CHAPTER XII.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH IN WALLINGFORD AND MERIDEN.
the first Baptist church organized in the colony was planted in Groton in 1705. The second was organized in Waterford (then part of New London) in 1710. The third was organized in Wallingford in 1735, consisting of about ten families, with Timothy Waters as pastor. The history of the earlier Baptist churches in Connecticut are especially interesting, because they grew up at a time when there was a legalized union of church and state. For a series of years they stood as visible exponents of divine doctrines and principles. We are to view the organization of the Baptist church in Wallingford with its thirteen members, not as we should now view the formation of a society, or voluntary association, in similar circumstances, simply as the frothy effervescence arising from the spirit of the age, but rather as a noteworthy illustration of heroic faith. Society-making had not then become, as now, a prevalent epidemic. These Baptist pioneers did not float along in the current of general opinion, but studied the Bible themselves. They organized a church because they thought there was no such local organization as the New Testament describes, composed exclusively of baptized believers, existing there, and because they devoutly sought a religion which wore every discernable mark of Apostolic genuineness.
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The political ecclesiasticism which was established by law throughout the State, was enforced by fines, by extortion, by imprisonment, and by branding. The following laws stood on the old Colony Law Book:
"Nor shall any persons neglect the public worship of God in some lawful Congregation, and form themselves into separate companies in private houses, on penalty of ten shillings for every such offence each person shall be guilty of."1
In 1723, a law was passed making the penalty of the above offence against a lawful congregation, twenty shillings. "Whatsoever person not being a lawfully allowed minister of the gospel," administered the sacrament to his flock, was fined ten pounds for every such offence and suffered besides "corporeal punishment by whipping, not exceeding thirty stripes for each offence." Many clergymen and members of the Baptist church were imprisoned for exhorting non-payment of assessments, and preaching the doctrines of the Bible as held by Baptists. In February, 1744, at Saybrook, fourteen persons were arrested for holding a Baptist meeting. The charge brought against them was, "holding a meeting contrary to law, on God's holy Sabbath day." They were arraigned, tried, fined and driven on foot through a deep mud to New London, a distance of twenty-five miles, and thrust into prison, without fire, food, or beds, where they remained enduring dreadful sufferings for several weeks. It was once so unpopular in Wallingford to be a Baptist, that when certain men were baptized, their wives felt that they had lost caste in society, and yielded to tears to assuage their sorrow for their fallen husbands.
1 Acts and Laws, p. 139.
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The Baptist church in Wallingford had been organized but a short time when Rev. John Merriman was ordained their pastor.1 By the advice of Governor Talcott, the Wallingford society had not required any taxes from them for a number of years. In the "great awakening" they were aroused to a concern for the great interests of their souls; and their pastor in behalf of himself and people, had invited some of the neighboring ministers of the established church to preach for them; observing that as to the internals of religion they could heartily join with them, though not in the mode.
In December, 1741, Rev. Philemon Robbins,2 a "New Light" minister of the Congregational church in Bran-ford, received a letter from the pastor of the Baptist church in Wallingford, informing him that Dr. Bellamy had preached to their society to mutual satisfaction, and desiring that he would do the same. He was pleased to accept the invitation, and appointed a meeting for the purpose, January 6, 1742. But two days before the time specified, a deacon from Wallingford brought him a
1 Mr. Merriman was subsequently pastor of the Baptist church in South-ington. The following record is taken from his tombstone in a small burying ground in the western part of the town. " The Rev. John Merriman died on Feb. 17, 1784, in the eighty-ninth year of his age. He was a Calvinistic Antipedo Baptist minister.
Here lies the body death has bound, Whose soul with ministerial gifts was crown'd, His life his Master's doctrine did adorn, And waits his last reward till the auspicious morn." Another stone bears this inscription: "In memory of Mrs. Jemima, wife of ye Rev Mr. John Merriman. She died Oct. 11, 1764, in ye 64th year of her age."
2 Philemon Robbins was the son of Nathaniel Robbins, and grandson of Nathaniel Robbins who emigrated from Scotland to Massachusetts in 1670. he was graduated at Harvard College in 1729, and was ordained at Branford, Feb 17, 1731. He died August 13,1781.
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letter signed by forty-two men of the town, desiring him not to preach to the Baptists, without assigning any reason for the request but their own wishes. The messenger who conveyed him this letter, also presented him with a line from the Rev. Mr. Stiles, of North Haven, and Mr. Hemmingway, of East Haven, advising him not to preach in the Baptist meeting-house in Wallingford. Mr. Robbins could see no reason why these gentlemen should desire that he should not preach to the Baptists. It appeared to him rather unkind, and contrary to a Christian spirit, to prevent their having preaching, when they thirsted for the word of life, and there was a more than common prospect of doing good. He had given his word, and appointed the day, and though he had some hesitation with respect to it at first, after he had received the letter from Wallingford, he determined to go according to his engagement, and preached two sermons. For this he was complained of to the consociation of Congregational Churches of New Haven county, February 9, ensuing, as a disorderly person, as follows:
"I, the subscriber, do signify, by way of complaint to this reverend consociation, that on the 6th day of January last past, the Rev. Philemon Robins did enter into the first society in Wallingford and preach in a disorderly manner, in contempt of the authority of this consociation, without the consent of the Rev. Mr. Whittlesey, pastor of said society, contrary to the act of the Guilford council, contrary to the act of this consociation, and contrary to the desire of two neighboring ministers, and a great number of church members in Wall ingford.
thomas yale."
Mr. Robbins replied, that Governor Talcott had advised the Wallingford collectors not to distrain ministerial taxes from them; and that the public authority of the
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State sent them their annual proclamations for Fasts and Thanksgivings, as to other societies. Besides he had not entered Mr. Whittelsey's parish, but had preached to a people entirely different from his. With respect to his preaching, contrary to the advice of two neighboring ministers, and a great number of church members, he observed, that he knew no rule in the word of God, or the Saybrook platform, which obliged him to comply with their desire in his preaching, nor could he see any reason in such desire. He observed that there was nothing in the complaint accusing him of the violation of any of the divine commands, or of doing anything contrary to the word of God. The consociation, nevertheless, resolved:
"That the Rev. Mr. Robbins so preaching was disorderly: That Mr. Robbins should not sit as a member of this council for his disorderly preaching."
Mr. Robbins, upon the reading of the resolutions of the council, returned home, expecting no more complaints or trouble, and he was sustained in his course by his own church. Very unexpectedly to him, a complaint was exhibited against him, to the association which sat at Cheshire, in May, 1743. Mr. Robbins accidentally heard of it, soon after, but he could not learn who were the complainants, nor what number of them there were, nor what were the articles of complaint. The next association which met at North Haven, again took the matter into consideration, and drew up the following confession, which they presented to him:
"Whereas I, Philemon Robbins, was condemned by the consociation of New Haven county, for disorderly preaching, in the first society in Wallingford; I do now acknowledge that my preaching there was disorderly; and I purpose to
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preach disorderly no more, and desire the reverend association of New Haven county to overlook it; I purposing and resolving, if opportunity favor, to go to said consociation, and acknowledge the said disorderly preaching before them, in order to be restored to their favor."
As he could not acknowledge that his preaching to the Baptists was contrary to the word of God, or the Saybrook platform, and as he did not believe in his conscience that it was disorderly, he refused to subscribe to the confession. He offered a confession of his own, but the association would not accept it. But as the people were uneasy that he was not on good terms with the association, and as a good understanding with his brethren in the vicinity was desirable, he went to the association the next year in May, while it was sitting in North Branford, and offered three confessions to the association. The first was in these words:
"I the subscriber do acknowledge that I preached at Wallingford, within the bounds of the first society, and without the consent of the Rev. Mr. Whittelsey, pastor of the first society, on January 6th, 1741-2, and now do acknowledge, that my preaching there was a breach of the order that the ecclesiastical authority of New Haven county have come into, by an agreement and vote, A. D., 1741, and so disorderly preaching in that respect, as it was contrary to said vote. And now I declare that it is my full purpose, at present, not to preach contrary to said vote of said authority ecclesiastical, for time to come, nor contrary to the act of the general assembly in May, 1742. And further, I humbly ask that the association of New Haven county would overlook what is past, and receive me to sit with them, &c. as formerly, and recommend me to be received by the consociation, upon my making this acknowledgment before them, which I stand ready to do when opportunity presents.
"PHILEMON ROBBINS."
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It was a long time debated in council, whether this confession should be received or not. Some were for it; but finally a majority appeared against it, and it was rejected. He offered them a second, but that did not satisfy them. He told them he had a third to offer, if they would hear it. They refused; but one of the association wished to have it, and promised to return it to him again, and there was no doubt but that the association heard it. It was as follows:
"I the subscriber do humbly acknowledge that I preached at Wallingford, within the bounds of the first society, to the people called the baptists, January 6th, A. D. 1741-2, for which the reverend consociation have secluded me from the privilege of sitting with them, and people at home and abroad have been uneasy: I do therefore declare, that, though if I was instrumental of any spiritual good to any souls there, I must so far rejoice; yet upon every other account, I am sorry that I went; and desire the association and consociation of said county to overlook it, and receive me to sit with them, &c., as formerly.
"philemon robbins."
Finding that nothing which he could conscientiously say would satisfy the association, he went home, hoping that what he had said might give satisfaction to his own people, though it had not to the association. Another complaint was privately drawn up and presented to the association sitting at Amity, May 29, 1745, and a paper was drawn up, signed by fifteen members of the first society of Branford, requesting the consociation to take into consideration the difficulties and grievances they were, laboring under. At a meeting of the association held at Waterbury, September, 1745, Mr. Robbins offered another confession, stating that he could not after more than three years study, meditation
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and prayer, be convinced in conscience that his so preaching was contrary to the holy scriptures, or the mind of God. The confession concluded as follows:
"And now, gentlemen, I humbly beg forgiveness: let my ignorance of its being a crime apologize for me, that I may be restored. And I would humbly offer one motive to engage your compassion, viz. a prospect of peace among my people, who have been uneasy, for I think that in other respects, they are friendly and kind; but this case has been an uneasiness with them, and a principal uneasiness, if I may judge by their complaints, or what I hear from their own mouths. And therefore, gentlemen, as you are professed lovers of peace, you will undoubtedly promote it, by restoring your unworthy servant."
The association would not accept this confession, nor give it so much as a second reading. After some further prosecution of the affair, the consociation proceeded to depose him from the ministry and the communion of their church. The record is as follows:
"This Consociation do now and upon the whole judge and determine the said Robins unworthy the ministerial character and Christian communion; and accordingly do, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the word of God, and the powers invested in this Consociation by the ecclesiastical constitution of the government, depose the said Robins from his ministerial office, and ministerial and pastoral relation, to the first church in said Branford, and debar and suspend him from communion in any of the churches of our Lord Jesus Christ."
This occured in 1747. Subsequently a petition was preferred before the General Court, that they would eject Mr. Robbins from his meeting-house, that a regular minister might be settled in his place. It should be observed
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that his church had previously voted to renounce the jurisdiction of the consociation. The Sabbath after he was deposed, Mr. Robbins preached from I Cor. 9 : 16; "For necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel." Some of the people went to meeting with hesitation whether he would attempt to preach, or if he should, whether they should stay and hear him or not; but he made such an extraordinary prayer as arrested all their attention and deeply impressed their minds. They judged that such a prayer had never been made in that house. They all tarried to hear what he would preach. And here again he gained their attention and entered deeply into their feelings. They imagined that his discourses were not less extraordinary than his prayer. He continued preaching, and performed all ministerial duties as he had done before, and the people attended his ministrations. The society advanced his salary and encouraged him by public acts of generosity. In the year 1755, about seven years after, he was invited to sit with the consociation at the ordination of Mr. Street, at East Haven, and no objections were made on account of any thing which had passed in the times of his trouble. He attended the consociations until the time of his death, in 1781. Yet his church sent no messenger with him.1
There is no evidence that this First Church in Wallingford continued in existence after the year 1750. But
1 A History of New England, with particular reference to the denomination of Christians called Baptists, by Isaac Bachus, Boston, 1779-84, II. 631. Trumbull's Hist. of Conn., II. 196-233. A plain Narrative of the proceedings of the Rev. Association and Consociation of New Haven county, against the Rev. Mr. Robbins, of Branford, since the year 1741, and the doings of his church and people. 1743. Sprague's Annals, 1,367.
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no doubt it exerted much influence toward the formation of another church in the town, nearly fifty years later. The immediate cause of the organization of the church whose history is now to be sketched, may probably be found in the occasional labors of certain Baptist ministers attached to other churches in the State. Among these, the influence of Rev. Solomon Wheat is most apparent from the records. The first conversions to Baptist principles among those who afterwards constituted the church, appear to have occurred under his preaching. And the first two candidates baptized repaired to Glastenbury, his place of residence, for the ordinance. August 23, 1786, seven males and five females met at the house where Charles Ives now lives, and "by mutual agreement spent the day in fasting and solemn prayer to Almighty God to succeed and bless their endeavour to build him an house, and that He would form them into a gospel church." The pledge, "We therefore agree to unite to make the following covenant with God and with one another," &c., was signed by
isaac hall, samuel mix, charles ives, leah peck, ephraim hough, sarah ives, zena brockett, mary hull, aseph mltchell, jerusha matoon, charles ives, Jr., esther matoon, isaac hall, Clerk.
On the 7th of October, following, the church was publicly recognized, after due examination of their articles of faith and church order; the Rev. Solomon Wheat of Glastenbury, and a delegation from the church over which he presided, giving the right hand
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of fellowship. The form of covenant adopted by them is very full and explicit, and expressed in language of great strength and solemnity. It should be remarked that the church was formed, their worship held, and their first house of worship erected within the present town of Meriden. No records remain of their action as a society, and hence information is wanting on some points, in which it would be desirable. Their church records however, are measurably full, and afford many hints of their general condition. They seem to have been without a house of worship for many years, and hence must have held their meetings in private dwellings, school-houses, etc. For several years they were generally held in the south-eastern part of the town of Meriden, at the residence of one of their members.
In the year 1801, fifteen years from their organization, a dwelling-house was purchased and located near the division line of both towns, but within the limits of Meriden, and refitted as a house of worship. As may be supposed, it was of moderate size, and devoid of all ornament. Yet it served about fifteen years as a shelter and rallying point for Baptists, who gathered from Meriden, Wallingford, Cheshire, Hamden, North Haven, Westfield and Berlin. And unpretending as the building was, yet the language of the admiring Israelite concerning Zion, might be accommodated to the works of saving mercy wrought within it. "The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people that this and that man was born there." To many it proved "the house of God and the gate of Heaven." This building was called the "Temple," and was situated just north of the residence formerly occupied by Ivah Curtis. It was
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about thirty-five feet long and twenty-five feet wide. And now that it has passed the second time to the uses of a private dwelling, it is still associated in the memories of some with tried and faithful friends and brethren, whose voices, long since stilled in death, they were there wont to hear, as they sang the praises of God, and spoke his word with power.
It is somewhat remarkable that this church remained without the regular service of an ordained minister for even a longer period than they lacked a house of worship. It was not until May 20th, 1806, that their first pastor was ordained, making in all twenty years from the date of their organization. Yet, it should not be inferred from this that they were wholly destitute of the preaching of the gospel, and the administration of the ordinances of Christ. Doubtless they were enjoyed by them at stated seasons, in days of the greatest destitution. And there appears from their records no cause for doubt that the worship and order of a church were regularly maintained by them, from the time of their existence as a church. And they appear to have had more ministerial service than most churches which are destitute of pastoral care. Their first pastor seems to have conducted their worship and supplied their pulpit, much, if not most of the time, for several years previous to his ordination; and he probably by exchanges secured the services of ordained ministers for the regular administration of the ordinances. But during their comparative, and even their greatest destitution, we have cause to regard them as on the whole a prosperous church.
It appears from this record that their discipline was eminently Scriptural and laborious. No complaint was
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tolerated against a member until the aggrieved or complaining member had taken the first and second steps of labor prescribed in the 18th chapter of Matthew. And then the complaint must assume the form of a written allegation. Then they seem to have been prepared to bestow upon it any amount of time and labor which justice to the parties and the interests of religion might demand. And we have evidence also, that they practically recognized the right of the church to the gifts of its members, to a degree by no means common among us at the present day. Brethren of tried character and ability were regularly appointed by a vote of the church to conduct their religious services in the absence of ministerial aid. And the memory of many of these members is still fragrant, as characterised by eminent purity and devotion of life, and by the habit of frequent and powerful exhortation from the Word of God. And it may be doubted whether in any recent period it has been favored with as many able Christian exhorters as it had at the beginning of the present century. Moreover, in view of the disadvantages under which they labored for many years, from the want of a house of worship and of needful pastoral service, and added to this, the strong prejudices and civil disabilities with which they were called to contend, we may regard them as prosperous in the point of numbers.
In 1791, this church dismissed thirteen males and eleven females to form another church in the south part of the town. They were soon recognized as the "Second Baptist church in Wallingford," by delegates from the First and Second Baptist churches in Danbury. Their house of worship was known as the "Separate Meeting House," and was located about a mile south of
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the present village. Their "Articles of Faith" were very full and decidedly Calvinistic. In doctrine they were in sympathy with the "Separates," who had left the churches of the standing order after the adoption of the "Saybrook Platform," and the "Halfway Covenant."
It is impossible to trace the history of this second church from the records of the first, as we meet with no more than a single recognition of them afterwards. This church had no pastor until the year 1800, when Seth Higby was called to the pastorate. He continued his labors with them until his death in 1804. After this the church had no settled pastor, but was supplied much of the time by ministers from neighboring towns. Elders Lester and Green frequently visited them. In 1793, seven years from the formation of the first church, it had numbered in all sixty-four members. This rate of increase is probably greater than that generally realized by the Baptist churches during the last twenty years.
In 1803, they dismissed twenty-nine of their number to form a church in Waterbury. Among the members of the 26. Baptist Church in Wallingford, who formed the first Baptist church in Waterbury, were Zenas Brockett, David Frost, and Isaac Terrell. For several years it was their custom, and the custom of those afterwards associated with them, to visit the church of their adoption at least once every month, and this journey, a distance of twelve miles, they usually performed on foot. By these brethren, meetings were established and conducted in the town of Waterbury; and Nov. 10, 1803, a church was organized of those previously connected with the Second Baptist Church in Wallingford. Preeminent in this movement were the brethren whose names
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are above recorded; men who deserve a cherished and honored memory as leaders of the infant church, and as Christians of tried integrity of character and purity of life.
In 1804, a church was formed in Westfield parish, Middletown, by members dismissed for that purpose from the Second Baptist Church of Wallingford. That church maintained its existence nearly fifty years, and saw days of peace and usefulness. More recently, it experienced heavy trials, resulting in the reduction of its membership. Reduced still farther by the removal of members to other places, it finally disbanded. Yet it lived not in vain. It has given back to the church from which it originated a number of valued members, and to other and remoter churches it has made its contributions of active laborers in the cause of Christ.
In 1811 the second society in Wallingford disbanded, and a part of their number united with the labors of Joshua Bradley, who was living in Wallingford. Mr. Bradley came from Rhode Island in 1809, and being a thoroughly educated man, commenced teaching and preaching in the village of Wallingford. Soon an academy was built for him, and he preached a part of the time in that. There was no organized Baptist church in the center, while he labored in the town. But there was a (Baptist) congregation of that order, and they met for worship a part of the time in what was known as the "Wells House." A Mr. Wells held Calvinistic sentiments, and with many others separated from the old Congregational church, and erected a new house of worship which was located where the Episcopal church now stands. The Baptists worshiped in it until their present house of worship was erected in 1822.
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There are many now living who testify to Mr. Bradley's faithful and incessant labors during a period of seven or eight years, while he taught in the Academy and preached on the Sabbath. He did not escape the persecution of those days. On one occasion he was forcibly taken from the school-room by an officer of the law, and hurried away to New Haven and confined in jail. His friends immediately bailed him out. When he was preaching in New Haven, about the time of the constitution of the First Baptist church in that city, he was tried before the Superior Court. In the language of the indictment, he was charged with "drawing away from their respective Pastors and Ecclesiastical Societies, to which they belonged, many of the citizens." But in every trial his enemies were confounded; and the opposition to him resulted in the furtherance of the gospel.
At this time there was no Baptist church in Walling-ford. What was the First church in the north part of the town, was still in existence, but the house of worship was in Meriden. In 1806, when Meriden was incorporated as a town, a part of the township was set off from Wallingford, as has been before stated. The line of division between the two towns was run a little south of the Old "Temple." After this the church was called the "Baptist church in Meriden." The house of worship stood about three miles from Meriden center, and about four from the center of Wallingford. It was found at length to be unfavorable with respect to the centers of the population around them. Hence, after long, perhaps too long delay, it was resolved to rear the banner which had been given them to be displayed because of the truth, in the center of Meriden. This appears to have been done also, with the view to a
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separate organization for the center of Wallingford. Accordingly in 1815, measures were taken for the erection of a house of worship in the village of Meriden. This appears to have been done mainly at the expense of that part of the members who resided in Meriden, and who would naturally attend at the new place of worship. The building was probably erected the same year; and although left unfinished in the interior, was applied to the uses for which it was designated. Whether the members in Wallingford united with them in worship for a time, or maintained a separate meeting at the old place or in Wallingford village, does not appear from the records. When the brethren in Meriden erected a new house of worship, the members living in Wallingford then began to think of forming a separate church of their own. Accordingly, as the record reads,
"The Baptist Church in Meriden being fully persuaded that it would be for the advancement of Zion, to constitute a Baptist Church in Wallingford out of their number, voted to call a council for that purpose."
At the call of the Meriden church, a council was convened May 15, 1817, and the present Baptist church of Wallingford was then constituted, consisting of thirty-four members. In 1821, when the Hartford Association met in Sandisfield, Mass., the church reported eighty members. Their first pastor was Rev. Samuel Miller. Henceforth, the paths of the two bodies diverge, or rather run distinct, though parallel. Let us follow the history of the church in Meriden.
Greatly weakened by the loss of one-half or more of its members, the progress of the church was not rapid, if indeed it has ever been so, in point of enlargement. Two other churches preceded it in the village, in the
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order of time, and one of them which had existed from the year 1725, more than fifty years before the existence of the Baptist church had gathered around it the mass of the population. The small meeting-house, for two or three years naked in the interior, and the small number of attendants, presented a painful contrast with the numbers and circumstances of their brethren adjoining them. Many pronounced the attempt a failure at the beginning; and probably for sometime afterwards had little apprehension of proving false prophets. Years of toil, and apparently of unrequited toil, awaited the brethren. Yet amid periods of comparative weakness and barrenness there were seasons of limited success, and of brightening prospects. A revision of the roll of members, reported October 3, 1819, showed the whole number of members to be seventy-three.
But the year 1820 appears to have been one of increase, both in point "of numbers and of strength, and hence of reviving hope and courage. About twenty persons were added to their number by baptism. Some valuable additions were made to the church in succeeding years; but no general revival followed until the year 1829. In the autumn of this year a more extensive revival of religion commenced, than the church had before witnessed since its organization. A revision of the records which took place a few years afterwards, involving the destruction or loss of the former roll of membership, has rendered it impossible to determine the number added to the church during that revival. It is believed however, that about twenty were received. While the work was rising and spreading rapidly, the pastor of the church was suddenly removed to his account. The short interval of four days only, occurred
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between vigorous health and active labor, and his death Four days later the wife of the pastor was removed by death. Five days more, and one of the deacons of the church, who, for nearly twenty years had proved himself a firm friend and advocate of the church, lay prostrate in death.
Rev. William Bentley was secured for the temporary supply of the pulpit, and under his preaching, an impulse was given to the church which it has probably never wholly lost. Father Bentley was naturally possessed of considerable mental energy, and especially great intensity of feeling, and vividness of imagination. His language was often awkward and blundering; but the moment his mind began to glow, it became simple and touching, and often quite eloquent.1 In June, 1830, Rev. Russell Jennings assumed the pastoral charge. During this year, the house of worship was removed, and received an addition to its length, together with a spire, and a basement room used as a vestry. Mr. Jennings remained until November, 1832, a period of two years and five months. In September ensuing, 1833, Rev. Nathaniel Hervey became pastor of the church, and continued in that relation about one year. April 1, 1835, Rev. George B. Atwell was called to the pastoral charge, and retained it two years. In May
1 Rev. Wm. Bentley was born at Newport, R. I., March 3, 1775. At the age of fifteen, he was seat to Boston to learn a trade of a baker; was baptized May, 1791. At the end of his apprenticeship he commenced business as a baker in Boston. He was first licensed to preach in 1806, and was first settled at Tiverton, R. I. From thence he removed to Worcester, Mass., where he preached three years with a salary of one hundred dollars per annum. In 1815, he removed to Wethersfield, Conn., where he remained six years; after which he sustained no pastoral charge, but preached in various parts of the State. He died December 24, 1855, aged eighty years.
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ensuing, 1837, Rev. Leland Howard succeeded him, and served until June, 1838.
In August, 1838, Rev. Harvey Miller entered upon the services of the church, which he served in all fidelity until called to his rest and reward on high, upon which he entered August 27, 1856, having served the church as pastor eighteen years.1 He was a genial and loving friend, with rare conversational powers, and a favorite with all. As a preacher, his sermons were full of rich thought and evangelical truth, and his delivery was rapid, animated and energetic.2
In 1848, the society increasing with the growth of the town, erected for themselves a large and beautiful church, not far from the site of the former one. The cost of the new house, completed and furnished, together with the land and the lecture-room, was $9,500. Its dimensions are seventy-six feet long and fifty-three feet wide.3
April 1, 1857, Rev. D. Henry Miller entered upon
1 Church Manual, 1861.
2 Rev. Harvey Miller was born in Wallingford, April, 3, 1814. His father, Rev. Samuel Miller, preached in this town twenty-three years. On his seventeenth birth-day, 1831, he was baptized by Rev. Simon Shailer, and two months after united with the church. He preached his first sermon in the North Farms' school-house, Sabbath evening, June 5, 1831, from John III : 14. After preaching in various places for nearly a year, he entered upon a course of study at Hamilton Theological Institute in 1832. His health failing him he left the Institution in June, 1836, and went to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he was ordained November 23, 1836. After preaching there two years he came to Meriden, where he was married to Mrs. Sarah R. Ives, May 21, 1839. His pastorate in Meriden extended through eighteen years. He preached his last sermon in this church, August 17, and died on the 27th, 1856, aged 42 years.
3 In 1869, an addition was built on the west end of the church, to contain an organ, which was presented by Edward Miller, Esq.
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the duties of the pastorate, at the unanimous call of the church. A work of grace soon blessed his labors and ninety-three persons were received in the ordinance of baptism, and forty-nine by letter and experience, during the first two years of his ministry. The membership at this time was 474.
During his pastorate the Second Baptist church in West Meriden was organized, June 4, 1861, by members dismissed from the First Baptist church. A lot for a church edifice was secured at a cost of $400. A chapel was built at a cost of $1,700, in which the society worshiped until their church was built. This church is built of brick, with brown stone trimmings, after the modern Gothic style of architecture. Its dimensions are eighty-two by forty-two feet, with transepts seventy-two feet wide extending twenty-five feet on one side, and thirty-three on the other, making the entire width of the church across the transept to be one hundred feet.
Mr. Miller closed his connection with the church, and entered the service of his country as chaplain in the 15th regiment.1 He was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Mason, who remained here about one year. Rev. Henry A. Cordo was settled over the society in 1864, and remained until September, 1866. He was followed by Rev. Otis Saxton, who supplied the pulpit until September
1 Rev. D. Henry Miller was the eighth son of James and Mary A. Miller, of Charlestown, Mass. His mother was a daughter of one of the heroes of Bunker Hill. Mr. Miller was born in Jersey City, Oct. 31, 1825; was graduated in 1845; took degree of A. M. in 1849 from Madison University. He was ordained at North Stonington, Conn., Nov. 17, 1847. In 1866 the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred on him by the University of Lewisburg, Penn. Became pastor at Meriden April 1, 1857, where he served successfully, and left the church to enter the service of his country during the rebellion. In 1868, he was called to the Broad St. Baptist church of Elizabeth, N. J.
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1867, when he left for Valparaiso, Wisconsin. June 7, 1868, Rev. Almond Barelle1 was installed as pastor of the church.
We will now return to the Wallingford church. When the Rev. Samuel Miller was dismissed to join the church in Meriden, his associate, Rev. Sedgwick Rice, in connection with Rev. Mr. Wilson, who preached a part of the time, had the oversight of the church until 1825, when Rev. Seth Ewer was called to the pastorate. He continued his labors until July, 1827. From that time to 1831, the church was successively supplied by Elders Glazier, Kimball and Knowlton. In 1831, Simon Shailer was called to the pastorate. Under his ministry a good number were added to the church. Early in 1837 he was succeeded by Francis Hawley, who, in 1841 was succeeded by Mr. Batcheler. In 1843 Mr. Batcheler adopted "Millerite views," and thus created division in the church, which resulted in the exclusion of many from its fellowship. In 1844 A. E. Denison was called to take "the pastoral charge of the church. When he commenced his labors, the church was in a low state ; but with his judicious efforts there was soon a good degree of union and prosperity in the church. In 1847 they remodeled their house of worship, and added the front part and steeple at a cost of nearly $3,000. In 1850 Charles Keyser became pastor of the church, and was succeeded, in 1853 by S. B. Grant. In 1855 Rev. R. J. Adams was called, and during his pastorate the
1 Mr. Barelle was graduated at Madison University, and was a student at the Rochester Theological Seminary. He was first located at Central City, Colorado, where he remained three years. His next pastorate was in Brooklyn, N. Y., where he remained two years. Sept. 24th, 1864, he married Miss Julia E. Merchant at Central City, Colorado.
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church enjoyed two revivals, and seventy-one were added to the membership. January 19, 1870, Mr. Adams was installed as pastor of the Baptist church in Holyoke, Mass., and was succeeded by the Rev. A. C. Bronson in 1870. The church has suffered greatly from a frequent change of pastors. During the fifty-two years of its existence it has had no less than fifteen. The longest terms of office were held by Messrs. Shatter and Denison; the one five years, and the other seven years.
It is worthy of notice, that at the call of this church, a convention of delegates from nine churches met in the academy at Wallingford, Sept. 15, 1825, and formed the New Haven Baptist Association. Since 1826, there have been added to the church by baptism, three hundred and ninety-three; by letter, ninety-five. As nearly as can be estimated, there have been connected with the church since its formation over six hundred members.1
The doctrinal views of the Baptist churches are like those of the early Puritans, and their church organization is strictly congregational, holding that none are proper subjects of Christian ordinances, but professed believers, and thus of course excluding unconscious babes from the ordinance of baptism. Their church government is essentially democratic. As a denomination, it is believed they have ever in all countries, and at all times, been opposed to the interference of the civil authority in matters of conscience; believing as Roger Williams has said, in that great cardinal principle, the full enjoyment of "soul liberty." It is worthy of special note, that the Rev. Asahel Morse, then pastor of the first Baptist church in Suffield, was one of the
1 Minutes of N. H. Bapt. Ass., 1859.
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delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1818, and that the article in the constitution, on religious liberty, is from his pen.1
The following is a list of the regular pastors who have been settled over the church in Meriden:
DANIEL WILDMAN, 1789, Served one year. NATHANIEL NORTON, 1791, " " " SAMUEL MILLER, 1806, " twenty-three years. RUSSELL JENNINGS, 1830, " two years. NATHANIEL HERVEY, 1833, " one year. GEORGE B. ATWELL, 1835, " two years. LELAND HOWARD, 1837, " one year. HARVEY MILLER, 1838, " eighteen years. D. HENRY MILLER, 1857. H. G. MASON. HENRY A. CORDO, 1864, " two years. ALMOND BARELLE, 1868.
During the vacancies in the pastoral office at different times, the pulpit has been supplied by Rev. S. Wheat, and Elders S. Higby, Parsons, Graves and Beach, and Rev. Messrs. William Bentley, Otis Saxon, and other clergymen. The following have served the church as deacons:
EPHRAIM HOUGH, 1788. CHARLES IVES, 1788. JESSE DICKERMAN, 1789. JEDUTHAN HIGBY, 1792. JOHN HALL, 1800. AMBROSE HOUGH, 1803. SEDWICK RICE, 1814. ASA BUTLER, 1814. OTHNIEL IVES, 1816. RANSOM IVES, 1816. GERSHOM BIRDSEY, 1830. JOHN HALL, re-elected, 1830. AUGUSTUS HALL, 1830. NATHAN F. GOODRICH, 1830. SAMUEL I. HART, 1851. HORACE PRATT, 1851. LYMAN CLARK, 1853. RUSSEL B. PERKINS, 1853. ALANSON BIRDSEY, 1860.
1 Hollister, II. 561.