401 CHAPTER XXII.
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
in the year 1821, the first sermon in Meriden by a Universalist preacher was delivered by Rev. Mr. Brooks of Massachusetts. This service was held in the evening, at the residence of Noah Pomeroy in the eastern part of the town. From twenty to thirty persons were present, a considerable portion of them doubtless from motives of curiosity. No further meeting was held till December, 1823, or January, 1824, when Rev. Nehemiah Dodge, then of New London, preached one evening in Mr. Pomeroy's house. Mr. Dodge had been a Baptist preacher of celebrity, and had preached under the auspices of the Baptist denomination in all this vicinity. He officiated from 1816 to 1821 in the Baptist church in New London, and remained in the church till 1823, when he was excluded on the ground that he had embraced Universalist principles. After the sermon a Baptist brother, Deacon John Hall, attacked the preacher's sentiments and a spirited little controversy was held.
Some six years elapsed, when next in order came Rev. John Boyden, then a very young man, of Berlin, who preached in the hall of the old tavern, corner of Main and Broad streets, and also in the north center school-house, April 4, 1830, February 26, April 25, and September
395
26, 1833. The average attendance on Mr. Boyden's ministry here was about twenty. At this time the avowed Universalists in the town were Noah Pomeroy, Calvin Coe, Daniel Yale, Darling Dayton and Mrs. Calvin Coe. But very few ladies attended the meeting, as it was hardly considered respectable for females to do so.1 The compensation of the preacher was ten dollars per Sunday, and was mostly paid by Messrs Pomeroy and Coe. Mr Pomeroy, being with his family, an attendant at the Baptist church, and a liberal contributor to its expenses, asked the use of the vestry of that church for Mr. Boyden to preach in, but was refused; whereupon he withdrew his attendance and support.
Soon after, late in 1833 or early in 1834, Rev. Horace Smith, then the successor of Mr. Boyden at Berlin, and who had formerly been a Baptist minister, preached three or four sermons in the old north center school-house. Early in 1834, there preached one evening in Mr. Pome-roy's house, Rev. Stephen R. Smith, then probably of Albany, N. Y. Some fifty persons were present. Not far from this time, Dr. Luther Parmelee and his father moved into the town and attended the meetings; and during the latter part of Mr. Boyden's ministry, Hezekiah Rice settled here, and with his wife joined the society. Early in the same year, 1834, Rev. Thomas Miller, of Long Island, but a native of Wallingford, uncle of the late Rev. Harvey Miller of this town, and who had been a Baptist preacher, preached a single evening in Noah
1 The following is on the records of the First congregational church of this town, May 15, 1837: "Mr. Alson L. Talmadge, for embracing the doctrines of universal salvation, be no longer considered a member of this church."
396
Pomeroy's house. Beginning with April, 1834, and extending to April, 1835, Rev. W. A. Stickney, then of Berlin, lectured here in the tavern hall and in the old north center school-house the fourth Sunday evening in each month, making in all twelve discourses. When the Baptists vacated their old meeting house (the present academy building), the purchase of it for the use of the Universalists was talked of, and Messrs. Pomeroy, Coe and H. Rice proposed contributing five hundred dollars each for that purpose, but the project failed. Scattered over a period of thirty-two years, viz., from 1821 to March, 1853, there were delivered in the town about forty sermons and lectures, equal to twenty Sundays labor, by seven or eight different clergymen.
On the thirteenth of March, 1853, Rev. Abraham Norwood, then and for several years after the State missionary, preached in the present academy hall, having in the morning sixty hearers, in the afternoon eighty, and the same number in the evening. After the close of the evening service he found written on the blank leaf of a conference hymn-book which he had supplied for the singing, the words of this invocation: "May the cuss of God go with you." Rev. J. J. Twiss, then of Stamford, preached the first and second Sundays of April, 1853. On the evening of the first day of his ministry, a meeting was held, and a committee of five appointed to see how much could be raised to build a place of worship. January 15, 1854, Rev. Mr. Norwood preached to fifty, seventy, and sixty hearers; and the next evening in East Meriden to thirty listeners. March 5, 1854, a committee, reported that seven hundred dollars had been subscribed, and that the brethren were ready to settle any minister that might be sent them.
397
On the twenty-third and thirtieth of the following month Rev. James Gallager,1 of Easton, Pa., preached as a candidate, and was invited to become the pastor, at a salary of seven hundred dollars. The call was accepted, and Mr. Gallager became the first Universalist pastor of Meriden, commencing on the second Sunday in June, 1854. On the 30th of May, 1854, a constitution was adopted, and the following names attached to it, viz.: Noah Pomeroy, Calvin Coe, E. E. Smiley, Wm. H. Golden, John S. Blake, Moses Waterman, Isaac C. Lewis, J. V. Thayer, B. F. Stevens, Edwin Dayton, Monroe Barns, John L. Ives, B. R. Stevens, H. E. Welton, James T. Pomeroy, E. R. Aspinwall, John C.
1 Rev. James Gallager was born in Philadephia in 1813. At an early age he learned a trade; but while visiting Bridgeton, N. J., he met with Rev. Abel C. Thomas, through whose influence he became interested in the cause of Universalism, and was induced to enter the ministry. He removed to Philadelphia shortly after, and was married to Miss Frances C. daughter of Rev. David Oliver. At the same time he continued to work at his trade by day, pursuing his studies with great perseverance by night under Rev. A. C. Thomas. In 1837, he delivered his first address before the Young Men's Institute in Philadelphia, and shortly after he received a call from the Universalist society of Pottsville, Pa., where he labored very successfully for five years; then moved to Providence, R. L, where he remained but a short time, and accepted a call from the first Universalist society of Newark, N. J. The society prospered under his care during his sojourn of five years; but he met with a sad bereavement in the death of his beloved wife, who died of consumption, leaving four motherless children to his care. In 1850, he became pastor of the church in Easton, Pa., where he remained six years, being united in marriage while there, to Miss Jane Brown, of Philadelphia. In June, 1854, he was called to Meriden. In 1857, he removed to Hamilton, Ohio. After supplying the pulpit there for three months, he was taken suddenly ill one Sunday in the midst of his sermon, and was removed to his house, where he lay in great suffering for three weeks, until his death, July 11, 1857. He was buried on Sunday, July 12, from the Methodist church, it being larger than the Universalist, their minister officiating in the services. His remains were afterward removed to Newark, N. J.
398
Marvin, J. V. Foster, Charles Pomeroy, Norman W. Pomeroy, Philip Sage Pelton, P. S. Bliss, Jr., Silas Gladwin, G. E. Leonard, Aaron Gardner, and Isaac P. Lewis. At the annual meeting held in April, 1855, a year later, thirteen new names were added to the society's list. At a meeting held January 31, 1860, it was found that four thousand and three hundred and twenty dollars had been subscribed toward the building of a church, and that six hundred and eighty dollars in addition were required before further progress could be made. This remaining sum was subscribed by persons present. The church was dedicated December 5, 1860. The whole expense incurred in the building of the church and adjoining sheds, not including carpets and upholstery, was nine thousand two hundred and fourteen dollars and eighteen cents.
The Rev. Mr. Gallager remained with the society two years and a half, preaching his farewell sermon January 25, 1857. He settled in Hamilton, Ohio, and died on the 16th of the following July. He was a man much loved and respected by all who knew him; and the savor of his Christian life and influence contributed toward their elevation as a society in the respect of their fellow Christians. Rev. Abel C. Thomas, in a letter to the author, says, "So lived and died one of the best men that ever lived."
From January up to the first of September, 1857, there preached as candidates for settlement, Rev. J. Farrington, C. A. Bradley, J. K. Shepherd, N. C. Hodgdon, J. G. B. Heath, and F. E. Hicks. Mr. Hicks was invited to become the pastor, and entered upon his duties August 1, 1857. He suffered much from ill health, and his ministry terminated about the middle
399
of the following May (1858), although he had been unable to preach for some two months previous. He soon removed to Dover, N. H., where, as is believed, he enjoyed a successful ministry of some three or four years. From this place he went to western New York for a space, and then accepted a call from the second church in Lowell, Mass., where he preached until his death.1
After the removal of Mr. Hicks, for a few months sermons were read and the liturgy used by Norman W. Pomeroy, Andrew Coe and Abraham Norwood. On the 12th of December, 1858, Rev. Calvin Gardner of Maine preached and continued to do so for three months; not as desiring to be the pastor, but making what he termed a "ministerial visit." He died very suddenly of heart disease at Waterville, Maine. Next came for one or two Sundays each, Revs. A. B. Manley, L. L. Record, Albert Tyler, G. V. Maxham, N. C. Hodgdon, J. Fisher, and perhaps one or two others. Some of these were candidates. On the first of July, 1859, Rev. Henry Eaton commenced his pastorate with the society. His health was very poor when he came, and bodily infirmities increased upon him, so that on the 29th of January, 1860, he tendered his resignation. Removing to Worcester, Mass., he lingered a year or two, suffering much, and finally died, May 26, 1861.2
1 Rev. F. E. Hicks was born at Bristol, N. Y., Nov. 4, 1831. He studied for the ministry under Rev. J. H. Tuttle; preached his first sermon at Fulton, N. Y., Sept. 18, 1853; was first settled at Victor, N. Y.; was settled at Meriden, Oct., 1857, and dismissed Aug., 1856. Settled at Dover, N. H., from which church he was dismissed Oct., 1861. Removed thence to Leroy, N. Y., and afterwards to Lowell, Mass., where he died.
2 Rev. Henry Eaton was born at South Reading, Mass., Nov. 27, 1825. He was the youngest of seven children. In early life he removed to
400
On September 1, 1860, Rev. Frederick Foster became pastor of the society. His connection with the society was terminated March 3, 1861. He settled at Ware, N. H., where he died suddenly of heart disease. Mr. Foster was a graduate of Dartmouth College, of the class of 1840, and was an excellent classical scholar. After taking his degree, he pursued his classical studies so assiduously, that in a few years he had gone through nearly the whole range of Greek authors, with a digest of their contents. His classical studies led to a dry, metaphysical style of preaching, and his ministry in Meriden was not successful. After the removal of Mr. Foster, the pulpit was supplied by Revs. Thomas Borden, Benjamin Whittemore, W. A. Stickney, N. C. Hodgdon and A. Norwood, one or more Sundays each, till June 2, 1861, when Rev. Moses Stoddard became the preacher, and continued to supply the pulpit until February 1, of the following year. From this period, February 1, 1862, to July of the same year, Mr. Norwood preached. Rev. J. H. Farnsworth was installed pastor of the church November 1, 1862, and remained
North Malden, now Melrose, Mass. He attended the public schools until he was sixteen years old, when he entered a store in Boston as clerk, where he remained two years; then with his brother William he established a shoe-store; subsequently he set up for himself in the same business in Newburyport. He studied for the ministry under his brother Rev. Edwin A. Eaton, with the exception of a brief period spent at the theological school at Clinton, N. Y. He was first settled at Hanson, Mass., where he remained about a year; then at East Bridgewater nearly the same length of time; then at Milford for seven years; then at East Cambridge two years; then at Waltham two years; and finally at Meriden. After his removal to Worcester his cough became very bad, and his bleeding exhausting. He knew that his pilgrimage on earth must ere long close, and deliberately prepared for the event. He died at Worcester, early Sabbath morning, May 26, 1861, in the thirty-sixth year of his age.
401
seven years, when he removed to Springfield, Vt. Mr. Farnsworth was a very efficient pastor, and did more than any other to build up the society. He was also for several years acting school visitor. Rev. Martin J. Steere, formerly of Lewiston, Maine, was settled over the church in the fall of 1869. Without any reference to pastoral changes, twenty-six different clergymen have supplied the Universalist pulpit since the organization of the society in May, 1854, to the time of the settlement of Mr. Farnsworth.1
1 Anniversary Discourse, delivered in the 1st Univ. Church, Meriden, Nov. 12, 1865, by Rev. J. H. Farnsworth, Pastor.