons, who are y e same in substance essence & at- 
 tributes Equal in Authority, Glory & Majesty but distinguished 
 
 by their & personal propertys, y e father being y e first in 
 
 order begetting y e Son, y e Son y e 2 d begotten of y e father, y e Holy 
 Ghost y e 3 d proceeding from y e father & y e Son. I (we) believe 
 y f this God is y e Almighty Creator y e wise & Good upholder, 
 y e Just Sovereign Governour & disposer of all his creatures & 
 all their actions. I (we) believe y l man created in his image in 
 a state of integrity was placed under a covenant of life upon con- 
 dition of perfect obedience but by his disobedience lost both his 
 uprightness & title to life & is by nature in a state of weakness 
 enmity, pollution, Guilt, unrighteousness & wrath. I (we) be- 
 lieve y* when y e fullness of time was come God sent forth his 
 only begotten Son to take upon him y e nature of man y' so sub- 
 sisting in 2 distinct natures (divine & human in one Person) he 
 might be a fit Mediator between God & man suitably qualified 
 to Redeem man by price & power & effectively Reconcile him to 
 God, for which end God appointed (gave permission to) his Son, 
 to be a Prophet, Priest & King to his church, who did in y e days 
 of his flesh execute these offices by obeying y e Law, Revealing 
 y e Gospell & suffering death, & when he had continued under' 
 
46 APPENDIX. 
 
 y e power of death for a time he arose from y e dead, ascended into 
 heaven & sat down on y e Right hand of God where he now con- 
 tinues to execute y e several offices of a Mediator, Pleading his 
 own merits on y e behalf of y e elect, interceding for era, sending 
 y e Holy Sp' to inlighten, convince, effectually call & sanctify 
 those that are given to him, who being innabled to believe in his 
 name to y e justification of their persons shall be openly acquitted, 
 pronounced blessed & invited by y e Supreme judge to take pos- 
 session of y e Kingdom of glory prepared for em, at that day when 
 
 God shall weigh y e both just & unjust, & shall judge 
 
 y e herets of men by J : Christ who also will condemn all that 
 obey not y e gospel to everlasting punishm* according to y e script- 
 ures of wrath w ch I believe to be y e word of God & y e only rule 
 of faith & manners." 
 
 G. 
 
 The wife of Mr. Ballantine was Mary Gay, niece of the Rev. 
 Ebenezer Gay, who was pastor of the First Church at Hingham 
 for sixty-nine years ; called by Savage, " the honored patri- 
 arch of the New England pulpit of that age." The excellent 
 traits and remarkable talents of Mrs. Ballantine are matters of 
 tradition. 
 
 The intellectual gifts of the Gay family have descended to her 
 posterity, some of whom have been lights to the heathen in 
 foreign lands. The interesting work recently published, en- 
 titled, " Midnight Marches through Persia," was written by one 
 of her descendants. A book in our own Sunday-school library, 
 showing how desirable it is to be " shod with peace," was written 
 by another descendant, residing here. 
 
 Lydia Gay, a niece of Mrs. Ballantine, rode to Westfield from 
 Dedham on a pillion behind the parson. She came to be an 
 inmate of his family, and married Col. David Mosely, a great- 
 grandson of John Maudesley, one of the " foundation-men." She 
 lived to the age of ninet3^-four years, a gentle and lovable old 
 lady ; who, as she sat and knit at that remarkable age, enter- 
 tained her great-grandchildren with many reminiscences of Mr. 
 Ballantine's family. To one of them I am indebted for these 
 facts. 
 
 The following additional citations from Mr. Ballantine's diary, 
 .quoted from in the sermon, are not without interest : 
 
APPENDIX. 47 
 
 "Jan. 21st, 1764. Attended the funeral of Nath. Pynchon at 
 Springfield, whom I fitted for college. They gave me and my 
 wife a pair of gloves." 
 
 This seems to have been his first observation of a custom that 
 has continued to some extent to the present day, at least so far 
 as to provide the officiating clergyman with them. 
 
 "Jan. 17, 1768. I preached. Sang twice in the forenoon. 
 The singers stood up in the gallery and sang new tunes. Some 
 disgusted and left the house." 
 
 Nearly twenty years before this, according to the church 
 record, " it was proposed that Dr. Watts' version of the Psalms 
 should be used at the administration of the Lord's Supper. No 
 objections." But the new-fangled tunes seem to have caused 
 righteous indignation in those who had courage to express it. 
 
 Mr. Ballantine took special pains to record what was unusual, 
 mysterious, or grotesque, as the following entries indicate : 
 
 " "Went to Granville. In the night the house of Mr. Jonathan 
 Rose took fire and was consumed. Mr. R. was burnt in it, a 
 man 90 years old. All the remains of the body might have been 
 put in a half- peck measure." 
 
 " Attended Capt. Clapp's funeral. As they were letting the 
 coffin down, the head string broke ; it fell and broke off the lid 
 and split the head ; it was taken up and mended." 
 
 (Query. — Does the last clause refer to the coffin or the head ?) 
 The following is suggestive of the generous doses of medicine 
 prescribed to patients before the disciples of Hahnemann discov- 
 ered the efficacy of sugar pellets : Mr. Israel Noble was sick of 
 a fever, and Dr. Pynchon of Springfield having been called, 
 thought the case hopeless, " but prescribed rhubarb, liquorice, 
 cream of tartar and some other smaller matters, together with a 
 decoction of the Cortex (P. bark) and claret wine, pap of wheat 
 bread and rice." Surely, if not hopeless before, it must have 
 been after taking such a remedy ! He goes on to say, showing 
 the prevalence of superstition in that day : " Mr. Noble and 
 wife heard last fall an unusual knocking at the door, which 
 beo-an about daybreak and continued till sunrise. They could 
 hear no voice, nor see any one, though they got up." Perhaps 
 it was an ominous premonition of the Doctor's knock. 
 
48 APPENDIX. 
 
 One more entry is added, illustrative of the generosity of his 
 people, and the sentiment of the times on what is now a subject 
 of practical morality : On the eve of his daughter's wedding, 
 October 16th, 1768, the following articles were sent to the par- 
 sonage, which would be hardly duplicated now, degenerate as the 
 times are : 
 
 " Mrs. Parks, 1 gallon of rum. Capt. Mosely, 2 qts. Dea. 
 Shepard, a leg of mutton. Mrs. Clapp, 1 qt. rum. Thos. Root. 
 2 qts. of brandy. Matt. Noble, flour and suet. Ensign Noble, 
 some butter. Clark King, pig. Ensign Ingersoll, 2 qts. rum. 
 Mrs. Ashley, a loyn of mutton and butter. Mrs. Kellogg, some 
 cranberries. David Mosely, a pig and 3 fowls. N. Weller, a 
 piece of veal and suet. Ensign Weller, apples. Mrs. Ford, 
 cabbage and potatoes. S. Noble, 2 fowls. D. Root, 2 qts. 
 brandy." 
 
 Reference is made in the sermon to two grandsons of Mr. Bal- 
 lantine who entered the ministry. The six children of Henry, 
 who was missionary in India, are now in that country ; one son 
 a minister, another a physician, the three daughters are wives of 
 missionaries — Mrs. Harding, Mrs. Fairbanks, and Mrs. Parks. 
 Two sons of Elisha are ministers. Henry W. is at Bloomfield, 
 N. J., and William Gay is Professor in Ripon College, Wiscon- 
 sin. Henry and Elisha were sons of a physician, but he had a 
 brother, William Gay, who was a clergyman. Thus the ministry 
 has secured representatives from four successive generations of 
 that family. 
 
 H. 
 
 Through the courtesy of Dr. H. W. Clapp, of this town, I have 
 been allowed to see a copy of the will of one of his remote 
 ancestors, which provides for what was probably the first legacy 
 ever made for the support of the ministry in Westfield. The 
 donor was Capt. Roger Clapp, who was a very remarkable man. 
 From 1665 to 1686 he was the redoubtable commander of the 
 Castle in Boston Harbor, now Fort Independence. He would 
 not permit a soldier to serve under him who was not a professing 
 christian. He died in 1691, at a good old age, leaving in his 
 will the following clause : 
 
 " I giue out of my farme at pachasack in westfield fifty acors 
 
APPENDIX. 49 
 
 unto the inhabitance of that towne towards the maintenance of 
 an able minister in that towne with this prowiso : that they paye 
 or cause to be pay two busshels of good wheat unto my dear wife 
 in boston yearly during her natural! life." 
 
 I. 
 
 Deacon Thomas Noble, of whom mention is made in the ser- 
 mon, was the second of the name in the church. Thomas Noble, 
 Sr., his father, was one of the early settlers of Springfield, reach- 
 ing there in 1653. He moved to Westfield probably in the 
 autumn of 1668, and immediately became prominent in town 
 affairs, serving in various responsible positions. He was for a 
 time constable, and afterward count}' surveyor. The Hampshire 
 County records indicate that he once got into difficulty for not 
 obeying the stringent laws of the time respecting the observance 
 of Fast Day : 
 
 "At a County Corte held at Northampton, March 27 th , 1683. 
 Thomas Noble of Westfield being p r sented by the Grand jury for 
 Travelling on a day of Humiliation, publiquely appointed by the 
 Gen 11 Corte, which he owned, pleading his necessity for Comeing 
 home, and yet this Co rte Considering said offense, being a grow- 
 ing evil amongst us, many Persons too much disregarding such 
 Extraordinary Dutys & Seasons, have adjudged sd. Noble to pay 
 as a fine to the County treasurer five shillings." 
 
 Mr. Noble was the emigrant ancestor of the largest family 
 bearing the name in the United States. 
 
50 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 J. 
 
 1679. ^^ 5TW ^4^ 1879. 
 
 WESTFDELB* M&§§„ 
 
 You are invited to attend the Bi-Centennial Celebration of the First 
 Congregational Church of Westfeld, on 
 
 SUNDAY, October 5, 1879, 
 
 Consisting of a Memorial Sermon by the Pastor at the morning service, 
 and a Service of Praise in the evening. 
 
 A copy of the Sermon, when published, will be sent you gratuitously 
 on the receipt of a request for it. 
 
 Yours in behalf of the Committee, 
 
 HERBERT LYMAN. 
 Westfeld, Mass., September 17, 1879. 
 
 Responses to Letters of Invitation. 
 
 Mrs. E. Williams, Fall River. Mass. 
 
 Mr. & Mrs. J. l>. Taylor, Minneapo- 
 lis. Minn. 
 
 Miss Hattie C. Merwin. Vinton, la. 
 
 Fred. King, Austin, Minn. 
 
 S. Munson, Albany, N. Y. 
 
 Mrs. Lewis Parsons, Northampton, 
 Mass. 
 
 J. Fowler, Castalia, O. 
 
 Mrs. George B. Clark, Cambridge- 
 port. Mass. 
 
 Mrs. Turner S. Cleveland, Salem, 
 N.Y. 
 
 Charles Hutchins, Boston, Mass. 
 
 Mrs. C. W. Farnam, Brooklyn, Cal. 
 
 Selah Merrill, Andover, Mass. 
 
 G C. London, Frenchtown, N. J. 
 
 John M Ballantine, Taunton, Mass. 
 
 M S. Hueisd, Wilbraham, Mass. 
 
 Mr-=. Robert Whitney, Peterboro, 
 N. H. 
 
 Rev. K. J. Hurlrut, Mittineague, 
 Mass. 
 
 Rf.v. a.J Titsworth. Chelsea, Mass. 
 
 Mrs. A. S. Hale, Minneapolis, Minn. 
 
 L. C. Shepakd, Menasha, wis. 
 
 J. B. Eldrepge, Hartford. Conn. 
 
 D. S. Rowe. Tarrytown, N. Y. 
 
 J. C. Atwater. New York City. 
 
 D. A. Fitch, strawn, Kan. 
 
 Mrs. C, W. Shepard, Litchfield, Conn. 
 
 Rev. B, M. Fullerton, Palmer, Mass. 
 
 Jos. W. King, Jacksonville, 111. 
 Samuel C. Lewis. Tarrytown, N. Y. 
 Mrs. D. W. Ingersoll, Constantia, 
 
 N.Y. 
 Edward Taylor, Andover, Mass. 
 Rev. Daniel Butler. Waverly, Mass. 
 John Eomans, Philadelphia, Pa. 
 H. F. Simmons, New York City. 
 Wm. L. atwater. New York City. 
 H. T. Morgan, New York City. 
 M. T. Gleason, Newton, Mass. 
 Geo. E. Knapp, Bloomington, 111. 
 Hiram Smith, Hillsdale, Mich. 
 Rev. L. D. Calkins, West Springfield. 
 Daniel Munson, Binghamton, N. Y. 
 Mrs. Ira G. Whitney', New York City. 
 Roland Mather, Hartford, Conn. 
 Martin N. Day'. New York City. 
 A. P. Cart, Gloucester. Mass. " 
 Miss E. C Hallid\y, Brooklyn, N.Y. 
 Miss Nancy Marsh, Providence, R. I. 
 Mrs. H. b. Stockwell, Providence, R.I. 
 G. Munson, Huntington, Mass. 
 W. B C. Pearsons. Holyoke. Mass. 
 Samuel A. Green, Boston, Mass. 
 Rev. S. G. Buckingham, Springfield, 
 
 Mass. 
 Rev. W. Gladden, Sprinafield. Ma3s. 
 Mrs. G. W. Camprell, Pittsfield, Mass. 
 Rev. Wm.E. Dickinson, Chicopee, Mass. 
 A. T. Edson, Feeding Hills, Mass. 
 
APPENDIX. 51 
 
 [From The Western Hampden Times and News-Letter of Oct. 8, 1879.] 
 THE FIRST CHURCH OF WESTFIELD, 
 
 CELEBRATES ITS TWO-HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY. REV. J. H. LOCK- 
 
 wood's SERMON IN FULL. 
 
 A large assembly gathered at the First Church last Sabbath 
 morning to listen to the services commemorating the two-hun- 
 dredth anniversary of the Society's natal day. The church 
 was tastefully and elaborately decorated with flowers and ever- 
 greens, handsomely and artistically arranged in bouquets, fes- 
 toons, garlands, and other exquisite formations and impressive 
 devices. Shields, bearing the names of the eight " foundation- 
 men " of the church, were arranged along the front of the gal- 
 leries, four on each side of the house, hung between festoons of 
 evergreens, and decorated with flowers, cereals, and " the full 
 corn in the ear." The tablets of Rev. Edward Taylor and Rev. 
 Dr. Davis were appropriately garlanded, the one with leaves of 
 the oak, and the other with roses ; — the latter speaking of a later 
 bereavement, though both equally proclaiming that " the memory 
 of the just is blessed." An arch built over the pulpit bore on its 
 crest the dates " 1679 — 1879," while a scroll winding gracefully 
 around the two pillars, intertwined with leaf and flower, bore the 
 names of the eight pastors of the church who preceded Mr. Lock- 
 wood. Portraits of the pastors of the Second Church were prettily 
 grouped and decorated on the front of the west gallery. Two 
 large autumn bouquets, placed in front of Mr. Lockwood's desk, 
 were universally admired for the artistic combination of their 
 colors and the harmonious blending of their soft autumnal tints. 
 Great praise is due to George Houghton, carpenter, and R. T. 
 King, artist, .for executing so faithfully and efficiently the chaste 
 and elegant designs of the committee of ladies and gentlemen 
 who had the matter in charge. To say that the ladies deserve a 
 share of credit for the meritorious display would be almost su- 
 perfluous ; their taste and judgment and skill were discernible in 
 it all. 
 
 A quartette, composed of Mrs. Mary Mullen, Miss Mary E. 
 Kingsley, H. B. Stevens, Esq., and Prof. Le Clair of Holyoke, 
 began the exercises by singing Kotzschman's " Te Deum, in F." 
 Rev. Henry Hopkins read passages from Scripture appropriate 
 
52 APPENDIX. 
 
 to the occasion, and offered prayer. Singing by the congrega- 
 tion of " All hail the power of Jesus' name," followed. After 
 which, Rev. Mr. Lockwood delivered an able and comprehen- 
 sive historical discourse, which we give to our readers in full. 
 Though a comparative stranger to our town, it can be said, with 
 as much surprise as justice, that Mr. Lockwood, by diligent 
 study and hard work among the musty records of the last two 
 centuries, not only did complete justice to the occasion histori- 
 cally, but he caught the inspiration of the hour, and seemed to 
 stand, and to make his hearers stand, in the august and almost 
 divine presence of his great and venerated predecessors as he 
 graphically unrolled the history of the First Church of Westfield 
 for the last two hundred years. For lack of time, Mr. Lockwood 
 could not use all the wealth of antique lore that he had mined for 
 the occasion ; but we are requested to announce that the pam- 
 phlet edition of the sermon, soon to be issued, will contain, in 
 an ample appendix, much of the deferred material. 
 
 A praise service in the evening worthily closed the anniversary 
 exercises. Several fine selections were well rendered by the 
 quartette of the morning, assisted by Mrs. R. W. Parks and 
 Miss Mattie Loomis ; selections of Scripture were read by Rev. 
 Mr. Lockwood ; and a brief, but able, discourse, eulogistic of the 
 First Church and its founders, was given by Rev. Mr. Hopkins. 
 Congregational singing also added to the enjoyment of the occa- 
 sion. Mr. Hopkins spoke of the impressiveness of the occasion 
 and of the tender and persuasive influences of the hour, calling all 
 to cast in their lot with the people of God. After expressing the 
 obligation of the churches to Mr. Lockwood, for the patient re- 
 search and exacting toil which the writing of his sermon had de- 
 manded, he said : 
 
 "It is proper for me to thank you especially for 3-our kind 
 mention of us in the Second Church, and also to recognize grate- 
 fully the cordial christian courtesy of our reception here to-day. 
 In the name of the church, I most heai'tily assure you that we 
 join } 7 ou in the wish — and we will make the wish an endeavor — 
 that the same harmony which has characterized the past may 
 continue always. Next to the spiritual growth and power of our 
 own, we desire that of this one, that stands side by side and 
 shoulder to shoulder with her. It is perfectly certain that any 
 thing which injures one hurts the other, and that any thing that 
 gives new life to the one is a blessing to the other. The circum- 
 
APPENDIX. 53 
 
 stances attending the separation in 1856 were calculated to pro- 
 duce a spirit of true fellowship. We went out because the old 
 home was crowded. Some one must go, and you gave us your 
 blessing. Dr. Davis counseled and carried out the colonization. 
 His two sermons, entitled, k Church Extension,' published at the 
 request of the Second Church and Societj', are a true setting 
 forth of the whole case. The first sermon was preached the Sab- 
 bath before the commencement of public worship by the colony 
 in Music Hall, and the second on the occasion of the organizing 
 of the church. There was no quarreling about it, no party 
 strife, no schism in the body of Christ. It was only organizing 
 another regiment in the same holy service. That movement, so 
 inaugurated, was not a mistake. God has blessed it. Of the 
 sixty members who, many of them with tears, cut loose from the 
 old organization, thirt} r -three are still members of the Second 
 Church. These are here with hearts aglow to-day. They are 
 like naturalized citizens of our Republic, to whom every thing in 
 the national life and history in the fatherland belongs fully up to 
 the time of the new relation, and who, in the new-found ties, do 
 not forget to feel love and pride for the old. But the fact is, we 
 all feel so. Just as American citizens have a right to share in 
 all the glory and renown of old England on land and on sea, in 
 every great name in her literature or war, statesmanship or phi- 
 lanthropy, up to July 4th, 1776, so we lay claim to the old church 
 history as a part of our heritage, and to every revered and hon- 
 ored name, down to May, 1856." 
 
 Mr. Hopkins briefly sketched the original settlement, by the 
 site of the iron bridge, with its fort over a cellar and its two 
 miles of palisades, as pictured by Mr. Bates in his bi-centennial 
 address, and called attention to the fact recorded by him, that, 
 in 1677, the General Court provided for " the consolidation of 
 the people into a more compact community," and that then, as 
 appears from the records of Massachusetts, " the proprietors of 
 town lots in Westfield near their ' meeting house,' " made certain 
 agreements. They had, then, in 1677, before the organization of 
 their church, " a meeting house," provision for the worship of 
 God, and for the church that was to be. This seems to answer 
 the question asked in the sermon as to the original church 
 building, and reveals the fact that, at the very start, central in 
 the settlement, as essential a part of it as the fort or the dwell- 
 ings, stood the house of God. Were those brave, hard-worked 
 men and women right in this thing? Yes, thank God, they were 
 right. They had little thought of symbolism in religion ; but in 
 this they unconsciously made use of a true symbolism. The 
 
54 APPENDIX. 
 
 rude church stood centra,! among their rude homes, as the re- 
 ligious principle is central in man, and as it must be made cen- 
 tral in every enduring form of society. The love of God's house, 
 not of the rough log building " thirty-six feet square," not of the 
 house made with hands, but of that living temple, the church of 
 God, was characterized as the deep, tender, life-giving, divine 
 principle that dwelt in the fathers. This, more than their rigid, 
 puritanic sense of duty, was that which distinguishes them. This 
 has been the potential, the moulding influence that has come 
 down from them. They put first that which is first forever more. 
 They made central in their hearts and homes and in their com- 
 mon life, that which in all rightly-organized life is central for- 
 ever more. The lesson of all this history is a plain one, not to 
 be forgotten by us. Those whom we commemorate honored the 
 church of God ; and God honored them according to His ever- 
 lasting ordinance and in the fulfillment of His faithful promise. 
 On Monday evening, the ladies prepared a banquet in the 
 church parlors, which was appreciatingly indulged in by both 
 churches — progenitor and offspring. 
 
 THUS ENDETH THE SECOND CENTURY. 
 
APPENDIX. 55 
 
 PRAISE SERVICE 
 
 AT 
 
 ifche 4f"-.st Congregational Church, 
 
 WESTFIELD, MASS., 
 
 SUNDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 5, 1879, 
 
 In Commemoration of the Two-Hundredth Anniversary of its Foundation. 
 
 ORDER OF SERVICE. 
 
 I, Organ Voluntary. 
 II. Old Hundred. {Congregation.) 
 
 " Be Thou, O God, exalted high." 
 
 III. Invocation. 
 
 IV. Anthem: " Let the people praise Thee." (Choir.) 
 
 From Costa's "Eli." 
 V. Scripture Sentences. 
 VI. Amsterdam. (Congregation.) 
 
 " Rise, my soul, and stretch thy -wings." 
 
 VII. Scripture : Deut., 26 Chap. 
 VIII. Ariel. (Congregation.) 
 
 " O could I speak the matchless worth." 
 
 IX. Prater, (closing with Lord's Prayer, in concert.) 
 X. Anthem: " Jerusalem, my glorious home." (Choir.) 
 XL Anthem: Denmark. (Congregation.) 
 
 " Before Jehovah's awful throne." 
 
 XII. Address, by Rev. Henry Hopkins. 
 
 XIII. Anthem: " How lovely are the Messengers." (Choir.) 
 
 From Mendelssohn's u St. Paul." 
 
 XIV. Ltons. (Congregation.) 
 
 " Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim." 
 
 XV. Scripture : Ps. 95 and 96. 
 XVI. Lenox. (Congregation.) 
 
 " Ye houndless realms of joy." 
 
 XVII. Anthem: " Praise be unto God." (Choir.) 
 
 From Spohr's "Last Judgment." 
 XVIII. Prayer. 
 XIX. Shining Shore. (Congregation) 
 
 " My clays are gliding swiftly by." 
 
 XX. Benediction.