HISTORY OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN STERLING,

Formerly the West Parish in Lancaster.

This Church was organized Dec. 19, 1744, at the time of the ordination of the Rev. John Mellen, their first pastor. The following Covenant was drawn up, and subscribed or assented to by eighteen of the brethren, who at that time were members of the old Church in Lancaster.

"WE, whose names are hereunto subscribed, being inhabitants of the west precinct in Lancaster, in New England, knowing we are very prone to offend and provoke the most High God, both in heart and life, through the prevalence of sin that dwelleth in us, and manifold temptations from without us, for which we desire to be humble before Him from day to day; do, in the name of ourLord Jesus Christ, with dependence upon the gracious assistance of his spirit, solemnly enter into covenant with God, and one another according to God, as follows:"

"1. That having taken and chose the Lord Jehovah to be our God, we will fear him, cleave to him, and love and serve him in truth, with all our hearts, giving up ourselves unto him to be his people in all things, to be at his sovereign disposal and direction; that we may have and hold communion with him as members of Christ's mystical body, according to his revealed will, unto our lives end."

"2. We also bind ourselves to bring up our children and servants in the knowledge and fear of God, by holy instructions, according to our best ability; and in special by the use of orthodox catechisms, endeavoring that the true religion may be maintained in our families while we live; yea, and among such as shall live when we are dead and gone."

"3. We also bind ourselves to keep close to the truth of Christ, endeavoring with holy affection towards it in our hearts, to defend it against all opposers thereof, as God shall call us at any time thereunto, which if we may do, we resolve to use the holy Scriptures as our platform, whereby to discern the mind of Christ, and not the new found inventions of men."

"4. We also engage ourselves to have a careful inspection over our own hearts, viz. so as to endeavor by the virtue of the death of Christ, the mortification of all our worldly frames and sinful dispositions, our corrupt passions and disorderly affections, whereby we may be withdrawn from the living God."

5. We also oblige ourselves in the faithful improvement of our ability and opportunity to worship God, according to all the particular instructions of Christ, for his church, under gospel administrations, as to give reverend attentions to the word of God, to pray unto him, to sing his praises, and hold communion with each other in the use of both the seals of the new covenant, baptism and the supper of the Lord.”

"6. We likewise promise that we will peaceably submit to the holy discipline appointed by Christ, in his church, for offenders, (obeying according to the will of God,) them that have the rule over us in the Lord."

7. We also bind ourselves to live in love, one with another, endeavoring our mutual edification, visiting, exhorting, comforting, as occasion serveth, and warning any brother or sister that walks disorderly, not divulging private offences irregularly, but heedfully following the several precepts laid down by Christ for church dealing, Math. xviii. 15, 16, 17, willingly forgiving any that manifest unto a judgment of charity, that they truly repent of their miscarriages."

"Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the Sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make us perfect, in every good work, to do his will, working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever-Amen."

This covenant was subscribed by the pastor, who had been called to his office by the Parish alone, without the intervention of the Church. In the subsequent controversy with the Pastor, this circumstance was supposed to vest greater privileges than ordinary in the lay Corporation. The Church was organized Dec. 19, 1744, and the Pastor ordained on the same day, by a Council of neighboring Churches, and no objection was made to this method of calling the minister.

Dec. 21. Voted, that Members be admitted with consent of the Brethren, upon giving satisfaction to the Pastor, and publicly owning the covenant, without a written profession or relation.

1745. May 5. The Lord's Supper was administered for the first time. Jonathan Osgood was chosen deacon.

Forty five members were admitted before July 7, 1745.

The affairs of the Church and the Parish advanced prosperously for about twenty years.*

A few years previous to the commencement of the Revolutionary war, the people of most of the towns in this vicinity were involved in a most violent and malignant controversy with their ministers. This discussion, connected with many local circumstances, was various in its nature in the respective towns, and as it was often accompanied by the most envenomed attacks upon private character, and served often to divide families and neighborhoods, most of its details have wisely been suffered to pass into oblivion. So careful were the past generation to veil it from posterity, and to bury it in the graves of the actors, that not only did they neglect to publish its history, but even the public records concerning it, in most of the towns have been either destroyed or secreted. In fact, in some instances, the pages that recorded these transactions have been so mutilated as to throw but a glimmering light upon the subject. As to most of those details, judging from scanty traditions, this is no subject of regret. But we believe, that this controversy, apart from its personalities, marks a distinct era in the progress of religious freedom, and was followed by consequences, that have greatly advanced the happiness of the succeeding generations. Our fathers fled to this land for the rights of conscience, and as the freedom of our civil institutions has ever followed in the train of religious liberty, the ecclesiastical history of Massachusetts will be found the most instructive part of our annals. This part of our history has never been fully delineated by any one; it was commenced by a writer, learned, enlightened, and impartial, but death suspended his career, in the midst of his unfinished labors. After the first generation had passed away, all the great and distinguished divines from 1660 to 1730, present to us a lamentable account of the awful declension of religion, and the woeful apostacy of the New England Churches. Soon after the latter period, a revival or awakening commenced in most of the

In 1757, there were 87 male members, who had been admitted, 8 had died, 13 dismissed, and 76 remained, together with 64 females. In 1764, there were 109 males, and 112 females. As there were then but 151 families in the place, there were probably but few of them entirely excluded from the privileges of the communion.

†The late lamented John Eliot, D. D. of Boston. See 1 Hist. Col. vii. 262, and passim.

See the Election Sermons of that period. The writings of the Mather and Prince's Christian History.

Churches, which was hailed by many of the Clergy, as a special interposition in behalf of a benighted land. Various means were adopted to keep alive the new light that was shed upon this part of the Christian world. Many of the Boston clergy engaged most earnestly in this interesting work; among others, the faithful annalist, the Rev. Mr. Prince, of the old South Church, in Boston, who has left upon record many important documents respecting these events.* The learned Doctors Sewall, Colman, W. Cooper, and others, lent their aid. The excitement was greatly increased by the arrival of the famous Whitfield, Tennant, and others, from England, distiaguished in their day as burning and shining lights. As might be expected, the work met with a vigorous opposition from others. At the head of this class were Drs. Chauncey, S. Mather, Byles, Messrs. Welsted, Gray, Hooper, and others.

The question whether this work was induced by the supernatural agency of the Holy Spirit of God, or whether it was the effect of enthusiasm, was deeply agitated by the learned Theologians of the day. Parties were thus introduced into the New England Churches, which, assuming various forms, have ever since continued to agitate the community. How far the inhabitants of this County engaged in the work, does not fully appear. Doctor Hall, of Sutton, and Mr. Seecomb, of Harvard, two distinguished Clergymen of their time, have furnished very animated accounts of the progress of the revivals in those places, but they have added but little relating to the neighboring Churches. The Clergy from all parts of New England were earnestly called upon to give their attestation, that the work was something more than could be produced by ordinary means. They assembled at Boston the day following the Commencement, in 1743. The names of but six or seven of the ministers of this County appear, and three of those subscribe with some limitations. Tradition informs us, that from the scattered situation of the settlers of these new plantations, it was apprehended that the Churches would be broken up, and the towns divided, by affording too much encouragement to itinerant preachers of various denominations. These fears were unhappily realised in many plaWhile some hailed these events as the prelude to the universal triumph of the Church over all opposition; others of a less ardent temperament predicted that after the unnatural excitement

ces.

*See Christian History for 1743 and 1744, a periodical work, printed weekly for this special purpose. The numbers were afterwards collected in two octavo volumes.

had passed away, it would be succeeded by a period of indifference and coldness in the great concerns of religion. Before the middle of that century, we find many Pastors deeply lamenting the withdrawing of the good influences, and complaining that many relapses had taken place.

In a few years, the great controversy that has so long shaken the Church, between the Arminians and Calvinists, succeeded. The laity had been exclusively educated in the Schools of the Genevan reformer, but many of the Clergy, having been led to examine more deeply into this metaphysical disputation, embraced the opposite doctrines with the Professor of Leyden.

Most of the Churches in this vicinity, were at that time supplied by Clergymen, distinguished among their brethren, for strength of intellect, depth of research, and energy of character. Such were Mr. Harrington of Lancaster, Mr. Adams of Lunenburg, Mr. Rogers of Leominster, Mr. Goss of Bolton, 'Mr. Fuller of Princeton, Mr. Morse of Boylston, and particularly Mr. Mellen of Sterling, who, in his time, probably stood at the head of the Clergy of the county. The two first of these fathers, by uniting the wisdom of the serpent with the innocence of the dove, bad so permanently won the affections of their people, that they alone were enabled to maintain their offices. The other five were compelled to sacrifice their livings to the spirit of the times.

We learn from tradition that these ministers in a greater or less degree had sensibly departed from the standard of faith, that had been generally received in the New England Churches, and had extended their speculations in such manner, as to give great offence to some, who had not pursued the same course of reasoning. Many of their hearers at first became alarmed at these deviations from the principles of their fathers. As early as 1757, troubles began at Leominster with Rev. John Rogers, a man of learning and of great intrepidity of character, qualified by many circumstances, as well as by his name, to be the first suffering confessor. He was charged with preaching doctrines not contained in the Westminster confession of faith, doctrines that were subversive of the ancient faith professed by that Church, and which many of his hearers could not adopt. In a council of fifteen churches, including, it is said, most of his associates above named, he was arraigned and condemned. Three months were allowed him to retract his errors, which, refusing to do, he was deposed from his office. This dismission introduced a spirit of inquiry that