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 Copy 1 
 
 Centennial ^nniueroarn 
 
 OF THK 
 
 CONGREGATIONAL CKURCII. 
 
 W A R IST K R , ISr . PI . 
 
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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE 
 
 DELIVERED AT 
 
 THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 
 
 TISr ^VARNER, ^. H., 
 
 jxnsTK 13, isra. 
 
 IJV 
 
 HENRY S^ HUNTINGTON 
 
 PASTOR OF THE CHUKCH. 
 
 ^WITH A BEIEP ACCOUNT 0? THE EXERCISES OF THE DAY. 
 
 CONCORD 
 
 1872. 
 
 0^Jol^-:' 
 
 
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 ^N-:. H^ 
 
ACCOUNT OF THE EXERCISES OF THE CENTEN- 
 NIAL CELEBRATION. 
 
 The 5th of February completed one hundred years of the 
 existence of the Congregational Church in Warner, N. H. 
 At a meeting prior to that day, a vote was passed to observe 
 the Centennial, and the time fixed upon was the 12th of 
 June. On the evening of the anniversary, however, a pray- 
 er-meeting was held, and the covenant of the early church 
 and extracts from the records were read. 
 
 On the June day appointed, a large congregation of towns- 
 people, former residents, and friends from near and far, came 
 together to commemorate the event. 
 
 The church edifice was beautifully decorated with flowers 
 about the pulpit, and festoons and wreaths of evergreen on 
 the walls, and the names of the nine pastors were arranged 
 in the form of a cross between the dates 1T72 and 1872. 
 Above them were the words, " Thy faithfulness is unto all 
 generations," in evergreen, and opposite, along the gallery, 
 "Jesus Christ being the chief corner-stone." 
 
 Rev. Mr. Jewett of Fisherville made the invocation pray- 
 er, and Rev. Dr. Bouton the one before the address ; and 
 Psalm cxxii, and the last eight verses of Ephesians ii were 
 read by the former. The anthem : " They that trust in the 
 Lord," and the hymn: "I love thy kingdom. Lord," were 
 sung. After which came the^address by the Pastor, Rev, 
 Henry S. Huntington, a brief recess being taken, during 
 
which the congregation joined in singing "Glorious things 
 of thee are spoken.*' 
 
 After the close of the exercises in the forenoon, an ample 
 and elegant collation was served in the vestry and ladies' 
 room, in the basement of the church; and then the people 
 re-assembled, and Stephen S. Bean, Esq., was called to the 
 chair. Prayer Avas offered by Rev. ^Tr. Bard of Dunbarton, 
 and various sentiments and responses, interspersed with 
 singing, occupied the next two hours. 
 
 Rev. Dr. Bouton of Concord, in the most cordial terms, 
 expressed his gratification at being present, and interested 
 every one M'ith his reminiscences of the pastors of the church 
 in Warner, with every one of Avhom, except the first, he had 
 been personally acquainted. He had assisted at the ordina- 
 tion or installation of seven out of the nine. He said that 
 in connection with the pastorate of Rev. ^Mr. Woods, the 
 church had an infiaence all over New Hampshire; for in the 
 General Association his example was brought up of gathering 
 the children into a Sabbath-school, and this was recom- 
 mended for adoption in all the churches. At the ordination 
 of Mr. Wellman, "the council met in the evening, in a lit- 
 tle one-story house, to examine the candidate, all strangers 
 to him, an humble, sincere, conscientious and successful min- 
 ister." "Then the seasons of refreshing, when the Spirit 
 moved over the hearts of the people like waves of harvest. 
 Thank God for those memories." 
 
 He spoke of the name of the town, Warner, (the only 
 one'so named in the United States,) called after Col. Daniel 
 Warner, one of His Majestj^s Councillors. (It Avas after- 
 wards said that this officer gave fortv dollars towards build- 
 
ing a bridge, on condition that the new town should bear 
 his name.j 
 
 Rev, Mr. Buxton of Webster had the training of children 
 for his theme. "If you train a chikl in the way he slioukl 
 go, his religion is secure. Dedicate your children to God; 
 train them in infancy, and trust to His covenant." 
 
 "The Bible and the Hvmn ]jook" Mas tlie sentiment to 
 Avhich Rev. Mr. Jewett responded, alluding to the Psalm- 
 singing Puritans, and to Oliver Cromwell, whose soldiers 
 marched into battle singing psalms. The Bible, Pilgrim's 
 Progress, and Paradise Lost were three books on which our 
 fathers fed. 
 
 Rev. Mr. Terry of PLiistow, and Rev. 'Slv. Bullard of 
 Hampstead, both of Avhose churches were represented in the 
 first council in Warner, in 1772, spoke in a way Avhich de- 
 lighted the audience. The first mentioned many links of as- 
 sociation between the two churches^ — the relationship runs- 
 down all through the century. He referred to the late Rev. 
 H. O. Howland, a former pastor of the Warner church, as 
 he knew him in Amherst College: "calm, quiet, studious, 
 patient, noble-hearted, faithful, true." He spoke of the 
 jnen of one hundred years ago, who laid the foundations in 
 faith and hope and prayer. "Did not these men show that 
 they believed in God.' Let one hundred years answer. 
 What were they doing when they organized a church i Not 
 07i,c day's work, as it looked. The church, founded on what 
 the ministers preached and what the mothers taught, carried 
 education, free government, and sound principles, and 
 passed them over to coming generations. It was pledged . 
 to God to do so." 
 
6 
 
 Rev. Mr. BuUard spoke of the education of the young, 
 contrasting some old and new notions in a racy and enter- 
 taining manner. On the whole, he said, looking back over 
 one hundred years, he concluded that there had been as 
 much happiness in the old-fashioned Puritan i\imilies as 
 could be found anywhere. 
 
 A sentiment referring to our country mms responded to by 
 ex-Go V. Harriman (who is a native of this town). He 
 glanced at the Pilgrims, and then at the present; speaking 
 of the results of ninety years of government, of our na- 
 tional grandeur., prosperity and progress ; and at the close 
 of his address, "America" was sung by the congregation. 
 
 A poem of much merit, written for the occasion by Alfred 
 W. Sargent, a young member of the church, was read by 
 him ; communications and letters were read by the chairman ; 
 after which, the Sacrament was administered by Rev. Mr. 
 Bullard and Rev. Mr. Terry. 
 
 In the evening there was a social reunion, at which many 
 reminiscences were given, other letters were read, also, a 
 poem, written by Mrs. L. K. Davis, a member of the church; 
 and remarks were made by several persons from abroad, 
 among whom were Hon. Stephen C. Badger and Rev. Daniel 
 Sawyer, formerly of Warner. 
 
 Among the letters read at different times were very inter- 
 esting ones from Gov. E. A. Straw and Rev. I. D. Stewart 
 and E. S. Hoyt of Portland, Maine (all natives of the town); 
 from Rev. R. W. Fuller of Stowc, Mass., and Rev. J. W. 
 Perkins of New Chester, Wisconsin (former pastors of the 
 church); from Rev. Horace Eaton of Palmyra, N. Y.; and 
 from Gen. John Eaton of Washington, Commissioner of 
 
Public Instruction, who made valuable suggestions in regard 
 to the great obligations education is under to the church. 
 
 On the Sabbath evening following, there were supplemen- 
 tary services in the church; prayer, singing, the reading of 
 other letters, remarks by the pastor, and at the close, a most 
 eloquent and earnest address by S. S. Bean, Esq., called 
 forth by a communication from a lady member of the church, 
 on the oneness and perpetuity of the Church of Christ, 
 which was, in substance — That the Church of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ does not exist in this world simply by the suf- 
 ferance of men, for it owes obligation to no earthly power. 
 It is not a chartered or licensed institution. Its laws are 
 superior to any human statutes. It has a language and a 
 people of its own; there is a speech known to all; and, 
 however diverse, they yet are one. It knows no distinction 
 of class or caste ; riches and poverty lose their meaning ; 
 there is neither male nor female, bond nor free, for all are 
 one in Christ Jesus. 
 
 It is not fitting to close this account of the centennial ex- 
 ercises Avithout making mention of our obligations to the 
 Great Head of the Church. We thank and praise Him for 
 the band of men and women who first entered into the re- 
 lations of a Christian church in this town, and for the many 
 who have succeeded them ; for all those who have passed on 
 up higher, and are now in the church triumphant above. 
 
8 
 
 We thank Hliu for our inheritance, and for His unfailing 
 care over us for one hundred years. We thank Him that 
 we are identified with His cause, and bound with such vast 
 numbers in all lands, in a solemn pledge to sustain and carry 
 it forward till '"'the mountain of the Lord's house shall be 
 established in the top of the mountains." 
 
 Verily, the Lord hath dofte great things for us, whereof 
 we are srlad. 
 
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 
 
 In the good providence of God, this Church is permitted 
 to-day to celebrate its one hundredth anniversary. We are 
 assembled here to recount, with grateful hearts, something 
 of the way in which the Lord has led it during all these 
 years. But the early history of this church, like most of 
 the old Xew England churches, is so connected with the 
 early history of the toirn, that the awakening of interest in 
 one always renews interest in the other. Let us then, as 
 preliminary to an historical sketch of the Church, look back 
 at the early days of the town. 
 
 The territory which now constitutes the Town of Warner 
 was granted by the Great and General Court of the Prov- 
 ince of Massachusetts to certain inhabitants of Amesbury 
 and Salisbury, in that Province, as early as 173-5. These 
 grantees, or proprietors, held their charter under certain con- 
 ditions, which are named in a Report made to the General 
 Court of Massachusetts, January 15, 1735, by Edmund 
 Quincy, Esq., fioni the Committee of both Houses on Pe- 
 titions for Townships, &c. These conditions were as fol- 
 lows : '•' That each grantee build a dwelling-house of eighteen 
 feet square and seven feet stad, at the least, on their respec- 
 tive house-lots; to fence in and break up for ploughing, or 
 clear and stock with English grass, five acres of land within 
 three years next after their admittance; and cause their re- 
 spective lots to be inhabited; and that the grantees do, with- 
 in the space of three years from the time of their being admit- 
 ted, build and furnish a convenient meeting-house for the pub- 
 lic worship of God, and settle a learned Orthodox minister." 
 It was required that the grantees be not less than sixty in uum- 
 
10 
 
 ber, and " that there be sixty-three house-lots laid out in as 
 regular, compact and defensible a manner as the land will 
 admit of; one of which lots shall be for the first settled min- 
 ister, one for the second settled minister, and one for the 
 school; to each of which an equal proportion of land shall 
 accrue in all future divisions." 
 
 On the 24th day of November, 1736, the General Court 
 of Massachusetts passed a vote empowering Deacon Thomas 
 Stevens, of Amesbury, to assemble the grantees of ToAvnship 
 No. One [now Warner,] for the purpose of making arrange- 
 ments to allot and divide their lands. The meeting thus 
 authorized was held April 25, 1737, and it was voted to di- 
 vide the intervale equally among the proprietors, according 
 to quantity and quality; also to divide the upland lots 
 "where it may be thought most eligible for settlement." A« 
 early as June 23, 1738, sixty-three house-lots, co-ntaining 
 about five acres each, had been laid out. Those lots -svere 
 in the vicinity of Gen. Aquila Davis's mills. Previously to 
 this, in 1736, a division of upland, into sixty-three forty 
 acre lots, had been made, which division, though at the time 
 unauthorized by the Great and General Court, was afterwards 
 legalized. 
 
 On March 21, 1739, the projirietors voted to pay Orlando 
 Colby, Joseph Jewell and John Challis, Jr., £120 in Prov- 
 ince bills of the old tenor, te build a good saw-mill. The 
 mill was accejDted in 1740. It was at Davisville. The men 
 who built it camped near the stone Avatering-trough below 
 that village. In the hut which they used as a camp, the 
 proprietors held their first meeting in the town. 
 
 The proprietors endeavored to induce settlers to move into 
 the town by ofterlng, August 29, 1740, £20 to each man 
 who would settle upon the conditions of the grunt. As 
 early as January 26, 1749, four houses had been built, at the 
 cost of the proprietors, on the five-acre building-lots in Da- 
 visville. These lots were probably just this side of Charles 
 
11 
 
 Sawyer's, stretching along on the five-acre lots. The persons 
 employed to build them were Thomas Colbyj Moses Mor- 
 rill, Jar^4s Ring and Gideon Straw. 
 
 Soon after this, the French and Indian war commencing, 
 put an end for the time to all projects for settlement. The 
 saw-mill and the four houses which had been erected were 
 burned by the Indians, and the progress of civilization was 
 stayed for a dozen years. 
 
 Soon after 1740, the lands comprising this Town Avere 
 purchased under the name of Jennistown, by sixty inhabi- 
 tants of Rye, of persons who derived their title from John 
 T. Mason, to whom a part of New Hampshire was granted 
 in 1622. This led to controversies between the Rye proprie- 
 tors and the Amesbury proprietors, which were settled by a 
 grant, Dec. 24, 1769, from the Rye proprietors to the Ames- 
 bury proprietors, of all claim to the land, on condition of the 
 pavment of a certain sum. Controversy still continued as to 
 the sum to be paid, but it was ended in 1773 by the appoint- 
 ment of arbitrators, who awarded £140. The General Court 
 of Massachusetts, to remunerate tlfe Amesbury proprietors, 
 gave them one-half of the townships of Solon and Poland, 
 in Maine. 
 
 The terms of this grant from the Rye proprietors to the 
 Amesbury proprietors, indicate the same care for religion 
 and education which we have seen in the charter granted by 
 Massachusetts. Some of these terms were that the grantees 
 "lay out three rights or shares of land, one for the use of 
 the first minister of the gospel who shall be ordained or set- 
 tled there; on^for the use of the ministry in the town for- 
 ever; and one for the use of a school, for and towards the 
 support thereof forever; — each of said rights to be laid out 
 in lots as the grantees manage the other rights, and to be 
 free from the charge of settlement or any public taxes to that 
 end." Also, " that they build a meeting-house, and main- 
 tain constant preaching there from and after the term of 
 three years from the date hereof" 
 
12 
 
 The first actual settlement was made la 176'3, by Daniel 
 Annis and his sons-in-law, Reuben Kimball and Daniel 
 Floyd. Isaac Waldron, his two sons Isaac Jr. and Theo- 
 dore, and Paskcy Pressy, moved into town with their fami- 
 lies the year following-. 
 
 Mr. Annis's house was in Diniond's Corner District, on the 
 south side of the highway, a little west of where Paine Davis 
 now lives. Reuben Kimball at first lived near by, on the 
 north side of the highway. Daniel Floyd (or Flood), after- 
 wards known as Captain Floyd, lived on Dana hill, or, as it 
 was then called, Floyd Hill, where Gardiner Davis now re- 
 sides. Annis, Kimball, and Floyd all came iu under the 
 Rye proprietors, and had probably lived in the neighbor- 
 hood of Rye. 
 
 It is difficult to ascertain the precise order in whicli the 
 settlers came afterwards. In 1763, the proprietors voted to 
 give each of the first ten settlers a forty-acre lot of upland, 
 and five acres of intervale. Some engaged to settle on these, 
 or similar conditions. Those mentioned above, and the fol- 
 lowing persons, with their families, constituted nearly all the 
 pojjulation in ITGo, viz.: Thomas Annis, (from whom "Tom 
 Pond" M'a? named), Moses Annis, Solomon Annis, Lieut. Da- 
 vid Bagley (town clerk for 39 years), Enoch Blaisdell, 
 Elijah Blaisdell, Isaac Chase, Daniel Chase, Abner Chase, 
 Joseph Currier, Daniel Currier, Theophilus Currier, Moses 
 Clark, Hubbard Carter, Moses Colby, Francis Davis, Eliphu- 
 let Danforth, Ebenezer Eastman, Stephen Edmunds, Dan- 
 iel Flanders (first town clerk), Philip Flanders, James Flan- 
 ders, Christopher Flanders, Jeremy Fowler, Jonathan Fi- 
 field, Joseph Foster,' Richard Goodwin, Seth Goodwin, Eze- 
 kiel Goodwin, David Gilmore, Robert Gould, Barnard Hoyt, 
 Nehemiah Heath, Thomas Rowell, Samuel Roby, Joseph 
 Sawyer, Theodore Stephens, Jonathan Smith, Nathaniel 
 Trumbull, Jacob Tucker, Abner "VVatkins. Parmenas Watsou, 
 and Daniel Youu"'. 
 
13 
 
 The residences of these first settlers, so far as known, 
 were as follows: At Davisville, lived Davis and Gllmore; 
 at Dimond's Corner, Thomas Annis, Moses Annis, Solomon 
 Annis, and Fifield; at Bagley's Bridge, Bagley and Smith; 
 at the Lower Village, Heath, Hoyt, Joseph Currier, Daniel 
 Flanders, and Christopher Flanders; at Joppa, Daniel Cur- 
 rier, Moses Clark, Watson, and Fowler; at Schoodac, Philip 
 Flanders, Seth Goodwin, 'JVumbull, and lloby; on Kelly 
 Hill, Abner Chase, Richard Goodwin, and .Joseph Sawyer; 
 in the Kimball District, Joseph Foster; on Waldron's Hill, 
 Theophilus Currier, Ezekiel Goodwin, Gould, Stephens and 
 Rowell; on Burnt Hill, Moses Colby and James Flanders; 
 on Pumpkin Plill, Isaac Chase; on Tory Hill, Edmonds and 
 Carter. Abner Watkins lived in the Gore; Daniel Young 
 on the place noAv owned by Levi Bartlett ; and Jacob Tucker 
 in what is now the Centre Village. 
 
 Hannah, daughter of Daniel Annis, and wife of Keuben 
 Kimball, came into Warner in 1762., She M'as the first En- 
 glish female who ever lived here; and her son Daniel, born 
 October, 1762, was the first English child born in the town. 
 Mrs. Kimball died in AVarner, Febuary, 23, 182o, aged SS. 
 Old inhabitants all remember, as one of the early settlers, 
 (though not among the firstj, a negro named Anthony Clarke, 
 an old revolutionary soldier, who Avent by the name of 
 "Tony," and lived in a hut near where the hotel stands. 
 He died some twenty years ago, aged about 102. 
 
 In the year 1800, the inhabitants of Kelly Hill (as it 
 was sometimes called j, on which stood the first and second 
 meeting-houses, were as follows : As you M'ent up from the 
 Lower Village, after passing the meeting-house, first on the left 
 a little way up the hill, Avas Rev. Mr. Kelly's; next, Joseph 
 Sawyer's; next, on the right hand of the road, the houses of 
 Elliot Colby and John Colby. On the road leading towards 
 Joppa, on the top of the hill, lived Reuben Kimball. Re- 
 turning to the main road, as you went doAvn the hill, on the 
 
14 
 
 right lived Timothy Clough; beyond him (at the place so 
 long occupied by Challis Kimballj, was Challis Foote; across 
 the brook, on the same side of the highway, Joseph Foster ; 
 then the school-house on the left; and Benjamin Foster's 
 on the right. Next, up a long winding hill, on the left hand, 
 John Pearsons and Edmund Sawyer. About a mile down 
 through the woods was Major Joseph Hoyt; then Jedediah 
 Peabody; then the Henniker line. 
 
 The town was very irregularly laid out. Several surveys 
 and divisions of lots were made in different years, with little 
 reference to each other or to the lines of the to'vfn. 
 
 In 1763, the propi-ietors voted to build another saw-mill; 
 and also passed a vote Avhich was doubtless acceptable to all 
 industrious Avorkers, viz., that the hands who Avork upon the 
 mill "shall have three shillings and four pence per day, if 
 they earn it"! 
 
 To us, looking back from the comforts of modern days, the 
 life of those early settlers must ever possess a fascinating in- 
 terest. They endured great hardships and privations, yet 
 found much enjoyment in life. The early dwellings were 
 rude and simple. In 1773, there were none but log houses. 
 The first frame house was built at Bagley's Bridge, soon after 
 1773, by David Bagley. Among the earliest which followed 
 it, were those of Francis Davis and Reuben Kimball. The 
 first two-story frame house was that of Mr. Kelly. The first 
 frame barn was built by lleuben Kimball. 
 
 Some of the firsi roads laid out in toAvn were the main 
 road to Sutton, (then Perrytown,) which ran over Dana Hill 
 and south of Frank Bartlett's, crossing the Tory Hill road 
 about a third of a mije up ; the road to the North Village, by 
 the first meeting-house and Levi Bartlett's; the one from the 
 first meeting-house, by Mr. Kelly's, Elliot Colby's and Ed- 
 mund Sawyer's to Henniker; the one through Joppa; the 
 one through Schoodac, which crossed the river at Bagley's 
 Bridge; and the Pumpkin and Burnt Hill roads. The first 
 
15 
 
 bridge, — the one which Col. Warner, from whom the town 
 M'as named, helped to build, — was at the Lower Village. 
 
 For the most part, however, in the early days, the paths 
 were through the forest, marked by spotted trees. An old 
 lady now living at the age of 93, remembers when it Avas one 
 dense forest all the way from Waterloo to this village. Com- 
 ing down through the forest path, the smoke of one solitary 
 log-hut could be seen. It stood near where Dr. Leonard 
 Eaton's house now stands, or a little farther back, and was oc- 
 cupied by Cole Tucker. There was not another habitation of 
 anv kind in what is now the Centre Village. 
 
 Men carried heavy loads on their shoulders through the 
 forest paths. Philip Flanders brought two bushels of pota- 
 toes on his back from Concord, accompanied by Walker, 
 who brought a bushel and a half in the same Avay. Stephen 
 Edmunds brought a bushel of corn on his shoulders from 
 Concord to his house on Tory Hill, where his descendent of 
 the same name nOw lives. Captain Daniel Floyd used to 
 carry two bushels of corn on his shoulders to Concord to be 
 ground, and bring it back in the same way. He used to say 
 that when he got tired, he took a pole from the fence and 
 carried it awhile on his shoulders in addition to the load ; 
 then when he threw that off, the bags would seem light! 
 Afterwards the settlers went to Davisville to have their 
 "grist" ground, carrying it in the same way. Bradshaw 
 Ordway used to take it not only for himself, but for his neigh- 
 bors. Jacob Collins, ancestor of some of the same name 
 "over the Minks," carried the boards of which to build his 
 rye-bins oh his shoulders from Squire Bean's saw-mill in 
 Waterloo, through the woods and over the hills to the edge 
 of Bradford, because no team could go by the wood-path. 
 By the same means of conveyance, he next year brought 
 from Waterloo the bricks of which to build an oven in his 
 house. 
 
1() 
 
 The women sometimes hoed the corn near the djvellings. 
 while their husbands were cutting down trees and clearing 
 the ground to make a place for the next year's planting. 
 
 Watches and clocks were few. AVhen Edmund Sawyer 
 built a large house on the hill in the S. K. Hoyt District, to 
 replace his small one, lie Avas so particular that it should 
 stand square, that a compass was set to square it by, so that 
 the sun might shine in at the front door Avhen it Avas noon. 
 They liad no clock, but they had a nine o'clock mark, a one 
 o'clock mark, and others. 
 
 The early settlers had plain and simple fare. Bean por- 
 ridge, Indian corn, rye, pumpkins, turnips, fish and game,, 
 were the most common articles of food. Sometimes, in the 
 scarcity of provisions, they used boiled beach-leaves. Yet 
 a hardy race grew up, notwithstanding. 
 
 The principal recreation was social visiting. The testi- 
 mony of all the old people is uniform as to the sympathy 
 and kindly feeling Avhich prevailed among the early settlers. 
 May all the remnants of prejudice and social alienation Avhich 
 haA^e since groAvn up be forever dissipated, and the people 
 be one in friendliness, and one in effort for the public good. 
 
 Money Avas scarce. Its comparatiA-e value, as estimated 
 by Avhat it Avould purchase, may be judged by a fcAv facts 
 gleaned from the toAvn records and other sources. It should 
 be premised that the "pound" spoken of in the early history 
 of the toAvn Avas in the "ncAV tenor'' currency, Avhich Avas six 
 shillings to a dollar. A pound, therefore, Avas equal to $o.O''], 
 and a shilling to K)^ cents. One of the stipulations made 
 NoA-ember 4, 1771, in regard to ]Mr. Kelly's salary, Avas to 
 give him one hundred dollars in labor, at two shillings and 
 six pence (41 1 cents) per day, or if dinners Avere founfl, then 
 fwo shillings (33^ cents) p(>r dav. March 20, 1785, AA'ork 
 on the highways Avas reckoned at three shillings per day, 
 March 22, 1791, the toAvn voted to reckon Avork on the high- 
 Avavs as folloAvs : From the first of June to the last of Au- 
 
17 
 
 gust, three shillings (50 ccntsj per day ; from the last of Au- 
 gust to the last of September, two shillings and sixpence (41^ 
 centsj per day; from the last of September to the first of 
 November two shillings (.33^centsj per day; from that to the 
 first of April, one shilling and six penoe (2o centsj per dav; 
 and from then to the first of June, two shillings and six 
 pence per day. December 28, 1797, the town voted to 
 allow men for work in building bridges, two shillings pei- 
 day to the las-t day of March, and after that three shillings- 
 per day until the bridges are finished. February 8, 1798^ 
 minute-men having been enlisted by the town, it was voted 
 to make up to them ten dollars per month, while in actual 
 service, including what they are allowed by Congress. A 
 bounty of two dollars was also voted; which, in these days, 
 would not be considered a very tempting offer. 
 
 As to the value of land, in 1784, several lots, varying in 
 size, from forty to eighty acres, were sold at public vendue 
 for non-payment of taxes, for which prices were paid, varvin"- 
 from six pence to one shilling per acre, with taxes and costs. 
 At a similar sale in 1797, prices paid per acre for different 
 lots were five cents, seventeen cents, thirty one, forty one 
 and sixty cents, and a dollar and fifty-four cents. Of twenty lots^ 
 sold in the same way in January and February, 1812, the 
 average price per acre was about twenty cents. 
 
 In 1782, the furnishing of the twenty cords of wood whicli 
 wejj^ part of Mr. Kelly's salary, was struck off to the low- 
 est bidder, ten cords to Esq. Joseph Sawyer, at four shillings 
 and six pence, that is, 75 cents per cord; five to Francis 
 Ferrin, at four shillings and five pence ; and five to the same 
 at five shillings, or 83^ cents. In 1798, a Pound was built 
 on Deacon Nehemiah Heath's land, which was to be thirty 
 feet square and seven feet high, of green white pine logs 
 with the bark taken off, with a white oak door and a lock. 
 The building of this Pound and providing all the materials^ 
 was struck off to Tappan Evans for $10.50. At tlie end of 
 
1« 
 
 the last century a girl's wages were two shillings (33^ cents) 
 a week, and the commonest quality of calico was four shil- 
 lings a yard. In the year 1778, wheat was rated in Con- 
 cord at seven shillings per bushel, Indian corn at four shil- 
 lings, potatoes at one shilling, cheese at six pence per pound, 
 and stall-fed beef at four pence. 
 
 From these various facts we can sufficiently estimate the 
 value of money then as compared with the present time. 
 Probably it is a moderate estimate, to say that one dollar 
 then would buy more of the necessities and comforts of life 
 than five dollars now. The scarcity of money is illustrated 
 by the experience of Benjamin Badger, M'ho afterwards be- 
 came a resident of Warner. He first came here from Ames- 
 bury, Mass., about 1790, and was willing to work for twenty- 
 five cents a day, but there was so little money in town that no 
 one would hire him even at that. With good courage, and 
 some bread and cheese for food, he started on foot for Ames- 
 bury, having only two coppers in his pocket, of which he 
 spent one for ferriage over a river, and reached his destina- 
 tion with the other. 
 
 There were almost no books in most of the houses, except 
 the Spelling-Book and Bible, and perhaps Watts' Hymns. 
 The more intelligent settlers added to these a quaintly illus- 
 trated copy of Pilgrim's Progress, "The Bank of Faith," 
 and a few other books. 
 
 They enjoyed, however, the educating influence which 
 comes to every American citizen through his participation in 
 public affairs. That they considered it the duty of every citi- 
 zen thus to participate, appears from an odd entry in the 
 town records, under date of June 14, 1774, which reads as 
 lolloAvs : '' This day Stephen Edmunds appeared at town 
 meeting, and acknowledged it to be the first time that ever 
 he appeared at a town meeting in this town." 
 
 Representatives to the General Assembly of New Hampshire 
 were at that time required to possess real estate to the value 
 
19 ' 
 
 of two hundred pounds lawful money. The first election, 
 apparently, for representative, was held November 19, 1776. 
 Capt. Francis Davis was then chosen; in 1777, Mr. Daniel 
 Morrill; and in 1778, Capt. Daniel Floyd. The General 
 Assembly met in those days at Exeter. 
 
 In the war of the revolution, the inhabitants of Warner 
 manifested a patriotism not inferior to other towns. In this 
 connection, the records of the Committee of Safety, pub- 
 lished December, 1775, furnish some interesting facts as to 
 the population. By the census of 1775, Warner had, of' 
 white males, 78 under 1(5, 45 "between the ages of 10 and 
 50 not in the army, and () above 50; 126 females; and 1 
 negro. Total, 262. The tov/n reported 21 fire-arms fit for 
 service, and 26 instances in which fire-arms were wanting. 
 In 1775, previously to the organization of an army by Con- 
 gress, seven men from Warner took up arms in the cause of 
 their country; in 1776, eight enlisted, and others in subse- 
 quent years. Thirty men from this town belonged to a vol- 
 unteer res^iment durinsr the war of 1813; and about one 
 hundred served in the national army during the late war of 
 the rebellion, of whom, not far from twenty-five gave up 
 their lives for the unity and freedom of our country. 
 
 These brief notices of the early history of the town, the 
 habits of the people, and the events which varied their lives, 
 prepare us better to understand their religious history, which 
 forms the chief subject of this discourse. 
 
 The first meeting-house was probably built in 1766. The 
 earliest mention of it in the proprietors' records is under 
 date of November 10, 1766, when they voted to raise six- 
 teen shillings on each right for other purposes, and "for 
 building the meeting-house." It stood near the upper edge 
 of the old burying-ground, on the highest land within 
 the enclosure. It was a poorly constructed log house. 
 From what is known of early log meeting-houses in other 
 towns, we may presume that it had no windows, but 
 
20 
 
 only large holes in the upper part, which admitted light and 
 air. Yet here probably all the population of the town gath- 
 ered many times for public worship, and among them, we 
 may be sure, some praying souls, truly desiring to be fed 
 with the word of life. This house was accidentally burned 
 in or before the year 1769. 
 
 June t28th, 1769, the proprietors voted to build another 
 meeting-house in the town ; and March 20th, 1770, voted 
 " to raise sixty dollars to build the meeting-house." This 
 second house was erected in 1770, on the site of the old one. 
 It was a frame building, about thirty by twenty-four feet in 
 size, one story high, without a steeple ; boarded and covered 
 with long shingles. Very likely it was built, as the early 
 bridges were in some towns, by a general turn-out of the 
 inhabitants, laboring under the direction of the best work- 
 men. The seats at first were rough board benches. But 
 little finishing was done till the pew-ground was sold, Sep- 
 tember 2-1, 1772, when the avails of the sale were applied 
 for that purpose. At the time just mentioned, it was voted 
 "that there should be six pews at ye fore side of ye meeting 
 house, and four at the back side of the house, and two long 
 pews, one at each end of said house." At the same time and 
 place the pews were sold at public vendue — Mr. Daniel 
 Floyd being vendue-master — as follows : Pew No. 1 was 
 struck off to Francis Davis, at nineteen shillings ($3. 16i5) ; 
 No. 2 to Abner Chase, at twenty shillings ; No. 3 to Deacon 
 Nehemiah Heath, at seventeen shillings; the long pew at 
 the east end of the house. No. 4, to Zebulon Davis, at four- 
 teen shillings; No. 5 to Joseph Currier, at eighteen shillings; 
 No. 6 to Scth Goodwin, at twenty-three shillings; No. 8 to 
 Isaac Waldron, Jr., at twenty-one shillings and six pence ; 
 the long pew at the west end of the house. No. 9, to Thomas 
 Annis, at fourteen shillings; No. 10 to Daniel Flanders, at 
 fifteen shillings; No. 11 to Richard Goodwin, at twenty-one 
 shillings and six pence; No. 12 to Deacou Parmenas Watsou, 
 
21 
 
 at twenty-two shillings. These persons purchased the pew- 
 ground, on which, according to the custom of the times, each 
 man built his own pew. A part of the house was provided, 
 with benches for those who did not build pews. At this- 
 time, and for many years afterwards, all the people went to 
 meeting. An old lady, now 80 years old, remembers how, 
 a few years later, one of their neighbors used to yoke his 
 oxen to a sled, put boards on, cover with hay, and fasten 
 chains about, then set chairs in, put in quilts, and having 
 made all comfortable, take a load. Half the effort made 
 noM- would bring all the people regularly to the public wor- 
 ship of God. 
 
 The population of the town increased rapidly, and the 
 second meeting-house soon became inadequate for either its 
 civil or religious purposes. In 1786, the question of build- 
 ing a new house was discussed in town meeting, and deferred. 
 A controversy arose as to the location of the new house, 
 which lasted three years and caused much unhappy feeling. 
 Some, generally the families of the first settlers, wished it to 
 stand on the site of the old one, south of the river; others 
 at the geographical centre of the town ; and yet others north 
 of the river, on the plain in the LoM-er Village, above Ensign 
 Joseph Currier's. The toAvn tried various expedients to 
 settle the question. August 30th, 1787, they chose a com- 
 mittee of three from Hopkinton, Salisbury and Henniker to 
 locate the house, and agreed to abide bv their decision. In 
 1788, they petitioned the General Court to appoint a com- 
 mittee to locate. This committee selected the location of the 
 old house, but their decision was not accepted. At last, April 1 
 25th, 1789, it was voted to build betAveen Ensign Josephs 
 Currier's and Mr. Isaac Chase's, on the north side of the ■ 
 road, under the ledge, at the south-west end of what is now 
 the Lower Village. \Mien the frame Avas raised, according to' 
 a custom of the times, which allowed the first man who 
 climbed to the ridge-pole to name tke building. Ensign 
 
A(iuil:i Davis, son of Francis, climbed to the top Avith a jug 
 of some kind of spirit attached to a cord, swung the jug, 
 broke it, and appropriately named the house "The Struggle 
 Under the Ledge." 
 
 The evil results of this division lasted for some time, as is 
 shown by the vote which was at first passed not to meet in 
 the new house, the refusal to fully complete it, and even the 
 effort on the part of some to get a vote to move it over 
 to the south side of the river. We can at least give them 
 credit for jK/scrcrance, which is a great virtue when right- 
 ly directed. However, August oOth, 1790, it was voted 
 "That jNlr. Kelly should preach in the new meeting-house 
 for the future, and the inhabitants meet there for public wor- 
 ship." In INIarch, of the next year, a vote Avas jiassed to 
 'take down the old meeting-house and appropriate the stuff 
 towards fencing the burying-ground. 
 
 The size of the new house was about fifty by sixty feet. 
 It M'as like a great barn, open up to the ridge-pole, and, for a 
 long time, not even clap-boarded. Swallows built their nests 
 under the eaves, and used to fly about during the services. 
 The house was never plastered, except a space back of the 
 pulpit. Galleries ran around on three sides. In front was 
 a porch, with doors opening east, south and M-est. The pul- 
 ]nt was of the plainest style. As in the former house, pew- 
 ground was sold, and each person built his own pew. Tlu^ 
 pews were square, with seats which turned up. ^^'hen the 
 congregation rose, the seats were all turned up; when they 
 sat down, the whole were let down with a tremendous clat- 
 ter. On the part unoccupied by pews M-ere benches, with 
 one rail for the back; (as luxurious, perhaps, as those of our 
 present town-house ! ) At first the gallery pew-ground was not 
 sold; ill 1799, it was voted te sell it, and lay out the pro- 
 ceeds in the repair of the house. In 1808, two hundred 
 dollars were laid out in the improvment of the house, but it 
 always remained in a very unfinished condition, and was 
 finallv taken down in the vear 1855 or 185G. 
 
23 
 
 As everywhere in old times, the house vras not warnied, 
 and the people suffered fearfully from cold. The women all 
 carried foot-stoves. Joseph Currier, Deacon Heath, Tappan 
 Evans, and others who lived near, opened their houses for 
 the people to go in and warm themselves, and their houses 
 were full. 
 
 The discomfort of the old house, the difficulty of inducinif 
 the town to spend anything for its improvement, and the 
 fact that other denominations had the use of it part of the 
 time, had long been convincing many of the people that 
 they ought to own a meeting-house independently of the 
 town. As the result, the fourth meeting-house — the one 
 in which we are assembled to-day — was erected in 1819, by 
 twenty-nine individuals of the Congregational Society. It 
 cost $2300. The corner-stone was laid June 9, 1819, and it 
 was dedicated October 20 of the same year; the pastor 
 j)reaching a sermon from Psalm xxvi, 8 : '•' Lord, I have 
 loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine 
 honor dwelleth." It first stood a little west of the Lower 
 Village; was removed to its present location in 1845; mod- 
 ernized, and the galleries removed, in 1856; and enlarged 
 and improved in 18G8. In 1858, the vestry was finished off 
 underneath, and in 1870, the ladies' room. In 1866, a bell 
 was for the first time hung in the steeple. In 1867, the cab- 
 inet organ now in use was purchased. For these various 
 improvements, the Church and congregation are largely in- 
 debted to the generosity of some of their own members, and 
 also to friends elsewhere, who have not lost interest in their 
 early home. 
 
 We turn back now to trace the origin and history of 
 the Church itself The earliest ministers who are known to 
 have preached in Warner are Timothy Walker and Xehe- 
 miah Ordway, Jr. The proprietors' records <}ontain mention 
 of sums paid them for their services in preaching in 1769, 
 and to Mr. Ordway in 1771. In 1771, Mr. Morrill of Ep- 
 
OJ- 
 
 ping preached several Sabbaths ; and probably a little later, 
 Mr. Farrington. Before the settlement of Mr. Kelly, the 
 proprietors paid considerable sums for the maintenance of 
 preaching in the town, a fact which speaks well (as all which 
 we know of them does,) of their care for the moral and 
 religious improvement of the people. It is also a significant 
 fact, which speaks for itself, that here, as in many other New 
 England towns, provision was made in the same connection 
 to lay out lots for the first ordained minister, for parsonage 
 land, and for the use of schools. Religion and education 
 were connected in their minds, as they always should be. 
 
 Of the ministers above named, we have some information. 
 Timothy Walker was a son of Rev. Timothy Walker, the 
 first minister of Concord. He graduated at Harvard Col- 
 lege in 175G, and was licensed to preach in 1759. He 
 preached more or less at Canterbury, Rindge, and probably 
 other places, but was never settled. He afterwards went 
 into civil life, was a member of the Council, and Chief Jus- 
 tice of the Court of Common Pleas. 
 
 Nehemiah Ordway, Jr. was the son of Nehemiah Ordway 
 of Amesbury, a leading physician, one of the proprietors, 
 and for many years their clerk. The son graduated at Har- 
 vard in 1764, and was settled in 1778 at Middleton, N. H., 
 where he remained only a few years. 
 
 Of Mr. Morrill nothing is certainly known. Perhaps ho 
 'was Mr. Robie Morrill, a native of Salisbury, Mass., who 
 Avas pastor of the Church in Boscawen from 1761 to 1766. 
 
 Mr. Farrington probably preached one year at Westmore- 
 land, N. H., about 1770, but nothing more can be stated of 
 him. 
 
 The first entry upon the town records of A\ auier, or New 
 Amesbury, dated December 27, 1770, is an agreement signed 
 by forty-five settlers to pay their rateable proportion for the 
 settlement and support of a gospel minister, on condition 
 that the proprietors should pay the sums they had agreed 
 
25 
 
 upon toward this purpose, viz: $90.00 for the year next en- 
 suing, $60.00 a year for the next four years, and $30.00 for 
 the year after that ; and on condition, also, that Isaac Wal- 
 dron, Isaac Chase and Joseph Sawyer, a committee appoint- 
 ed by the inhabitants of the town, "will use their best en- 
 deavors that an able and learned Minister of the Gospel, ap- 
 proved by the Pastors of the neighboring Churches, may be 
 settled and ordained in said New Amesbury." It was also 
 provided that the above agreement should be of no force 
 unless subscribed by nine-tenths of the present inhabitants 
 of the town ; from which it may be inferred that there were 
 then not much, if any, over forty-five families. 
 
 February 14, 1771, the first town meeting recorded was 
 held. Mr. Joseph Sawyer was moderator. It was then 
 voted "that the Committee should send for Mr. William 
 Kelly to preach here three Sabbaths," and that Mr. Joseph 
 Sawyer should board the minister. Mr. Kelly appears to 
 have preached here constantly during 1771. September 26, 
 1771, it is voted that Mr. Kelly appoint a Fast in Warner, 
 and " that Isaac Waldron, Sr., should go to the neighboring 
 ministers to see if they would attend said Fast." Those 
 neighboring ministers must have been at Hopkinton, where 
 a church had been organized fourteen years before; at Bos- 
 cawen, where there had been a church for thirty years ; at 
 Henniker, where Avas an infant church only two years old ; 
 and perhaps at Salisbury, though the church there was not 
 formed till 1773. The more distant churches of Concord 
 and Pembroke may also have been invited. 
 
 November 14, 1771, the town gave Mr. Kelly a call to 
 settle with them in the ministry. The pecuniary conditions 
 of the call were to give him forty poutids lawful money for 
 the first year, and to rise one pound ten shillings yearly for 
 thirteen years and four months, till it amoimts to sixty 
 pounds a year, or about two hundred dollars. Also, to give 
 him, yearly, twenty cords of wood, which should be cut and 
 
26 
 
 hauled to his door. As a settlement, he had the lots of 
 land which we have seen were assigned to the first minister 
 by the conditions of the grant of the town. These amounted 
 to one hundred and sixty acres; which, his son, the late 
 Squire Abner B, Kelly, has informed me, could not have 
 been sold at that time for half as many dollars. He also 
 had the income of the parsonage lot during his ministry. 
 The town voted, at the time of the call, to give Mr. Kelly 
 (I suppose as part of his settlement,) one hundred dollars in 
 labor, at two shillings and sixpence (-tl^- cents) per day; 
 and to cut down the trees and clear up three acres of land a 
 year for him for three years following, so as to make nine acres 
 in all. The late Squire Kelly informed mc that more than half 
 his father's salary was paid in produce or labor, and a con- 
 siderable part of the remainder was given by him in orders 
 on the town collector to cancel the taxes of those Avho were 
 unable to pay. Frequent votes were j>assed by the town, ex- 
 empting certain persons from paying their minister-rates for 
 one or more years. After a few years the town became very re- 
 miss in paying Mr. Kelly's salary, and performing their other 
 agreements to him, and much ill feeling grew up upon the 
 subject. Many persons, from conviction, or for the sake of 
 exemption from taxation, joined other denominations. At 
 the desire of many persons, Mr. Kelly finally, June 9, 1793, 
 relinquished }iis contract with the town, on condition of the 
 payment of a certain sum (£160) for arrearages. The town, 
 to raise this money, committed the illegal act of selling part 
 of the parsonage right of land, which, by the conditions of 
 the grant of the town^was to be reserved forever toward the 
 support of the ministry. Part of the inhabitants recorded 
 their protest against this sale. The rest of the parsonage 
 right was sfcd, however, at subsequent times. Mr. Kelly 
 allowed the town from 1793 to try the voluntary principle, 
 but the amount he received in a year did not exceed $60, 
 and that chiefly from those who were willing to be taxed. 
 
27 
 
 He at length, in 1800, brought a suit against the town, and 
 collected part of the arrearages. It is needless to say that 
 the enemies' of religion raised a clamor against this, and 
 used it to the detriment of the religious interests of the 
 town. This is enough respecting this painful portion of our 
 religious history. Let us look back at it with nothing now 
 of the evil spirit of prejudice or bitterness, but simply with 
 the desire to learn from it what we may. In regard to it, it 
 is enough to say that while there was undoubtedly great need 
 of a more just and liberal spirit in the town, the trouble 
 grew principally out of the false system. Xo man should 
 be taxed for religious purposes except by his own free con- 
 sent, and in accordance with his own convictions of duty to 
 God. But to hold the opposite error Avas no peculiarity of 
 the fathers of N«w England. It was an error of the times,- 
 and was abandoned here sooner than in almost any other 
 part of the christian world. 
 
 Let us return, now to the more pleasant task of tracing the 
 origin and growth of the Church. Mr. Kelly accepted the 
 call of the town, and the fifth day of February, 1772, was 
 appointed for his ordination, and the formation of a Church. 
 The following churches were invited to send their pastors 
 and delegates for this pui'pose, viz- : those of Concord, Pem-- 
 broke, Henniker, Salem, Hampstead and Plaistow. Says 
 the recard : "On Wednesday, the fifth of February, 1772, 
 the pastors of the churches sent to, with their delegates, met 
 at the house of Isaac Waldron, Jr., where they formed into 
 a Council — Rev. Timothy Walker of Concord moderator. 
 Then proceeded to gather a Church, which entered into the 
 following Covenant with God and one another: — 
 
 " We, the subscribers, as we think, called by the pi-ovidence 
 of God to imbody ourselves into a distinct christian society- 
 for our mutual edification, do now, in the presence of God, 
 and with a humble sense of our unworthiness of so great a 
 favor, take Him. for our God ; and by His heV\), engage our- 
 
28 
 
 selves wholly to Him, to love His name and to be His ser- 
 vants; and being convinced of the insufficiency of the light 
 of nature to direct in the true way to serve God, and that of 
 His goodness He has been pleased to grant us a revelation of 
 His will in the Sacred Sci-iptures of the Old and New Tes- 
 tament, we noAv declare our firm belief that these sacred 
 writings contain the great articles of our faith and rules of 
 our practice; and Ave engage that we will carefully study 
 them and adhere to them in all things. 
 
 "Believing the fall of our first parents, and the wretched 
 state of weakness, sin and guilt into which we are fallen, and 
 adoring the grace of God in the provision which He has made 
 by His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, for our recovery, we 
 resolve, by the grace of God, always to approach unto the 
 Father in His name, as the way by Avhich all good things 
 descend unto us, waiting upon Him for His holy spirit to 
 direct and assist us, comfort and support us in this state of 
 trial. 
 
 "Believing a future state of rewards and punishments to 
 be dealt out to men in the other world, we resolve so to 
 walk by faith, and according to the direction of God's Word, 
 as that through Jesus Christ we may inherit that eternal life 
 which is brought to light by the Gospel. 
 
 " We likewise give up our offspring with ourselves, ador- 
 ing the grace of God that He Avill be a God in covenant 
 with us and with our seed. And in all these things we do 
 solemnly engage to walk in all God's ordinances, and to wait 
 upon Him in the sure ways of His appointment for a blessing. 
 
 " We also engage ourselves to one another for mutual love 
 and edification. We promise to submit ourselves to such as 
 God shall set over us from time to time in the pastoral rela- 
 tion, to preside in our religious assemblies, to instruct us out 
 of the Holy Scriptiu-es, to be our mouth to God in prayer, 
 to reprove our faults, and to be helpers of our faith and joy. 
 We likewise promise to watch over each other; if a brother 
 
29 
 
 tall through weakness, we engage to be tender toward him, 
 considering ourselves also as being liable to be tempted, and be 
 cheerfully ready to forgive him on the first suitable tokens of 
 repentance. 
 
 " But if a brother is obstinately impenitent, we engage to 
 reject him, and not suffer him to join with us in the holy 
 communion, but keep the church pure, and note that per- 
 son that he may be ashamed. 
 
 "jAnd we also promise to admit to our communion such 
 as shall desire to join themselves with us (not belonging to 
 other pastors' charges) if in a judgment of charity they may 
 be thought qualified; therefore not to impose any other 
 terms of christian communion than of our Saviour and His 
 apostles, a visible christian profession accompanied with a 
 blameless and well-ordered life ; and also that we will hold 
 communion with all other regular churches of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, maintaining charity and hearty good will to all that 
 love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, endeavoring to 
 keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, prapng 
 always for the peace of Jerusalem, since they prosper that 
 love her. 
 
 '■Finally, we promise with all humility and meekness, 
 Avaiting on the Great Head of vital influences for guidance 
 and assistance, to make it our care to adorn the doctrine of 
 God our Saviour in all things by well ordered lives and con- 
 versation, and that wherein we shall fall short, Ave aa'IU re- 
 neAv. ourselves by repentance, and betake ourseh-es to God 
 for pardoning mercy through the blood of the Redeemer. 
 
 "And that we may keep this coA'enant inviolable fore\'er, avc 
 heartily implore the help of Christ, that His grace may be 
 sufficient for us, and that Ave may be led in the path of 
 righteousness ; that Avhen the Great Shepherd and Bishop of 
 Souls shall appear. He may receive us into His heaA'enly 
 kingdom." 
 
30 
 
 This Covenant was signed and assented to by William 
 Kelly, Joseph Sawyer, Richard Goodwin, Nehemiah Heath, 
 Francis Davis, Abner Chase, Moses Clark and Parmenas 
 Watson. The story has come down, that when the Council 
 was convened, it was rumored they would not proceed, be- 
 cause there was not a sufficient number of persons giving 
 evidence of piety to form a Church; and that Isaac Wal- 
 dron (who certainly had zeal, if not other qualifications) sent 
 word to the Council that rather than they should fail for 
 members, he would take hold and join the Church himself, 
 though he should prefer to be excused. 
 
 After the Covenant, the church record continues, "The 
 Council then proceeded to the Meeting House, where the 
 solemnity was performed as followeth : The Rev. Moderator 
 opened the meeting, the Rev. Jacob Emery of Pembroke 
 made the first prayer; the Rev. Henry True of Hampstead 
 preached a sermon from 2nd of Timothy, od Chapt. 17th verse : 
 ' That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished 
 unto all good works;' the Rev. Abner Bayley of Salem gave 
 the charge; the Rev. Giles Merrill of Plaistow gave the fel- 
 lowship; and the Rev. Jacob Rice of Henniker concluded 
 with prayer." 
 
 Thus the little Church Avas organized in the wilderness. 
 Though the names of males only are given as at first signing 
 the Covenant, yet the wives of nearly all these first signers 
 probably united at the same time. Nehemiah Heath, Joseph 
 Sawyer, and Richard Goodwin, Avith their wives, joined this 
 Church by letter of dismission from the Church in Hamp- 
 stead, Avhich Avas probably one reason Avhy that Church Avas 
 iuA'ited to sit on the Council. 
 
 Rev. William Kelly Avas born at Newbury, Mass., Octo- 
 ber 31, 1744. He Avas the son of John Kelly, Avho after- 
 wards removed to Atkinson, N. H., Avherc he died in 1783, 
 aged eighty-four. The son graduated at Harvard College in 
 1767, and studied divinity Avith Rev. Henry True of Hamp- 
 
« 1 
 
 stead. He nianicd, February 14, 1TT3, Lavinia Bayley, 
 daughter of Rev. Abner Bayley of Salem, N. H. He was 
 dismissed from his pastorate in Warner March 11, 1801, but 
 continued for several years to preach more or less in the 
 town. He resided here until his death, Avhich was occasion- 
 ed by a fit of apoplexy, May 18, 1813, in the sixty-ninth 
 year of his age. Great interest gathers in our minds around 
 Mr. Kelly, as the first minister. He was of small statiu'e, 
 and of a pleasant countenance. In disposition he was very 
 kindly and genial, inclined to the lenient view of men and 
 things. His sermons and prayers were short, as compared 
 with the average of the times. In theology he was of the 
 class who, at that day, were called moderate Calvinists. He 
 was a man of prayer. One of his sons (who was with us 
 until a few months since, and who we had hoped would be 
 spared to link this anniversary more closely Avith ITTJi,) has 
 spoken of the impression which used to be produced on him 
 by his father's often retiring to a private room of their house 
 for prayer. When he came out his face seemed to shine like 
 that of Moses. 
 
 March 17, 1772, the Chiu'ch met lor further organization. 
 On that day, in the language of the records, '•' after the 
 meeting was opened by solemn prayer to God for direction, 
 Parmenas Watson aijd Nehemiah Heath were chosen Dea- 
 cons." These two men served the Church in this office — 
 Deacon Watson for fifty-eight years, Deacon Heath for 
 forty-eight ; though during the latter part of their lives 
 younger men were appointed to aid them. How much of 
 responsibility and care they bore for the Church ! We be- 
 lieve that in regard to them the Master said, "Well done, 
 good and fiiithful servants." Both Deacon Watson and 
 Deacon Heath M-eve at times Selectmen, and filled other town 
 offices. In the early days, a Deacons' seat was always pro- 
 vided in the churches, directly in front of the pulpit, facing 
 the people. There the Deacons sat, though their families 
 
5?^ 
 
 occupied pe^vs with the rest of the congregation. This cus- 
 tom was given up in Warner when the present church was 
 built. 
 
 Another well-known character of the early times was 
 the tithing-man. Two tithing-men were annually appointed by 
 the town, and their duties Avere to keep order in and around 
 the church, and to prevent persons from breaking the Sab- 
 bath by traveling, or in other ways. The boys usually well 
 knew the tithing-man's seat in the meeting-house! 
 
 As to church music, in the very earliest times, probably 
 not even the singers had books containing the tunes, but 
 only a few hymn-books. Yet from them they sang many of 
 the same words of praise which we sing to-day — ^those dear old 
 hymns which abide from generation to generation. At the 
 communion service, the Deacons read two lines of a hymn, 
 which were sung, then the other two lines, and so on. Af- 
 ter music-books were introduced, the first which the oldest 
 living inhabitants of the town remember was the "Christian 
 Harmony." No better title has since been devised. In ^[r. ^^ 
 Kelly's day, two of those who for a time led the singingjM 
 were Enoch Morrill and Jacob Osgood. There were but 
 five or six singers. Among them were Miriam Stevens, 
 (wife of James Osgood,) Rachel Floyd, (Avife of Enoch Os- 
 good,) and the wife of John Hardy of Tory Hill. At first 
 there Avere no musical instruments. At a church-meeting, 
 probably near the beginning of 1800, though not dated, it Avas 
 * voted "to admit the Bass Viol in Publick Worship." The 
 town coincided, by voting, March 4, 1800, "that the singers 
 should be admitted to use Bass Viols and any other sacred 
 instruments on the Sabbath in the meeting-house for the fu- 
 ture." Later the violin Avas introduced, though not AA-ithout 
 some opposition at first. Deacon David Heath first played 
 the bass viol, afterwards Deacon Barrett, John Ela, Deacon 
 Wheeler, and others. 
 
33 • 
 
 During the last century, though th^re were Pulpit Bibles, 
 the Scriptures were not generally read in the churches. 
 When they were first read here appears by a vote passed by 
 the Church May 4, 1815, "That the Holy Scriptures be 
 read on the Sabbath ; it being left discretionary with the Pas- 
 tor whether or no to read Scott's Notes and Observations." 
 
 Marriages were cried by the town clerk at the close of the 
 Sabbath meeting — a custom which could not have been 
 most agreeable to the parties, however much it gratified cu- 
 riosity. One of the oldest of our living citizens acknowl- 
 edges that on the day when his fate was to be thus an- 
 nounced, he went over to Salisbury and attended church. 
 In these days, it is to be feared that people thus circumstanced 
 would stay away without seeking some other place of wor- 
 ship. But then every one attended church. 
 
 The customs of the times favored courtesy and reverence. 
 When the service was finished, ]Mr. Kelly came down out of 
 the pulpit and passed down the middle aisle, bowing right 
 and left to everybody. The congregation all waited till he 
 had passed out. During prayer, the people stood, though 
 occasionally a minister preached whose prayers were so long 
 that they sat down and got up three and four times for 
 weariness. Rev. Ethan Smith of Hopkinton sometimes 
 prayed an hour by the watch. 
 
 A fraternal spirit prevailed in the church. While offences 
 against christian morality and violations of the church cov- 
 enant were disciplined, great care and tenderness seem to 
 have been exercised in this matter. 
 
 During the ministry of Mr. Kelly, persons were admitted 
 to what was called the " Half- Way Covenant." By this was 
 meant that persons of upright life and correct sentiments 
 might be baptized themselves, and receive baptism for their 
 children, without examination as to a change of heart and per- 
 sonal faith in the Redeemer. Those -who availed themselves 
 of this permission were said to "own the Covenant." They 
 
34 
 
 were •110^ considered members gI" the Church, nor admitted to 
 the Lord's Supper. It appears, however, from the Diary of 
 Rev. Mr. Walker, first minister of Concord, under date of 
 .June 3 and July ;1, 1764, that in that Church persons were 
 jiropoundcd to own the Covenant after the same manner as 
 when they Avere to unite with the Church. But the promise 
 which they made was to seek after further evidences of 
 christian character. The "Half- Way Covenant" was in 
 general use among the early New England- churches. It 
 was not scriptural, nor according to the example of Christ 
 and his apostles. Yet it may have operated with many as 
 it did Avith one who afterwards became a valuable member 
 ,of this Church, who said that he thought oAvning the Cov- 
 enant did him good, and that it was a restraint upon him to 
 remember he had given up his children in baptism. Infant 
 ■baptism Avas in those days sacredly honored by the Church. 
 
 Mr. Kelly was dismissed March 11, 1801, by a Council 
 composed of the pastors and delegates of the churches in 
 ■Canterbury, Concord and Pembroke. The Church chose 
 him as their moderator, and he continued to fill that office 
 until his death. It is very pleasant to add that Ave find 
 proof of their continued affection for him in the vote 
 they passed after his death, in Avhich, as if he Avere still their 
 pastor, the}^ thank Ilcv. Moses Sawyer. Rev. ]Mr. Smith 
 and Kev. Mr. Bliss for their kind offices in attending his 
 funeral, and especially jNIr. Sawyer, for his " able and Avell 
 adapted discourse delivered on the o'ccasion." 
 
 After the dismission of Mr. Kelly, the Church #erc for 
 rt'hirteen years Avithout a pastor. Those Avere years of trial. 
 The Church, however, secured preaching a good deal of the 
 time. When they could not have it constantly, they made 
 an effort for it on Communion Sabbaths. A Mr. Davis, an 
 Englishman, from Albany, preached for a time. A revival 
 foUoAved his labors and quite a number united Avith the 
 vQhurch. Rey. William Harlow preached here for several 
 
35 
 
 years. The Church, January 7, 1809, gave him a call to 
 settle, but the town refused to concur. Mr. Harlow after- 
 wards preached for three years at Auburn, in this State. A 
 Mr. Rolfe preached for a time, and the Church, Dec. 23, 
 1810, invited him to settle, but he either declined, or the town 
 refused to concur. During tliese years, the town raised very 
 little for the support of preaching. The only sum voted for 
 this purpose was $150 in 1805, of which sum each society 
 was to have its proportion. Those who loved the Church 
 were fast learning that its support must depend upon them- 
 selves, not upon those who were indifferent or hostile to it. 
 
 As early as April, 1802, the Church voted to attempt to 
 form a Congregational Society, and chose a committee of 
 five for the purpose. The object was not accomplished, 
 however, until ten years later. December 5, 1812, the Con- 
 gregational Society was incorporated, and, with modifications 
 of its constitution, it has continued to the present time. Among 
 its early members were many who were not connected with 
 the Church, but who felt that the maintenance of religious 
 institutions was an object in which every moral, intelligent, 
 patriotic citizen should take an interest. So ought it always 
 to be. The Society, from that time on, has had the charge 
 of the support of the ministry, for though the town voted, 
 October 8, 1813, to join with the Church in giving Mr. 
 Woods a call, they never raised any money for salary. Fi- 
 nally, in 1819, the Legislature passed a law abolishing the 
 ancient mode of settling ministers by towns ; or in other 
 words, the connection of Church and State. Henceforward 
 the history of the Church is connected witli the town only 
 as it should be, by the moral benefit it has conferred upon it. 
 
 God was preparing good for the Church. In the 
 middle of 1813, a young man named John Woods, just 
 licensed to preach, was employed a few Sabbaths. The 
 people became interested in him, and on September 21st, 
 1813, the Church gave him a call to become their pastor, in 
 
36 
 
 which the town soon after concurred. He was offered by a 
 Church in ^lassachusetts nearly double the salary which this 
 Church could pay, but he had become interested in this 
 people, and felt that his duty was here, and therefore ac- 
 cepted their call. He was ordained June 22d, 1814. As 
 respects the general interest it aAvakened, an ordination in those 
 and earlier days was like a muster. Everybody came. The 
 Congregational Society voted, June 1, "to have music to es- 
 cort the Council to and from the meeting-house." As usual 
 on ordination days, there was abundant provision for the 
 council and for all friends present. It is told, in illustration 
 of the times, that, it being a year of scarcity, Levi Bartlett 
 was sent to Newport to get wheat for the ordination. He 
 could get none there, and went to New London, where he 
 succeeded in buying it of the father of the present Governor 
 Colby. He bought two bushels, at $3.50 a bushel, and 
 brought it home on horseback. So valued was it that the 
 people would not use a teaspoonful for anything but the or- 
 dination. 
 
 The Council Avas composed of Rev. Dr. Seth Payson of 
 Rindge, Rev. Dr. »Asa McFarland of Concord, Rev. Ethan 
 Smith of Hopkinton, Rev. Ebenezer Price of Boscawen, and 
 Rev. Moses Sawyer of Henniker, with a delegate from each 
 of these churches, and two delegates from Bradford. Dr. 
 McFarland offered the introductory prayer. Dj". Payson 
 preached from ii Timothy, ii. 2 : " The things that thou 
 hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit 
 thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." 
 Mr. Smith made the ordaining prayer, INIr. Sabin gave the 
 charge, Mr. Sawyer the right hand of fellowship, and ]Mr. 
 Price offered the concluding prayer. 
 
 Mr. Woods was 43orn at Fitzwilliam, N. H., in 1T85. He 
 graduated at Williams College in 1812, and pursued his 
 studies in preparation for the ministry with Rev. Dr. Pay- 
 son of Rindge, who, at that period, liad divinity students. 
 
37 
 
 He was dismissed from his pastorate in Warner Jane 17, 
 1823; was pastor of the church in Newport, N. H., from 
 1824 to 1851 ; and afterwards preached for a time at Fitz- 
 williara, where he died May 4, 1861, aged 76. Mr. Woods 
 Avas a strong man; a plain, pointed preacher, strictly Calvin- 
 istic, and fearless in presenting doctrinal truth. He had a 
 sound judgment, and was well adapted to the peculiarities 
 of the time when he came. Says one who knew him, '•' He 
 was a man who threw up the sub-soil and laid deep founda- 
 tions. At the same time he looked for the work of the Holy 
 Spirit. He let the Holy Spirit do the work, and he followed 
 after." While to those who did not really know him he 
 perhaps seemed severe in his presentations of truth, he was 
 found on acquaintance to be reasonable, kindly, and M'arm- 
 heartcd. 
 
 Before Mr. AVoods' ordination, he presented to the Church 
 a Confession of Faith, containing a more specific statement of 
 the great doctrines of the Gospel than the Covenant they 
 had previously used. This was adopted by them March 14, 
 1814. A new Confession of Faith and Covenant Avere pro- 
 j)osed by Mr. Wellman, and adopted July 31, 1831. These 
 have continued in use until the present year, when, on the 
 11th of May, another Confession of Faith and Covenant 
 were adopted. These several Confessions, though different 
 in expression, are all essentially the same in doctrine and 
 spiri t. 
 
 It is interestina: and instructive to read of various meas- 
 ures adopted by the Church and pastor to promote religious 
 growth. March 4, 1814, " the Church agreed to spend one- 
 hour every Aveek (viz.: from 8 to 9 o'clock Saturday even- 
 ing) in reading the devotional parts of Scripture, and in. 
 special prayer for the outpouring of the Spirit and a revival 
 of religion in this place.'' July 30, 1815, they voted to ob- 
 serve the monthly concert of prayer for missions on the first 
 Monday of every month. 
 
38 
 
 July 10, 1817, the following resolutions were unanimously 
 adopted by the. Church: "Whereas, it has pleased God in 
 the economy of grace to make an everlasting covenant of 
 mercy with the believer and his seed, and he has proposed, 
 through the instrumentality of pious parents, to bestow 
 spiritual blessings upon their offspring ; and whereas we are 
 bound by our covenant engagements before God and his 
 people 'to bring up our families i^i the nurture and admo- 
 nition of the Lord,' which engagements we are sensible have 
 in times past been greatly neglected ; therefore 
 
 "Resolved, That we feel ourselves under solemn obligations, 
 both as individuals and as a Church of Christ, to pay special 
 attention to our baptized children ; and we hereby engage 
 ^that we will daily read or cause the Holy Scriptures to be 
 read by or before them, will pray with and for them, and 
 will catechize, warn, exhort and counsel them from time to 
 time, as their age, circumstances, opportunity and duty re- 
 quire. 
 
 "Resolved, secondly, That, unless providentially prevented, 
 we will meet at least twice every year to present ourselves 
 and our baptized children, who are capable of receiving in- 
 struction and who are under our command, before the Lord, 
 unitedly to implore the blessing of our Covenant God upon 
 them, to instruct them in the things of religion, and en- 
 . deavor to impress their minds with a proper sense of their 
 -special obligations to God on account of their special priv- 
 ileges as the children of His covenant people. 
 
 "Resolved, thirdly, That we will encourage unbaptized 
 children, and we do earnestly desire that their parents and 
 guardians would encourage, direct and assist them to meet 
 with us, to receive religious instruction, and share Avith 
 our children an interest in the prayers of the Church." 
 
 These semi-annual meetings of the Church with their chil- 
 ■dren were continued for many years with great profit. The 
 baptized children were regarded as standing in a very close 
 
39 
 
 relation to the Church, of which some places in the records 
 call them " minor members." Besides the meetings already 
 named, Mr. Woods held catechetical meetings occasionally,, 
 on week-day afternoons, in the district school-houses, where 
 there were families of the Church. At these meetings the- 
 children recited lessons which they had previously learned 
 at home, under the care of their parents. The older chil- 
 dren had questions to b(r answered by repeating verses of 
 Scripture; those under ten recited Emerson's Catechism. 
 The old people say, when asked how all this could be se- 
 cured, "The children were expected to go, as much as on the 
 Sabbath. Christian people made their religion the first 
 thing; they laid their iilans to attend the meetings, and to 
 have their children attend." One Avho was a child under 
 Mr. Woods' ministry speaks of him as a children's minister, 
 and of the impression produced upon her mind by his read- 
 ing such hymns as, ^ 
 
 *' Children, in ^ears and knowledge young. 
 Your parents' hope, your parents' joy. 
 Attend the counsels of my tongue. 
 Let pious thoughts your minds emploj*."' 
 
 The Sabbath-school connected with our church was estab^ 
 lished about this time, in 1817, and has continued ever since. 
 The school connected with this Church must have been one 
 of the earliest in the State. The Sabbath-school system has 
 proved a great blessing; but let us remember that no such 
 system can supersede the necessity of the personal religious 
 influence of the ixircnts and the pastor over the children. 
 
 On January 2, 18 IT, the subject of ordaining deacons was 
 discussed ; and it was voted that three neighboring ministers 
 be invited to assist in the ordination of the deacons in this 
 Church in April following. The deacons in our Church have 
 frequently since, though not always, been set apart in this 
 way. 
 
 The Standing Committee of the Church were first appoint- 
 ed November 23, 1820, after the Church had, in the Ian- 
 
40 
 
 guage of the record, '-'repeatedly sought divine direction 
 and blessing." 
 
 Thursday, October 2-J^ 1821, was observed by the Church 
 as a day of solemn humiliation, fasting and prayer, agreeably 
 to the recommendation of the General Association. The 
 pastor states that about seventy ■sverc present, and that there 
 "was a pleasing union of heart. 
 
 These various efibrts of the jAstor and people were at- 
 tended by the divine blessing. A precious revival of religion 
 was enjoyed ; and, especially during the years 181-4 and 181(), 
 numbers Avere added to the Church. One who experienced 
 religion at about this time states that he knows of hardly any 
 of the converts who did not hold out. 
 
 Mr. Woods was, as already stated, dismissed June 17, 
 1823. His resignation of his pastorate was due chiefly to 
 remissness in the payment of his salar3^ The society voted 
 Mm, at his ordination, a settlement of $5P0 and a salary of 
 $400 and twenty cords of wood annually. The salary, how- 
 ever, was soon but partly paid, and the arrearage increased 
 vear by year, until he felt constrained to ask a dismission. The 
 trouble seems to have arisen, not from lack of regard for ^Ir. 
 Woods, but from a failure on the part of a portion of the 
 people to realize their personal responsibility to aid efficient- 
 ly in supporting the gospel. This is proved by the fact that 
 his resignation took many by surprise, and when a new sub- 
 scription paper was started for his support, three times as 
 many as before put their names upon it. The arrearage, 
 however, remained unpaid, and for that reason he thought it 
 his duty to accept a call from another people. 
 
 From 1823 to 1827 the Church Avas without a pastor. 
 Rev. Henry C. Wright preached here for probably about 
 two years. 
 
 Rev. David P. Smith, afterwards settled at Greenfield, 
 supplied the pulpit for six months, and Rev. William Har- 
 low for four months. 
 
41 
 
 January 14, 18!^T, the pulpit was first occupied by a man 
 who was destined to prove a great blessing to this Church. 
 This was Rev. Jubilee '\\'ellman. He was at first engaged 
 for onlv four weeks, but continued to preach a Considerable 
 part of the time until September 26, when he was installed 
 as pastor. The Lord led pastor and people along by his 
 own manifest guidance in the matter. Mr. Wellman him- 
 self states that for several months previous to his coming, 
 several members of the Church felt peculiarly solicitous for 
 the souls of those around them. Though destitute of stated 
 preaching, besides regularly assembling upon the Sabbath for 
 religous worship as a body, several, (and perhaps many) of 
 the members of the Church had constantly maintained 
 prayer-meetings, longing to cultivate a spirit of piety and of 
 desire for the effusion of the Holy Spirit. "A few at least,'' 
 to quote his language, "began to feel like Jacob of old, Avheu 
 wrestling with the Augcl of the Covenant." Soon the Lord 
 made it evident to them that they had not prayed in vain. 
 On the 21st of January, one young l^ady M'as received to the 
 Church on profession of her laith. This event at the time 
 seemed to make a powerful impression upon the audience, es- 
 pecially upon the young, and it was afterwards learned that 
 several recei\'fed their first serious impressions from witness- 
 ing it. From that time, the pious and observing could no 
 longer doubt that God was in the place by the special pres- 
 ence of the Holy Spirit. Evening meetings were appointed. 
 At one held Feburary 5, fifteen attended as enquirers, and 
 on Feburary 12, twenty-six, though in each instance the weath- 
 er was very unfavorable. During the next few weeks some 
 sixty or seventy at different times attended the meeting for 
 religious enquiry, and most of them gave good evidence of 
 becoming disciples of Christ. Twenty-eight united with 
 the Church by profession in 1827. Mr. Wellman notes the 
 fact that the Church was saved from loss of blessing "by the 
 caution used against speaking evil of any;" making it only 
 
42 
 
 their care ''faithfully to preach the gospel, and apply it to 
 the heart and conscience." He says, "The means (other than 
 the preaching of the word upon the Sabbath,) which seemed 
 to promote the revival, were visiting from house to house, 
 and addressing each individual by name, urging the necessity 
 of immediate rejjentance; and meetings for special prayer. 
 In various parts of the town eight or ten religous meetings 
 were almost constantly held by the brethren, weekly, for 
 three months." But above all, he says, "God has dimmed 
 the pride of all human glory, by showing that the Avork here 
 was emphatically His. Many who now rejoice in hope were 
 first impressed with a sense of sin Avhile at home. One was 
 deeply imjiresscd with his sinfulness while employed in 
 hunting or fishing upon the Sabbath. This man lived in a 
 remote part of the town, and was notorious for his impiety 
 and disregard of gospel institutions. God gave the increase. 
 To HIni be glory and dominion forever. Amen." 
 
 We turn back to say a few words of the new pastor. Mr. 
 Wellman was born in Greenfield, Mass., in 1793, and grad- 
 uated at Bangor Theological Seminary in 1823, in the third 
 class which left that institution. He was settled at French- 
 port, Maine, from September, 1824, to January, 1826, then 
 at Warner, and afterwards at West Westminister, Vt., from 
 March, 1838, to January, 1842. In October, 1849, he was 
 installed at Lowell, Vt, and died at that place March 16, 
 1855, aged 62. He was thoroughly in earnest in his work, 
 and a man who communed much with God. Says one who 
 has known the history of the Church, " He was a man for 
 the time; peculiarly fitted to build upon the foundation pre- 
 viously laid." As a preacher he was faithful and acceptable. 
 In social life he was a christian gentleman, generous, kind- 
 hearted, and much beloved by the people. 
 
 Mr. AVellman's installation occurred on Wednesday, Sep- 
 tember 26, 1827. Rev. Dr. Samuel Wood of Boscawen 
 preached the sermon ; Rev. Ebenezer Trice of Webster 
 
made the installing prayer; Rev. John Woods, the former 
 pastor, gave the charge to the pastor; Rev. Jacob Scales of 
 Henniker gave the right hand of fellowship; Rev. Dr. 
 Bouton of Concord addressed the people; and Rev. Robert 
 Page of Bradford offered the concluding prayer. The rec- 
 ords of the society contain the following vote, dated Sep- 
 tember, 20, 1827: *'That Mr. Ezra Barrett be chosen to 
 lead in the music installation day, and take charge of it as 
 he pleases." 
 
 Some of the measures adopted for the spiritual welfare of 
 the Church and community during Mr. Wellman's ministry 
 — part of M'hich have been continued during the subsequent 
 history of the Church — are worthy of note, A plan in 
 which this Church cordially united is thus described in the 
 Minutes of the New Hampshire General Association for 
 1833 : "The churches in Hopkinton Association have 
 adopted a course of mutual visitation which promises much 
 in promoting the prosperity of the churches in that body. 
 The plan is simply this : By invitation, two sister churches 
 send a delegation of five members each to another church, 
 to visit all her members on a certain day, for the purpose of 
 mutual religious improvement. So far as is practicable, meet- 
 ings are held by these lay brethren, in the evening, in the 
 several districts in the town. On the following day a gen- 
 eral meeting is held, at M'hich the pastors of those churches 
 preach, aiming especially to confirm christians in the faith, 
 to stir up their minds to the duty of constancy and zeal, and 
 thus prepare them for a continued revival of religion. The 
 eifect thus far has been signally happy." Meetings of this 
 kind, held unitedly by the churches in Warner and l^rad- 
 ford, are recorded as occurring May 2, 1827, October 23 and 
 November 5, 1828. In October, 183G, a meeting was held for 
 three days in Warner, at which there was preaching by the 
 pastors of the churches in Bradford, West Concord and 
 Henniker. Affectionate fellowship with neighboring churches 
 has ever been cultivated, to the mutual benefit of all. 
 
44 
 
 In October and November, 1827, special efforts were made 
 to devise means "for bringing all the talent of the Church 
 into requisition" in the work of Christ. The means then 
 adopted for this most important object were the following : 
 The appointment of a special season of fasting and prayer 
 preceding the communion; a request to the standing com- 
 mittee to visit allthe members of the church, converse with 
 them about their religious experience, and invite them to the 
 church iiist; the appointment of meetings in nine different 
 districts of the town, to be held once in four weeks, under 
 the superintendence of different brethren, who are named ; 
 and also meeting once in three weeks alternately at the Upper 
 Village, LoAver Village, and between the two, to be superin- 
 tended by the pastor and others ; and that the Church encourage 
 all the " minor members " (as the baptized children are 
 called,) and others to attend Bible-class lectures by the 
 pastor. 
 
 January 1, 1829, a meeting of the Church Avas held, at 
 •which reports were heard, as to the state of religion, from a 
 committee who had been appointed to visit the Church and 
 ongregation. It is not certain when this plan of visiting 
 was first adopted, but it continued as late as 1857. Quite a 
 number of the brethren, including the standing committee, 
 going two and two, annually visited every member of the 
 Church, and others, for conversation upon personal religion. 
 Some of the older people speak with much interest of their 
 recollections of the happy effects of this practice. Let us, 
 beloved brethren who now compose this Church, lay deeply 
 to heart the fact that, whether we adopt the former methods 
 or not, we must, in order that the blessing of our Lord may 
 attend us, each be yersonally active in His service. 
 
 The years 1831 and 1832 were periods of especial atten- 
 tion to religion. In June, 1831, the annual meeting of the 
 Merrimack County Conference of Churches was held in 
 Warner. The exercises were especially adapted to the state 
 
45 
 
 of the Church, to quicken believers, and lead others to feel 
 their need of salvation. The presence of the Lord was 
 manifest, and within one week about thirty persons believed 
 in Jesus. Writing in 1832, the pastor states, "Within five 
 years past, nearly seventy children of the Church, who re- 
 ceived the seal of the covenant in early life, have become 
 hopefully pious in this town." 
 
 The practice prevailed of sometimes especially renewing 
 their covenant with God. On Sabbath, January 1, 18-32, the 
 Church did this, when some others who hoped in Christ but 
 had not publicly confessed their faith rose with them ; and 
 several who had not been christians rose to thus express 
 their determination to begin the year with God. Other sim- 
 ilar seasons are recorded. 
 
 During Mr. Wellman's ministry, in 1828, the Church first 
 received aid from the New Hampshire Home Missionary 
 Society. It was aided from 1828 to 1832, from 1837 to 
 184:5, and from 1852 to 1863 ; in all, twenty-six years. 
 During the intervening years it received no aid, and has re- 
 ceived none since 18(j3. The whole amount appropriated 
 to the Church by the Missionary Society is $2225. The 
 largest appropriation made in any one year was $150, and 
 the smallest, $25. 
 
 While warmly grateful for the benefit this Society has con- 
 ferred upon us and upon other chiuxhes, let us pray the 
 Lord that we may be able ever hereafter to be independent, 
 and cherish deeply the feeling that it is more honorable to 
 sustain our own religious institutions to the utmost of our 
 power. 
 
 Time warns me to hasten to the close of this account of 
 Mr. Wellman's ministry — passing over other subjects of in- 
 terest. The account of the ministries of the susequent pas- 
 tors must necessarily be brief. They are more within your 
 recollection, so that detail is less needful. The full account 
 of any christian church and its pastors can only be written 
 in the experiences of human hearts and in heaven. 
 
4G 
 
 Mr. Wellman resigned his pastorate November 12, 1836, 
 imperatively constrained to it by ill health. His resignation 
 was sorrowfully given and sorrowfully accepted. He was 
 dismissed February 15, 1837, and on the same day Rev. 
 Amos Blanchard was installed as pastor. The council met 
 at the house of Mr. Nathan Walker. Rev. Dr. Nathan 
 Lord, President of DarCmouth College, preached the ser- 
 mon; and Mr. Wellman gave the charge to the pastor. 
 
 Mr. Blanchard was born in Peacham, Vermont, Septem- 
 ber 8, 1800. He worked on a^farm till he was seventeen 
 years old, and then served an apprenticeship to the print- 
 ing business at Montpelier. At the age of twenty-one he 
 began academical studies, and pursued them three years; 
 after which he entered Andover Theological Seminary, and 
 graduated there in 1828. He went West, and for three years 
 was editor of the Cincinnati Christian Journal. December 
 9, 1832, he was installed pastor of the Congregational Church 
 at Lyndon, Vt., and remained there until the winter of 1835. 
 He was dismissed from Warner December 10, 1839, to ac- 
 cept the pastorate of the church at'Meriden, N. H. The 
 prospect of usefulness to the students of the Academy was 
 a strong argument drawing him to that place, where he re- 
 mained more than twenty-five years. He died at Barnet, 
 Vt., January 6, 1869, aged sixty-eight. Mr. Blanchard was 
 a very able preacher, — clear, attractive and discriminating. 
 As a pastor he was faithful and efficient. 
 
 During his brief ministry there was a good deal of relig- 
 ous interest, and a considerable number were added to the 
 Church. 
 
 His successor was Rev. James AV. Perkins, who was in- 
 stalled March 4, 1840. Mr. Perkins was born at Mont 
 Vernon, N. H., and practised medicine for a time before en- 
 tering the ministry. He studied theology -snth Rev. E. P. 
 Bradford of New Boston, and preached for six years at New 
 Hampton before coming to Warner. After leaving Warner, 
 
47 
 
 he was pastor, or acting pastor, at East Alstead and Deering 
 N. H., and since 1857 has been preaching at New Chester, 
 Wisconsin. We greatly regret that he, as well as Mr. Ful- 
 ler, cannot be with us to-day. Mr. Perkins' ministry in 
 Warner was characterized by earnest, laborious effort to bring 
 all the people under the influence of the gospel. He preached ' 
 frequently in the district school-houses in various parts of 
 the town. , He presented doctrinal truth with faithfulness, 
 yet in a manner to conciliate attention. 
 
 One or two events of interest which occurred in Mr. Per- 
 kins' ministry may be alluded to in passing. January 13, 
 1841, at a meeting held at the house of Mr. Jacob Chase, 
 Mrs. Chase was received to the Church. Says the pastor: 
 "The occasion was very interesting; Mrs. Chase, apparently 
 near the eternal Avorld, having recently indulged a hope iu 
 Christ and being desirous to profess Christ, was baptized, to- 
 gether with her children ; and the Lord's Supper was cele- 
 brated." The Church spent the two days preceding the 
 communion iu January, 1842, in a special seeking after God. 
 At that conimunion, one person Avas received to the Church 
 on profession of faith, and baptism administered to a child. 
 Says the pastor, "These circumstances, and the presence 
 of the Savior, rendered the occasion one of much interest.'' 
 The year 1842 was one of blessing to the Church. There 
 was an extensive revival, and a large number united with 
 God's people during this and the succeeding year. 
 
 In regard to the Sabbath-school Mr. Perkins wrote, in the 
 year 1840, "'The Sabbath-school at the meeting-house is 
 large compared with the congregation, the latter averaging 
 during the summer two hundred, and the former one hun- 
 dred and seventy. Add to this those children taught by 
 members of the Church in two other schools, and we have 
 more persons under Sabbath-school instruction than make 
 up the congregation on the Sabbath." 
 
 Mr. Perkins was dismissed January 30, 184(i, and on June 
 
4S 
 
 10 of the same year Rev. Robert W. Fuller was installed as 
 his successor. The sermon at his installation Avas preached 
 by Rev. Amos Blanchard, once pastor of the Church. Mr. 
 Fuller was born at Milford, N. H., in 180T, and pursued his 
 studies for the ministry at Gilmanton Theological Seminary. 
 He was settled at Westmoreland, N. H., from .June 16, 1841 
 to January 11, 1843. He then preached at Acworth for 
 about two years. After leaving- Warner, he preached at 
 Westmoreland South and Lempster. The state of liis health 
 not permitting him to preach, he has resided for several years 
 past at Stowe, Mass. Mr. Fuller was very sincere in labor- 
 ing for what he believed to be»the best good of his people. 
 His sermons were able, and his labors in some places were 
 folloAved by God's blessing in many conversions. He was a 
 man of strong will, and great independence. The fortnightly 
 church conference was established during Mr. Fuller's min- 
 istry, June 27, 1846. He was dismissed October 24, 1850. 
 
 From February, 1851, to February, 1852, the pulpit was 
 supplied by Mr. Abel Wood, who afterwards became a teacher 
 in the Academy at Meriden. January 26, 1852, the Church 
 invited him to become their pastoi", but he declined. The 
 excellence of his sermons, and the worth of his personal 
 character, left lasting impressions on- the minds of some of 
 the people. 
 
 August 1, 1852, Rev. Harrison O. Howland commenced 
 supplying the pulpit. November 8, 1853, the Church gave 
 him a call to settle, which he accepted. He was installed 
 January 4, 1854, the sermon being preached by Dr. Bouton 
 of Concord. Mr. Howland was born at West Brookfield, 
 Mass., January 25, 1813. He graduated at Amherst College 
 in 1840, and at Union Theological Seminary^ New York 
 City, in 1844. He Avas settled first at Ashland, N. Y., then 
 at Warner, and afterwards at Chester, N. H., and Girard, 
 Pa. His labors at G irard were abundantly blessed by the con- 
 version of large numbers to Christ- But the anxietv and 
 
49 
 
 fatigue consequent upon these labors undermined his health, 
 and he died February 13, 18Ti2, aged 58. He was an in- 
 rtructive and eminently scriptui'al preacher. Love for the 
 Bible Avas one of his most prominent characteristics. Just 
 before the close of his life, when in the room of a sick 
 daughter, he pointed to the ''Silent Comforter" upon the 
 wall, open tor^these words of Job, " I have esteemed the 
 Avords of his mouth more than mj- necessary food ; " and with 
 an expressive look, (he Avas almost wholly voiceless,) he sig- 
 nified that such were his feelings. He was a very sincere 
 man, so self-distrustful that he kept himself back, and his 
 kindness and deep interest in the welfare of others Avcre not 
 always understood. He was a most earnest and faithful 
 pastor. 
 
 In September, 1856, the Church united with the churches 
 of Bradford and Henuiker in mutual visiting; after Avhich, 
 on October 1 and the two folloM'ing days, meetings were 
 held at which the pastors of the churches in Bradford and 
 Henniker preached . The meetings were blest to the reviving 
 of religion in the Church, and the conversion of some souls. 
 In June, 1857, Mr. Howland requested a dismission, that he 
 might accept a call from the church in Chester, N. H. His 
 statement of his reasons was, "I think I can thereby in- 
 crease my own usefulness, and make better provision for my 
 family; and this the Word of God makes it the duty of every 
 christian man to do. "' Tlic people reluctantly consented to 
 his dismission, which took place July 1, 1857. 
 
 October 21, 1857, Rev. Daniel Warren Avas installed as 
 pastor. Rev. Dr. William T. Savage of Franklin preached 
 the sermon. Mr. Warren was born March 3, 1798, in 
 Rochester, Vt., of which town his father was one of the first 
 settlers. He served an apprenticeship to the carpenter's 
 trade, but in the spring of 1820 entered upon a course of 
 preparation for the ministry. He graduated at Bangor The- 
 ological Seminary in 1825, two years after Mr. Wellman, 
 
50 
 
 He was pastor of the church ia Waterbury, Vt., from 1825 
 to 1838. He afterwards preached for different lengths of 
 time in several towns in Vermont before coming to Warner.' 
 After leaving this town, he did not again assume charge of 
 a parish, but spent the remainder of his life at Lowell, Vt. 
 Mr. Warren was a sound preacher, and commanded the re- 
 spect of all as a sincere, upright, kind-hearted christian 
 man. His dismissal from Warner occurred February 18, 
 1863. 
 
 March 29, 1863, Rev. Henry S. Huntington commenced 
 supplying the pulpit of the Church. He preached until 
 September, 186-1, when through sickness he was compelled 
 for a "time to cease. Meanwhile the Church extended to 
 him a call, which he accepted, and his ordination took place 
 January 31, 1866. The sermon, which included the charge 
 to the pastor, was preached by Rev. Dr. Hiram P. Arms, 
 pastor of the First Congregational Church of Norwich, 
 Conn., from i Timothy, iii. 1 : "If a man desire the office 
 of a bishop, he desireth a good work." 
 
 The history of the Church since then need not be re- 
 counted, for it is fresh in your minds. It contains much for 
 which to praise God, yet much of deficiency on our part to 
 confess. We desire to see this whole community convinced 
 of their sin and their lost condition, and becoming new 
 creatures in Christ Jesus. Blit we bless the Lord for His 
 work year after year, in the hearts of one and another, until 
 many have believed and rejoiced in the Redeemer. May 
 He come and impart to His people great Increase of f\iith, 
 hope and love; and bring all this community — inheritors of 
 an open Bible and a preached gospel — to feel that the one 
 thing needful is personal faith in the only Redeemer of sin- 
 ners. 
 
 Thus we have recounted, very imperfectly, the history of 
 this Church for a hundred years gone by. No other history 
 is so sacred and important as that of the Church of Christ. 
 
51 
 
 Every individual church, too, has its own personal character. 
 In the history of our own Church some characteristics ap- 
 pear which should be perpetually maintained. It has been 
 characterized by a spirit of christian acthitij. Some* of 
 the early pastors diligently cultivated this. Many of the 
 members of the Church have been very faithful in atteudiny; 
 the social meetings and participating in them, and in otlier- 
 wise using theii* personal christian influence. When there 
 has been most of this, there has been most of growth. Union 
 and brotherly love, too, have generally prevailed to such an 
 extent that they have been a characteristic of the Church. 
 Persistence in maiMaimng religions institutions under difficul- 
 ties has been another. One of the former pastors states that 
 he traces back a very precious revival enjoyed at the begin- 
 ning of his ministry, to a solemn and prayerful resolve 
 formed by the Church about the time of the dismissal of his 
 predecessor, "not to be without a pulpit supply a single 
 Sabbath, if it could possibly be avoided." 
 
 Let the christian virtues of the past be sacredly cherished 
 by us upon whom the responsibility now rests. May this 
 Church, receiving light from the blessed Sun of Righteous- 
 ness, be itself, by its good works, a light in this comnumity. 
 May it stand as a friend to the poor, the needy and troubled ; 
 and above all, as a guide to those who, convicted of their 
 .sin, seek a Savior. And may the cai'e and loving kindness 
 of the Lord over this people for a hundred years greatly con- 
 firm our trust in Him. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 MINISTERS RAISED UP BY THIS CHURCH. 
 
 [ Of the ministers whose names follow, the lirst five were 
 members of our Church, the next two were the descendants 
 of members, and the last was a constant attendant in the 
 congregation.] 
 
 John Morrill pursued his studies at Amherst College 
 and Andover Theological Seminary, and has been a home 
 missionary at the West. 
 
 Daniel Sawyer studied- at Gilmanton Seminary, and has 
 preached in New Hampshire. 
 
 Reuben Kimkall studied at Gilmanton, and })reached in 
 New Hampshire and Maine. 
 
 Samuel Morrill graduated at Dartmouth College in 18->5, 
 ;and died while a member of Bangor Seminary. 
 
 James ^Iadison Putney studied at Dartmouth, and euter- 
 "ted the Episcopal ministry. His home was at the South. 
 
 Eliot C. Cogswell, son of Dr. Joseph Cogswell, is 
 vpreaching in .New Hampshire. 
 
 Isaac Dalton Stewart, grandson of Deacon Isaac Dal- 
 vton, is in the Freewill Baptist ministry. 
 
 Asa Putney studied at Amherst College and Andover 
 'Seminary, and has preached in Vermont. 
 
 [Besides these, the following names should find a place 
 here :] 
 
 Richard Colby, whose parents were members of this 
 Church, went, about 1830, as a missionary blacksmith among 
 the Western Indians. 
 
 Mrs. Lois S. Johnson, daughter of John and Judith 
 Hoyt, — the latter a member of this Church — went, about 
 1831, a« a missionary to the Sandwich Islands. 
 
BALLAD 
 
 ^YR1TTEN FOR THE CENTENMM. 
 
 A hundred years have rolled along 
 Their circlhig seasons, day by day, 
 
 Since first, on yonder hill-top, drear, 
 Our lathers met to praise and pray. 
 
 An humble church, log-built and small. 
 With naked rafter, cleated door, 
 
 •Windows unglazed, and, thickly strewn. 
 Rough seats upon a rougher floor. 
 
 A single pine tree, left untouched 
 
 Bv woodman's ax and woodland fire. 
 With tow'ring height and ceaseless song, 
 
 Answered for organ and for spire. 
 
 • 
 
 AVith angles fill'd Avith forest gloom. 
 Deep as the falling shades of even, 
 
 The place was still, like one of old — 
 
 ''The House of God, the Gate of Heaven."' 
 
 And thither, Avhen the Aveek of toil 
 
 Was clos'd, they gathered, old and young; 
 
 Listened to serinonj joined in prayer, 
 
 And glad the deaconed hymn they sung, 
 
 And thither too, as years wore on. 
 
 With reverent step and saddened eye, 
 
 They brought their sacred dead to rest 
 Where noAV^ unmarked, their ashes lie. 
 
 But though to "formless ruin," gone — 
 These early fathers, strong and just — 
 
54 
 
 Their God, who notes the sparrow's fall, 
 Watches ahd guards their hallowed dust. 
 
 But larger crowds need larger room, 
 And, sheltered by the oak-crown'd hill, 
 
 A broader, higher temple rose ; 
 
 Though rude, unfinished, cheerless, still 
 
 Social distinction, oft ignored, 
 
 Here ministered to man's weak pride ; 
 
 Seats for tlie poor the centre fill'd. 
 The rich built peu'5 on either side; 
 
 Whose hinged scats, in prayer-time raised 
 To give the people standing room, 
 
 Fell with a crash Avhen prayer was clos'd, 
 As if t' applaud the service done. 
 
 Those quaint, square pews — to every child 
 
 A sort of holy fairy-land, 
 Where elf-folk stole from shadowy nooks 
 
 And danced the night through, hand in hand. 
 
 And fortunate the restless boy 
 
 Who, in his Sunday garb array 'd, 
 Could telegraph to neighboring boy 
 
 Across the open balustrade. 
 
 And happier yet the roguish wight 
 
 Who sat a loosen'd pillar near, 
 And sly the creaking plaything turned ; 
 
 His ready laughter check'd by fear — 
 
 For yonder stood ,the tithing-man 
 
 With staff upraised, and stern-set eye ; 
 
 And well he knew the darksome vault 
 That waited for the naughty boy. 
 
55 
 
 While rrom the gallery's dizzy height 
 The older youths look'd meekly down, 
 
 And " felt or feigned " a wholesome fear, 
 Awed by the same portentious frown. 
 
 No cushioned pulpit tower'd in air, 
 For priest in sacred vestments clad ; 
 
 A " table round," an antique chair. 
 For years was all the desk they had. 
 
 And, duly as the Sabbath came, 
 Upon a platform, rude but large, 
 
 The pastor preach'd God's holy truth 
 To the dear people of his charge. 
 
 No bigot he; but, mild and just. 
 He hated controversial strife ; 
 
 And teaching love to God and man. 
 Enforced his precepts by his life. 
 
 But richer grown, in later yeai's, 
 
 The toAvn, to do the handsome thing, 
 
 Once passed a " vote unanimous " 
 "To build a pulpit in the Spring." 
 
 And soon the pond'rous structure rose, 
 (Its height imprcss'd the childish mind) 
 
 An architectural nondescript, 
 
 Turret and mortar -shape combined. 
 
 Whate'er of symmetry, or grace. 
 Or furnishing the thing might lack. 
 
 To make it grand beyond compare, 
 A patch of plaster graced its back. 
 
 And since the house was else embrown'd, 
 And spider-webs its rafters furl'd. 
 
56 
 
 This glistening strip of virgin white 
 
 " Shone like good deed in naughty world:"' 
 
 Small share of luxury or state 
 
 Enjoy'd our sires in those old days ; 
 
 Railroad and stage-coach all unknown. 
 None own'd a wagon, gig or chaise. 
 
 But when the sultry Summer's sun 
 Made useless Winter's cumbrous car, 
 
 (A sled, by panting cattle drawn,) 
 
 The horse to church the household bore: 
 
 The husband in the saddle placed, 
 The wife on pillion proudly reared ; 
 
 One aim was round her infant thrown, 
 The other tightly clasped her lord. 
 
 Faith in the supernatural, 
 
 ^ Which named old Salem's "Callow's Hill;'' 
 Though banished thence by civil law, 
 Ran riot in the country still. 
 
 And to its life's too stagnant stream 
 Ripples of fear and fun supplied ; 
 
 The old still talk'd of witch's power, 
 
 The younger, charms and projects tried. - 
 
 Shades of our fathers ! oh, forgive 
 The pitying smile, the seeming sneer 
 
 With which we name your weaker deeds,;. 
 Your frugal habits, customs queer. 
 
 And knoM' that deep within our hearts. 
 
 And not unconsciously, is hid 
 True veneration for your worth, — 
 
 Praise for the noble acts you did. 
 
You smoothed for us the rugged way, 
 With the stern courage virtue yields ; 
 
 Wrested from forest and from rock, 
 'J'he smiling verdure of our fields. 
 
 You planted schools around the church; 
 
 You raised the dam beside the mill; 
 Built bridges, and the broad highways you wrought^ 
 
 Your children travel still. 
 
 And when the infant nation's strength 
 
 Was crippled by a tyrant's sway, 
 \oi/r voices swcU'd the rallying cry — 
 
 Your arms help'd win the well-fought day. 
 
 And if in fairer temples now 
 
 We serve the God our fathers feared; — 
 If prouder halls of learning rise, 
 
 And richer plenty crowns our board, — 
 
 "Tis but the fruitage and the bloom 
 Of seed you sowed in those far years ; 
 
 And as our hearts revievr the past, 
 
 We thank you here 'mid smiles and tears. 
 
 Nor would oiu* lips or hearts forget 
 
 The meed of gratitude to pay 
 To those Avhosc largess swells the list 
 
 Of gifts Ave proudly name to day. 
 
 The rich-voic'd bell's sonorous clang, 
 
 The organ's sweeter, softer tones, 
 These church walls, rising fresh and fair, 
 
 Attest how generous are your sons. 
 
 'Tis natural, perhaps, that men 
 
 Should bless the place that gave them birth f 
 
58 
 
 TBut she must be a inatiou rare 
 
 Whose Foster-sons dechire her Avorth. 
 
 .And schools endowed for future years, 
 And gifts that grace religion's fame, 
 
 . Show Warner how adopted sons, 
 
 In more than Avords, revere her name. 
 
 May the Good Hand that led our sires 
 In safety through life's toilsome day 
 -Guard us, their children, wheresoe'er 
 Cur varying paths may stray. 
 
 Keep us from enmity and strife ; 
 
 Save from detraction's with'ring pow'r; 
 Guide us in Honor's Avay and Truth's; 
 
 Protect us in temptation's hour. 
 
 Save from the skeptic's blasting doubt. 
 
 And keep froin passion's baleful fire-: ; 
 s God bless our native town, 
 
 And make her children worthv of their sires. 
 
POEM 
 
 WRITTEN FOR THE OCCASION. 
 
 BV ALFRED W. SARGENT. 
 
 At the first dawn of the past century, 
 
 Within our town were met a little band 
 
 Who loved and sought the Lord. 
 
 Like us in vigor and like us in prime, 
 
 In soul akin to the brave Pilgrim band 
 
 Who from the grasp of persecution, o'er 
 
 The trackless main lied darkling, Avhile o'er sail 
 
 And shroud, stern Winter's hand congealed full oft 
 
 A glittering canopy. 
 
 In numbers few ; in courage, hope and faitli 
 
 Alike united ; they together met, 
 
 Thus by the Spirit influenced to plant 
 
 This little branch of the far-spreading vine. 
 
 And as the few who stood an age before 
 
 On Plymouth Rock, their heartfelt praises sung ; 
 
 Or in the forest knelt, 'mid Winter's snow, 
 
 'Neath giant boughs outspread, their tribute poured, 
 
 Of grateful thanks and faith-begotten prayer, 
 
 Forth to the Mightiest. Thus, an age agone. 
 
 Our fathers met in place scarce tenable. 
 
 While Nature slept, — hill, forest, vale and stream 
 
 ]3y cold embrace of icy Winter bound — 
 
 In a rude hut of forest trunks upreared, 
 
 They first assembled, there to worship God. 
 
 No glowing embers burned within the place. 
 
 Nor cheerful warmth was there, save of the soul 
 
 Uplift in contemplation elevate 
 
 Of God, creation, sin and providence, 
 
 And matchless grace to save rebellious man. 
 
60 
 
 'Twas thus- they met in. christian fellowshipV 
 
 By love fraternal each to other bound; 
 
 Together offering love and prayer and praise, 
 
 Their early and accepted- sacrifice. 
 
 For God looked down, e'en from the glorious throne' 
 
 Of Triune Deity, the faitihful few 
 
 Regarding, and to bless- in love divine; 
 
 And by his Spirit came and filled the jilace. 
 
 Since then a hundred years have passed awayy 
 
 Eventful years, whose varied scenes are traced ^ 
 
 Of good and ill, on the' historic page. 
 
 Nations liavc risen in strengtli and maj-esty; 
 
 Armies have met in hostile strife arrayed, 
 
 For power contending; earth has reeked with blood j 
 
 Empires and realms have crumbled and decayed; 
 
 But still God's churcli and providence endure. 
 
 One hundred vears, a livlnij witness each 
 
 Of God's good providence, extend e'en from. 
 
 The present, down the circling age unto 
 
 The hoary past. They rise before us now, 
 
 And throng around,, a cloud of witnesses. 
 
 List to their voice omnipotent divine: 
 
 Of God they speak, time and eternity. 
 
 Of earthly strife, but endless peace in heaven:. 
 
 And as their last fleet moments glide away, 
 
 'Twere sweet to feel their parting inspiration. 
 
 Thus we meet; we who full oft within these 
 
 Hallowed Avails assembling, seek owv fathers' 
 
 Covenant God. 
 
 And others meet; with cordial hand outstretched, 
 
 We bid you welcome to our hearts and homes 
 
 And blest communion ; sbou with you to sit 
 
 At Christ's own table, and with you partake 
 
 The sacred elements, remembering thus 
 
 A Savior's dying love. For us lie died.;. 
 
6a 
 
 For him so let us live, by faith entire. 
 Implicit in his word and power, henceforth 
 ■Contending for the endless prize of full 
 Salvation, that when ages past, to their 
 Embrace the coming age receive; upon 
 Whose threshold dim we faintly stand and strive 
 In vain; though longing oft to pierce its dark 
 Uncertain vista; then accepted, blest 
 In the Beloved, with him to sit down, 
 With prophets, kings, apostles, martyrs, saints, 
 In (jod's high Paradise before the throne, 
 •Or on the shores of the empyreal stream, 
 O'ershaded by the tree of life, adorned 
 With golden fruits divine, and healing leaves, 
 And clust'ring ilowers of amaianth, intwined 
 By angel hands, to bloom celestial fair, 
 Their grace reflecting of the crystal stream. 
 While heavenly zephyrs purest fragrance waft 
 Through all the New Jerusalem, may we, 
 Throuarh heaven's centennials evermore sit down 
 Unto the marmage supper of the Lamb. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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