{"1": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3403", "width": "2117", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0001.jp2"}, "2": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1987", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0002.jp2"}, "3": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1987", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0003.jp2"}, "4": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3310", "width": "1930", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0004.jp2"}, "5": {"fulltext": "m^\\nK\\ni^ A 15R1EF HISTORY\\n(ir Till\\nTl\\nRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH\\nIN\\nPEMBRO KE, N. H.\\nn y REV. ISA A C W I L L K Y\\nBRISTOL, N. II.\\nPRINTED P.Y K. W. MUSGROVE\\n1876.\\n.^J", "height": "3315", "width": "1987", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0005.jp2"}, "6": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0006.jp2"}, "7": {"fulltext": "A BRIEF HISTORY\\nOF THE\\nFIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH\\nIN\\nPEMBROKE, N. H\\nBY REV. ISAAC WILLE1^\\nBRISTOL, N. H.:\\nPRINTED BY K. W. MUSGKOVE.\\n187G", "height": "3356", "width": "1909", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0007.jp2"}, "8": {"fulltext": "NOTE.\\nThe following history has been prepared with much care, and\\nsuch facts as could be obtained have been embodied. The\\nwriter is indebted to Hon. Aaron Whittemore, for documents\\nrelating to the early history of the church, and for much assist-\\nance. The work was undertaken for the benefit of the church,\\nand is offered to them as a gratuity.", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0008.jp2"}, "9": {"fulltext": "HISTOEY OF THE FIRST CONG REG A TIONAL\\nCHURCH IN PEMBROKE.\\nGod spake to his ancient people as follows Remember ye\\nnot the former things, neither consider the things of old The\\nbeasts of the field shall honor me, the dragons and the owls,\\nbecause I gave waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the des-\\nert, to give drink unto my people, my chosen. This people\\nhave I formed for myself. They shall show forth my praise.\\nSo God spake to his ancient people 2588 years ago. More than\\n700 years later he addressed them as follows Ye are a chosen\\ngeneration, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people,\\nthat ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called\\nyou out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in time past\\nwere not a people, but now are the people of God, which had\\nnot obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. /^C!\\nWe, in these ends of the earth, 1800 years later, are called\\nupon, in this centennial year in the history of our country, to\\nunite with his people in all past time in the praises of the ever-\\nliving God.\\nWe propose to do this by calling to mind the former things\\nin the history of this church. This history extends back to the\\nearly movements in the settlement of the town, the charter of\\nwhich was given in 1727. It was from the government of Mas-\\nsachusetts, whose jurisdiction then extended over the territory\\nof New Hampshire. The Grant was made to Capt. John Love-\\nwell and to his brave associates in consideration of services in\\ndefending the early settlements from the incursions of the\\nIndians. They had been distinguished for their success in sev-\\neral expeditions. But the third and last expedition was against\\nthe Pequawkett tribe, far in the wilderness towards the head\\nwaters of the Saco River. The men of the company were from", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0009.jp2"}, "10": {"fulltext": "Dunstable, Woburu, Andover, and towns in their vicinity, in\\nMassachusetts. They commenced their journey in April, 1725,\\nwith 46 men, and pursued their course nntil they had reached\\nOssipee Lake, where tliey built a stockade, left a sick soldier\\nwith the surgeon and a guard of eight men. The others moved\\non further into the wilderness to Avhat is now Fryburg, Maine.\\nThe} rested for the night upon the shores of a pond. At their\\nmorning devotions (for they worshiped God), they heard the\\nreport of a gun, and discovered an Indian upon a point of land\\nprojecting into the pond. Presuming that man}^ others were\\nnear, they prepared for an attack, but found only the Indian,\\nwho fired upon them and wounded the Captain, and was himself\\nslain. Soon they were rushed upon from an ambuscade by a\\nlarge body of savages under Paugus, their chief, with their ac-\\ncustomed 3 ell. The Captain and eight men were killed upon\\nthe spot. They continued the battle until only nine men out of\\nthirty-five or thirty-six were unhurt. The savages loft the\\nground, and they wailed for their return until the middle of the\\nnight. But as they did not return, the company prepared for\\ntheir homeward journey. They were obliged to leave three of\\nthe wounded, still alive, to die without care. One of them, it\\nis said, requested that his gun might be loaded, that he might\\nkill the Indian who should come to take otf his scalp. They\\ncommenced their journey at the rising of the moon. In their\\ncourse through the wilderness, three of the wounded men died,\\nincluding the Lieutenant and the Chaplain, Rev. Jonathan\\nFrye,* of Andover. AVith him was lost the journal of the ex-\\npedition.\\nThis disaster, we are informed, was felt through all the Col-\\nonies. It was the most destructive battle, in proportion to the\\n\u00e2\u0099\u00a6Kev. Joiiatliiiu Frye Avas son of Capt, James Frye, of North Ando-\\nver, and irraduatcd at Harvard Colle fe in 1723. lie is said to have\\nbeen jj^reatly beloved l)y tlie company; that he fon.ijht bravely until he\\nwas wounded, and then i)rayed for his companions. As a remembran-\\ncer to his mother, it is said that shortly before he left home, he set out\\na small elm tree near his father s house. That tree, irrown to large\\ndimensions, is known to be still standing, but within a few j cars has\\ndied.\\nThere is preserved in the family of Mr. Frederick Ames, of this\\nplaee, an ornament taken from an Indian who was slain in the above\\nnamed battle, Mrs. Ames being a desceudcut of Capt. Lovewell.", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0010.jp2"}, "11": {"fulltext": "number engaged, wliicli had l)een fought in New p^ngland. It\\nwas important, too, as having destroyed many of tlie Indian\\nwarriors and Paugus, tlieir chief.\\nIn consideration of these and other services which this com-\\npany had performed, this town, tlien a wilderness, was granted\\nto Capt. John Lovewell and to his eompan} to the survivors\\nand to the families and heirs of the slain, to be divided among\\nthem in equal parts. For a considerable time the town was\\nknown as Lovewell s town. By the Indians it was called Sun-\\ncook. As it was originally laid out, it embraced lands three\\nmiles in width on both sides of Merrimac River, from Turkey\\nFalls, where the railroad crosses the river, to Hooksett Falls.\\nThe settlement of the town commenced in 1729. The propri-\\netors took early measures to secure the establishment of relig-\\nious institutions. Indeed, the conditions of the charter were\\nthat within five ^-ears there should be built a house of worship,\\nand a learned and orthodox minister settled. Within three or\\nfour jears, such a house was built. It was situated near the\\nnorth east corner of the grave^yard, and gave name to the Meet-\\ning-house Brook, which ran near it. The contract for the build-\\ning of the house was dated April 10, 1733. It was to be of\\ngood hewn logs, thirty feet long and twent^- four feet wide, and\\nten or eleven feet high. The roof to be covered with good, long\\nshingles, well laid on and nailed. One door made and hung.\\nThe sides to be covered with good clapboards. All was to be\\ndone by the first day of June. For the house, when finished\\nas described, the builder was to receive 55 pounds. Some two\\nyears later, this house was enlarged, raised in height, a desk\\nbuilt, and some seats and glass windows put in. For several\\nyears, services were held in this house a portion of the time by\\nsuch ministers as could be obtained.\\nIn October, 1737, the proprietors gave a call to settle in the\\nministry, to Mr. Aaron Whittemore, of Concord, Mass. The\\nprovisions for his support were as follows It had been pre-\\nviously arranged, by the proprietors, that the first settled minis-\\nter should share equally with them in the lands of the town.\\nThere being sixt3 -two of them, the minister was to have a claim\\nto a sixty-third part of the town. He was to receive a settle-", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0011.jp2"}, "12": {"fulltext": "ment of three hundred pounds, and an annual salary of one\\nhundred pounds for two years after which three pounds a year\\nwere to be added until it should amount to one hundred and forty\\na year and, after there should be sixty-one families in town,\\ntwenty shillings a year were to be added to the salary for every\\nadditional family until the number should reach seventy.\\nAt this stage of their proceeding, the following remonstrance\\nwas made by that i)ortion of the people who were of Scotch\\nIrish origin and attached to the Presbyterian denomination\\nREMONSTRANCE.\\nTo Mr. Whittemore, preacher of the Gospel, and to those members of the\\nchurch of the confjreijativnal persuasion in Snncook, Brethren:\\nWe the subscribers being iuhabitaats of Simcook, and of the Pres-\\nbyterian persuasion, understauding that you are about to settle Mr.\\nWhittemore as your Minister, judge it uecessar.y to let you know that,\\nas we have been baptized and educated under Presbyterian church gov-\\nernment we feel ourselves conscientiously obliged to the utmost of\\nour power to maintain the same, being that constitution w^e experi-\\nmentally find to tend much to our souls edification.\\nIf therefore, Mr. Whittemore, and you brethren, will mutually agree\\nto fall iu with the Presbyterian scheme in the points of church govern-\\nment discipline and administration of the word and sacrament, we will\\ncheerfully go hand in htiud with you iu his ordination and settlement\\nas our Minister, nor do we think that this our proposal can be look d\\nupon as unreasonable; since Ave are the major number of church mem-\\nbers in the Town, who, agreeable to your own principles, are the only\\npersons who have a right to be concerned in the calling and settlement\\nof Ministers. If this proposal be complied with, it is well, if not, we do\\nunanimously dissent joining in this call and do herebj protest against\\nhis being settled as our Minister, seeing we design as soon as God in\\nhis providence shall give us sufficient ability and opportunity to settle\\na minister of our own persuasion. We are your well-wishers and\\nbrethren in our common Lord.\\nAndrew McFarland. Robert White. Tlough Young.\\nWilliam Uinsmore. William Lufliu. James Moore.\\nJames Mann. Patrick Garven. James White.\\nTimothy Knox. James Ncel. Thom s Cunningham.\\nThe arrangement for the settlement of Mr. Whittemore was\\nnot interrupted, and he was ordained to the work of the minis-\\ntry in this church, ISTarch 12th, old style, or March 1st, 1737.", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0012.jp2"}, "13": {"fulltext": "The church is believed to have been organized at tliis time with\\nnine male members and pvoljably with lemale members to make\\ntwenty or more in numlier. It would have been interesting to\\nlook in upon this Httle fiock as they gathered with theii- families\\nand neighbors to their house of worship. For at that time and\\nfor years after, the people of the town all attended public wor-\\nship, with scarcely an exception. There, witli tlie spirit of true\\nworshipers, Ave hope, they called upon God, listened to his truth,\\ncelebrated iiis piaises in the songs of Zion.\\nHere was the field of usefulness of a young minister. His\\nparish is said to have been nine miles in length and six miles\\nbroad, embracing a large part of the town of Bow. There was\\nthen no other minister in an}^ town east or west or north of this,\\nexcept in Concord, or for a long way south. We honor the man\\nwho could here take up his abode, brave the ditficulties of the\\nwilderness, an*d care for the spiritual interests of this people.\\nIt will be borne in mind that there was then no mode of convey-\\nance but on horseback, except in winter, that roads were not\\nmade, and that bridges were w anting. Here was the life work\\nof Rev. Mr. Whittemore. After the labors of thirty years, he\\nwas stricken down in his fnU strength in the pulpit at the close\\nof the morning sermon, was carried home, and died the next\\ndav, at the age of fifty-five. Here was an affliction in the fam-\\nily and in the community which, in our time, can hardly be ap-\\npreciated. Rev. Mr. AVhittemore, we have reason to believe,\\nwas devoted to his work and evangelical in sentiment. In his\\nearly da}^ it is well known, there had been a departure from the\\nsentiments and spirit of the Pilgrim fathers but there was,\\nabout this time, a reviving of the spirit of piety in the churches.\\nThe great awakening, as it was called, commenced in North\\nHampton, in the early part of Mr. Whittemore s college life.\\nAs it extended in all the region, its iufluence was extensively\\nfelt, both in this countrj and in England. The preaching of\\nWhitefield, about this time, moved the churches of the whole\\nland. This reviving power in the churches must have been fell by\\na j oung man about entering the ministry. After his settlement,\\nsome of the members of his own church must have attended the\\npreaching of Whitefield and have imbibed his spirit. But we", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0013.jp2"}, "14": {"fulltext": "have left us the church covenant, adopted by Mr. Wliitteiiiore\\nand the church at its origin, under date of March Lst, 1737, old\\nstyle. It is as follows\\nWe whose names are hereafter subscribed, being inhabitants of the\\nphiutation called Suucook, in New Hampshire, knowing that we are\\nvery prone to ottt-nd and provoke God, tlie Most High, both in heart\\nand life (through tiio prevalence of sin that dwelleth in us and manifest\\ntemptations from without us) do, in the name of our Lord Jesus, the\\nglorious Mediator of the new covenant, with dependauce on the graci-\\nous assistance of his Holy Spirit, Solemnly enter into covenant with\\nGod and one another as followeth.\\nI. That having taken the Lord Jehovah to be our God, we will fear\\nhim and cleave to him in love and serve him in truth with all our hearts,\\ngiving up ourselves and our seed to be his people, in all things to be\\nat his direction and sovereign disposal, that we may have and hold\\nconnnunion with hiui as members of Christ s mj stical body according\\nto his revealed will.\\nIL We bind ourselves to bring np our children and servants in the\\nknowledge and fear of God according to our best abilities and especi-\\nally by the use of Orthodox catechisms that the true religion may be\\nmaintained in our families while we live, yea and among such as shall\\nlive when we are dead and gone.\\nIII. We furthermore promise to keep close to the truth of Christ and\\nendeavor (with aflection in our hearts) to defend it against all oppress-\\nors, as God shall call us at any time thereunto, which that we maj do,\\nwe resolve to use the Holy Scriptures as our platform, whereby we\\nmay discern the mind of Christ, and not the new formed inventions of\\nmen.\\nIV. We also engage that we will have a careful inspection over our\\nown hearts so as to endeavor by the value of the death of Christ to\\nmortify all our sinful passions, worldly frames, and disorderly afl ec-\\ntions whereby we may he withdrawn from the living God.\\nv. We moreover oblige ourselves according to our best abilities\\nand opportunities to worship God, according to all the institutions of\\nChrist for his church under the gospel administration, to give reverend\\nattention to the word of God, to pray to him, to sing his praises, and\\nhold communion with each other in the use of both the Seals, Baptism\\nand the Lord s Supper.\\nVI. We likewise promise that we will peaceably submit to the holy\\ndiscipline appointed by Christ in his church for otlenders, obeying\\nthem that have th(! rule over us in the Lord.\\nVII. We also bind ourselves to walk in love towards one another,\\nendeavoring by mutual edifying, visiting, exhorting and comforting\\none another as there shall be occasion, and warning every brother and", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0014.jp2"}, "15": {"fulltext": "sister which shall oftend, not divulging private oflTences but cheerfully\\nfollowing the sacred precepts laid down by Christ for church-dealing\\nin Matt. 18 15, IC, 1 willingly forgiving all that manifest to the judg-\\nment of charity, true repentance for all miscarriages.\\nAnd now to the God of peace that brought again from the dead our\\nLord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the blood of the\\neverlasting covenant, make us all perfect in every good work to do his\\nwill, working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight through\\nJesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever, amen.\\nThe names of the men who subscribed this Covenant were as\\nfollows Aaron Whitteraore, Pastor, Elias Whittemore,- Noah\\nJohnson, Abner Gordon, David Lovejoy, Benjamin Chandler,\\nDavid Chandler, Stephen Holt, Richard Eastman, Dudley Broad-\\nstreet.\\nUnder such obligations, this church commenced its course of\\nu.sefulness. That it has had no unworthy members, is morp than\\ncan be said of any church. But that it has embraced a large\\nportion of the best people who have ever lived in town, will not\\nbe disputed. With all its imperfections, it has been a nursery\\nof piety a school for the heavenly life. In the long succes-\\nsion, one after another, in the providence of God, has passed\\naway, and others have come to their place? Vble men and good\\nmen have died when it has seemed to be a great loss. But, in\\nthe great mercy of God, the church lives, and is destined to live\\nTintil Zion shall arise and shine, the glory of God having risen\\nupon her. A new, fi-amed meeting-house, on the ground of the\\nold one, was built in 1746.\\nThe advance of the population of this town was slow for ma,ay\\nyears, through fear of the Indians. At the time the settlement\\ncommenced, the population of the State did not exceed 13,000\\nor 14,000 less than is now found in some of our towns and\\nthis population was all in the southern and eastern portion. A\\nline drawn from Rochester to Concord and Boscawen, up the\\nContoocook River to Henniker, Hillsboro ,and Peterboro*, across\\nto Keene and down the Ashuelot River to Hinsdale, would have\\nbeen the frontier line, and, with the exception of a few families\\nin Westmoreland and Charlestowu, would have included the\\npopulation of the State. All beyond was a gloomy forest, in\\nwhich the savages were often lurking. War then existed be-", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0015.jp2"}, "16": {"fulltext": "10\\ntween England and France. Canada then belonged to France,\\nand the people of this conntr} were a colony of Great Britain.\\nIn this manner, the war was brought among our ancestors. Tiie\\nFrench were under the system of Romanism. Their priests had\\nacquired an intluence over the Indians, who subsisted by hunt-\\ning and lisliing along our rivers and lakes, and instigated them\\nto deeds of cruelty. A price was otiered for prisoners, and for\\nscalps taken from those whom the} killed. For many years\\nfollowing 1744, the frontier settlements suffered severely. It\\nlias been said that often did the war whoop wake the sleep of\\nthe cradle. It was at this time that the inhabitants of the town\\npetitioned the Legislature for aid in resisting the inroads of the\\nIndians, declaring that without such aid the} must forsake the\\ntown.\\nA party of Indians entered a house in Ilopkinton, and eight\\npersons were taken captives and compelled to walk through the\\nwoods to Canada. In Rochester, a party fell upon five men at\\nwork in the field, killed a part and took the rest prisoners. In\\nAugust, 1746, the Indians were gathered in the woods about\\nConcord, intending to make an attack upon the people as they\\ngathered at their place of worship, but the presence of a con-\\nsiderable body of soldiers from Massachusetts, and from p]xeter,\\nin this State, deterred them. Aware of their danger, the people\\nwent armed to meeting, and stacked their guns about the house\\nof worship. But the next morning, seven men, who were on\\ntheir way to Ilopkinton, were waylaid and fired upon. Five of\\ntht-m were killed and two were taken prisoners. A monument\\nhas been erected on this spot by the citizens of Concord. The\\npeople of Pembroke shared in the alarm of the times. For\\nplaces of refuge in times of danger, block-houses, as they were\\ncalled, were prepared in different places. They were made of\\nlogs, two stories high, the upi)er story projecting over the lower,\\nso that port-lioles were made, through which they could fire\\ndown upon those who attempted to enter. There were said\\nto have been four in this town one where Mr. Moody Wilson\\nlives, another on the farm of Mr. Albert Holt, and formerly\\noccui)ied In Deacon Ilazeltine, and another where Mrs. Vose\\nlives, and a fourth at Mr. Emery E. Moore s. In each, there", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0016.jp2"}, "17": {"fulltext": "11\\nwas a commissioned officer, to control the defehce of it. For\\nsuch a purpose, the minister, who occupied one of these block-\\nhouses, held a militar} commission. To these fortified pla-\\nces the people men, women and children, would flee on an\\nalarm, from any quarter, of the approach of savages. The sig-\\nnal of ahum was the firing of three guns in quick succession.\\nIn 1748, James Carr and Mr. Buntin and son, ten years of age,\\nwere at work on land upon the west side of the Merrimac River,\\nthen belonging to this town, and nearly opposite to the mouth\\nof Suncook River. The Indians, concealed in the bushes, rush-\\ned upon them, shot down Mr. Carr, and took Buntin and his son\\ncaptives to Canada.\\nSuch were the scenes of distress and alarm in which our an-\\ncestors lived, and which were common in those times leading\\nthe people to feel their insecurity, and, we trust, in many cases,\\nto seek refuge in God. This order of things continued for six-\\nteen years, until the close of the French war, when Canada\\nwas taken b}^ the British and American armies. The Indians\\nwere no longer incited to deeds of cruelty, but were led to fear\\nthe new Government of the country.\\nFrom the first settlement of this town, a portion of the people\\nwere of the Scotch Irish Colony, who, some ten or twelve years\\nearlier, had settled in Londonderry. They emigrated into many\\nof the towns of the State, and constituted an important portion\\nof the population. This people generally were attached to the\\nPresbyterian denomination. Their sufferings for their religion\\nin Ireland, and which caused their removal to this land, was\\nunder the Presbyterian form of church government. This was,\\ndoubtless, one reason of their attachment to it. At the settle-\\nment of Rev. Mr. Whittemore, in the Congregational church,\\nthis class of people, as before remarked, remonstrated against\\nit. They wished to enjoy religious privileges in their own favor-\\nite forms. Besides, as Mr. Whittemore was supported by a tax\\nupon the town, they were not quite satisfied to aid in the sup-\\nport of a man not of their own church. It seems probable\\nthat measures were early taken by them for the formation of a\\nPresbyterian church. In 1760, they were prepared to settle a\\nminister. In December, of that year. Rev. Daniel Mitchel, from", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0017.jp2"}, "18": {"fulltext": "12\\nIreland, a graduate of the College of Edinburgh, in Scotland,\\nwas ordained tlioir pastor. From the records. of that society,\\nit appears that his salary was \u00c2\u00a337 10s, and was paid by a tax\\nupon about 100 persons. In 17G3, tl\\\\is society was exeinpte l\\nfrom paying for the support of the Congregational minister, and\\nwas incorpoi ated into a separate parish by act of the Legisla-\\nture. Rev. Mr. Mitchel continued his labors here about sixteen\\nyears, until his death, in 1770. His grave is, with others of his\\ncongregation, in the cemetery in this place, und r an appropri-\\nate inscription. From all the informition left us, he ajipears\\nto have been an able and fuithfid minister. The Presbyteriau\\nhouse of worship sUxxX u[)on the farm of Mv. Dudley Gault, up-\\non elevated ground, south of his house. Religious services ap-\\npear to have been maintained in this house for at least a dozen\\nyears, but no minister was settled alter Mr. Mitchel in this\\nchurch. Many attemijts were made to unite with the Congre-\\ngational society in the support of a minister, but without suc-\\ncess.\\nRev. Jiteob Fmery succeeded M Whitieinore in the Congre-\\ngational society, the year after his death in 17ii8. He was a\\nnative of Andover, Mass., and a graduate of Harvard College,\\nin 17(51. The circumstances in which he was called to labor,\\nconUl not have been very encouraging. His church was small.\\nThere were two churches and societies in the place, between\\nwhom ali na ions would natnially spring up. At that time the\\nl)ul lic mind was ai sorbed in the state of the country. The\\ngreat events of tlu; Revolutionary struggle were drawing on.\\nHis ministry was of seven 3 ears continuance, and must have\\nbeen important in preparing the men of the town for the great\\nconllict. He, himse f, evidently partook largely in the spirit of\\nthe times. His health was jwor, and he sought a dissolution of\\nthe pastoral relation, on this account, in March, 1775. He was,\\nIhe same year, selected as a delegate lV,)m the town to attend a\\nc\u00c2\u00ab)ii\\\\( Hti /ii (if the State at K etei to ronsidcr the state of the\\ncoiuitry. That Convention, one of the most ini|K\u00c2\u00bbitant ever held\\nin tiie St te, gave opportunity for the lirst expression of senti-\\nni it fidiii the diil vrcnt paits of Ihi- State, IVcc fioui the influ-\\nen;-e of lliiti.^li lulers and luca^urcs were adopted of gicat,", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0018.jp2"}, "19": {"fulltext": "13\\nimportance to the State and the country. Delegates were there\\nchosen to the first American Congress. If it should seem singu-\\nlar, ni our time, that a minister should have been selected for\\nsuch a political purpose, it will be borne in mind that those were\\ntrying times, and it was felt that men were needed who could\\nseek wisdom from God. That Convention, of which Matthew\\nTiiornton was President, Meshech Weare, Jerremy Belknap,\\nl*ain Wingate, Jacob Emeiy, all of whom had been in the min-\\nistry, and were leading members, addressed their constituents as\\nfollows We seriously and earnestly recommend the practice\\nf that pure and undefiled religion which embalms the memory\\nof our ancestors, and which alone can build up a solid hope and\\nconfidence in the divine favor and protection. A committee of\\nthis body was apjjointed to prepare and send forth a proclama-\\ntion for a day of fasting and prayer, of which Mr. Emery was\\nchairman. In returning from a session of that body, on horse-\\nback, the onl3 mode of conveyance in those times, Mr. Emery\\nsuffered ranch, and died soon after, at the age of thii ty-nine.\\nHe left a family of three sons, whose decendants are in this com-\\nmunity.\\nThe population of the town at this time, 1775, was as follows\\nMales, under 16 years of age, 149\\nBetween IG and 50, 114\\nAbove 50, 33\\nIn the arm} 23\\nFemales, 388\\nNegros, slaves for life, 9\\n716\\nTwo years later, 1777, the men of this State were aroused to\\nvigorous efforts in opposing the march of Gen. Burgoyne through\\nthe country. Man}- from this town left their homes on shoz t notice,\\nmarched through the wilderness to Bennington and Saratoga.\\nAt the battle of Bennington, Lieut. Col. James Head, from this\\ntown, was killed. Later in the same year, (^ol. Conner, of this\\ntown, was slain. In March, 1 777, the large portion of the men of\\nthis town signed a solemn pledge, engaging and promising that", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0019.jp2"}, "20": {"fulltext": "14\\nthe} would, to the utmost of tlieir power, at the risk of their\\nlives and fortune, oppose with arms, the hostile fleets and armies\\nof P^ngland. Ninety-throe men signed this pledge. But nine\\ncould not violate their allegiance to the King of England and\\nembark in this new enterprise for freedom, then not one 3 ear\\nold. Of this number, was the Rev. Mr. Mitchel, of the Presby-\\nterian church.\\nFrom the death of Rev. Mr. Emery, in 1776, the congrega-\\ntional church was destitute of a pastor five years. Rev. Mr.\\nMitchel, of the Presbyterian church, died the year after Mr.\\nEmery. There was preaching a portion of the time by different\\nmen in both churches. The people were then engaged in the\\nstruggle for national existance.\\nIt was in such circumstances, and at such a time, that Mr.\\nZacheus Colby, became pastor of the Congregational church in\\n1780. From his son, who still survives araoung ns, at the age\\nof ninety, we learn the following facts in the history of his\\nfather: When a young man lie was engaged in labor upon the\\nfarm of his grandfather, in the town of Newton, in this State;\\nthat he was priyiledgod, when some 20 years of age, to listen\\nto the preaching of Whitefield and that he, himself, became\\ndeeply interested in religion. Soon he began to take part in re-\\nligious meetings, and was encouraged to prepare for the ministry.\\nAided by his grandfather, he entered upon such a course, and\\ngraduated at Dartmouth College in 1777. After studying theol-\\nogy with Rev. John Page, of Danville, and preaching for a time,\\nhe was invited to this church, a 3 oung and earnest minister, upon\\nan annual salary of \u00c2\u00a375 and twenty cords of wood. There was\\na want of harmony between the two societies in the place. The\\nburdens of the war weighed heavily upon the people. Paper\\nmoney, which had Hooded the countr} had become almost worth-\\nless. The expectation of national aid from France had been\\ndisappointed. The army was distressed beyond measure. Four\\nmonth s pay of a soldier would hardly buy a bushel of wdieat for\\nhis family. The elements themselves combined to add to the\\ngloominess of the times. On the 19th of May, 1780, occurred\\nthe dark day, in which, in many places, it was necessary to\\nlight candles in mid-day. Birds ceased to sing, and fowls went", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0020.jp2"}, "21": {"fulltext": "15\\nto tlioir roost. The following night, we are told, was intensely\\ndark. By this event, it is said, many persons were awakened\\nto seek divine protection.\\nBut Grod had not forsaken his people in this place. The first\\nyear of Mr. Colby s ministry, there was a revival of religion,\\nand thirty were added to his church. The people of the Pres-\\nbyterian society became interested in his preaching. Arrange-\\nmcMits were made for him to preach in the Presbyterian house of\\nworship and Congregational house alternately, four Sabbaths iu\\neach house, and brighter days appeared. By the advice of a\\ncommittee of four ministers, two of the Presbyterian and two of\\nthe Congregational church, mutually chosen, the respective soci-\\neties agreed to worship together and support the minister accord-\\ning to poll and estate. The churches also agreed, in 1788, on\\noccasional communion together, yet remained distinct bodies for\\nnine years. After this, as it is added in the language of Mr.\\nColby, on the first of June, 1797, the respective churches, after\\nmonths of consideration, did vote themselves into one church.\\nThis was called the consociated church. Peace and harmony\\nwas anticipated and enjoyed for a considerable time, but the\\narrangements did not prove satisfactory to all. In cases of dis-\\ncipline, the delinquents would not acknowledge the authority of\\nthe consociated churcli. It appears that full}^ one half of the\\nCongregational church and two deacons failed to unite with the\\nconsociated church, and withheld their support from the minis-\\nter. Mr. Colby s ministry was a quiet and useful one until the\\ndifficulties which brought it to a close.- In these difficulties,\\nRev. Mr. Colby and the consociated church sought advise of a\\ncouncil. The churches invited were the chiirch in Atkinson,\\nthe North Church in Newburyport, the churches in Caudia, Lon-\\ndonderry, the First Church in Haverhill, Mass., Hampstcad and\\nDurham. Without calling up the particular points of difficulty\\nbetween the Congregational church and Mr. Colby, an extract\\nfrom the result of this council will give us some view of the\\nstate of things at that time.\\nIt may not be unimportant here to notice that there had not\\nbeen, from the first, the kindest feelings among the people of\\nEnglish origin towards those whom they called Irish. Social", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0021.jp2"}, "22": {"fulltext": "16\\nintercourse was not encouraged. Intermarriages were often\\npiohibited. In some cases, on this account, children were dis-\\ninherited. Such a state of things was not peculiar to this place.\\nIt was elsewhere, and this state of feeling might have had, and\\ndoubtless did have, its influence upon the church difficulties in\\nthis place.\\nThe council above referred to, in the closing of their result,\\nsay: After having addressed the throne of Grace for light\\nand direction, and after diligently spending several days in\\nexamining the numerous articles of grievances exhibited b}\\nthe parties, you will suffer a word of friendly exhortation.\\nWhile we cannot reflect for a moment upon the indescribable\\ndifficulties and trials which, for a long time, you have experi-\\nenced, without mingling our tears with any tender souls in the\\nplace, we beg we entieat you to remember that 3 our future\\nprospects, both temporal and spiritual, depend on your course.\\nWe do not say our advice is the best. But if you will put on\\nthe garments of humilit} and meekness, brotherly love and for-\\ngiveness, and seek to promote the kingdom of our Lord, we shall\\nexpect to see you yet a flourishing and happy people. We pray\\n3 ou not to recur to past animosities. Have compassion on j our\\nchildren. Let them see that you love religion rather than the\\nunhallowed fire of contention, destroying the souls of men.\\nBut, notwithstanding the weighty advice of this council, peace\\nM as not enjoyed and, after three years, on account of the un-\\n(piiot state of the public mind, and the want of competent sup-\\nport, INIr. Colby sought a release from his pastoral relations to\\nthis people, and was dismissed, after a miuistr} of twenty-three\\n3 ears. Many members, belonging to the Congregational soci-\\nety, had withdrawn their support. But justice requires that it\\nshould be stated that the Presbyterian society raised money for\\n]\\\\Ir, Colby s support as long as he continued his labors that\\none hundred and fifty persons were taxed for this purpose, and\\ntliat not fifty persons paid over $1, and none over $5 or $6.\\nMr. Colby was afterwards re-settled in the ministry over the\\nPresbyterian church in West Chester, now Auburn, Oct. 13,\\n1803, where he continued six 3 ears. He became paralyzed and\\nceased to preach in 1801), but lived until August 10, 1822, when", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0022.jp2"}, "23": {"fulltext": "17\\nhe (lied, at the age of 75. During liis ministry in Pembroke,\\nninety-nine persons were received to bis clinrch. Twenty of\\nhis church had died, and eighteen had removed from the place,\\nleaving one hundred and one members at the close of his minis-\\ntry in 1803.\\nAfter the departure of Rev. Mr. Colb} the town was desti-\\ntute of a settled ministry for nearly five years. It appears from\\nthe records that the Presb3 tei iau society continued to raise\\nmonc} by a small tax upon one hundred and thirty or more tax\\npayers that different men were employed to preach more or\\nless of the year. In 1804, the town or parish voted to build a\\nmeeting-house on the hill. A committee was chosen for the\\npurpose, but the vote was not carried into effect for two or three\\nyears. The same year the town voted to extend a call to settle\\nin the ministry to Rev. Samuel Walker, and to offer him a sal-\\nar}- of $400 \\\\ier annum. To this movement, many of the Pres-\\nbyterian people objected, and it does not appear that the call\\nwas accepted. From this time there appears to have been no\\neffective efforts made to secure a settled ministry for a number\\nof yeaKS. Preaching was commenced by the Methodist denom-\\nination, in the east part of tbe town, in 1804, and was continued\\nmore or less constantly, for a number of years. For the use of\\nthat people, in after years, the house of worship was erected\\nnow standing upon the hill. Their place of worship was after-\\nwards removed to Suncook.\\nTwo houses of worship were erected in 1804 the one on the\\nhill, and the other on the streety where the present house now\\nstands. In the location of these houses, as we have been in-\\nformed, there was not a little difference of opinion, and some\\nstrong feeling manifested. But there was a considerable num-\\nber of the citizens of the town who had become tired of con-\\ntrovers} and, from a regard to their families, as well as for their\\nown spiritual wants, were prepared for an effort to secure the\\nlabors of a faithful minister. They had thus early seen the\\ninexpediency of attempting the support of the institutions of\\nreligion by a tax upon the town. We deem it a mistake that it\\nshould ever have been attempted. But in former times the}-\\nreasoned that such institutions were a blessing to the whole", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0023.jp2"}, "24": {"fulltext": "18\\npeople, to the poor as well as to the rich, to the I oung as well\\nas to the old, and that the whole people should imite in the sup-\\nport of them. Was not this true? Is it not now true? But\\ntheir mistake was in coinj^elling people to do what they regarded\\nas their duty. In this matter men must act under their respon-\\nsibilit} to God. The experiment in the support of the institu-\\ntions of religion amoung us has been of importance to the world.\\nIt lias shown that such instituiions do not need the support of\\na public tax. In view of such an experiment, Christians in\\nother countries viewed it as perilous, and predicted that, in a\\nfew generations, we should ))ecome a heathen people. But,\\nwith all our indifference and infidelity, the Gospel has had great-\\ner success among us than in any other country. From genera-\\ntion to generation, it has proved itself self-sustaining and self-\\npropagating. They, who have felt its power, are sure to sustain\\nit, and to aid in its advance over the world. But they who refuse\\nto give it their support, and to attend upon its ordinances, m :.st\\nthemselves and their families share in the consequences which\\nfollow. All observation shows that such families deteriorate,\\nintellectually and morally, from generation to generation, and\\nthat they seldom become the disciples of Christ. Such persons\\nhave to do with Him who has enjoined upon them the worship\\nof God, and not to forsake the assembling themselves together,\\nas the manner of some is, and who has said that whosoever shall\\nbe ashamed of me and my words, of him shall the Son of Man\\nbe ashamed when he shall come in his glorj^ and in the glory of\\nhis Father and of the holy angels.\\nIn July, 1807, the two churches. Congregational and Presby-\\nterian, voted to unite, and a confession of faith and covenant,\\nprepared by Rev. Mr. Carpenter, of Chichester, Rev. Dr-\\nMcFarland, of Concord, and Rev. Mr. Smith, of Hopkinton,\\nwas adopted and signed by as many of both churches as were\\ndisposed to do so. This was done on the 20th of August, 1807.\\nThe number of signatures to the above articles, we find from\\nthe records, to have been sixt3 -one. About this time there was\\na society organized in the south part of this town, embracing\\nothers in adjoining towns, who pledged themselves to each other\\nto aid, according to their ability, in the support of a minister.", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0024.jp2"}, "25": {"fulltext": "19\\nThis society numbered ninety-eight. This was a movement of\\nimportance to the interests of religion in the place. The men\\nwho engaged in it acted for themselves and for their posterity\\nfor a long time to come. On this account, it is deemed impor-\\ntant to iiive their names.\\nSolomon Whitehouse.\\nJames Robertson.\\nNath l Head.\\nChristopher Osgood.\\nJohn Leonard.\\nEdward Fuller.\\nRob t Buntin.\\nAnthony S. Stickne3\\\\\\nJoseph Emery, Jr.\\nWm. Kimball.\\nSolomon Hutchinson.\\nJoseph F. Foster.\\nBciij m. Fisk.\\nDavid Kimball, Jr.\\nJohn Osgood.\\nJohn Evans.\\nTho s Adams.\\nAaron Manser.\\nJoseph Emery.\\nMoses F. Gile.\\nAmos Gile.\\nJohn Robertson, Jr.\\nWm. Robertsoji, Jr.\\nRob m Cockran.\\nSimeon Carr.\\nSamuel Head.\\nNath n. Head, Jr.\\nJohn Lewis.\\nReuben Head.\\nBenj m. Gushing.\\nJames Brown.\\nAnd w Robertson.\\nAndrew Robertson, Jr.\\nJohn Knox, 3d.\\nJoseph Swett.\\nJoseph Gale.\\nJacob Emery, Jr.\\nMoses Heseltine.\\nNath n. Dearborn.\\nThom s Shackford.\\nBeitj m. Jennes, Jr.\\nCharles Fuller.\\nAbel Reed.\\nJoel Fox.\\nSam u. Prescott.\\nNath n. Emerson.\\nDaniel Noyes.\\nJohn Pilsbur}\\nTimothy A^ re.\\nJerem r Morgan, Jr.\\nThomas Emer3\\\\\\nJames Bnnten.\\nDaniel vSwan.\\nAnd w Bunten.\\nJohn Bo wen.\\nElip h. Kimball.\\nBenj m. Noj-es.\\nBenning No^ es\\nEnoch Holt.\\nWilliam Holt,\\nBenj m. Holt.\\nJohn Jennes.\\nDavid Kimball.\\nSamuel Emer}\\nThomas Kimball, Jr.\\nWm. Heseltine.\\nEnoch Noyes.\\nWill m Kimball, Jr.\\nWilliam Brown.\\nCharles FLanders.\\nBoswell Stevens,\\nJohn Baker.\\nSamuel Noyes.\\nNath n Head, Jr.\\nJacob P^mer^\\nMatthew Gault.\\nPhilip Sargent.\\nJohn R. Merrill.\\nJohn Thompson.\\nTimothy Barnard.\\nRob t Moore.\\nAsa Robinson.\\nTruworthy Dudley.\\nJohn Carleton.\\nJohn Favour.\\nDavid Farniim.\\nJohn Farnum.\\nNathan Flanders.\\nRichard Welch.\\nStephen Noyes.\\nJosiah Rowell.\\nTimothy Hall.\\nJohn Man.\\nRob t Trickey.\\nJoseph Seavey.\\nJon th. Hutchinson.\\nDaniel Baker.\\nRichard Foster.\\nA call was extended to Mr. Abraham Burnham to settle in the\\nministr} in the place, proposing to him a salary of $500 per\\nannum, and $200 as a settlement. This proposal was accepted,\\nand Mr. Burnham was ordained to the work of the ministry in\\nthis place, March 2, 1808. The arrangement was for Mr. Burn-", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0025.jp2"}, "26": {"fulltext": "20\\nham to preach in the south meeting-house. But there was soon\\na proposition made bj the people who had built the house upon\\nthe hill to unite in his support, and that he should preach a por-\\ntion of the time in their house. The proposition was acceded\\nto, and for man}- ^-ears he preached a portion of the time in that\\npart of the town.\\nHis congregation upon the Sabbath, and those who aided in\\nhis support, lived in six different towns Pembroke, Concord,\\nBow, Ilooksett, Chester and Allenstown. The number of the\\nchurch was fifty-four. With uncommon fidelitj^ he performed\\nthe work of the ministry forty-three years. To review, on the\\npresent occasion, with any degree of minuteness, the ministry\\nof such a man for this long period, would be quite impossible.\\nAlmost a quarter of a century has passed since his death, vet\\nhe is remembered, and his preaching is remembered, and will be\\nwhile any of his hearers linger in this world. Only the prom-\\ninent events of his ministr} can be noticed. Four himdred and\\ntwenty-three persons were received by him to this church 303\\nby profession, and 120 by letter. The whole number of bap-\\ntisms, 654; the number of funerals, 650 and 1208 persons\\nwere united by him in marriage. How many discources he de-\\nlivered in the church, how many lectures he attended about the\\ntown, how many family visits and visits to the sick he made, we\\nhave no means of knowing but it is well known that he was\\nnot deficient in these duties. Pastoral labor was, in his view,\\nan important part of his work. The Sabbath School shared\\nlargely in his interests. Before the day of Sabbath Schools he\\ngathered the youth into classes anrl instructed them. The cir-\\nculation of religious tracts and religious periodicals of the day,\\nwas deemed by him important. The Panoplist, The Missionary\\nHerald^ and the American Messenger were procured and placed\\nin the families of his people. He looked to the wants of the\\npoor of his flock. To aid him, one of his parishioners, Jeremiah\\nWilkins, Esq., was in the habit of putting money into his hands,\\nregarding his minister better prepared wisely to dispose of it\\nthan he was himself a worthy example. These abundant\\nlabors were not in vian. He brought to this place the spirit of\\nrevival. While he had charge of the Academy at Bradford,", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0026.jp2"}, "27": {"fulltext": "21\\nMass., for some time before he entered the ministry, he was per-\\nmitted to witness tlie operation of divine grace in an unusnal\\nmanner for those times. The state of religion in the place, we\\nare told, was low. The 3 onng people were given to worldliness\\nand vanity. But their teacher sought their spiritual, as well as\\ntheir intellectual, improvement. A change came over the school.\\nThere was seriousness. The inquiry began to be made, What\\nshall I do to be saved? There was a revival in the school and\\nin the parish. Many were converted. Among the number were\\ntwo females, Mrs. Harriet Newell and Mrs. Ann Judson, whose\\nnames will be distinguished in the history of the church to the\\nend of time. This school, it may be remarked, has ever since\\nbeen distinguished for its Christian character.\\nThe witnessing of these scenes were suited to prepare the\\n3 oung minister for the work which he had entered upon in this\\nplace. No such scenes had been witnessed here for a whole\\ngeneration. But, after his settlement, four years passed before\\na distinctlv marked revival was enjoyed. There were, however,\\nmore or less added to the church at every communion season\\nfrom the commencement of his ministry. In his own language,\\nIn 1812, there w^as a marked and striking manifestation of\\ndivine power, when the Holy Spirit came down in gentle but\\ncopious showers of grace. Revivals also occurred in 1814,\\n1816, 1819, 1826, 1831, 1832, 1834, and 1835, each revival ex-\\nceeding, in interest and power, its predecessor, till the number\\nof the church had increased from 50 to 240. Many had also\\nbeen removed in this time by death and letters of dismissal.\\nIn the progress of these revivals, there must have been many\\nscenes of deep interest. One is remembered by an aged mem-\\nber of this church. In a time of revival a leading man in the\\nplace had been regarded as an opposer. But he became so deep-\\nly convinced of his own sins and ruin that he arose in the night\\nand went to a neighbor to ask him to pray for him. Soon after,\\nat a crowded meeting, in the midst of the haying season, held\\nat the house now occupied b}^ Hugh Warren, there was a re-\\nmarkable manifestation of the presence of the Holj^ Spirit. The\\naudience were melted down before God under a consciousness of\\ntheir lost condition, while some were beginning to hope in his", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0027.jp2"}, "28": {"fulltext": "22\\nmere} Among them was the man who sought pra3 ers of his\\nneighbor. At this meeting, the following stanzas of a h3mu\\nfrom Dr. Watts were sung with marked etiect\\nWhen God revealed his gracious name,\\nAnd changed my mournful state,\\nMy rapture seemed a pleasing dream,\\nThe grace appeared so great.\\nThe world beheld the glorious change,\\nAnd did thy hand confess;\\nMy tongue broke out in unknown strains,\\nand sung surprising grace.\\nGreat is the work my neighbors cried,\\nAud owned thy power divine\\nGreat is the work my heart replied,\\nAnd be the glory thine.\\nMr. Burnham was interested in the work of Foreign Missions.\\nHe entered upon his w^ork here at the tirne the spirit of Missions\\nwas rising in the churches. The men of influence were begin-\\nning to move in this great work. Two of his pupils were among\\nthe earliest mis.sionaries. He kept his people informed of these\\nmovements. He sustained and made prominent Ihe Monthl}^\\nConcert of Pra3 er and we have it on the authorit} of a neigh-\\nboring minister, that for years no church in the vicinity con-\\ntributed so liberalh to this object, according to their means, as\\nthis church. The interest of Mr. Burnham in Home Missions\\nwas well understood in his da}-. For fifteen years, from 1817,\\nhe was the Sccretarj^ of the New Hampshire Missionary- Society,\\nconducting its correspondence, commissioning its missionaries,\\nmaking its annual reports, and watching over general interests\\nof the cause. In one way and another, he performed a great\\namount of labor for a very small compensation. On this sub-\\nject the writer can speak with confidence, as he assumed the\\nsame work, and also that of General Agent, after a few 5-eai-s.\\nFrom the foregoing account of his labors, it will be seen that\\nMr. Burnham could not luwe been an idle man, and that the\\nAvork which he performed could never have been done b} one\\nman but by the thoroughly systematic course which he pursued.\\nIt was said of him by Prof. Noyes, in the discourse which he\\nprepared in relation to him and delivered at his funeral, that\\nhe was not as is usually termed a popular preacher, but that he", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0028.jp2"}, "29": {"fulltext": "23\\nwas too good a preacher to be popular with the masses who care\\nto be pleased rather than prolited that he was a workman in\\ndispensing the truth, that needeth not to be asliamed. The rich\\nfruits of his hxbors show that they were acceptable to God.\\nThe Academy, from its commencement, has been much con-\\nnected with the interests of this church. Dr. Blanchard, the\\nfounder of it, came to this place in the early part of Mr. Burn-\\nham s ministr} After some ten years of practice, his health\\nfailed, and he finally died, leaving a considerable portion of his\\nproperty for the beginning of the fund of an academy, on con-\\ndition that a building should be erected for the purpose. This\\nwas done, and the school went into operation in 1819. Such\\nteachers were secured as gave it notoriety and secured the pub-\\nlic confidence, and scholars resorted to it from distant parts of\\nthe State. In all the interests of the institution, the pastor of\\nof this church was deeply concerned. He was the adviser of\\nits founder, presided over the Board of Trustees, and watched\\nover the institution as he would have watched over a child of\\nhis own. In his influence over it, he did not discourage the\\npursuit of the ornamental branches, but was concerned to\\nsecure thoroughness in the elements of sound learning, and the\\ninstitution owes to him much of its success in usefulness.\\nMr. Burnham had a special regard to the moral influence of\\nthe school. He regarded it as consecrated to Christ. It was\\nlooked upon as such by this church. The reading and study of\\nthe Holy Scriptures have ever had a place among its exercises.\\nReligious persons have been selected as its teachers. It shared\\nin the supplications of the sanctuary and in the social circles of\\nprayer. The first year of its operations it was blessed by the\\nspecial influences of the Holy Spirit, and has shared in all the\\nrevivals with which this church has been blessed. Provision\\nwas early made for securing aid to young men in an education\\nfor the ministry. Remembering his own struggles to obtain an\\neducation, Mr. Burnham was disposed to sympathize with the\\nyoung in like efibrts. He interested himself to provide accom-\\nmodations for young persons who came to enter the school, and\\nwould sometimes take them into his own family to his incon-\\nvenience. This was no small privilege to any young person. It", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0029.jp2"}, "30": {"fulltext": "24\\nhas been said b}- one who knew, that nothing in Mr. Burnhara s\\npower, which could contribute to the happiness of the domestic\\ncircle, was neglected that many, who, from time to time, were\\nmembers of his family, will remember his kindness, gentleness\\nand evenness of temper in connection with a uniform regard to\\norder and propriety. Nor will the late Mrs. Burnham be for-\\ngotten while an} remain to remember her amiable virtues and\\nher earnest, Christian character. She was a worth} example of\\na pastor s wife. She died May, 1865, aged 78.\\nAbout the year 1840, a second literary institution was estab-\\nlished in this place, called The Gymnasium. It enjoyed much\\npublic favor, and secured, for a time, the attendance of a large\\nnumber of young people. It was under the direction of Pro-\\nfessor Isaac Kinsman, and continued its usefulness some fifteen\\nj-ears.\\nMr. Burnham received but a small salary, and this he often\\ntook directly from the people in such articles as they could con-\\nvenientl} part with, and as he needed in his famil} He man-\\naged his affairs with ecouoni} and was prompt to meet all his\\nengagements. He was called to great family afflictions, and\\nhad great control over liis feelings under trials. Three times was\\nhe called to bury his companion. On one occasion, as his wife\\nlay a corpse in his house, he preached as usual, and conducted\\nthe services of the Sabbath, saying, The house of God is the\\nplace for consolation. By such trials was he prepared to min-\\nister to others the comforts whereby he, himself, was comforted.\\nAt the close of forty years labor, he addressed to them a dis-\\ncourse somewhat remarkable in character, considering the state\\nof the public feeling, then somewhat excited in regard to him.\\nHis text was from the 3rd Epistle of John, verse 8th, upon the\\nimportance of being fellow-helpers to the cause of Christ. It\\nis a discourse of great value, printed and dedicated to this\\nchurch. In the close of this discourse, he added, in regard to\\nhimself: It may appear to be a mere show of humilit} for me\\nto speak of the imperfections which have cleaved to my minis-\\nterial character and services, and which have been so obvious,\\nand perhaps offensive, to some persons of intelligence and\\ntaste. This reference I make to preface a public acknowledg-", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0030.jp2"}, "31": {"fulltext": "25\\nment of the kindness and candor of my beloved people kind-\\nness to my person and family candor to my ministerial per-\\nformances these forty years. And, while both minister and\\npeople have abundant reason for deep humiliation in reviewing\\ntheir reciprocal duties and mutual unfaithfulness, they have no\\nground of hoi)e but in the precious blood which alone is suffi-\\ncient for the sins of the whole world nor can we hope in that\\nblood, even, without deep repentance and thorough reformation.\\nNo use in confessing, without forsaking. No hope for us, my\\nfriends, but in the mercy of God, through the cross of Christ.\\nThat Mr, Burnham was a perfect man, was the last thing\\nwhich he would have claimed for himself. He will be likely, at\\nthis distance of time, to be looked upon with more candor than\\nwhen living. If, in any of his multiplied labors, we judge that\\nhe erred, and in any measure acted unwisely, we are not to take\\nit for granted that we are infallible, but that our rule is, Judge\\nnot that 3^e be not judged. If it has been thought that Mr.\\nBurnham, in his advanced years, assumed too much of a con-\\ntroling influence, let it be considered that this comes naturall}^ to\\nthe man in whom the community have long had confidence, and\\nto whom they have looked for almost every thing to be done.\\nIt is pardonable in an old man of acknowledged worth. Mr.\\nBurnham was never accused of deception, of dishonesty, or of\\na mean and dishonorable act. Has his punctualit}^ in meeting\\nevery engagement been forgotten in this communit}-? With\\nwhatever abatement any one maj^ be disposed to make, it will\\nbe generally admitted that his example and influence, as a min-\\nister and citizen, was important to the best interests of the\\npeople of this town.\\nFrom the time of the delivery of this discourse, in 1848, Mr.\\nBurnham continued his labors two years, to Nov., 1850, when,\\nat his own request, this people consented to the dissolution of\\nthe connection between them. His successor was settled by the\\nsame council which dismissed him. Mr. Burnham lived two\\nyears from the time of his dismission from his pastoral chaige.\\nAs disease drew upon him and his constitution failed, and he\\nwas told that he could not recover, his reply was, The result\\nis not unexpected. I have anticipated it from the beginning.", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0031.jp2"}, "32": {"fulltext": "26\\nWhen asked if he was willing to leave himself in the hands of\\nGod, he said, Entirely. When I gave myself up to God iu\\nconversion, I gave myself up to die. He died September 21,\\n1852.\\nAt the time Rev. Mr. Burnham was dismissed, Rev. John IT.\\n^Merrill was installed pastor of the chuix-h, November 20, 1850.\\nMr. Merrill had been pastor of the church in Falmouth, Me.\\nlie came here, it is said, with high hopes of usefulness. His\\nministry, however, was short less than three years but long\\nenough for him and his famil} to become endeared to many\\nof the people. Observation, we think, shows that a long min-\\nistr} is quite often followed b}^ an unsettled state of the pas-\\ntoral relation. Mr. Merrill was dismissed Aug. 7th, 1853, and\\nsoon after became pastor of the church iu Tam worth. In that\\nregion of countr}-, Mr. Merrill became eminently useful, labor-\\ning in many places beyond his parish, as opportunity present-\\ned. After some years he became enfeebled by disease. His\\nAvife died, and he, himself, soon wasted away under the in-\\nfluence of consumption, leaving a family of five little boys.\\nOver them a covenant-keeping God ruled iu mercy. Chris-\\ntian sympath} was awakened, and the family was provided\\nfor.\\nRev. Robert Crossett succeeded Mr. Merrill. He commenced\\nhis labors in July, 1853, and was installed pastor of this church\\nMarch IG, 1854. At this time a pleasing religious revival ex-\\nisted in the place. Mr. Crossett continued his labors until Oct.\\n8th, 1855, when, on account of a failure of health, he sought a\\nrelease from his engagements here, for a warmer climate and a\\nmore competent salarj-.\\nRev. Lewis Goodrich, from Dedham, INIaine, came to this\\nplace May 24, 1856, and commenced his labors in the ministry.\\nHe was installed pastor of the church May 13, 1857. A revi-\\nval of religion was in progress at the time of his installation,\\nwhich continued more than a year. Many were interested, in\\nboth the academies and in the town. During the nine ji ears of\\nMr. Goodrich s labors, as he states, over one hundred indulged\\nthe Christian s hope, and some fifty of them united with the Con-\\ngregational church. His pastorate ended iu 1865. It is be-", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0032.jp2"}, "33": {"fulltext": "27\\nlieved, says ]\\\\[r. Goodrich, that this church will ever have\\nreason to remember those nine years of labor and those precious\\nrevival seasons. How many he adds, of those still dear to\\nmeraor} have passed to tlie shining shore Rev. Mr. Good-\\nrich is still doing etlicient service in the ministry in Warren,\\nMe. He has yet an unbroken family of seven children, one of\\nwhom is a gi-adnate of Harvard (College another is in Amherst\\nCollege, and others are in successful business. Four are cher-\\nishing the Christian s hope.\\nFollowing Rev. Mr. Goodrich, Rev. Nathan F. Carter spent\\none year in the work of the ministry. He has since been dis-\\ntinguished for usefulness in other places. Rich blessings have\\nattended his labors. He is now in the pai ish at Bellows Falls,\\nVermont.\\nRev. Benjamin Merrill commenced his labors here Nov. 25,\\n18G6 an earnest. Christian man of much skill and efficiency\\nin his work. He labored directly for the conversion and salva-\\ntion of souls, and was happy in enlisting a, poi tion of the church\\nto do the same. A revival of religion was experienced, and a\\nquickening influence was felt b} the church during his ministry\\nof three and a half years. For this, says he, I acknowledge\\nmy indebtedness to the hoh spirit, without whom the labors of\\nman are futile, and also to my brethren and sisters in the church,\\nwho joined so cordially with me in working for Jesus. During\\nmy labors, fiftj -three were received to the communion of the\\nchurch. Others, who were converted, joined other churches.\\nI have been here at Ausable Forks, N. Y., seven years longer\\nthan the average of pastoral labor at the present day. My\\nfamily is the same in size as when I came here. We have lost\\ntwo children, and have received a little daughter, belonging to\\nmy brother, whose mother is dead. I shall never forget my for-\\nmer charge in Pembroke, nor my co-laborers in the vineyard.\\nRev. Lyman White, from Phillipston, Mass., and formerly\\npastor of the church in Epping, in this State, commenced his\\nlabors as acting pastor of this church in April, 1871, and con-\\ntinued until the fall of 1875. In addition to the supply of the\\npulpit, he extended his labors to the different parts of the town,\\nand secured, extensiveh the confidence of the people. But a", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0033.jp2"}, "34": {"fulltext": "28\\ndisaffection of a portion of the parish, led Mr. White to seek\\nauotber field of labor. He is now the acting pastor of the\\nchurch in Deerfield.\\nThe history of those who have served as Deacons in this\\nchurch, could it be obtained, would be of much interest. But\\nthe names of some of those men have not reached down to us,\\nand little more than the names of others have been secured.\\nHere we are ready to inquire why the people of their day, when\\nthey buried them, and other good men of the town, should have\\nburied with them all history of their lives. On this account,\\nposterity can be little benefited by their excellence of character.\\nThe men who first sustained this office in the Congregational\\nchurch, and who were appointed soon after its formation, were\\nNoah Johnson and Elias ^yhittemore. Joseph Baker, who mar-\\nried a daughter of Capt. Lovewell, sustained this office.\\nThe first man, of whom we have any account, who was ap-\\npointed to this office in the Presbyterian church, was James\\nMoor. His early life was spent in the north of Ireland, where,\\nin the 17th century, a population from Scotland were encour-\\naged to take up their abode, where they suffered cruel persecu-\\ntion from Romanism. He and his companion, to whom he was\\nmarried before leaving the country, must have shared in the op-\\npression of those times, which influenced many of that people to\\nemigrate from a better to a poorer country, and to brave the\\nperils of the sea and the hardships of the wilderness. Mr.\\nMoor came early to this town, purchased a large tract of land,\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0went to work upon it, cutting down the trees and clearing the\\nground to make a home for himself and famil}^, and to secure\\nthe means of living. This must have been about the j-ear 1729\\nor 1730, for it is reported that when he came, there was but one\\nfamily of white people in town. Mr. Moor built the first framed\\nhouse in town. In the Indian wars, it was used as a garrison\\nhouse. A part of it is now standing and is occupied by Mr.\\nEmery E. Moor. In these early days of the town, the Indians\\nwere numerous and harmless. Their home was where the church\\nand academy now stand, and north of them upon the street. Mr.\\nMoor had much intercourse with them, and, by kind treatment,\\nsecured their confidence so that, in after years, during the French", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0034.jp2"}, "35": {"fulltext": "29\\nwar, they would pass by his dwelling, and commit their murderous\\ndeeds upon others. Dea. Moor left a numerous posterity, who\\nhave felt the influence of his decidedly Christian character. He\\ndied March 11, 1773. He had six sons and two daughters.\\nMost of his sons were engaged at different times for the defence\\nof the country. David was noted for his bravery, having been\\nengaged when quite young in warlike expeditions. He contin-\\nued in such services until the close of the French Avar. He was\\nearly in the Revolutionary war. He enlisted a company and\\njoineil the regiment under Gen. Stark at Bunker Hill. He was\\namong the number who marched wuth Arnold through the wil-\\nderness to Quebec. He afterwards joined the army of Washing-\\nton, and served through the war. His home was in Deerfield.\\nThe following are the names of men who have served as\\ndeacons in the Presbyterian church, viz Thomas Robinson,\\nJohn Mann, James Robertson, Samuel Webster, Isaac White,\\nWm. Cochran. The following men held the office in the Congre-\\ngational church, viz John Lakeman, Chandler, David\\nLovejoy, John Chickering, Joseph Emery, David Kimball, Jacob\\nEmery, Moses Haseltine, Joseph Gale, Nathaniel Blood. Dea.\\nLakeman and Dea. Chickering did not come into the organiza-\\ntion of the consociated church in Rev. Mr. Colby s da} Dea.\\nJames Robertson, Dea. David Kimball and Dea Joseph Emery,\\nformerl} in office in the consociated church, were re-instated in\\nthe church under Mr. Buruham s ministry, in October, 1808.\\nDea. Chickering died in 1805, aged 52 Dea. Lakeman died\\nin 1811, aged 67; Dea, Robinson died in 1817, aged 70; and\\nDea. Kimball died in 1817, aged 67.\\nOf Deacon Gale, we have an account furnished by his oldest\\nson, the only minister ever raised up in this town, now approach-\\ning eight}^ years of age, who has served in the ministry in im-\\nportant ficMs more than forty j^ears, and now resides in South\\nHampton, Mass. His letter, appended to this history, will be\\nread with interest.\\nDeacon Nathaniel Blood ha I his residence in this place from\\nthe commencement of Mr. Burnham s ministry in 1808. He\\nsustained the office of deacon in this church from 1816 co 1841\\na quarter of a centurv. Few men have made themselve more", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0035.jp2"}, "36": {"fulltext": "30\\nuseful. He sought first the kiugdom of heaven and its right-\\neousness. Time, hibor, property were held in trust for the\\nservice of liis Lord. For many years he sustained meetings for\\nprayer from week to week in his own or neighboring dwellings.\\nHe was often designated as a delegate of the church to services\\nabroad among the neighboring churches. He was of a meek\\nand quiet spirit, yet earnest in the service of his Lord. B}^ a\\ncontinuance in well-doing for along number of years, he accom-\\nplished a great amount of good. The secret of his success was\\nthe inHuence of the truth of God upon his heart and life. The\\nBible was a lamp to his feet and a light unto his path. He\\nstudied it with pen in hand, to note and often transcribe passages\\nwhich interested him. The same was witnessed in his depart-\\nure from the world which has man}- times appeared. When, at\\nthe close of life, he had passed bej ond the recognition of\\nfriends, not knowing his wife, he was asked if he knew anything\\nof the Lord Jesus Christ. He replied: He is my Saviour.\\nUnless his whole being has been changed, he must iiow be serv-\\ning that Saviour whom he served in this world. He died in\\nDecember, 1841, aged 5o years.\\nDea. Moses Ilaseltine was connected with this society as early\\nas Dea. Blood, was appointed to the office of deacon at the same\\ntime, and continued in office about the same length of time.\\nMost important were two such men to any minister. The business\\nof Dea. Haseltine, we are informed, required him to Ite much\\nfrom home, and he could not do as much home work as liis asso-\\nciate. But he is remembered as an able and faithful nian in liis\\noffice, and a pillar in the church.\\nDea. Francis Vose was appointed to this office in June, 1840.\\nHe was a graduate from Dartmouth College in 1817. He com-\\nmenced teaching soon after at Hampton, and afterwards taught\\nin Boston, Topsfield and Haverhill, Mass.. and in Bloomington,\\nMaine. He was Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the\\nacademy in this place, and died in 1851. aged G3. Dr. Kitt-\\nredge sustained the office of deacon in this church for a number\\nof years, and also Dr. Whidden.\\nRev. Joseph Lane and wife resided in this place, and acted\\nwith this church, for some eight or ten years from 1842. Mr.", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0036.jp2"}, "37": {"fulltext": "31\\nLane had been a missionary among the Tiiskarora Indians, liad\\nbecome enfeebled and deranged for a time. He had recovered,\\nbeen settled as pastor of the church in Franklin, and, when he\\nresided here, was the agent of the American Bible Society.\\nHis example and influence were valuable to this church and\\ncommunity. Mr. Lane s course was marked with great earnest-\\nness and self-denial. Upon a small sahuy it is known that he\\ncontributed at least $1000 to the benevolent objects of the day,\\nin the course of the eight or ten years of his agency. In con-\\nsequence of over-work and the difficulties Avhicli he encountered\\nin his agencv, he became insane, and died in the Insane Hospi-\\ntal in 1850, at the age of 53. Mrs. Lane exemplified a like\\nspirit. At hor death, a few 3-ears later, she gave $100 to the\\nNew Hampshire Bible Society, sent her husband s library among\\nthe missionaries at the west, having no family, and gave the\\nremainder of her little property to the American Bible Society.\\nRev. Abel Manning resided in this place, and acted nith this\\nchurch, from 1843, for seven or eight years. He had preached\\nmuch and in many places, had been made the instrument in the\\nawakening of many persons who were neglectful of their immor-\\ntal interests, and of opening to them the way of life. He sought\\nthe interests of this church, and was constant in his attendance\\non its meetings. Though of comparatively small means, he wa.s\\ndistinguished for his liberality to the benevolent objects of the\\nday. He had great vigor of constitution, and still lives at an\\nadvanced age in Goffstovvn.\\nPHYSICIANS OF THE TOWN.\\nFew persons, not directly engaged for the spiritual interests\\nof the people, have such opportunities for promoting these\\ninterests, as physicians. An important qualification for their\\nwork, is a heart to feel for the welfare of the souls of men, as\\nwell as to be concerned for their bodies. This church has been\\nfavored by the influence of such men in this profession. The\\nphj sicians of the town have been supporters of religious insti-\\ntutions, and the larger part of them members of this church.\\nDr. Joseph Brown is the first name which appears on the\\nrecords of the Presbyterian church. Dr. John Cochran appears", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0037.jp2"}, "38": {"fulltext": "32\\nin connection with this church in 1784. Dr. James Brown, in\\nconnection with the Congregational societj from 1809 to 1831,\\nwhen he died, at Hooksett, aged 66. Dr. Thomas Adams died\\nin 1808, aged 47. Dr. Pillsbnry from 1807, for many years.\\nDr. Abel Blanchard from 1809 to 1818. He gave to the institu-\\ntions of religion his constant support. Notwithstanding his\\npractice, he was uniformly in his place in the church on the\\nSabbath with his bass vial to aid in the singing. He had the\\nconfidence and affection of the people as the beloved phj si-\\ncian. lie died March 15, 1818.\\nDr. Josiah Kittredge, then a young man at the age of 24, is\\nbelieved to have come to aid Dr. Blanchard in his declining\\nhealth. He remained here fifteen years, and made himself use-\\nful to the whole communit3\\\\ He is still remembered by many,\\nbut his record is on high. The following extract from a letter\\nfrom his surviving companion, will be read with interest\\nMont Morris, Livingston Co., N. Y.,\\nDecember 12, 1876.\\nRev. Mr. WiUey.\\nDear Sir My husband was born in Mont Vernon, N. H.,\\nOct. 15, 1793. He became a Christian at the age of sixteen,\\nand from that time cherished the hope of being a minister, but\\nhis ill health led him to abandon that for the medical profes-\\nsion. He commenced business in Pembroke in 1818, and was\\nthere fifteen years, leaving there in 1833. From Pembroke !ie\\nwent to Boston, and had an excellent practice for five yen is,\\nbut the east winds proving so unfavorable to his health, he de-\\ncided to go to Concord, N. H., but suifering there from ill-\\nness, he removed to Nashua, N. H., in 1839. He lived in\\nNashua seventeen years. From 1856 to 1860 he was resident\\nphysician in Mt. Holyoke Seminar} He removed to Montclair,\\nNew Jersey, late in 1860, and resided there nearl} three years.\\nEarly in 1869 he went to Glastonbury, Ct., and died there, Oct.\\n29, 1872, aged seventy-nine j ears and fifteen days.\\nOf his life in Pembroke, you already know. It was one of\\nactivity and usefulness in Boston. In Nashua, while he was\\nfaithful in his profession as physician, he was deacon of the", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0038.jp2"}, "39": {"fulltext": "33\\nreiivl St. Climcli, and Superintendent of the Sabbath School,\\nand often one of the conuuittee, or chairman of the same, of\\nthe public schools. When not Superintendent of the Sabbath\\nSchool where he resided, he always had a class. At the time of\\nhis death he was the teacher of a large class of 3 oung men, who\\nlistened to his instruction with deep interest. He was invited\\nto become an otlicer in the Tresbyterian church in Montclair,\\nbut declined.\\nHe labored faithfully and acceptably in his profession to\\ntlio end. His life was truly for the good of others. Wherever\\nhe was, he always identified himself with the intelligent, moral\\nand religious interests of the place. I think you ver} well\\nknow how firm and fearless he was in every good word and work,\\nand that it was never difficult to decide what would be Jiis posi-\\ntion in all the great and important questions of the day. His\\nlast illness begun in the winter of 1871-2, but he was able to\\nwalk and even to go to church till July. Then dropsy accom-\\npaning the disease of the heart, made his sufferings severe, but,\\nin all circumstances, he had the same patient and submissive\\nspirit, and, communing much with his God, the evening of his\\nlife was radient with love and trust in Jesus and his Word,\\nto him, more and more precious. His life went out like a dy-\\ning tapoi- his departure was beautiful.\\nVery respectfull} j ours,\\nMrs. Dr. J. Kittredge.\\nDr. Hezekiah Eldridge followed Dr. Kittredge as a physician.\\nHe was a man of a sound mind, and skillful in his profession.\\nHis removal from the place was regretted by many, and, from\\nhis own testimony, it was on account of the contentions then\\nexisting in relation to the two academies. He was a man of\\npeace, and could not live in strife. He removed to Amesbury,\\nMass., and afterward to Milford, in this State, where he spent\\nman} years as an apothecary and ph3^sician. There ie os. I\\nlife, a few j-ears since, after much suffering, leaving ii,i m the\\nminds of all who knew him, a strong impression of iiio decid-\\nedl} Christian character.", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0039.jp2"}, "40": {"fulltext": "34\\nDr. John Chandler resided here for a number of ^-ears from\\n1822, and was a member of this church.\\nDr. Pearson Whiddeii was here as a physician from 1841 to\\n1846, and was a member of this church. There are still living\\nthose who remember his kind attentions and his skill in raising\\nthem from sickness and suffering. He removed to Warner, and\\nafterwards to Tilton, where he spent many years. But in ad-\\nvanced life he removed to his sons in Chichester where, a few\\nyears since, he died.\\nThis church is still favored by physicians who seek its inter-\\nests. Dr. Butler H. Phillips has been here from 1849, and Dr.\\nJohn R. Kimball some two years.\\nIt would be gratifying to know something of those who have,\\nat ditlerent times, conducted and aided in the service of singing.\\nFor one hundred and forty years, from Sabbath to Sabbath, the\\npraises of God have been celebrated in the songs of this church.\\nBy this service the people of God have been quickened and ele-\\nvated in their devotions. In the songs of the sanctuary, the\\nsoul of the Christian flows out in praise to him who has wrought\\nall his work in him. In all the history of the church, the ad-\\nvance of spiritual life has been attended or preceded b} a\\nrevival of sacred song. In our time it has, more than ever be-\\nfore, become an essential element in the preaching of the gospel\\nand we have reason to believe is to be in time to come, in its\\nadvance in all languages over the world. It is a privilege and\\nan honor to be able to join in this part of worship, which all\\nmight enjoy if their training might be begun in season.\\nIn past time there were, in this place, several families distin-\\nguished as singers. Among them Avcre the families of Heads,\\nMcCounels, Moors, Knoxes and Emerys. Mr. AYardwell con-\\nducted the music under the ministry of Rev. Mr. Colby. Mr.\\nWm. Ilaseltine followed him in this service. After him. Dr.\\nKittredge made himself useful in this service for many years.\\nMr. John Robinson, Mr. Joel Fife and Mr. Charles Burnham\\naided in this service at different times. Mr. James Wilson,\\nin his day, did more, perhaps, than any other man, to sustain\\nand advance the music of the church. Having, for many years,", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0040.jp2"}, "41": {"fulltext": "85\\nbeen a leading merchant in the place, he was able and disposed\\nto give ellicient aid in the support of the religious institutions,\\nand his love of music led him to care for that department.\\nIn view of the past history of this church, we see much reason\\nfor gratitude and praise to God. Of his ancient people he\\nsaid: -This people have I formed for myself. The same is\\ntrue of those in this town who have faithfully served him. By\\nan unseen power the} were led to seek refuge in him, to yield\\nthemselves to his service, to seek first his kingdom and its right-\\neousness. Their hearts were drawn towards his people for their\\nspiritual profiting, and for the privileges of Christian worship.\\nThey loved the people of God because they loved God. From\\ntiie beginning, there has been such a class of people in this town.\\nMainly through their efforts and sacrifices, have the interests of\\nreligion been sustained. The ministers of this church, each in\\nhis day, have preached to the people the good news of salva-\\ntion, and pointed out to them the path of life have visited\\nthe sick, conducted funeral services, and sympathized with the\\nafflicted. The members of the church have co-operated with\\nthem. Together have they labored and praj ed for the people\\nof their day. The rocks and the hills have been witnesses.\\nThey, who have lived and died in this town, owe more to the\\ninfluence of this church than they have ever acknowledged.\\nGod has added his sanction souls have been converted and\\nsaved who, and how man} the final day will reveal.\\nIt is true that when we look at the visible church, and trace\\nits histor} we see all the imfirmities of human nature. The\\nbest men are imperfect. The worldliuess, the selfishness and\\nthe pride, which are unrestrained in others, too often appear, to\\nsome extent, in persons of acknowledged Christian character.\\nBad men have found their way among the people of God. A\\nJudas has too often appeared, and may again, of whom our\\nSaviour said, It had been good for that man if he had not\\nbeen born.\\nSuch being the state of the Christian church, the best of men\\nimperfect, and bad men making their way into it, why has it not\\nlong since lost its character and become extinct? But it lives", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0041.jp2"}, "42": {"fulltext": "36\\nsustained ami enlarge 1 b3- the divine haul. A little one has\\nbecome a thousand, and a small one a strong nation. Behold\\nsays God to her, I have graven thee upon the palms of my\\nhands. Thy walls are continually before me. Its history is as\\nold as the world. The generations of those who have feared\\nand loved the Lord have lived their day, and died. Others have\\ncome in their places. A i)ersecuting Saul becomes a champion\\nfor tlie truth. The gospel is proclaimed to Gentile and to Jew.\\nPeople hear, are humbled for their sins, and seek life in Jesus\\nChrist. There is joy in heaven and on earth. Siu-h scenes\\nhave been often witnessed in the history of tliis church. But\\nwhen, for their sins, the people of God are left to worldliuess,\\nto seek their own and not the things which are Jesus Christ s,\\nwhen they cease to watch their hearts and lives, become neg-\\nlectful of pra3 er and of communing with God in his word, ami\\nare reluctant to contiihute for the furtlierancc of the gospel in\\nthe world, thc}^ have, to a fearful extent, lost the spirit of their\\nLord, and the adversary has too much control over them. Then\\nroots of bitterness spring up, and difficulties, in one form or\\nanother, occur and the hateful features of the depraved heart\\nappear. When years have passed and no reviving of religion\\nhas appeared, and Christian people have slept with others, the\\nstrongest faith in the church begins to waver, and the hope\\nof better daj s almost expires then has been the time for\\nGod, in the greatness of his mercy, to rescue his cause to\\nhumble his people in the dust, and lead them to cry for mere}\\nWhen Christians are awakened to their eternal interests, others\\nfeel the worth of the soul, and strive to enter the wa} of life,\\nand there is a gathering of the strength of the church. In ways\\nlike these has this church lived, through the ages that are past\\nshowing its own weakness, and the power, wisdom and grace of\\nGod.\\nFor the time to come, we rest our confidence upon the same\\narm of mere} Organizations, called churches, but unworthy\\nof the name, have, at different times, arisen and disappeared.\\nBut not so with the church of the living God. It lives and is\\nto be enlarged by his own power. We are living in what He\\nhas denominated the last days. Isa. II 2, 3. In the last", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0042.jp2"}, "43": {"fulltext": "37\\ndays it shall come to pass that the mountain of the Lord s house\\nshall be established in the tops of the mountains, and shall be\\nexalted above the hills and all nations shall flow into it and\\nmany people shall go and say, Come ye, and let ns go up to the\\nmountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob and\\nhe will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths for\\nout of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord\\nfrom Jerusalem. The same sentiment, in almost the same lan-\\nguage, was uttered by the Prophet Micah and the ingatherings\\nto the church of God in our time, in this country, in Great Brit-\\nain, Scothuid and in Ireland, in Spain, Italy and Austria, in\\nTurkey, India, Uurmah, China, Japan and the Islands of the sea,\\nare so many evidences of the fultilment of this prophecy and\\nassurances that the nations are soon to flow to the mountains of\\nthe house of our God the Christian church.\\nThis church, it is declared, is to make all men see what is\\nthe fellowsliip of the mystery which, from the beginning of the\\nworlil, hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus\\nChrist to the intent that now unto the principalities and pow-\\ners in heavenly places, might be made known, by the church, the\\nmanifold wisdom of God. This general church is made up of\\ninnumerable branches, from all ages of the world, from all coun-\\ntries of the world, from all the languages of men, and from all\\nChristian denominations. Let, then, each local church mark its\\ndestiny respect itself as the workmanship of God feed upon\\nHis truth seek its extension to every human being. Each\\nchurch will then be a light in the world a city set on a hill\\nwhich cannot be hid. From such a service in this world let\\neach church anticipate tlie advanced service which is before it\\nin the coming world where the different churches, congre-\\ngated as the constellations of the natural heavens, may recount\\nthe wonderful grace of God, in the conversion of each member\\nin the guidance, the restraints, the comforts of the divine\\nhand, and of supports in the last hour and, in this way, be\\nprepared to join all other churches in the general chorus of\\npraise to Him who died to redeem them, and washed them in his\\nown blood.", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0043.jp2"}, "44": {"fulltext": "38\\nletter of uev. w. gale.\\nEasthampton, Mass., August, 1876.\\nDear Bro. Willey.\\nIn attemping to answer some of ^-our inqniiies, I will follow,\\nas nearl} as I can conveniently, the order in which they are pre-\\nsented. With reference to Rev. Mr. Burnhani, pastor of the\\nchurch when I was 3-ouug, I would say that, having been brought\\nup under the ministry of Rev. AValter Harris, at Dunbarton, and\\nhaving studied theology with Dr. Parish, of By field, Mass., he\\nadmired, embraced and earnestl} preached and defended the\\ndoctrines and duties taught by those excellent men. His min-\\nistr} at Pembroke commenced when the people were not very\\nwell united in ecclesiastical and religious matters some being\\nPresbyterians, some Congregationalists, and some of other de-\\nnominations. There had been, I think, two churches certain-\\nly two church buildings, or meeting-houses, as they were then\\ncalled. I remember well to have attended public worship in\\nthem both. One of them stood at the north east corner of the\\ncemetry, gave name to a beautiful little brook, which ran across\\nthe street pretty near it, and at length was converted into a barn,\\nb} Aaron Whitternore, Esq. As such it is probably in use now\\nby one of his sons. The other stood a little distance from where\\nyou now live, on the opposite side of the street, not far from\\nMr. Andrew Gault s dwelling. Just when these houses of w or-\\nship were given up, and the people tried to unite in the erection\\nof a new meeting-house I do not remember but remember well\\nthat their disagreement, as to the place of its location, led to the\\nerection of two such houses. Mr. Burnham preached alternate-\\nly in them both, for a number of years and was, on the whole*\\npretty successful in keeping the two parishes under his minis-\\ntry, though he had many difliculties to contend with. He came\\nto Pembroke from Bradford, Mass., where, for a time, he had\\ncharge of the well known academy in that place and where he\\nwas the happy instrument of a precious revival of religion in\\nAvhich revival Harriet Atwood, afterw^ard Harriet Newell, the\\nmissionary Fanny Woodbury, of Beverly, of whom an inter-\\nesting memour was written Mary White, of Plaistow, who be-", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0044.jp2"}, "45": {"fulltext": "39\\ncame one of Mr. Biirnliam s excellent wives, and other interest-\\ning young ladies, wore converted, as their subsequent lives\\nabundantly proved. I judge Mr. Burnham was well fitted for\\nthe work to which he was called though some thought that a\\nman of inilder and more winning wa^ s would have done better.\\nHe was bold and fearless in his preaching, and faithful and\\nlaborious as a pastor. Under his ministry, many were gathered\\ninto the fold of Christ. The revivals of religion, with which he\\nand his people were blest, if not very numerous or very exten-\\nsive, were thorough. The converts were carefully looked after\\nand faithfully instructed and, for the most part, the}^ devel-\\noped a sound, Christian character. I have in mind several of\\nthe favored seasons now referred to, but cannot definitely fix\\nthe date of them, except one in the latter part of 1814 and the\\nearl} part of 1815, soon after the close of our unfortunate war\\nwith England at which time my only two sisters, and a number\\nof other persons, more than twent} I think, most of them young,\\nmj self included, were hopefully brought to a saving knowedge\\nof the truth and, in due time, were admitted to the church.\\nAt another time, when I was in college, I cannot say what\\n3 3ar, I remembered to have heard about a special work of\\nGod s spirit in Pembroke, and felt anxious to have vacation\\ncome, that I might go home and share a part in the divine influ-\\nences. Some 3 ears after this, I cannot say how many, Mr.\\nBurnham exchanged pulpits with his venerable pastor. Dr. Har-\\nris. During the public services, the old gentleman observed\\nimusual solemnity and tenderness in the congregation and,\\nafter meeting, had personal conversation with several young\\nmen, and found them deeply impressed with their condition as\\nsinners, and their need of God s pardoning mercy. The next\\nmorning, after leaving for his home, he called at m} father s,\\nand said to my mother ni}^ father being absent Sister Gale,\\nthe spirit of the L jrd is with this people and, if Christians do\\ntheir duty, you will have a revival of religion. INI}- motlier,\\nthough engaged on the usual duties of Monday, put aside her\\nwashing and other domestic concerns, changed her dress, and\\nspent most of the day in going from house to house, and in con-\\nversing earnestly and tenderly with as many persons, j ouug", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0045.jp2"}, "46": {"fulltext": "40\\nand old, males and females, Christians ami those not Chrisit ans,\\nas slie could, consistautl_y, al)()ut their spiritual interests and\\ntheir Christian duties. This was the beginning of another of\\nthose precious seasons of special religious interest now under\\nour notice.\\nMr. Bnrnham took a deep interest in the children and youth\\nof his flock, and urged, frequently and earnestly, the duties that\\nparents owe to their children. Before the establishment of Sab-\\nbath Schools, he formed the young people into Bible classes,\\ngiving them religious instruction, and useing, as I remember,\\nWili)er s (Question Book a very excellent and useful work.\\nIt may be further remarked of Mr. Bnrnham, that he knew,\\nby experience, how to sympathize with his people in their afflic-\\ntion. While not exempt from the trials that are common in the\\nworld, and that fall to the lot of most other ministers, Mr. Burn-\\nham, when comparatively joung, had to say with the I salmist,\\nnot only once or twice, but thiice, Lover and friend hast thou\\nput far from me, and my acquaintance into darkness. But he\\nliad wondeiful contiol over his feelings. One Saltbath, as one\\nof his dt censed wives lav a corpse in his house, he i)reached\\nand conducted the public services of the sanctu;irv as usual,\\nsaying, The house of God was the place for consolation. In\\ntimes of afllidion and sorrow, he selum manifested his feelings\\nby tears.\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0Mr. Bninham s salary was never very large; and, during\\nsome part of his ministry, and, perhaps, through the whole of\\nit, he received more or less of what the people agreed to pay\\nhim, in provisions directly from his j)arisliioners keeping an\\naccount with them individually. Sometimes he received tokens\\nof esteem in small presents but had no donation visits, such\\nas are common now. Occasional!} he had his wood hauled and\\nworked up, gratuitously, by his people. He managed his atfairs\\nwisely and prudently was prompt to pay, and his credit was\\nalways good. He seldom, if ever, failed to meet his appoint-\\nments oi to fulfill his promises.\\nNow with regard to my father and his famil}-. You ask at\\nwliat age he was appointed to the office of deacon. How old\\nlie tlicn was, I cannot say, as I do not rcmem!)cr the date of bis", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0046.jp2"}, "47": {"fulltext": "41\\nelection to that office but this, I suppose, the church records\\nwill show, and thus his age, at the time in question, may be read-\\nily determined, as he was born Nov. 18, 17G8, at Haverhill, Mass.\\nAnd when he united with the church in Pembroke, I do not\\ncertainly know. I think he took up his residence and commenc-\\ned business in that town in the year 1792, and continued to\\nreside there nearly sixty years. In Nov. 4, 1794 (the month\\nin which they were both born), he married Susannah Frye,\\nwhose father, Ebenezer Frye, served honorably in and through\\nthe Revolutionary Avar first as a private, then as Captain, and,\\nfinally, as Major.* She was born in Pembroke, Nov. 9, 1775\\nand was hopefully converted when quite young, while residing\\nwith an aunt in Salisbur^^ N. H., and joined the church there\\nthen under the pastoral care of Rev. Thomas Worcester. After\\nmarriage, Nov. 4, 1794, she removed her residence and church\\nrelation to Pembroke. She was an active, useful and much be-\\nloved Christian woman was one of the few females who organ-\\nized and sustained the first female prayer-meeting in Pembroke,\\nat a time when prejudices against such a movement were so great\\nthat its members deemed it prudent to meet in secret, coming\\none b} one, and in different ways, to the place of meeting.\\nAfter living together in Pembroke, quietly, happily, and use-\\nfully, fifty-four years, my parents, in 1848, removed to New\\nAlbany, Ind., to live with their children, where they died my\\nfather, May 20, 1851, aged 82 years and 7 months; and my\\nmother, Apr. 5, 1859, aged 83 years and 5 months. Their re-\\nmoval from Pembroke was much i-egretted, and felt to be a loss\\nby their pastor and other Christian friends but they, them-\\nselves, then and ever after, regarded this change in their earthly\\nlife, though in some respects very trying, as one important step\\non their way to the better country. And truly had they de-\\nsired to return to their old home, from whence they went out,\\nthey might have had opportunity. Provision was made for\\nthat purpose but they kept steadily before them the better\\ncountry. Their last days were their best; they brought fortli\\nfruit in old age having lived the life of the righteous, they\\ndied peacefully, trusting in the promises.\\n*Her mother s maiden name was Hannah Baker, a granddaughter of\\nCapt. Lovewell.", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0047.jp2"}, "48": {"fulltext": "42\\nMy parents had eleven children six sons and five daughters.\\nThree of these are now living six of the other eight died young,\\nand now sleep in the old cemetery on Pembroke street. Tiie\\neldest of these six was only nine years old, but gave delightful\\nevidence of being a Christian. The other five, who grew up to\\nmanhood and womanhood, all became hopefully pious while in\\nthe morning of life and four of them joined Mr. Burnham s\\nchurch, viz Wakefield, Susan, Lucinda and Joseph Worcester.\\nThe fifth, John Adams by name, was hopefully converted at\\nWindham, N. H,, and, I believed, joined the church in that\\nplace, then under the care of Rev. Calvin Cutler. My two sis-\\nters married ministers, and went with their husbands as mis-\\nsionaries to the west. Susan married Calvin N. Ransom, and\\nLucinda, Solomon Kittredge. The former lived and labored\\nmost of their days in Ohio the latter in Indiana. These sisters\\nare both dead. Mrs. Ransom died and found her grave in Jack-\\nsontown, Ohio Mrs. Kittredge in New Albany, Indiana. Mr.\\nKittredge has also been dead many years. Mr. Ransom is now\\nliving in Columbus, Ohio, but is afflicted by the loss of his e^-e-\\nsight. My two brothers are living in health and comfort the\\noldest in Milford, Ohio, near Cincinatti the other has his home\\nin New Albany, Indiana, though he and his wife are now resid-\\ning, for an indefinite time, ia Chelsea, Mass. These brothers\\nand sisters have all been active and useful members of society,\\nand of the Christian church.\\nAs to myself you know already pretty well what I am, and\\nwhat I have done. When about 19 years old, I commenced the\\nstudy of Latin with Mr. Burnham then I ecited for a few months\\nto a college student, who was teaching one of our districts\\nschools. October 27, 1816, entered Phillip s Academy, at An-\\ndover; in the year 1818, was admitted to Dartmouth College,\\nand graduated therefrom in 1822, in a class of 45, one half of\\nwhom became ministers of the gospel. I then took a regular\\ncourse of theological study at Andover Seminary, under Profes-\\nsors Porter, Woods and Stewart. Commenced pi caching at\\nEastport, Me., in October, 1825 and I remained there as the\\nfirst pastor of the Congregational church, till Nov. 24, 1835\\na period of ten years. I was then pastor of the Congrega-", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0048.jp2"}, "49": {"fulltext": "43\\ntional church in Rockport, Mass., about twenty-seven years\\nthat is, from May 4, 1836, till February, 1863. Since August,\\n1865, have resided in Easthampton, Mass., without charge, ex-\\ncept that I supplied, as acting pastor, for about three years and\\na half, a Congregational church in West Granville, Mass., and\\nhave occasional!} preached in other vacant pulpits. M} health\\nis now good am pleasantly located and comfortably provided\\nfor. I have been twieetniarried have buried a number of chil-\\ndren have four now living two sous and two daughters and\\nfourteen grandchildren. I remember, with gratitude, the en-\\ncouragement and aid which Mr. Burnham, and some of his\\npeople, atforded me while struggling for an education. I do not\\nnow remember that any other young man from Pembroke church,\\nbut myself, has chosen the Christian ministry as his life-work.\\nIf not, the fact is a remarkable one, and how shall we account\\nfor it? Has the church neglected its duty in this direction in\\nthis branch of effort? or have pious parents failed to offer their\\nsons on the alter of consecration? or yet, has your unworthy\\ncorresp(mdent done so little to honor and magnify the sacred\\noffice, as to discourage other young men from desiring to enter\\nupon it? I do, indeed, fear that much blame, in reference to\\nthis matter, lies at my own door.\\nYou ask me to name some of the good and useful men and\\nwomen connected with the church in my early days. The first,\\nwhom I remember, were two families by the name of Lovejoy.\\nThese families lived in the same house, near my father s, and\\nwith one of which my father boarded previous to his marriage.\\nOne of the men at the head of these families was deacon of the\\nchurch Deacon Chandler Lovejoy. There was, also, old Dea.\\nKimball, as he was called, from Bradford, Mass., and Mr.\\nChristopher Osgood, from Andover, Mass. and, at a later day,\\nDea. Nathaniel Blood, Dea. Moses Haseltine, Mr. Moses Cham-\\nberlain, Mr. Jacob Elliot, Mr. John Vose and Mr. Francis Vose,\\nPrincipals of the academy. Most of the wives and many of\\nthe children of the men now named were active and warm-heart-\\ned Christians. This was true, also, of some females, whose\\nhusbands were not professors of religion. I have in mind a\\nMrs. Wallace, Mrs. Stevens, Mrs. Favor and others.", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0049.jp2"}, "50": {"fulltext": "u\\nOne of the most interesting families of ni}^ early remem-\\nbrance, was that of Dr. Thomas Adams. He died in 1808\\nwas highly esteemed as a citizen and pliysician, but whether he\\nwas a member of the church I do not know. His wife and four\\nchildren, whom I remember two sons and two daughters\\nwere persons of great excellence. The sons, when young, left\\nPembroke, and settled in Castine, Me., and there became pros-\\nperous and happy, and very useful as pitizens and Christians.\\nThe 3 oungest of these sons, Samuel, was the father of Rev.\\nGeo. M. Adams, late of Portsmouth, N. H., and now, I think,\\nof Holliston, Mass. The daughters, also, after being well mar-\\nried, left Pembroke with their husbands, man} years ago, hav-\\ning a good report of all who knew them.\\nIn answer to 3 our incjuiries respecting Dr. Abel Blanchard,\\nI would say As a man and a physician, he stood well. I think\\nhe was from Wilton, N. H., and was brother to the excellent\\nDea. Amos Blanchard, of Andover, who was father of the ami-\\nable, polished and eloquent preacher of the same name, for many\\nyears in Lowell, Mass. I have the impression that Dr. Abel\\nwas not a member of any church, and whether he gave evidence\\nof being a Christian I do not know. I believe it was through\\nMr. Burnham s influence, and that of his brother at Andover,\\nthat he was induced to leave his property, having no family,\\nfor the purpose of founding Pembroke Academy. This, if I\\nrightly remember, was in 1816 he having resided and prac-\\nticed medicine in Pembroke from six to eight years.\\nAs to the influence of the Academy on the church, I have\\nalways supposed it was decidedly beneficial though there was,\\nat one time, an unhappy diflficulty among the Trustees and\\nfriends of the Academy, which led to the setting up another\\nschool, and some division, also, in the church. Those difl3cul-\\nties, however, gradually disappeared, and I am glad the Acad-\\nemy is now prosperous, having an actively pious man at the\\nhead of it. As this institution did not go into operation till\\nafter I had left Pembroke, I do not now distinctly remember\\nany young people who became Christians while connected with\\nit. My own brothers and sisters enjoyed, to some extent, its\\nadvantages, but they were already professors of religion. I", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0050.jp2"}, "51": {"fulltext": "45\\nthink the Trustees of that Acatlemy are deserving much credit\\nfor having generally secured so excellent teachers. I well re-\\nmember some of them.\\nAfter Dr. Blanchard, came Dr. Josiah Kittredge, from Mont\\nVernon, N. H., who was not only a beloved physician, but an\\nactive, useful and happy Christian. He was as constant in his\\nattendance, not onlj on the Sabbath services of the Sanctuary,\\nbut also on the other meetings of the church, as the duties of his\\nprofession would permit and in singing, exhortation and pray-\\ner he excelled, and thus he did much to sustain and make inter-\\nesting and profitable, those meetings.\\nConnected with the history of the church in Pemb roke, ther\\nmust be many incidents of deep interest. Its early members\\nhad to suffer privations and contend with difficulties, that, to\\nits present members, even the oldest of them, may seem almost\\nincredible. When they met for social worship, it must be in\\nsome fortified place, and they must carry with them, weapons of\\ndefence. Then, again, they were so remote from market, and\\nthe facilities for traveling were so poor, that females, in some\\ninstances, were known to ride horseback to and from Boston, a\\ndistance of 60 miles, over poor roads, and to swim their horses\\nacross the rivers, to exchange commodities and do their shop-\\nping. It was thus, in one instance at least, with an ancestor of\\nmine, on the mother s side a Mrs. Baker.\\nAt some periods of the church s history, the want of har-\\nmony, as already noticed, greatly hindered its prosperit3 and\\ninjured the cause of religion in the community. Sometimes\\nthe people disagreed as to the proper mode of worshiping, as\\nwell as with regard to the place where they ought to worship,\\nlike the Jews and Samaritans of our Saviour s day. I remem-\\nber well the time when much trouble arose from the introduction\\nof a bass-viol into the singing choir. It was called the cursed\\nfiddle, And at one time, between two Sabbaths, some person\\nor persons, thiough prejudice or some other cause, greased the\\nstrings of the hateful instrument.\\nIn the early days of Mr. Burnham s ministry, the free use\\nof intoxicating liquors was an evil which public opinion did not\\nso much oppose and repress as it has since done. This evil ap-", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0051.jp2"}, "52": {"fulltext": "46\\npeared, not onh* at trainings, house raisings and nearly all\\nsocial gatherings, but I well remember that at the dedication of\\nthe new meeting-house, and, I think, at Mv. Burnham s ordina-\\ntion, intoxicating liquors were brought and, if I mistake not,\\nwere sold in tents near the door, and drawn ui) b}- cords to the\\nwindows and drank inside the house during the public services.\\nSince the days of which I am speaking, great improvements\\nhave been made in tlie structure of church buildings, especially\\nas regards the pulpit and the pews, and the methods of warm-\\ning places of worship by the use of stoves and furnaces. In\\nmy boyhood I never knew the comfort of worshiping in a warm\\nmeeting-house in a cold winter day and I was then familiar\\nonl} with high pulpits and large, square pews, with seats which\\nturned up to accommodate the worshipers while standing in\\nprayer time, as the custom then was, and which, at the close of\\neach prayer, fell with deafening clatter all over the house.\\nOn the whole, the Lord has greatly blest the people of my\\nnative place. For many years the Congregational church and\\nsocietj there were large and prosperous. Under the influence of\\nthe Sabbath and the gospel ministry, many persons have been\\nbrought to a saving knowledge of the truth, and, in man} re-\\nspects, the condition of society there has been greatlj improved.\\nNo language can express, and no created mind can estimate the\\nvalue of that influence which the church in Pembroke has had\\non the temporal and social interests of the people in that com-\\nmunity, as well as on the spiritual and eternal well-being of\\nmany. Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise\\nof the life which now is, and of that whicli is to come.\\nAffectionately and trul} yours,\\nW. GALE.\\nAugust 24th, 1876.", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0052.jp2"}, "53": {"fulltext": "SUNCOOK.\\nThis village is within the limits of the parish, and, from early\\ntimes, embraced an important portion of the Congregational\\nchnreh in Pembroke. It is a little more than one mile distant,\\nand, in former time, a large portion of the people were constant\\nattendants upon the worship in the church upon the street.\\nThat village has an interesting histor} If any one had the\\nbenevolence to gather up the facts which will soon be lost, they\\nmight be preserved for the benefit of coming generations. The\\nfirst bridge across [the river, and the first mill were built by the\\nproprietors of the town in 1734 and 1735. The valuable water-\\npower was not used extensivel}- for many years. The rapid flow\\nof the river and the fall of nearly one hundred feet within the\\ndistance of one mile, atford important facilities for manufactur-\\ning purposes. Within the limits of 18 years from 1850, three\\nlarge factories were built, employing something more than 1500\\noperatives.\\nThe Methodist house of vrorship was built in 1849, to which\\nplace that church was removed, and which now numbers 200\\nmembers. The Baptist house was built in 1871. That church,\\nthough of recent origin, now numbers 65 members. A Roman\\nCatholic church, on the south side of the river, was built in\\n1874.\\nA large portion of the people of the village are of foreign\\norigin more than one half by estimation. The whole popu-\\nlation, considering the business of the place, cannot be less than\\n3000. This population is increasing and, we trust, improving\\nin character.\\nThe recent movement in behalf of temperance, in connection\\nwith which large numbers have signed the pledge of total absti-\\nnence from all intoxicating drinks, gives hope for the time to\\ncome. Bat the temptation is still held out to drinking people.\\nWho can fail to see the diflerence, in a village like this, between", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0053.jp2"}, "54": {"fulltext": "48\\nthe abandonment of the use and traffic in intoxicating drinks,\\nand the free use and sale of them What can compensate for\\nthe drunkenness, degredation, ignorance and poverty which in-\\nvariably follows the use and sale of these articles\\nIn this village are to live and die, generations to come. Is\\nnot the moral character of the place important to all its inter-\\nests? The gospel of Christ is the hope of the world. May its\\nblessings be largely enjoyed in this village.", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0054.jp2"}, "55": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0055.jp2"}, "56": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0056.jp2"}, "57": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0057.jp2"}, "58": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0058.jp2"}, "59": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0059.jp2"}, "60": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0060.jp2"}, "61": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0061.jp2"}, "62": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0062.jp2"}, "63": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0063.jp2"}, "64": {"fulltext": "-V", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0064.jp2"}, "65": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0065.jp2"}, "66": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1878", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0066.jp2"}, "67": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3315", "width": "1858", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0067.jp2"}, "68": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3461", "width": "2118", "jp2-path": "briefhistoryoffi00will_0068.jp2"}}