Book_^- .^omv IS Pii i> I ii II s 61 1 ;^ 'ir o r v „.vi**l««»<»«»' - V 4 •» FIRST PARISH IN BOYICR ; TAKEN FROM THK S13RM0NS rUEACHED ON THE FIRST SABBATK JN JANUARY, 1831, BY RE;V. IT^WINSLOW, TliEN PASTOR OF SATIS niURCH. ►4»®a* ' Thou hast brought r. vino ought of Egy;»t; thou hast cast out the heathen iiid planted it. 'riiou preparedst room beSbrc it, and didst cause it to tajt*i ^oep roof, .iihl it filled the laud.''— Ps. Ixxx : 8, 9. *q^^ j)» PUBLISHED BY C. C. P. MOODY. 1832. A. F .li^ vV-^ /'/ EIl!§TOR¥. The entire history of New-England, including the history of our pilgrim ancestors from their embarkation, will constitute one of the most deeply interesting portions of history on the atinals of time. But it is my present purpose to invite your more immediate attention to that particular portion of New-England with which you are more immediately connected, and especially the town and parish to which you belong, I would here re- mark, that for the facts which I shall communicate I am indebt- ed principally to the Records of this Parish, which extend back about two hundred yean. Dr. Belknap, one of the former min- isters, bestowed considerable pains in transcribing and re- ducing to order the Parish Records, and collecting from vari- ous sources such facts as might be interesting to posterity. He observes, in respect tothe documents for which he is responsi- ble, that the materials are collected from a manuscript history of New-England, by Mr. William Hubbard, formerly minister of Ipswich, Dr. Mather'.s Magnalia, Mr. Prince's Chronologic- al History of Massachusetts, the most ancient Records of the town of Dover, and from the oral inlormation of aged and in- telligent persons. Piscataqua River was first discovered by Capi. John Smith, in 1614. He came from England on a fishing voyage, and rang- ed the entire Atlantic coast, from Penobscot to Cape Cod. (See Dr. Belknap's History of New-Hampshire, vol. I. p. 10.) Nine years subsequently to this event, in 1623, ' several merchants in England belonging to Bristol, Exeter, Dorchester, Shrewsbury, Plymouth, and other places,' having procured the necessary patents, despatched 'David Thompson, a Scotsman, with Mr. Edward Hilton and his brother VVilham Hilton, and others,' with all necessaries to begin a settlement. They began their settbmeat on.the 'south east side of the Piscataqua river, at a place called the Little Harbor, where the first house was built ;' and al»o at some distance above the mouth of the river. This latter place, called by the Indians Winnichannat, ' they named Northam, and afterwards, Dover. It is the same that is now call?d Dover Nack.' (Bel. Hist. v. I. p. 1.3.) ft IS remarked in tlie Parish Records, ' Those tl:at enterpris- 'jd this design, had some religious as will as civil viewb, and therefore sent over with Capt. Wigjrins in 1633, one Mr. Lever- idgc, an able and wortliy Fuiitan minister.' This gentlemau nficruard.s lea>ing Dover for \vant of support, in his place huc- ceeded Mr. Geo. Burditt, a person as the records observe, ' of better knowledge and learning than other abilities for that sa- cred fu! ciion.' He appears to have lacked the indispensable iiualificatiun of a faithful christian minister, v.hich is a broken and cisntrite heart, reislizing the power of redeomiiig grace, and jiupreniclj devoted to God. lie left England i . consequence of some disaftection towards the bisiiops and established clergy, and in pursuance of ambitious designs. ' IJy the assistance of some who entertained a better opinion of him than he ever de- ficrvcd, he invaded the civil Government ; and, thrijsting out Capt. Vv'iggins, who had been placed there by the Lords and others, he became governor of the place as well as preacher.' The Church in Dover was first gathered in IC38. It is re- corded that' several persons of good estates and some account for religion were by the interests of the Lords and other gentle- men induced to transplant them:?elves and famihes hither, so ma- ny as sufficed to make a considerable township; and following the 'example of the plantations about the Massachusetts, they soon after, viz. about the year 1638, attempted to gather themselves into a church, and had officers ordained over them for this end.' It appears, however, that the interests of religion suffered much at this time from great irregularities in the civil adtninis- tration,as well as from lack of sufficient knowledge and discre- tion in ecclesiastical affairs, and in 1640 they addressed a letter lo (.'harles L Kinji of England, in the following v.ords. *Whereas sundry mischiefs have befallen uS, and more or great- er may, in regard of want of civil governaient, his gracious ma- jesty having settled no order for us to our knowledge, we whose na'.jes are underwritten, being inhabitants upon the river Pis- cataijua, having voluntarily agreed to form ourselves into a body politick that v.e may the more comfortultly enjoy the benefit of of his majesty's laws, and do hereby actually engage ourselves to submit to his royal Majesty's Jaws, together with all such laws as shall be concluded by a major part of the freemen of our society, in c?',«.e thfy be not rcpi^giiant tc the h.w.s ct' Eng- land, and be administered in belialfof liis m«jj«sty. And tliuf! we have mutually promised and engaged to do, and so to con- tinue, till his excellent majesty shall give otlier orders concern- infj lis. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands October 22d, in the ICth year of our Sovereign Lord Charles, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ire- land, Defender of the Faith,' &c. signed by ' Thomas Lark- ham, Richard Waldron, William Waldron, and thirty eight more, whose names are not now known.' (Parish Records, page 4. It is further reeorded that ' a Mr Wlieelwriglit, wlio had been banished from Massachusetts, witli a number of persons Avho adhered to him, began a settkment to whichthey gave the name of Exeter ; and in 1G39 formed themselves into a body politick by a written instrument signed by 36 individuals. There was also another distinct settlement at Portsmouth. — Thus three dif- ferent colonies and independent g;Hth, which was about ten voars ;;fi.jr l.ia settlement. It appears that during his ministry the evils result- ing from the indiscretions of his predecessor were greatly re- moved, and the church and parish restored to a harmonious and prosperous condition. He was succeeded by Mr John Revner, formerly from Eng- land, a man of superior excellence, who had been settled eigh- teen years in Plymouth, Mass. The following testimony re- specting him was extracted into the Records of this parish from those of Plymouth. "Mr. Reyner was a minister in England, and coming over hither was settled in Plymouth about 1636, and departed thence in Nov. 1654, the people there having en- joyed the fruit of his labour 18 years, with much comfort, peace and agreement. He was a man of a meek and humble spirit, sound in the truth and every way irreproachable in his life and conversation. He was richly accomplished with such gifts and graces as were befitting his place and calling, being wise, faith- ful, grave, sober, a lover of good men, not greedy of the mat- ters of the world, armed with much faith, patience, meekness, mixed with much courage in the cause of God; was an able, faithful, and laborious preacher of the gospel; and a wise or- derer of the affairs of the church ; and had an excellent talent in training up children in a catechetical \yay in the grounds of the Christain religion ; so that by the loss of him, ignorance ensued in the town of Plymouth among the vulgar, and also much licentiousness among the younger sort." He continued to be the pastor of this church till his death in 1669, through a period of twelve years. His son John Reyner, who was gradu- ated at Harvard College, assisted him as a colleague in the lat- ter part of his ministry. He died young — not far from the time of his father's death. His successor was Mr. John Pike. The following is an ex- tract from the Parish Records. "Mr. John Pike was a native of Salisbury, and educated at Harvard College, where he was graduated in 1675. — He was esteemed as an extraordinary preacher, and a man of true godliness. — He was a grave and venerable person, and generally preached without notes. Those who were well acquainted with him have given him the charac- ter of a very considerable divine, and some of his manuscript sermons are yet in being, and much esteemed." ft has been said that Mr. Pike never preached a sermon that was not ^^'orthy of tlic press. In a manuscript there is found this testi- inony conrerninff him. — "iNIr. Pike was a man of c chihlrcii of noni! hut communicants,' and that this was one of the last churches in this part of the country that g;ave up that ancient i)ractice.' I\Jr. Pike continued to be the minister of this parish till his death in 1710 — a period of forty years. Tlis was a long, peace- ful, and successful ministry. DurinfT the ministry of Mr. Pike, the rnliabitants of Dover suf- fered several losses, both of life and property, from the incur- sions of the Indians. It was in 1-689 that the death of Major Waldron with that of twenty two other individuals, and the cap- ture of twenty nine others, and the destruction of Cochecho, by the Indians were efleeted — facts with which you are familiar. The next minister was Mr. Nicholas Sever, who was or- dained April 11, ITll, and dismissed in the sprinji^ of 171-j, on account of an impediment in his speech. — The Records state that 'he was graduated at Harvard College iu 1701, and after his elkfiaj»'s ministry Sept. 11, 1786, to that of Mr Caleb H. i^herman, no correct records of the trans- actions of the church have been made. — Their present niinister, Joseph W. Clary, having collected what loo.se papers are to be. foimd, and what information he could otherwise obtain, records the following facts which took place previous to his connection, with the church. It appears from the parish records that Rob- ert Gray was ordained over tliis church to the work of the ciiristain ministry Feb. 23, 1787. What ministers and church- es were sent for on this occasi.on does not appear. He Avas a native of Andover, Mass. and graduated at Harvard College ; a. man of imposing talents. His pietv however \vas so suspicious in the judgment of the Rev. Jonathan French (it is said) that, he, tliougii sent for, did not attend the ordination. As a minis- ter he was quite popular. His iiDinoralities, intemperance, &;c. of which he Vvaslong su.«pected, at hngtli became so notorious as to mortify the pride of his people, and excite them to an investigation. His connection with the parish was regularly dissolved May the 'iOlh I^^O,'), f.t v.l.icli time it i.= stqtposed his • riini.'^lrv rcnscd." This is nearly all that appears on the records respecting Mr. Gray, and the history of this church and parish, during the pe- riod of 18 years in which he was pastor. The records contin- ue — "At a meeting of the church of Christ in Dover on the 27th of April 1806, Deacon Benjamin Pierce was chosen moderator, voted, unanimously, that it is the wish of the church that Mr Martin L. Ilulbert be invited to settle in the gospel ministry over this church and parish, we having received satisfactory in- formation of the rectitude of his moral character, and being satisfied with his ministerial qualifications." — The Church pro- ceeded to appoint the day of liis ordinatiwn, and an ordaining council was invited and convened, wlien, as the records state^ "a numerous remonstrance was presented by the parish, whick led the council to decide that it is inexpedient to proceed." Soon after the church and society extended an invitation to Mr. Caleb H. Sherman to become their minister, whicn was accepted, and he was ordained in May 1807. Like his prede- cessor he soon discovered himself to be nnfit for his office, evi- dently destitute of experimental piety, of loose religious prin- ciple, and of immoral character, and after a fruitless ministry of four years he was dismissed. Thus it appears that during the period of 23 years, embrac- ing the moral history of almost an entire generation, the town of Dover was subject to the deleterious influence of two minis- ters of unsound religious sentiments, who were dismissed at last for their open immoralities. No influence upon the charac- ter of a community is more powerful than that of the Christian ministry. It has long since become proverbial that there is a strong tendency to assimilation between a minister and his- people. — When people are willing to sit under a preacher of loose religious sentiments or suspicious piety, they furnish pre- sumptive evidence that their own standerd of religious charac- ter is already low, and the influence then realized tends to re- duce it still lower. Thus "if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Such is the depravity of mankind that the downward progress is easier than the upward, and the influence of a bad ministry will do more in twenty years to- wards reducing and destroying the character of a community, than the influence of a good ministry may have done in twice that time to elevate and correct i(. The progress of destruc- 13 tioii is as follows — In the first place, the people lose all respect for the ministerial character and office ; then, the lower classes of the irreligious lose all belief in the principles and sanctions of Christianity ; then, many forsake the house of God, and de- basing ignorance imperceptibly begins to prevail ; then, the vices of intenftperance, lewdness, profanity, and various low and demoralizing pleasures succeed ; then, the young are left to grow up in ignorance, sottishness, and sin ; the holy princi- ples of religion, and the refined and exalted happiness flowing thence, cease to be known ; families, those remains of earthly paradise when, under the sanctifying influence of religion, all that is elevated, refined, sacred, delightful, is realizing, are con- verted into the most appaling spectacles of depravity, by vice, ignorance, abject wretchedness, and the curse of God. That there was a strong tendency to such a state of things in this town, during the period of which I iim speaking, we are credibly informed. Some of the more aged and respectable citizens now living testify that in 1787, at the beginning of Mr» Gray's ministry, nearly all the famiHes iu the town attended regularly on public worship, and that habits of industry aind a healthy tone of moral sentiment generally prevailed; and that at the close of Mr. Sherman's ministry, in 1812, many families in the town, and in some instances almost whole neighborhoods and districts liad forsaken the house of God, evincing contempt for the instructions of Christianity, ignorance of its principles, and gross depravity of character; and that they were training their cluldren to the same wretched condition. For the truth of these statements the speaker is not of course responsible, as they are made entirely on the authority of others. In view of these facts it is not then strange, that many families in this town are now living in contempt of God — forsaking his worship, profaning his Sabbath, and being sunk into a condition of men- tal and moral stupidity, almost below the reach of intellectual and religious influence. The wonder is that any survived the prevailing mortality of mind and character, standing firm against the strong current of destruction, retaining the princi- ples and sustaining the institutions of that religion which is the salvation and hope of man. It were incorrect to ascribe the neglect into which the institu- tions of religion fell entirely to the influence of those sustaining 11 the ministerial office. Other causes conspired Avith this, opf^ra- ting also on several other towns'in this vicinity, and on romn more effectively than^onj^tliis. Such are the following : 1st. A sectarian influence, tending to nrdermine the estab- lished religious institutions of the gospel. 2d. A prejudice fostered by an appeal to sordid and selfish intercst^against a learned ministry. There is almost nothing which lies so near to most heart? as money, and hence many of the more ignorant and credulous were not unwilling to be jier- suaded that tlie support of a;i educated ministry was a needless expense. The consequence was that (heir own minds, and those of their children, were soon reduced to sucli a condition, that a dispensation of the gospel adapted to more enlightened minds, could neither instruct or interest them. 3d. The influence of distinguished men, of loose principle and irreligious character, tended to lower the general standard of excellence. 4th. Intemperance has been a ].)owcrfu! cause operating agr.inst . the instiutiuns of religion in this region. A neglect of religion has promoted this vice, and this vice has in turn promoted a neg- lect of religion. Their contributions are reciprocal. This vice ■ operates against the cause of religion, by paralyzing the ener- gies of intellect, by injuring the anoral sense, by producing; recklessness of feeling, by destroying genuine self respect, by dispelling religious convictions from the mind and eflacing re- ligious impressions from the heart, by deranging the physical and mental constitution, by creating habits of idleness and de- basing pleasures, and by reducing a community to such ;i state of poverty as to render an ade(Miate supp.>rt of the Christian ministry impracticable. Causes like these, acting in coincidence v.iili the general and natural depravity of the human heart, have contributed to cre- ate that broad wave of destruction, which has for some years past rolled over the religious institutions of tiiis region, beaiing away in their ruins a portion of two generations of j)areritf? ami children through an irreligious and vicious life to an carlv and inglorious grave, and a niir^crable end. On the I2th of May, 1812, Mr Joseph W. Ci.ary, having sig- nified bis acceptance of an invitation of this church and parish to become their pa.i'.or, an ordaining rouncil ron\cned at the 15 liousc of Dca. Benja^iin Peirce ; Rev. Or.Buckminster of Ports- mfjuth was chosen scribe, and after examination oftlie proceed- ings of the church and parish, and the religious principles of the pastor elect, the council proceeded to his ordination. The Rev. Dr. Woods of Andover preached the sermon. Mr Clary wag minister of this parish from May, 1812, to No- vember, 1828 — a period of more than 16 years. As he is still living, and his ministry is within your recollectron, a particular specification of facts !: ere, were both inexpediet-.t and unnecessa- ry. Suffice it to say, that notwithstanding the disadvantages under which he laboured, resulting partly from the influence of his predecessors, and changes subseo,uently realized in the con- dition of the town beyond controul, but operating against the rel- ative prosperity of this parish, the effects of his ministry, as far as they extended, were decidedly good, involving permanent blessings to this people. In addition to the fact that the sacred office was redeemed from the reproach into which it had fallen, and that the sound principles of Christianity were inculcated, preparing the way for their continued and extended influence, .several individuals became subjects of experimental piety and made public declaration of their faith ; some of whom are fallen asleep, and some are still adorning a Christian profession in lives devoted to God. The deacons of the cliurch during this period, were Messrs. Benjamin Peirce, Ezra Green, and John W. Hayes. By a council called by mutual request Aug. 6, 1828, the pasto- ral relation of Mr Clary was dissolved, and has since been trans- ferred to another church and parish, in which an interesting work of grace has already been realized as the fruit of his minis- try. On his removal, the parish made him a generous present, in token of continued affection and res})ect. The present pastor was ordained on Dec. 4, 1828, assuming a connexion with this church and parish, not for life, or for any specified time, but to be discontinued whenever a request to that effect should be made by either party. I cannot here re- press a feeling of obligation for an unbroken expression of kindness hitherto realized — During the period of more than twa years, in which I have been with you, not a single complaint, respecting either my public ministrations, or private and social duties, has come to my kno« ledge ; and not a pledge has ever 1« been made by you but it hns been fully redeemed. In addition to tbis, your serious and increasing attention to a preacbed gos- pel inspires an earnest expectation tbat its design will be real- ized not only in tbose temporal benefits wbicb it always brings, but in a harvest of immortal blessedness in God's holy kingdom. I have tbus given you a hasty and imperfect sketch of the his- tory of this parish from materials principally furnished in its records. I have said nothing of the other religious societies in this place, because with the exception ofthat of the Friends, with whose history I am unacquainted, they are of recent origin and within your personal recollection. The societies which prob- ably took the greatest number from this parish, ai"e those of the Methodists and the Unitarians. [The pastoral relation of Rev. Mr. Winslovv was rlissolvod, at liis request) in NoTcmber, 1831, in consequence of a failure of his health.] LEFe 70